The Master aims to develop a specialized cultural and professional profile for the autonomous management of extracorporeal purification in critically ill patients, covering both the strictly medical aspects and the technical nursing components related to the direct management of devices and medical equipment used in extracorporeal therapies.
More specifically, the competencies acquired will focus on the management of critically ill patients affected by Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in critical care settings undergoing extracorporeal purification treatments.
Given the complexity of these techniques, the Master is designed to train healthcare professionals—physicians, nurses, and cardiovascular perfusionists—capable of working effectively within multidisciplinary teams. The programme emphasizes the development of integrated professional skills, with a strong focus on the use of advanced technologies currently available in the field of extracorporeal purification.
The course is delivered online in a synchronous format, promoting active interaction and discussion with faculty members and fellow participants.
Classes are held on Fridays (8:30 am – 6:30 pm) and Saturdays (8:30 am – 1:00 pm). Attendance is mandatory for at least 75% of the total hours.
Practical sessions will be organized to provide hands-on experience in the in vitro management of the most commonly used extracorporeal purification devices. Selected topics will be further explored through dedicated seminars, and meetings with industry experts will be arranged to encourage interactive discussion on the subjects covered during lectures.
Throughout the Master, clinical internship modules will be scheduled, consisting of periods of up to 5 consecutive days (typically Monday to Friday) per module, until the required hours are completed. During these modules, participants will have the opportunity to observe clinical and care activities at the University Hospital of Padua, following patients undergoing extracorporeal purification and gaining insight into their full clinical management.
This experience may be further enhanced by practical activities carried out by participants within their own professional settings.
All sessions will also be delivered via Zoom and recorded, allowing participants to revisit the lessons at a later stage for further study and in-depth review.
The Master trains healthcare professionals such as physicians (including anesthesiologists, nephrologists, cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, pulmonologists, etc.) and nurses specialized in extracorporeal purification in critical care settings.
The programme aims to prepare professionals who are fully autonomous, both theoretically and practically, in the management and delivery of extracorporeal purification treatments. Graduates will be equipped to perform all types of extracorporeal therapies in Intensive Care Units, Sub-Intensive Care Units, and Nephrology Hemodialysis Units.
The Master in Extracorporeal Purification in the Critically Ill Patient covers the following key topics:
- Acute Kidney Injury (AKI): medical and nursing management, and monitoring of renal function in critical care settings
- Principles of extracorporeal purification: from physical foundations to their application in modern treatment systems
- Medical devices in extracorporeal therapies: intended use and practical application of commonly used devices in extracorporeal circulation
- The critically ill patient in Intensive Care Units
- The critically ill patient in Cardiology
- The critically ill patient in Cardiac Surgery
- Renal and extra-renal indications for extracorporeal purification treatments
- Vascular access for extracorporeal circulation: medical and nursing management
- Types of extracorporeal treatments, indications, and prescription
- Hemoperfusion and hybrid therapies
- Anticoagulation in extracorporeal purification: citrate, heparin, low molecular weight heparin, alternative anticoagulants, and anticoagulation-free techniques
- Organization of multidisciplinary teams: from AKI diagnosis to treatment delivery and ongoing monitoring
- Patient safety in extracorporeal therapies: introduction to patient safety and clinical risk management
- Clinical risk mapping: risk analysis and development of protocols, procedures, and tailored checklists for specific healthcare settings
- Medical aspects of extracorporeal purification units
- Nursing aspects of extracorporeal purification units
- Regulatory and economic aspects of extracorporeal therapies
- Decapneization and Kidney Replacement Therapy (KRT) in patients with respiratory diseases, including COVID-19
This comprehensive programme integrates clinical, technical, organizational, and regulatory perspectives, providing a complete understanding of extracorporeal purification in critical care.
The Master in “Extracorporeal Purification in the Critically Ill Patient” is a first-level inter-university Master’s programme jointly offered by the University of Padua, the University of Verona, the University of Bari Aldo Moro, the University of Trento, and the University of Genoa.
This collaborative structure fosters continuous interaction between participants and faculty, ensuring the development of highly specialized skills in the field of extracorporeal purification, enriched by the diverse expertise and clinical practices of the participating centers.
