This session is designed to deepen the understanding of hemodynamic management in the acutely brain injured patient for the neurocritical care nurse. This presentation explores how targeted vasoactive strategies support cerebral perfusion, prevent secondary brain injury, and optimize patient outcomes.

Welcome to the Neurocritical Care Society's Advanced Practice Provider Orientation Course!

The Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Orientation Course is a resource designed for APPs and healthcare professionals working in the field of neurocritical care. It includes organized resources covering a wide variety of foundational content (neuroanatomy, neuroradiology, and the in-depth neurological examination) as well as disease-specific content for an array of diagnoses encountered in Neurocritical Care. Each topic outlines required foundational content as well as suggested resources for APPs looking for a deeper understanding on neurocritical care content.

The APP Orientation Course serves as an ideal resource to build basic knowledge for an Advanced Practice Provider new to the field, those who desire a refresher course, or for a clinician new to neurocritical care.

Course Structure:

This course is comprised of 25 sections that include review materials covering:

1. Neurology Foundations
2. Critical Care Foundations and Neurocritical Care Skills
3. Pathology and Disease in Neurocritical Care
4. Recommended Procedures in the Neurocritical Care Environment

Each section includes mandatory review items and optional materials. To earn a certificate of completion for this course, all mandatory items and the course satisfaction survey must be completed.

Access to this course is valid for one year from the date of purchase.


Please click here to view the NCS Legal Disclaimer for the Advanced Practice Provider Orientation Course.

Overview:

The Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Orientation Course is a resource designed for APPs and healthcare professionals working in the field of neurocritical care. It includes organized resources covering a wide variety of foundational content (neuroanatomy, neuroradiology, and the in-depth neurological examination) as well as disease-specific content for an array of diagnoses encountered in neurocritical care. Each topic outlines required foundational content as well as suggested resources for APPs looking for a deeper understanding of neurocritical care content.

The APP Orientation Course serves as an ideal resource to build basic knowledge for an Advanced Practice Provider new to the field, those who desire a refresher course, or for a clinician new to neurocritical care.

Access to this course is valid for one year from the date of purchase.

Objectives:

This course is comprised of 27 sections that include review materials covering:

1. Neurology Foundations
2. Critical Care Foundations and Neurocritical Care Skills
3. Pathology and Disease in Neurocritical Care
4. Recommended Procedures in the Neurocritical Care Environment

Each section includes mandatory review items and optional materials. In order to obtain continuing education credit hours for this activity and earn a certificate of completion for this course, all mandatory items and the course evaluation must be reviewed and completed.

Target Audience:

This activity was designed for clinicians who are allowed by their local laws to perform brain death determination. It is appropriate for a spectrum of learning levels from trainee to advanced learner.

Non-Endorsement Statement:

The accredited provider verifies that sound education principles have been demonstrated in the development of this educational offering as evidenced by the review of its objectives, teaching plan, faculty, and activity evaluation process. The accredited provider does not endorse or support the actual opinions or material content as presented by the speaker(s) and/or sponsoring organization.

Disclosures:

The accredited provider adheres to accreditation requirements regarding industry support of continuing medical education. Disclosure of the planning committee and faculty's commercial relationships will be made known at the activity. Speakers are required to openly disclose any limitations of data and/or any discussion of any off-label, experimental, or investigational uses of drugs or devices in their presentations. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated. All employees and activity planners in control of content have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Accreditation: 

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by CineMed and the Neurocritical Care Society. CineMed is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Claiming CE Credit Requirements:

The learner must review the entire module, the posttest, and the evaluation. Certification is achieved only when the post test is passed with a passing score of 100%. Full completion of this activity takes approximately 2 hours. Upon successful completion of the module posttest and evaluation, a certificate will be generated. You will have the option to download the Certificate for your records, and it will also continue to be available within your profile. NCS provides certification information to the accredited provider on a monthly basis. All content is the copyrighted material of the ©2025 Neurocritical Care Society.

Physicians:

CineMed designates this enduring material for a maximum of 20.25 AMA PRA Category 1Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses:

This educational activity is approved for 20.25 contact hours for nurses.

All other healthcare professionals will receive a Certificate of Completion. For information on the applicability and acceptance of Certificates of Completion for activities designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, consult your professional licensing board.

