New Assessment Tool Supports Onboarding ICU Nurses

AACN Knowledge Assessment Tool helps hospitals better identify knowledge gaps and educational needs of critical care and progressive care nurses during orientation and onboarding. The online assessment randomly generates validated questions in over 10 areas and aligns with AACN’s Essentials of Critical Care Orientation course used by 1,000+ healthcare facilities.

Registration Opens for NTI 2024, AACN’s 50th Conference

Next year, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses will celebrate its 50th National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition, May 20-22, in Denver. NTI has become the premier conference for critical and progressive care nursing education. Registration is open, and media credentials are available.

Anxiety Sensitivity ‘What If’ Fears Impact Care for ICU Patients, During and After Hospitalization

Clinicians need to have a better understanding of the potential impact of patients’ anxiety sensitivity, or “fear of fear,” falsely believing that symptoms are the early signs of something bad, such as a heart attack, cognitive decline or social isolation.

Thorough and Ongoing Neurological Assessments Crucial to Care of Patients With Altered Level of Consciousness

Nurses who care for neurologically impaired patients must have the knowledge, skill and time to confidently perform comprehensive neurological assessments to identify changes and evaluate trends that require quick diagnosis and intervention by the multidisciplinary team. Article in Critical Care Nurse provides an overview of methods to assess patients with altered level of consciousness.

Patients With Alzheimer Disease, Dementia Face 2x Risk of Dying After ICU Discharge

Older adults with Alzheimer disease and related dementia who were admitted to an ICU were much less likely to be discharged home and faced almost twice the risk of dying soon after discharge and within the 12 months afterward.

Debriefing After Critical Events Combines Review, Reflection

The PICU bereavement/wellness committee at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago developed a tailored debriefing process to allow time for reflection and communication after critical patient events. The process was designed as a hot debriefing to be completed during the current shift, with all staff members who were involved in the event invited to participate.

MEDIA ADVISORY: AACN’s Critical Care Exposition Showcases Latest Equipment, Devices and More

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses hosts its annual National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI) May 22-24 in Philadelphia. NTI — the world’s largest conference for nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients — includes the Critical Care Exposition, the largest and most comprehensive trade show specifically for progressive care and critical care nurses.

Checklist Prompters Support ICU Rounds

New research from UPMC points to the potential for patient-specific checklists as a valid way to effectively translate the latest evidence into clinical practice. The study published in American Journal of Critical Care measured performance on the ABCDEF bundle during rounds.

Initiative Prevents Tracheostomy-Related Pressure Injuries

A New York hospital ICU was able to reduce the incidence of medical device-related pressure injuries following a tracheostomy to zero for four years, according to a study published in AACN Advanced Critical Care. A key part of the new clinical process was a revised procedural kit and documentation, with a foam dressing placed under the tracheostomy flange during insertion.

Save the Date! Washington, DC to Host ATS 2023

It has been six years since the ATS International Conference was last held in Washington, DC, and the world has changed dramatically. We are excited to welcome you back to the nation’s capital for ATS 2023, when we will engage leaders, as well as emerging scientists and clinicians, in passionate discussions of medical breakthroughs and clinical innovation to meet the needs of patients worldwide.

Registration Opens for Premier Critical Care Nursing Conference

Registration is now open for AACN’s National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI), to be held in Philadelphia, May 22-24, 2023. The NTI experience will address nearly 50 clinical and professional development topics and include the largest and most comprehensive trade show expressly for progressive and critical care nurses.

In Their Own Words: Patients, Families Describe Major Medical Treatments

Researchers with University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing analyzed the comments in open-ended responses from a survey about making decisions on major medical treatments to gain insight into the words used by patients and families and how they conceptualize the various treatments.

AACN Research Grants Influence Nursing Practice

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses announces the newest recipients of its annual research grants and invites clinicians and researchers to submit projects online by Oct. 28, 2022, for the next application cycle. AACN will award up to three $50,000 Impact Research Grants in 2023, as well as co-sponsoring the AACN-Sigma Critical Care Grant, with up to $10,000 in funding.

