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Contents
News
SCCM News
Education and Resources
Speaking of Critical Care
News
How Well Do ICU Patients Remember the Risks of and Reasons for
Clinical Trials?
A small study published in the December 2006 issue of
Critical Care
suggests that intensive care unit (ICU) patients may be in an
inadequate condition to give their informed consent for research and
may fail to
remember the purpose and risks of clinical trials soon after
agreeing to participate.
The study involved 44 ICU patients who gave their consent to
participate in a study of inflammation after a "protocolled
informed consent procedure," including an informational pamphlet and
a 20-minute presentation about the study, its purpose and risks.
When interviewed 10 days later, 34 of the 44 patients (80%)
remembered having participated in the trial. However, only 20
patients (45%) remembered the purpose of the study and 21 patients
(48%) remembered the risks involved. Only 14 of 44 patients (32%)
could recall their participation and the purpose and risks of the trial.
Researchers noted that the severity of the disease, the neurological
status of the patients and the medications taken when informed
consent was obtained and during the 24 hours afterward were similar
in subjects with complete recall and those with incomplete
recall.
Read the full
Medscape article.
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The 5 Million Lives Campaign and Interventions for the ICU
The Institute for Healthcare
Improvement’s (IHI) 100,000 Lives Campaign proved successful in
2006, and the new year brings an expanded patient safety and quality
effort with the
5 Million Lives Campaign. This new campaign aims to protect
patients from five million incidents of medical harm over the next
two years (from December 2006 to December 2008).
The IHI will host several
educational calls in the coming weeks that will include
information about interventions relevant to critical care such as
implementing rapid response teams and preventing surgical site
infections. Several calls also will explain the Global Trigger Tool,
a new tool to gauge medical harm in a facility.
The Society of Critical Care Medicine is proud to serve as a
Scientific Partner in the 100,000 Lives Campaign and urges its
members to build on their successes from the campaign or persuade
their intensive care units to join the 5 Million Lives Campaign. The
six interventions of the campaign include:
• Prevent harm from high-alert medications, starting with a focus
on anticoagulants, sedatives, narcotics and insulin
• Reduce surgical complications by implementing all of
the changes recommended by the
Surgical Care Improvement Project
• Prevent pressure ulcers by using science-based
guidelines for their prevention
• Reduce methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
infection by implementing scientifically proven infection
control practices
• Deliver reliable, evidence-based care for congestive heart
failure to avoid readmissions
• Get boards on board by defining and spreading the best-known
leveraged processes for hospital boards of directors so that they
can become far more effective in accelerating organizational
progress toward safe care
Click here for more information.
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SCCM News
Experience the Exciting Changes to SCCM's Web site
The Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) has improved its Web
site and expanded Web-based resources to deliver a far superior
online experience. Visit these new resources today and further
improve the care you deliver to all critically ill and injured
patients. If you have questions, please contact SCCM at
info@sccm.org and a staff member
will reply within 48 hours.
Navigating SCCM’s Web site at
www.sccm.org
has been simplified. Find information
faster and easier on the restructured home page. The Society is
determined to provide all members and customers with the best
possible online experience. See the new look along with the many
other Web site improvements.
 When
www.mysccm.org is implemented
fully, you will enjoy a single point of entry using one unified
login to access SCCM’s numerous Web offerings. Customize a MySCCM
Web page to reflect your interests and role in critical care. View
and receive information on podcasts, RSS feeds, healthcare news,
recent product orders, meetings, membership status and more.
 The
most current educational and clinical content is housed at
www.learnicu.org Visit
this Web site to participate in online learning exercises and
continuing education opportunities, watch streaming videos, listen
to iCritical Care Podcast interviews and much more. This go-to source will help further
your commitment to lifelong learning.
 The
iRooms portal features new integrated software that provides
improved navigation and easier communication for SCCM’s Creative
Community and workgroups as well as chapter and section members.
 The
Society developed
www.myICUCare.org as a resource to help family and friends of
patients who are critically ill or injured make important healthcare
decisions. This public site offers information on medical
conditions, treatments, tests, equipment, drugs, medical terms and
many other aspects of the intensive care unit environment. Help
spread awareness of critical care; inform your patients and their
families about this useful Web site.
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Prepare to Celebrate Critical Care: May 18, 2007
Each year, critical care professionals eagerly await the month of May to celebrate
National Critical Care Awareness and Recognition Month (NCCARM).
This month-long celebration allows critical care team members to
exemplify their dedication to patient care while creating more
awareness of this demanding, lifesaving practice. The Society of
Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) encourages everyone to applaud and to
celebrate the efforts of critical care team members, and you can
show your support by wearing blue on Friday, May 18.