Support:

This activity is being provided independently of industry support.

CME Information:

Release Date: January 1, 2024

Expiration Date: January 1, 2027

Hardware / Software Requirements:

• An internet connection speed of at least 4Mbps and a modern browser
• Modern browsers have a built in PDF reader which would be necessary for you to view your completion certificates

Overview:

The Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Orientation Course is a resource designed for APPs and healthcare professionals working in the field of neurocritical care. It includes organized resources covering a wide variety of foundational content (neuroanatomy, neuroradiology, and the in-depth neurological examination) as well as disease-specific content for an array of diagnoses encountered in neurocritical care. Each topic outlines required foundational content as well as suggested resources for APPs looking for a deeper understanding of neurocritical care content.

The APP Orientation Course serves as an ideal resource to build basic knowledge for an Advanced Practice Provider new to the field, those who desire a refresher course, or for a clinician new to neurocritical care.

Access to this course is valid for one year from the date of purchase.

Objectives:

This course is comprised of 27 sections that include review materials covering:

1. Neurology Foundations
2. Critical Care Foundations and Neurocritical Care Skills
3. Pathology and Disease in Neurocritical Care
4. Recommended Procedures in the Neurocritical Care Environment

Each section includes mandatory review items and optional materials. In order to obtain continuing education credit hours for this activity and earn a certificate of completion for this course, all mandatory items and the course evaluation must be reviewed and completed.

Target Audience:

This activity was designed for clinicians who are allowed by their local laws to perform brain death determination. It is appropriate for a spectrum of learning levels from trainee to advanced learner.

Non-Endorsement Statement:

The accredited provider verifies that sound education principles have been demonstrated in the development of this educational offering as evidenced by the review of its objectives, teaching plan, faculty, and activity evaluation process. The accredited provider does not endorse or support the actual opinions or material content as presented by the speaker(s) and/or sponsoring organization.

Disclosures:

The accredited provider adheres to accreditation requirements regarding industry support of continuing medical education. Disclosure of the planning committee and faculty's commercial relationships will be made known at the activity. Speakers are required to openly disclose any limitations of data and/or any discussion of any off-label, experimental, or investigational uses of drugs or devices in their presentations. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated. All employees and activity planners in control of content have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Accreditation: 

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by CineMed and the Neurocritical Care Society. CineMed is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Claiming CE Credit Requirements:

The learner must review the entire module, the posttest, and the evaluation. Certification is achieved only when the post test is passed with a passing score of 100%. Full completion of this activity takes approximately 2 hours. Upon successful completion of the module posttest and evaluation, a certificate will be generated. You will have the option to download the Certificate for your records, and it will also continue to be available within your profile. NCS provides certification information to the accredited provider on a monthly basis. All content is the copyrighted material of the ©2025 Neurocritical Care Society.

Physicians:

CineMed designates this enduring material for a maximum of 20.25 AMA PRA Category 1Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses:

This educational activity is approved for 20.25 contact hours for nurses.

All other healthcare professionals will receive a Certificate of Completion. For information on the applicability and acceptance of Certificates of Completion for activities designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, consult your professional licensing board.

Support:

This activity is being provided independently of industry support.

CME Information:

Release Date: January 1, 2024

Expiration Date: January 1, 2027

Hardware / Software Requirements:

• An internet connection speed of at least 4Mbps and a modern browser
• Modern browsers have a built in PDF reader which would be necessary for you to view your completion certificates

In this toolkit, you will find many resources to help your understanding of Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria (BD/DNC), both conceptually and in practice. We present here a straightforward, easily accessible set of tools for use by anyone who may be involved in BD/DNC determination.