The theoretical didactic delivery includes lectures on Friday and Saturday mornings, for a total of 300 hours. On the same days, practical exercises will be organised for the in vitro management of the most common extracorporeal purification equipment.
The Master’s course attendees will be divided in small groups, based on the total number of students, and will actively take part in the activities of the extra-corporeal purification team. Doctors will follow the complete treatment course, from AKI consultancy to purification treatment delivery and monitoring, while nurses will follow the entire patient care course, from consultancy to purification treatment administration and management. Both figures will be formed on monitor preparation and on how to manage and supervise the treatment, through direct lessons in the different Intensive Care Units, in the presence of the clinical activity tutors. At the end of each attendance term, periodical meetings are held to explore the most interesting clinical cases further, and discuss the type of purification treatment supplied to each patient in detail.
The general ranking of merit will be published on the Italian page of this Master according to the timing provided in the Call.
Possible presence of 1 study awards of €2,625 to be awarded at the end of the Master’s degree to the best thesis.
Information
FAQ
Yes. The Master is designed to train healthcare professionals—both physicians and nurses—capable of delivering extracorporeal purification treatments using the most commonly available extracorporeal therapy systems.
A strong emphasis is placed on practical skills, enabling participants to become fully autonomous in the preparation, delivery, and monitoring of extracorporeal treatments. By the end of the programme, participants will have developed the ability to independently manage different therapies and devices.
This is achieved through hands-on experience gained during clinical activities, including case discussions and active participation in the full patient care pathway, from assessment to treatment and monitoring of patients undergoing extracorporeal purification.
Yes. The Master is designed to train healthcare professionals—both physicians and nurses—who are able not only to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams, but also to design and implement dedicated services for the delivery of extracorporeal purification treatments.
The combination of theoretical knowledge and practical training enables participants to address the specific challenges of their own clinical setting and to organize a service tailored to local needs, ensuring personalized treatment and patient safety.
In addition, the programme provides tools and competencies for conducting local clinical risk analysis and for structuring an effective service through the development of protocols, procedures, operational guidelines, and customized checklists.
These skills can be applied from both medical and nursing perspectives, supporting the creation and management of a specialized team dedicated to extracorporeal purification therapies.
Yes. The Master offers a comprehensive theoretical and practical pathway that starts from the fundamentals of acute kidney injury (AKI) and extracorporeal purification, and progressively develops the skills needed to manage the main extracorporeal treatments currently used in clinical practice.
Even without prior experience, participants will acquire a solid scientific background along with specialized technical and practical competencies, enabling them to engage more effectively within their clinical environment and contribute to improving the quality of care.
The programme is open to both physicians and nurses, including those who are planning a future career in critical care settings (such as Intensive Care Units, Sub-Intensive Care Units, or Transplant Centers). The knowledge and skills gained will support professional growth and enhance expertise in the management of extracorporeal therapies.
No. The Master is specifically designed to train professionals in the management of patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring extracorporeal purification in critical care settings.
However, the competencies acquired during the programme also complement the knowledge needed for managing chronic patients, who are typically stable and treated outside critical care environments. The Master includes an overview of extracorporeal techniques commonly used in chronic dialysis, but only in relation to their potential application in stable critically ill patients.
For professionals already working in settings dedicated to chronic patients, the skills gained through the Master can enhance and broaden their expertise in extracorporeal purification overall. In particular, they will be better prepared to manage urgent or emergency situations requiring extracorporeal treatments in critical care contexts.
At the end of the Master, physicians will have acquired the clinical competencies needed to independently design and manage an extracorporeal purification pathway for critically ill patients, particularly in settings where a nephrologist is not available. When a nephrologist is present, participants will be able to collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team in the management of critically ill patients. In addition, the practical training in extracorporeal circulation will enable physicians to deliver and supervise treatments, even in the absence of specialized nursing staff.
Nurses, upon completion of the Master, will have developed the full set of competencies required to prepare extracorporeal purification systems, connect and disconnect patients from extracorporeal circulation, deliver and monitor the prescribed treatment, and manage the most common clinical and technical issues related to extracorporeal therapies and vascular access.