Course Prework
The Difficult Airway Course: Critical Care™ focuses exclusively on the airway challenges posed by critically ill inpatients. This advanced course is designed for intensivists and for hospitalists who are responsible for emergency airway management of acute inpatients.

Build mastery and confidence in:     
  • How to predict a difficult airway and prevent a failed airway
  • When - and when NOT - to use medications
  • How to perform an awake intubation
  • Tube exchange and extubation of the difficult airway
  • Practical strategies in crisis management and human factors
Featuring a dynamic and interactive learning environment, the Course emphasizes airway assessment and decision-making to build the capacity to manage all airway situations — and to do so with great confidence. Read More

View attendance policy in effect for courses: Click here

Upcoming Dates and Locations

Boston, MA
May 2 ‐ 4, 2025
Register
San Diego. CA
November 14 ‐ 16, 2025
Register

Course Fees:

Regular Tuition:
$1,950 USD
Gold Rate Tuition:
$1,650 USD
For Physician Assistants, Advanced Practice Nurses, Nurses & Respiratory Therapists
Silver Rate Tuition:
$1,450 USD
For Residents, Fellows, and SCP Health Medical Staff

Download Course Schedule

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation Policy

A Cancellation Fee of 10% of the tuition paid will apply to all course cancellations requested up to 14 days prior to start of Course.

No refunds will be issued for cancellations requested within 14 days of the course start date.

No refunds will be granted to those who do not attend the Course without having made prior arrangements for cancellation or transfer.

If a registrant tests positive for COVID or another communicable disease, they may cancel their registration up to the start of the course. A 10% cancellation fee will be assessed. Proof of positive test will be required to initiate refund.

A credit for a future course will be offered to any attendee who leaves during the Course because of COVID-19 symptoms or positive test.

Alternatively, registrants may transfer to another course with no transfer or cancellation fee.

If Airway Management Education Center (AMEC) is required to cancel a course due to safety concerns, all attendees will receive a 100% refund or may transfer to another course.

A true highlight is the engagement of the faculty and their willingness to share their experience and tricks. While the hands-on sessions were valuable for getting to touch and work with the different equipment, interacting with the faculty during these sessions was one of the highest yield elements of the course.

Attendee, Denver, 2021

Amazing course! Every doctor involved with airway management should take this course. I can clearly assess my strengths and my weaknesses, I feel well prepared to approach the most challenging airways. The hands-on experienced is key to this course! Thank you for a well-organized and enlightening course!

Norma S., DO Houston, TX

You guys knocked it out of the park! Not only was the course highly informative and empowering, but fun and enjoyable as well.

Christopher Battaglia, MD. Buffalo, NY

I loved the warmth and passion of the instructors. Great group and very accessible. Easily one of the best, most practical and fun CME courses I have had in a long time.

Jennifer Mark, MD. Roanoke, VA

Highlights include: 

  • Front of neck access / cricothyrotomy
  • Code Airway™ stations
  • Preparation for challenging acute inpatient scenarios, including:
    • Upper airway obstruction
    • Airway management in the massively obese patient
    • Tracheostomy issues, including accidental dislodgement
    • Agitated hemodynamically unstable patient who self-extubates
    • The bleeding, traumatized, and vomit-filled airway
    • The can’t intubate/can’t ventilate situation
  • Instruction by a world-class faculty of airway experts
  • Dynamic and interactive learning environment

 

Hands-on in Crucial Airway Techniques:

  • Percutaneous and surgical cricothyrotomy
  • Video laryngoscopy
  • Awake intubation
  • Flexible bronchoscopy and laryngeal mask ventilation
  • Optically enhanced laryngoscopy
  • Extraglottic devices
  • Flexible endoscopic intubation
  • Pediatric airway skills
  • Techniques for the obese patient

 

 

 

Tuition Includes:
Course textbook, Manual of Airway Management in Critical Care, 1st edition (© 2024 Wolters Kluwer), and The Airway Card™.