Although NCCARM is celebrated in May,
promotional
kits and buttons are available now to allow ample time to coordinate with staff and
to order supplies. Each kit of five posters, five buttons, five packs
of sticky notes and five plastic travel mugs costs $28 for SCCM
members and $35 for nonmembers. Bags of 25 NCCARM buttons also are
available at $12 for members and $15 for nonmembers. To purchase,
click here or contact SCCM Customer Service at +1 847 827-6888.
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Pediatric Care Conference Draws International Audience
The pediatric critical care community will gather in Geneva,
Switzerland, for the 5th World
Congress on Pediatric Critical Care. This conference, to be held
June 25 to June 28, 2007, will bring experts from around the world
to share personal experiences and knowledge with a global audience.
Held by the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical
Care Societies (WFPICCS) and sponsored by many leading critical care
organizations, the World Congress on Pediatric Critical Care will
offer four days of learning, each with a different theme to ensure a
well-rounded educational experience.
WFPICCS and the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) are linked
strongly through the publication of
Pediatric Critical Care
Medicine, which serves as a key resource for the pediatric
critical care community worldwide. Abstracts of the original
scientific investigations presented at the 5th World
Congress on Pediatric Critical Care will be published in
Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.
“This is an excellent opportunity for those who practice in the
United States to join our international colleagues to understand
better the different aspects of critical care worldwide,” said
Edward Conway, MD, MS, FCCM, chair of SCCM’s Pediatric Section. “It
will afford members the opportunity to share the concerns and issues
that we all encounter related to patient-centered care, evidence-based
medicine and research evidence.” He added that the conference would allow
for more communication and camaraderie within the international
pediatric healthcare community, opening new doors for fellows and
the next generation of pediatric intensivists, while also providing
new learning opportunities for seasoned clinicians.
Early registration rates for this conference are available until February 28, 2007. Visit
www.pcc2007.com for more
information.
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Education and Resources
It’s Not Too Late to Register for Congress
The Society’s 36th Critical Care Congress is the largest
multiprofessional critical care event of the year, offering
attendees more than 300 presentations, workshops, pro/con debates,
keynote sessions, and sponsored symposia as well as 150 exhibitions
featuring the latest technologies, products, services and career
opportunities. To attend, register on-site at the Gaylord Palms
Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, USA. An SCCM staff
member will be available to assist you starting Thursday, February
15, at 4 p.m. at the SCCM Registration Desk.
Earn Continuing Education Credit at ACCM's Town Hall Meeting
Congress offers
continuing education credit opportunities to many different
members of the multiprofessional team.
Don’t miss this year’s American College of Critical Care Medicine
Town Hall Meeting on Monday, February 19, from 6 to 7 p.m.
in Sun Ballroom D of the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center.
Presentations at this year’s town hall meeting, “Simulation Application in the Intensive
Care Unit,” will include:
-
Key Drivers for Simulation in Critical Care
William F. Dunn, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
-
Application of Simulation Training as a Means to Implement Guidelines
Claudia Spies, MD, Charite University Hospital, Berlin, Germany
-
Application of Aviation Principles to Healthcare
William Rutherford, MD, Western Michigan University, College
of Aviation, Battle Creek, Michigan, USA
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Decrease Mortality and Morbidity Rates Using Nutrition Therapy
The increase in microbial resistance has made many antibiotics
relatively ineffective in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting.
Preventing infections is becoming a subject of growing interest and
attention. Several nutrients in specialized nutritional formulations
have been shown to improve immune function and decrease infectious
complications, which ultimately have led to a decrease in mortality
and morbidity rates.
During the
6th Summer Conference in Intensive Care Medicine: Nutrition as a
Therapeutic Agent to Improve Critical Care Outcomes, jointly
sponsored by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the European
Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), a multiprofessional
international faculty will explore nutrition therapy as a way to
improve patient care and outcomes. The conference will investigate
effective application of nutrition therapy as well as current
controversies surrounding the use of select nutrients.
Register today to discover successful strategies on how to maximize
the benefits of nutrition therapy. The 6th Summer Conference in
Intensive Care Medicine will be held from June 14 to 16, 2007, in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Additional Resources
U.S. residents should remember to
obtain a passport before attending this meeting in Canada. The
Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires
that air travelers to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South
America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda have a passport by January 23,
2007. A driver’s license, state identification card or birth
certificate will no longer be acceptable for those seeking to re-enter
the United States. This is a change from prior travel requirements
and affects all U.S. citizens returning from countries within the
Western Hemisphere.
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Your colleagues are posing questions and engaging in informative
conversations in the Critical Care Forums. Ask a question or join
the dialogue at
http://forums.sccm.org/
Featured Forum:
Long-Term Outcomes After Prolonged ICU Stays
I am looking for information about long-term morbidity rates and
outcomes (particularly psychological) after prolonged ICU stays.
Does anyone know of any studies on this topic?
Join this discussion in the
General
Discussion Forum.
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