Stress Linked to Perceptions of Miscommunication for Parents of PICU Patients

A survey of parents of children admitted to a PICU found that 16.5% of respondents agreed that miscommunication had occurred during their child’s hospital stay. Perceptions of miscommunication with clinicians are significantly associated with the stress level reported by parents.

AACN Hosts 50th National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) brings together thousands of nurses and others who care for acutely and critically ill patients and their families during the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI), May 20-22 in Denver. This year, AACN celebrates its 50th NTI, the premier conference for critical and progressive care nursing education.

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Honors 18 Acute and Critical Care Nurses With Circle of Excellence Award

AACN recognizes 18 exceptional nurses — each nominated by colleagues — with the 2024 Circle of Excellence award. They will be honored during AACN’s 50th National Teaching Institute, to be held in Denver, May 20-22.

Virtual Reality Simulation Improves PICU Nurses’ Recognition of Impending Respiratory Failure

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center used virtual reality training to teach clinical assessment skills and improve novice nurses’ recognition of pediatric respiratory distress. Months later, nurses in the VR group were significantly more likely to correctly recognize impending respiratory failure, identify respiratory distress without impending respiratory failure, and recognize altered mental status.

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.

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.

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Announces Recipients of 2021 Circle of Excellence Awards

The 18 nurses who receive the Circle of Excellence award from AACN this year demonstrate an exceptional commitment to achieving excellent outcomes in the care of acutely and critically ill patients and their families, with solution-oriented approaches to challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

AACN-funded Research Influences Nursing Practice

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses invites clinicians and nurse scientists to submit research projects by Oct. 30, 2020, for the next application cycle, with total available funding of $160,000. The most recent recipients and their projects exemplify AACN’s commitment to nurse-driven research and evidence-based practice.

Experts at UTHealth successfully treat severe case of COVID-19 in 3-week-old infant

In one of the first reported cases of its kind, a 3-week-old infant in critical condition recovered from COVID-19 due to rapid recognition and treatment by physicians from McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). The case was published April 22 in the New England Journal of Medicine.