Table of Contents

1. Brain Death Toolkit Foreword
2. Pediatric and Adult Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria Consensus Guideline: Report of the AAN Guidelines Subcommittee, AAP, CNS, SCCM
3. 2023 AAN Brain Death Guideline eTables
4. AAN Brain Death Clinician Tools and Materials
5. Sample Brain Death Policy for Hospital Adaptation
6. Sample Brain Death Policy Checklist
7. Brain Death: Frequently Asked Questions for Healthcare Professionals
8. Brain Death: Frequently Asked Questions for the Lay Public
9. Brain Death Determination Webinar
10. NEJM BD/DNC Exam Video Demonstration on Mannequin
11. Determination of Brain Death/Death by Neurologic Criteria: The World Brain Death Project

This content was developed by the NCS Brain Death Task Force as an educational tool and not as a guideline or a policy. The principles of this content are based on the AAN guideline which are generally accepted by the NCS as valid and appropriate. Practitioners should refer to local ordinances that apply to the diagnosis of death in the regions in which they practice.

Copyright 2025 Neurocritical Care Society, Updated 2024

Please click here to view the NCS Legal Disclaimer for the Brain Death Toolkit.

Overview:

While there exists a legal provision for brain death, or death by neurologic criteria (BD/DNC), institutional protocols for diagnosis are not universal and are often absent; no specific criteria for diagnosis is mandated. Even among institutions with an organized diagnostic protocol, there is substantial variation both in the criteria used and who may perform the determination. Please refer to your hospital’s (and state’s) policies and protocols when performing a BD/DNC determination at your hospital.

This course is accredited for 2 hours of continuing education. It includes a video 1 hour in length, and a 25-question exam at the completion of the video. Once the video has been watched and the exam passed with a score of 100% (unlimited retakes allowed), participants will be granted a certificate of completion. Access to this course is valid for 2 years form the date of purchase.

Objectives:

• Highlighting the necessary steps that must be taken to determine brain death
• Reviewing meticulous examination methods, including apnea testing, understanding the role of ancillary testing, and discussing proper documentation
• Understanding the updated guidance from the 2023 AAN/AAP/SCCM/CNS guidelines, including special circumstances such as ECMO, pregnancy, primary posterior fossa injury and others
• Outlining helpful communication approaches with fellow providers and families
• Describing common pitfalls and barriers that may arise during the determination process

Target Audience:

This activity was designed for clinicians who are allowed by their local laws to perform brain death determination. It is appropriate for a spectrum of learning levels from trainee to advanced learner.

Non-Endorsement Statement:

The accredited provider verifies that sound education principles have been demonstrated in the development of this educational offering as evidenced by the review of its objectives, teaching plan, faculty, and activity evaluation process. The accredited provider does not endorse or support the actual opinions or material content as presented by the speaker(s) and/or sponsoring organization.

Disclosures:

The accredited provider adheres to accreditation requirements regarding industry support of continuing medical education. Disclosure of the planning committee and faculty's commercial relationships will be made known at the activity. Speakers are required to openly disclose any limitations of data and/or any discussion of any off-label, experimental, or investigational uses of drugs or devices in their presentations. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated. All employees and activity planners in control of content have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Accreditation: 

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by CineMed and the Neurocritical Care Society. CineMed is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Claiming CE Credit Requirements:

The learner must review the entire module, the posttest, and the evaluation. Certification is achieved only when the post test is passed with a passing score of 100%. Full completion of this activity takes approximately 2 hours. Upon successful completion of the module posttest and evaluation, a certificate will be generated. You will have the option to download the Certificate for your records, and it will also continue to be available within your profile. NCS provides certification information to the accredited provider on a monthly basis. All content is the copyrighted material of the ©2025 Neurocritical Care Society.

Physicians:

CineMed designates this enduring material for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Support:

This activity is being provided independently of industry support.

CME Information:

Release Date: January 1, 2024

Expiration Date: January 1, 2027

Hardware / Software Requirements:

• An internet connection speed of at least 4Mbps and a modern browser
• Modern browsers have a built in PDF reader which would be necessary for you to view your completion certificates

ENLS® CERTIFICATION 

Course access is valid for two years from date of purchase. 

Target Audience:

This activity is designed for all health care providers who 1) may encounter or 2) provide care for patients with neurological emergencies in the first hour of their emergency care, including paramedics, emergency department physicians, critical care physicians, neurosurgeons, nurses, pharmacists, medical students and resident/fellow trainees.

Overview and Objectives:

This is course is comprised of 15 protocols and reference topics. Each protocol was designed and written by neuro intensivists and emergency medicine professionals. These protocols are designed to provide the same advice an expert in neurocritical care would provide if you called the physician for a consult and asked, "what should I do in the first hour to best help this patients and hand them off to you?" This online course will give you the relevant background to these protocols, so you feel more comfortable using them in practice.

