Arterial & Venous Blood Gas Interpretation

Course Overview

This course is designed for clinical students and healthcare professionals working in acute medicine, emergency departments, surgical settings, and intensive care units who want to develop a clear and practical approach to arterial and venous blood gas interpretation. We begin with an introduction to blood gas analysis within real clinical contexts, focusing on when and why blood gases are used in acute care. The course then revisits the essential physiology underpinning acid–base balance and gas exchange, ensuring a solid foundation for interpretation. A structured, step-by-step framework is introduced to help you analyse blood gas results systematically and with confidence. You will learn to recognise and interpret common respiratory disorders, including patterns of ventilation and oxygenation failure, before progressing to metabolic disturbances and their compensatory responses. The course concludes with a series of challenging, clinically relevant cases that integrate respiratory and metabolic abnormalities, reflecting the complexity often encountered in acute and critical care environments. By the end of the course, you will be able to interpret blood gases accurately and apply your findings to clinical decision-making in high-pressure settings. A certificate of completion will be awarded at the end of the course.