Critical Matters

In this episode of Critical Matters, we will discuss judgment under uncertainty and how to make better decisions. The episode is based on a recent webinar I had the opportunity to present as part of Sound Critical Care’s Leadership Week. During this episode I will discuss judgments in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, explore the science behind how we make decisions and finally share some thoughts on tools we can utilize to improve our decision process under uncertain conditions. Additional Resources: Judgment Under Uncertainty Webinar: https://bit.ly/2RLwp1S2 An Organization-Wide Approach to Good Decision Making: https://bit.ly/3uVgywc Noise: How to Overcome the High, Hidden Cost of Inconsistent Decision Making: https://bit.ly/3w1vXLH Performing a Project Premortem: https://bit.ly/3odxJH1 Sensible Medicine—Balancing Intervention and Inaction During the COVID-19 Pandemic: https://bit.ly/33DgQfh Books Mentioned in this Episode: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: https://amzn.to/3hjzot1

In this episode of Critical Matters, we will discuss ICU Liberation and the A-F Bundles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our guest is Dr. Wesley Ely (@WesElyMD), professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He is the co-director of the Center for Critical Illness, Brain dysfunction, and Survivorship (CIBS Center), which has enrolled thousands of patients into clinical trials, answering vital questions about ICU acquired brain disease and other components of ICU survivorship. Additional Resources: Prevalence and risk factors for delirium in critically ill patients with COVID-19 (COVID-D): a multicentre cohort study: https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2213-2600%2820%2930552-X Strategies to Optimize ICU Liberation (A to F) Bundle Performance in Critically Ill Adults With Coronavirus Disease 2019: https://journals.lww.com/ccejournal/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2020&issue=06000&article=00016&type=Fulltext ABCDEF Bundle and Supportive ICU Practices for Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection: An International Point Prevalence Study: https://journals.lww.com/ccejournal/fulltext/2021/03000/abcdef_bundle_and_supportive_icu_practices_for.12.aspx Link to the CIBS Center website, which contains a wealth of resources for intensivists on the topic of delirium: https://www.icudelirium.org Caring for Critically Ill Patients with the ABCDEF Bundle: Results of the ICU Liberation Collaborative in Over 15,000 Adults: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Caring+for+Critically+Ill+Patients+with+the+ABCDEF+Bundle%3A+Results+of+the+ICU+Liberation+Collaborative+in+Over+15%2C000+Adults Books Mentioned in this Episode: Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis: https://www.amazon.com/Arrowsmith-Sinclair-Lewis/dp/B08VYFJVC7/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=D2EL30QJYDN9&dchild=1&keywords=lewis+sinclair&qid=1619044221&sprefix=lewis+sin%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyMlBCNlBVUkI0RjI1JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTQwMTcyMTE3UVZGRVlDSjhDRyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUExMDI5MDI2M0VBREtVSEFQNE5OViZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU East of Eden by John Steinbeck: https://www.amazon.com/East-Eden-John-Steinbeck-ebook/dp/B08YLXQ2BC/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=east+of+eden&qid=1619044327&sr=8-1 Extreme Measures by Jessica Nutik Zitter: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Measures-Finding-Better-Path-ebook/dp/B01KGZVQOM/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=extreme+measures&qid=1619044537&s=books&sr=1-1 Knocking on Heaven's Door by Katy Butler: https://www.amazon.com/Knocking-Heavens-Door-Better-Death-ebook/dp/B00A285OF6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=knocking+on+heavens+door&qid=1619044674&s=books&sr=1-1

Join Dr. Max Adelman, an infectious diseases expert from Emory University, as he dives into the critical management of Clostridioides difficile infections. They discuss the dramatic rise of CDI in hospitals and its ties to antibiotic use. Learn about key strategies for effective treatment, including the optimal dosing of oral vancomycin and the role of fecal microbiota transplants. Dr. Adelman also shares insights on surgical interventions and draws intriguing parallels between historical pandemics and today's health challenges.

In today's episode of Critical Matters, we will discuss the use of Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) in the form of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for the treatment of the sickest patients with COVID-19 induced ARDS. Our guest is Dr. Jenelle Badulak. Dr. Badulak is an emergency physician and intensivist caring for patients in the Emergency Department, Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, Medical Intensive Care Unit and Trauma Intensive Care Unit at the University of Washington Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center. She is a clinician-educator who specializes in curriculum development and assessment with a focus on graduate medical education and Extracorporeal Life Support/Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO). Additional Resources: Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support in COVID-19: An International Cohort Study of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry: https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(20)32008-0/fulltext Extracorporeal Life Support Organization(ELSO) COVID-19 Dashboard and Website: https://www.elso.org/Registry/FullCOVID19RegistryDashboard.aspx Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Associated with COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(20)30328-3/fulltext Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1800385 Books Mentioned in this Episode: Extracorporeal Life Support: The ELSO Red Book: https://www.elso.org/Publications/RedBook5thEdition.aspx