After completing each topic, the learner will be able to:

• Recognize the signs and symptoms of the neurological emergency
• Perform a focused neurological exam and calculate the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score
• Rapidly implement the recommended management protocol
• Effectively communicate pertinent medical information to the accepting health care provider

Activity Goal:

This activity is designed to address the following core and team competencies: Patient Care, Medical Knowledge, Professional, Employ Evidence-based Practice, Value & Ethics, Team & Teamwork, Interprofessional Collaboration, and Interprofessional Communication.

Non-Endorsement Statement:

The accredited provider verifies that sound education principles have been demonstrated in the development of this educational offering as evidenced by the review of its objectives, teaching plan, faculty, and activity evaluation process. The accredited provider does not endorse or support the actual opinions or material content as presented by the speaker(s) and/or sponsoring organization.

Disclosures:

The accredited provider adheres to accreditation requirements regarding industry support of continuing medical education. Disclosure of the planning committee and faculty's commercial relationships will be made known at the activity. Speakers are required to openly disclose any limitations of data and/or any discussion of any off-label, experimental, or investigational uses of drugs or devices in their presentations. All accredited provider employees, NCS planners and authors in control of content have indicated that they have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.   All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

 The following content providers have indicated that they have no relevant financial relationships to disclose: Rhonda Cadena, MD; Anna Finley Caulfield, MD; Brian L. Edlow, MD; Jonathan Elmer, MD; Oliver Flower, MD; Rachel Garvin, MD; David F. Gaieski, MD; Noah Grose, BSN, MSN; Hartmut Gross, MD; J. Claude Hemphill III, MD; Ricardo Hernandez, MD; William A. Knight IV, MD; Arthur Lam, MD; Halinder S. Mangat, MD; Kristine H. O’Phelan MD; Jose A. Pineda, MD; Kees H. Polderman, MD, PhD; Venkatakrishna Rajajee, MD; Jonathan J. Ratcliff, MD; Becky Riggs, MD; Owen Samuels, MD; Aarti Sarwal, MD; David B. Seder, MD; Deborah M. Stein, MD; Shahana Uddin, MD. 

Disclosed Relationships:
Gretchen M. Brophy, PharmD – Speaker's Bureau & Consultant - UCB Pharma, Chiesi; Research Grant - Mallinckrodt; Consultant - SAGE; Jan Claassen, MD, PhD – Study Planning - SAGE; Research Grant - DANA Foundation; Joshua N. Goldstein, MD, PhD – Research Grant - Pfizer, Portola, Boehringer Ingelheim; Medical Monitoring - Pfizer; Clinical Trial Enrollment - Portola; Theresa Human, PharmD, PhD - Speaker's Bureau - UCB Pharma, Chiesi 

Accreditation: 

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by CineMed and the Neurocritical Care Society. CineMed is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Claiming CE Credit Requirements:

This self-guided activity takes approximately 15 hours to complete and consists of recorded presentations, videos, and text. Certification is achieved when each exam is passed with a score of 70% or higher, with unlimited retakes, and after a certification survey is completed.

Upon successful completion of the course exams and survey, a certificate will be generated. You will have the option to download the ENLS Certificate and CE Attestation for your records, and it will also continue to be available within your profile. You are eligible to enroll in the ENLS Recertification Course and recertify at 22 months. NCS provides completion information to the accrediting organization CineMed monthly.

All content is the copyrighted material of the ©2025 Neurocritical Care Society.

Physicians:

CineMed designates this enduring material for a maximum of 15 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses:

This activity provides 15 contact hours for nurses

Pharmacists:

This activity has been accredited for 1.5 CEU (15 credit hours) of continuing education credit.  

JA0003860-9999-24-002-H01-P

Support:

This activity is provided independent of industry support.