Accreditation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of SCP Health and Airway Management Education Center (AMEC). SCP Health is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
AMA Credit

2024 Accreditation Information

SCP Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 20.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

 

2025 Accreditation Information

SCP Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 20.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Schedule Download PDF

2024 Typical Course Schedule (final schedule distributed on-site)

Day 1

6:30 - 7:30 AM

Registration and Breakfast

7:30 - 8:00 AM

Introduction/Setting the Scene

8:00 - 9:00 AM

Essential Skills in Airway Management

9:00 - 9:15 AM

Fiberoptic Tour of the Airway

9:15 - 9:30 AM

Break

9:30 - 11:30 AM

Hands-On Workshops (Rotation)
Direct Laryngoscopy / Video Laryngoscopy
Bag Mask Ventilation (BMV), Supraglottic Airways

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Lunch on Your Own

12:30 - 1:00 PM

Difficult Assessment

1:00 - 2:15 PM

Dangerous Physiology

2:15 - 3:00 PM

RSI Pharmacology

3:00 - 3:15 PM

Break

3:15- 5:00 PM

Code Airway™ Stations

Day 2

6:30 - 7:30 AM

Registration and Breakfast

7:30 - 8:50 AM

Hands-On Workshops (Rotation)
Soiled / Trauma Airway
Flexible Endoscopy / Awake Topical
Airway Ultrasound

8:50 - 9:05 AM

Break

9:05 - 11:45 AM

Hands-On Workshops (Rotation)
Soiled / Trauma Airway
Flexible Endoscopy / Awake Topical
Airway Ultrasound

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM

Panel Lunch (provided)

1:00 - 2:30 PM

Failed Airway with Surgical Cricothyrotomy Lab

2:30 - 3:30 PM

Code Airway™ Simulations

3:30 - 3:45 PM

Break

3:45 - 5:00 PM

Code Airway™ Simulations

Day 3

6:30 - 7:30 AM

Registration and Breakfast

7:30 - 8:30 AM

Human Factors

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Exchange Catheters

9:00 - 11:00 AM

Breakout Sessions (Rotation)
Post-Op, Altered Airway
Hands-On Workshop: Extubation and Exchange Catheters

11:00 - 11:30 AM

Final Points & Pearls, Wrap-Up/Post-Test

Excellent overall, incredible teaching staff. This course is a must for all CCM practitioners.
Fredy Toiber, MD
Portland, Oregon
Amazing course! Every doctor involved with airway management should take this course. I can clearly assess my strengths and my weaknesses, I feel well prepared to approach the most challenging airways. The hands-on experienced is key to this course! Thank you for a well-organized and enlightening course!
Norma S., DO
Houston, Texas
I have been in clinical practice as a pulmonary/critical care physician for 23 years, and this is the best (and most applicable) CME class that I have ever taken. The faculty was outstanding. They were extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and they never made me feel uncomfortable while learning new skills. I strongly recommend this course to any provider whose scope of practice includes airway management.
John B. Krueger, MD
Hollywood, Florida
The faculty were incredibly approachable, I enjoyed hearing their experiences and appreciate them sharing their unique approaches to difficult situations. Thank you for making this course available to APNs!
Claire Clouse, APRN
Carmel, Indiana
"You guys knocked it out of the park! Not only was the course highly informative and empowering, but fun and enjoyable as well."
Christopher Battaglia, MD
Buffalo, NY
"I loved the warmth and passion of the instructors. Great group and very accessible. Easily one of the best, most practical and fun CME courses I have had in a long time."
Jennifer Mark, MD
Roanoke, VA

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of the course, the participant will be able to:
1
Express a clear conceptual framework for Difficult Airway management in the critical care and inpatient setting.
2
Identify a rapid and systematic approach for the management of the difficult and failed airway.
3
Recognize devices and techniques needed to manage the difficult and failed airway; and when and how to use them.
4
Be able to perform a cricothyrotomy.
5
Be able to assess and manage a difficult airway extubation.
6
Identify airway management techniques for treating highly infectious viral patients.

Target Audience

The Difficult Airway Course: Critical Care is intended for providers who care for acutely ill in-patients, including Critical Care Specialists,
Intensivists, Hospitalists, Respiratory Therapists and Critical Care Transport providers.