Burnout is a major problem in critical care medicine. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated this problem. However, we as clinicians should aspire to more from our careers than the mere elimination or mitigation of burnout. In today's episode of the podcast, we will explore some ideas that go beyond burnout. This is a recent talk given by Dr. Zanotti entitled, “Finding Joy in our Work, The Path to Professional Transcendence”. Additional Resources: Video - Professional Transcendence: https://spaces.hightail.com/space/oOIGXeROd7/files/fi-68608c75-317c-4c74-a067-9b5fe8897866/fv-30bff5a8-1deb-4579-ad57-4fff440edf40/Finding Joy in Work_ The Path to Professional Transcendence .mp4 Books Mentioned in this Episode: The Enchiridion by Epictetus: https://www.amazon.com/Enchiridion-Epictetus/dp/1503226948/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1611795176&sr=8-6 Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl: https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl/dp/0807014273/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1611795263&sr=8-1 Deep Work by Cal Newport: https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Work-Focused-Success-Distracted/dp/0349411905/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1611795325&sr=8-1

In this episode of Critical Matters, we will continue our discussion on the management of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in the ICU. Part 2 will cover pulmonary, rena,l and endocrine recommendations for ACLF patients. In a previous episode (Management of ACLF: Part 1) we covered an introduction to ACLF, cardiovascular, and hematology management recommendations. Our guest is Dr. Nanchal, a practicing critical care physician with an interest in liver disease. He is a Professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, at the Medical College of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee. Dr. Nanchal is the lead author of the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s Guideline for the Management of Adult Acute and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in the ICU. Additional Resources: Executive Summary for Guideline for the Management of Adult Acute and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in the ICU: journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Fullt…cute_and.17.aspx Guideline for the Management of Adult Acute and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in the ICU: journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Fullt…cute_and.29.aspx SCCM Liver Guidelines: www.sccm.org/getattachment/Rese…s-Table-Part-1.pdf Books Mentioned in this Episode: Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman

In this episode of Critical Matters, we will discuss the management of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in the ICU. Our guest is Dr. Nanchal, a practicing critical care physician with an interest in liver disease. He is a professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Dr. Nanchal is the lead author of the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s Guideline for the Management of Adult Acute and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in the ICU. This episode is part of a two-part series focused on ACLF. Part 1 will cover an introduction to ACLF, cardiovascular, and hematology. Part 2 will cover pulmonary, renal, and endocrine recommendations for ACLF patients. Additional Resources: Executive Summary for Guideline for the Management of Adult Acute and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in the ICU: https://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Fulltext/2020/03000/Guidelines_for_the_Management_of_Adult_Acute_and.17.aspx Guideline for the Management of Adult Acute and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in the ICU: https://journals.lww.com/ccmjournal/Fulltext/2020/03000/Guidelines_for_the_Management_of_Adult_Acute_and.29.aspx SCCM Liver Guidelines: https://www.sccm.org/getattachment/Research/Guidelines/Guidelines/Guidelines-for-the-Management-of-Adult-Acute-and-A/SCCM-Liver-Guidelines-Table-Part-1.pdf Books Mentioned in this Episode: Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman

In this episode of Critical Matters, we will discuss thrombosis in COVID-19. We will discuss the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of arterial and venous thrombosis in COVID-19. Our guest is Dr. Gregory Piazza, a cardiovascular medicine specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Dr. Piazza is the Director of the Vascular Medicine Section, in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, and Associate Professor of Medicine, at Harvard Medical School. Additional Resources: Diagnosis, Management, and Pathophysiology of Arterial and Venous Thrombosis in COVID-19: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2773516 Registry of Arterial and Venous Thromboembolic Complications in Patients with COVID-19: https://www.jacc.org/doi/full/10.1016/j.jacc.2020.08.070 ACCP Guidelines for Management Thromboembolism in COVID-19: https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(20)31625-1/fulltext ISTH Guidelines for Management of Thromboembolism in COVID-19: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jth.14929 Books Mentioned in this Episode: Dune by Frank Herbert: https://www.amazon.com/Dune-Frank-Herbert

In this episode of Critical Matters, we will discuss how to make teams better. Teams are ubiquitous in the practice of critical care medicine. Understanding the elements that are required for a high functioning team is essential in our quest to deliver high-value critical care. This episode is based on a presentation given by Dr. Zanotti during the latest Sound Critical Care Leadership Week. Additional Resources: Video - "Above Average: How to Make Teams Better": https://comms.soundphysicians.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=T_URXujah06Y_lZQ2A3mwA&ref_id=Elw9rkGRI0iH80DrpDyi4w The Firm Specificity of Individual Performance: Evidence from Cardiac Surgery: https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/mnsc.1050.0464 Evidence for a Collective Intelligence Factor in the Performance of Human Groups: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20929725/ The Global Study of Engagement: https://www.adp.com/Global_Study_Engagement Learning New Technical and Interpersonal Routines in Operating Room Teams: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1016/S1534-0856(00)03003-6/full/html Previous Episode - “Circle Up”: https://soundphysicians.com/podcast-critical-matters/?episode=circle-up

In this discussion, Dr. David Greer, Chair of Neurology at Boston University, delves into the complexities of brain death and the World Brain Death Project. He emphasizes the importance of conservative diagnostic criteria to prevent misdiagnosis. Greer explains necessary prerequisites for brain death testing, the significance of the apnea test, and the role of ancillary testing. He also highlights the ethical challenges families face and the need for precise documentation in declaring time of death, ensuring clarity and trust in critical care.