CME Information:

Release Date: September 1, 2025
Last Review and Update: August 1, 2025
Expiration Date: January 1, 2028

 Hardware / Software Requirements:

• An internet connection speed of at least 4Mbps and a modern browser
• Modern browsers have a built in PDF reader which would be necessary for you to view your completion certificates

Topics include:

• Meningitis and Status Epilepticus - Adults
• Meningitis and Status Epliepticus - Pediatrics
• Nontraumatic Weakness
• Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury
• Undifferentiated Stroke ICH and Herniation

Access to product is good for 2 years.

The Essentials of Neurocritical Care (Essentials) course teaches the essential topics of neurocritical care through online course materials. This online course includes 14 required core modules with recorded lectures and examinations.

Participants who are certified in Emergency Neurological Life Support (ENLS) will find this course to be an excellent next step in training, as it goes beyond the first few hours of a neurologic emergency to cover pathophysiology, diagnostic studies, treatment, and transition to discharge.

Core Topics:

• Acute Ischemic Stroke
• Intracerebral Hemorrhage
• Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
• Seizures & Epilepsy
• Acute Neuromuscular Disorders
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury
• Metabolic Encephalopathies & Delirium
• Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in Adults
• Prognostic Assessment in Neurocritical Care
• Clinical Evaluation of Coma and Brain Death
• Respiratory Support of the Neurocritically Ill
• Multimodality Neuromonitoring
• Ethics/End of Life

Access to this course is valid for 2 years from the date of purchase.

Certification and Continuing Education Credits:

20 hours of CE for 14 core modules

Upon successful completion of the course exams and survey, a certificate of completion will be generated. You will have the option to download the Essentials and CE Certificate for your records, and it will also continue to be available within your profile.

NCS provides certification information to the accredited provider on a monthly basis.

All content is the copyrighted material of the ©2025 Neurocritical Care Society.

Non-Endorsement Statement:

The accredited provider verifies that sound education principles have been demonstrated in the development of this educational offering as evidenced by the review of its objectives, teaching plan, faculty, and activity evaluation process. The accredited provider does not endorse or support the actual opinions or material content as presented by the speaker(s) and/or sponsoring organization.

Disclosures:

The accredited provider adheres to accreditation requirements regarding industry support of continuing medical education. Disclosure of the planning committee and faculty's commercial relationships will be made known at the activity. Speakers are required to openly disclose any limitations of data and/or any discussion of any off-label, experimental, or investigational uses of drugs or devices in their presentations. All accredited provider employees, NCS planners and authors in control of content have indicated that they have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Accreditation:

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by CineMed and the Neurocritical Care Society. CineMed is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

CME Overview:

Released: January 1, 2024
Expiration: January 1, 2027

Essentials of Neurocritical Care PLUS Bundle is a great supplement to the core topics from Essentials in Neurocritical Care! 

Our new elective-module bundle is designed to add to your additional knowledge of clinical practice in neurointensive care and to broaden your foundation for patient management.  

Core Topics:

• Neuroinfectious Diseases
• Neurological Considerations in Pregnancy
• Neuro-Tumors and Malignancies
• Nutrition and Metabolism
• Organ Donor Management

Access to this course is valid for 2 years from the date of purchase.

Certification and Continuing Education Credits:

2.5 hours total of CE for 5 additional modules

Upon successful completion of the course exams and survey, a certificate of completion will be generated. You will have the option to download the Essentials and CE Certificate for your records, and it will also continue to be available within your profile.

NCS provides certification information to the accredited provider on a monthly basis.

All content is the copyrighted material of the ©2025 Neurocritical Care Society.

Non-Endorsement Statement:

The accredited provider verifies that sound education principles have been demonstrated in the development of this educational offering as evidenced by the review of its objectives, teaching plan, faculty, and activity evaluation process. The accredited provider does not endorse or support the actual opinions or material content as presented by the speaker(s) and/or sponsoring organization.

Disclosures:

The accredited provider adheres to accreditation requirements regarding industry support of continuing medical education. Disclosure of the planning committee and faculty's commercial relationships will be made known at the activity. Speakers are required to openly disclose any limitations of data and/or any discussion of any off-label, experimental, or investigational uses of drugs or devices in their presentations. All accredited provider employees, NCS planners and authors in control of content have indicated that they have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Accreditation:

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by CineMed and the Neurocritical Care Society. CineMed is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

CME Overview:

Released: January 1, 2024
Expiration: January 1, 2027