Coda Change

Chris Nickson talks about personal moments in his career in critical care that have really challenged him. Jenny Rudolph then builds on the work in the previous sessions. She shows us how to react, accept, reset and engage and outlines the psychological principles which underpin these concepts. Hopefully, these sessions will really help us deal with the workplace stressors we all encounter.

Emotion is always present in critical conversations. When we recognize emotion, validate feelings and respond with empathy and curiosity, we allow patients and their families to engage in the process, to build trust, and to better understand their values. When emotions are too intense, or feelings are not validated, people become disengaged, less trusting, and often fail to explore and understand the deeper values‚and instead may act on raw, surface emotions that actually may not be in their best interest. We often answer feelings with facts. Instead, we should G.I.V.E. when we encounter emotion. G.I.V.E. is a mnemonic tool that offers a simple approach to responding when an emotion arises in conversations. First, get that there are emotion present and pause. Identify what you think the emotion might be or describe what behaviours you are noticing. Validate the feelings expressed. Explore to understand better and offer your curiosity and caring. And if you can't remember what G.I.V.E. is prompting you to do, it may be enough to give your attention and patience to the other person at that moment.

The rehabilitation of people who have cognitive impairment after TBI should be based on an understanding of what is the likely cause of that impairment,

Crystalloids and colloids used in critically ill patients have different fluid composition. The composition may affect many things, including response to administration, clinical outcomes, and adverse effects. This talk with discuss the evidence behind the different types of fluids in critically ill patients, including a discussion of pros and cons of each fluid type.The session will be an interactive discussion led by investigators who have conducted randomized trials of different types of intravenous fluids.

The SMACC Opening Ceremony is an integral part of the conference welcoming delegates to an educational experience unlike any other. Inspiration for SMACC Sydney included the inverted triangle: the alchemical symbol for water which is steeped in history and meaning to represent the City of Sydney and a celebration of diversity and resilience. Retrofuturism influences the design and theming of SMACC Sydney by playing on different aspects of 80’s and 90’s popular culture. Using music as a storytelling medium the show presents a mesmerising and unique soundscape combining elements of classical, electronic and popular music deftly created by Composer and Music Director Jake Meadows. This year’s opening ceremony echoes the program through four stems and performances each illustrating the unique and essential role we play as critical care professionals: Learning and Culture, People and Planet, Bedside Critical Care and Science and Innovation. The show opens with a spoken word performance by Nardi Simpson, an Indigenous performer telling an electrifying story of the land and the importance of Country to Indigenous culture. This is then followed by a vocal ensemble performing Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, a cheeky throwback to an iconic piece of music and an homage to the importance of humour and levity in our line of work. A change of scene brings a dramatic dance performance performed by ICU Registrar Khairil Musa and his dance partner Sarah King reflecting on the tragic final moments leading to a cardiac arrest. The finale blends classic 80’s pop with the iconic sound of the synthesiser with a toe tapping performance of Van Halen’s Jump led by vocalist Maya Weiss as an uplifting tribute to creativity and innovation. Performed in the Sydney International Convention Centre Theatre to over 3000 delegates we present to you our best and most memorable opening ceremony yet.

Social media has allowed for important spread of medical knowledge to the public but has also seen the inexorable rise of fake news. Mistrust in the medical profession may be exasperated by misinformation in public domains. Prominent cases such as the Jahi McMath case have led to ethical discussions regarding death. How are we going as neurocritical care professionals?