Welcome to the ECMO Heart Lung Association‘s Bridging Life Symposium: Innovations in Critical Care for MCS & ECMO —a premier two-day event in Houston, Texas, designed to elevate your expertise in the care of critically ill pediatric and adult patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and mechanical circulatory support (MCS).

Set in Houston - the heart of the Texas Medical Center and the largest medical complex in the world, this symposium brings together leading experts, frontline clinicians, and innovators in ECMO and critical care. With over 54 institutions and a reputation for cutting-edge medicine, Houston offers a unique and inspiring environment for immersive learning.

Whether you’re new to critical care or a seasoned practitioner, this symposium will challenge, inspire, and prepare you for the complex, fast-paced world of ECMO critical care.

Join us for an immersive, high-impact 2-day experience, as we take an in-depth dive into innovations and excellence in the ICU, where clinicians, innovators, and critical care leaders come together to explore the future of Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO).

Whether you're part of a well-established ECMO program or looking to build one, this symposium offers practical insights, collaborative learning, and innovative strategies to elevate patient care.
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and be inspired—where we bring voice to life and advance ECMO.

Join us in Houston and be part of the future of ECMO excellence on February 11-12, 2026!

Experience the 2026 Bridging Life Symposium – Advancing ECMO & MCS Excellence

Join us in Houston, Texas – February 11–12, 2026, for a transformative two-day educational experience uniting experts, innovators, and frontline clinicians committed to advancing care in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS).

This dynamic symposium blends evidence-based education with hands-on learning and real-world simulation designed to strengthen clinical confidence, teamwork, and program success.
🌟 This event will feature:
🔬 Engaging lectures from nationally recognized leaders in ECMO and MCS
💬 Interactive panel discussions exploring program development, staffing models, and the art of building resilient, high-
performing ECMO teams
🚨 Preconference Session: Hemodynamics in MCS and ECMO — a deep dive into advanced monitoring, waveform
interpretation, and clinical decision-making

🧩 Hands-On Simulation Breakouts Include:

•  Cannulation Strategies for Pediatric and Adult ECMO Patients – technique, insertion, and troubleshooting essentials
• ECPR: From Crisis to Confidence – rapid initiation and team-based decision-making in cardiac arrest
• Awake and Walking ICU Mobilization – advancing patient recovery through early mobility protocols
• Mechanical Circulatory Support Mega Code Management – managing emergencies and flow-loss events across LVAD, Impella, IABP, and ECMO devices
• S.A.V.E. ECMO: A Systematic Approach to Verify and Eliminate Complications – troubleshooting tips to prevent and manage common ECMO challenges
• Acute Kidney Injury on ECMO – prevention strategies, circuit considerations, and CRRT integration

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Enhance Clinical Competency in ECMO and MCS Management
Demonstrate understanding of current best practices for initiation, maintenance, and weaning of patients on ECMO and MCS.
Identify evidence-based strategies to prevent and manage complications such as infection, thrombosis, and hemodynamic instability.
Apply a Multidisciplinary Approach to Critical Care Coordination
Collaborate effectively across nursing, perfusion, respiratory therapy, and physician disciplines to optimize patient outcomes during ECMO and MCS support.
Explore interprofessional communication models that enhance team performance during emergent ECMO initiation (ECPR) and transport scenarios.
Integrate Advances in Technology and Program Development
Evaluate innovations in MCS and ECMO technologies, including cannulation techniques, circuitry systems, and mobility
equipment.
Discuss the logistical and administrative challenges of building and sustaining ECMO and MCS programs in diverse healthcare
environments.
Improve Patient Safety and Quality of Care
Utilize standardized protocols for infection prevention, pressure injury reduction, and safe mobilization of ECMO and MCS
patients.
Apply AHA and ELSO (Extracorporeal Life Support Organization) guidelines for emergency management of mechanical
circulatory devices.
Advance Clinical Decision-Making Through Simulation-Based Learning
Participate in high-fidelity simulations (ECPR challenges, cannulation, circuit troubleshooting) to reinforce hands-on technical
skills and real-time problem solving.
Evaluate performance through scenario debriefings emphasizing critical thinking, situational awareness, and leadership under
pressure.
Promote Research, Innovation, and Knowledge Translation
Discuss ongoing research, case studies, and innovations that are transforming the landscape of advanced heart and lung support
therapies.
Identify opportunities for data collection, quality improvement, and contribution to ECMO registries and collaborative research
initiatives.

TARGET AUDIENCE

This event is recommended for the Emergency Department, Progressive Care, and Critical Care Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, Physicians, Physician Assistants, Quality Improvement Professionals, Nurse Informaticists, Respiratory Therapists, Researchers, Social Workers, Case Managers, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Managers, Educators, Advanced Practice Nursing Professionals, Physical Therapists, Physicians, Pharmacists, Respiratory Therapist, developing ECMO Specialist and other Allied Healthcare Providers.
Specialties: Cardiac Anesthesiology, Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine, Congenital Cardiac Surgery, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Medicine, Hospice, Palliative Care Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatric Anesthesiology, Pediatric Emergency Medicine Pediatrics Thoracic, Cardiac Surgery, Thoracic Surgery
Professions: Administrators, Advanced Practice Nurse, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Fellows, Residents, Industry Representatives, Medical Students, Nurses Occupational Therapists, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, Physicians, Physician Assistants, Quality Improvement Professionals, Infection Preventionists, Data Analysts, Respiratory Therapists, Researchers, Social Workers, Case Managers, Clinical Nurse Specialists

CEs

This nursing continuing professional development activity is pending contact hours approval by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

This symposium is more than an ECMO-focused event—it’s a comprehensive, high-impact experience designed for all providers caring for critically ill patients requiring advanced cardiopulmonary support.

Whether you’re managing a patient on ECMO, a temporary ventricular assist device (pVAD), or other forms of mechanical circulatory support, this symposium will equip you with the latest evidence-based practices, innovations, and hands-on tools to elevate your care.

What You’ll Gain:

🔹 Broadened Expertise – Explore critical care topics that impact all high-acuity patients, including:

• Infection control in complex device-supported patients
• Anticoagulation and medication management in ECMO and MCS
• Hemodynamic optimization in temporary mechanical circulatory support
• Advanced monitoring for end-organ perfusion and neurologic outcomes

🔹 Cross-Platform Proficiency – Understand the interface between ECMO and other mechanical support devices, such as:

• Impella and TandemHeart pVADs
• ECPELLA configurations
• Bridge-to-decision vs. bridge-to-recovery strategies

🔹 Interactive, Skills-Based Learning – Engage in:

• Escape room simulations to test critical thinking under pressure
• Device demonstrations and hands-on education
• Case-based discussions with ECMO and MCS experts

This is the symposium that connects disciplines, challenges assumptions, and bridges the gap between ECMO and broader critical care.

Join us in Houston, Texas—at the heart of the world’s largest medical center—for a transformative learning experience that reflects the complexity and urgency of today’s critical care landscape.