Patients’ Families Are A Key Factor in End-of-Life Care at Rural Hospitals

Nurses at critical access hospitals rate family behaviors and attitudes as dominant factors to providing end-of-life care, similar to their counterparts at large, urban medical centers, suggesting that caring for dying patients has much in common regardless of rural or urban location

Preventing Pressure Injuries Among ICU Patients With COVID-19 Requires Extra Vigilance

Patients who are critically ill with COVID-19 are at exceptionally high risk for developing healthcare-associated pressure injuries, especially those related to medical devices, and clinicians must consider additional factors beyond those assessed with common classification tools.

AACN Study Underscores Pandemic Damage and the Benefits of Healthy Work Environments

Results from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ national survey of 9,000-plus nurses underscore the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses and the benefits of creating healthy work environments to support nurse staffing, retention and optimal patient care.

Assessing Cognitive Function at Hospital Discharge Helps Identify Post-ICU Needs

Researchers at Montefiore Medical Center found that about 30% of ICU survivors could not complete a simple screening assessment for cognitive impairment at hospital discharge. About 47% of those who were able to complete the assessment scored at a level consistent with severe cognitive impairment.

SBAR Tool Adds Structure to ICU Communication

Duke University Medical Center improved communication and collaboration between nurses and advanced practice providers in an ICU, with a standardized template to guide conversations. The effort also contributed to an improved sense of teamwork and other unexpected positive outcomes.

Donations from Professional Baseball Healthcare Providers Support 80+ Nurses on Path to CCRN, PCCN Certification

More than 80 progressive care and critical care nurses have been awarded scholarships to support their pursuit of CCRN or PCCN specialty nursing certification, thanks to donations to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses from two groups of professional baseball healthcare providers.

Transition to ENFit Connectors Presents Opportunity to Review Feeding Tube Protocols

Variations in practice and outdated protocols related to nasogastric feeding tubes can impact patient safety and lead to complications. U.S. healthcare organizations are currently transitioning to a new type of connectors, which provides an opportune time to review feeding tube insertion and care processes.

PICU Clinicians Report Moral Distress, Ethical Concerns

During the initial surge of COVID-19 in the United States, pediatric critical care professionals were already experiencing high rates of moral distress as they faced the rapid emergence of complex ethical challenges and the potential impact of COVID-19 on their young patients and their communities.

COVID-19 Pulmonary, ARDS and Ventilator Resources Now Available in Spanish

A joint effort between the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development has made AACN’s free “COVID-19 Pulmonary, ARDS and Ventilator Resources” online course available in Spanish.

Recursos sobre COVID-19, SDRA y Ventilación Ahora disponible en español

Un esfuerzo conjunto entre la Asociación Americana de Enfermeras de Cuidados Críticos (AACN) y los proyectos financiados por la Agencia de los Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional (USAID) ha hecho posible que el curso en línea gratuito de la AACN “Recursos sobre COVID-19, SDRA y Ventilación” esté disponible en español.

AACN Offers Scholarships for CCRN, PCCN Certification Applicants

Contributions from PBATS and MLBTPA fund special scholarships for nurses ready to pursue CCRN or PCCN certification. This is the first time AACN professional development scholarships have been available to support its nursing certification programs.

Growing Use of Mechanical Circulatory Support Affects Clinician Well-Being, Moral Distress

The growing use of mechanical circulatory support may contribute to high levels of moral distress for clinicians who regularly care for ICU patients receiving the aggressive but life-sustaining therapy, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Study finds recent change in EMS transport policy could improve stroke outcomes

A new EMS transport policy implemented in Chicago showed that sending patients suspected of experiencing large vessel occlusion directly to comprehensive stroke centers led to an increase in the use of endovascular therapy, an important treatment for acute ischemic stroke.

Proning Team Became Key Part of Massachusetts General’s COVID-19 Care

A designated proning team — composed of about 70 OR nurses, OR assistants and outpatient physical therapists — became a key part of the COVID-19 care provided by Massachusetts General Hospital, responding around-the-clock to patients who needed turning and allowing critical care clinicians to focus on other aspects of care.