The ANZICS Safety and Quality Committee needs your help!

They've reviewed the prevention of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia in intensive care units, looking at epidemiology and pathophysiology, with the intent to make recommendations on prevention. They have not reviewed diagnosis or treatment. However, before they release it as an official document, they are looking for some feedback from Australian and New Zealand intensive care practicioners, to see if there is likely to be a significant difference between the proposed statement recommendations and current practice and whether there might be areas that could present opportunities for further research.

So they've engaged in a bit of social media to get a wide view of opinions on the proposed consensus statement. You can read this "consultation" version of the statement document here: ANZICS VAP Statement: Consultation Version

Once you've digested it, you can answer a survey on the statement here: ANZICS VAP Statement - Consultation Version survey (Survey Monkey) or send comments on the statement to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The ANZICS Safety and Quality Committee last surveyed ICU VAP prevention practice in 2009 (ANZICS VAP Survey Report 2009)

If you are in Melbourne this Thursday the 9th of May, you cannot miss the next VIN meeting.

Where: RACV City Club on Bourke Street

On: What's new in the translation of ICU research into clinical practice

Who: Cooper & Gantner

Click Read more to find for the details...

I recently had cause to revise a bit about HELLP syndrome, so I've put together a pop quiz for your brain-scratching pleasure

EchoCalc (FREE)

**Highly recommended Echo App**

FOAMed par excellence. Hard to imaging why anyone would buy some of the expensive echo apps out there with this one on the market. Download NOW on Android or iOS 

EchoCalc is the official App of the British Society of Echocardiography (BSE) made freely available to download. It contains all of the BSE normal reference values for transthoracic echocardiography and other widely used reference values, including those for prosthetic aortic and mitral valves. The information is displayed in an easy-to-use format, and is supported by clear high quality diagrams.

To find out more click "Read more..."

 Update 

You may have already heard Anthony Holley's podcast on the recent blood transfusion guidelines. If not click below to hear the podcast and see his slides. 

The new news however is that The National Blood Authority have released the latest Module in the Patient Blood Management Guidelines.

It can be downloaded electronically or hard copies can be ordered free of charge at www.nba.gov.au/guidelines/module4.

This module is also available on the Patient Blood Management Guidelines iPad app, (see here).

Click READ MORE for the podcast and slides...

 Pierre JANIN 

Pierre Janin is an intensivist with many interests. For example you may have seen his fantastic echo guide or his talk on transcranial doppler. One of his other passions is microbiology, and at BCC last year he gave this talk on Fungal infections. He often proudly shows pictures of his fungal balls on ward rounds.

Click READ MORE for the podcast and slides...

ICN are very pleased to announce a new feature on our website: Pierre Janin's Echo Guide.

Designed by someone who is passionate about bedside echo in critically ill patients, for those of you learning echocardiography skills, this is a fantastic resource.

You can choose a chamber of the heart, a valve, or another measurement, then see the best way to assess this area and what values you may expect.

Have a look, get practicing your echo's and leave feedback if you have any further suggestions.

The Intensive Care Foundation has a mission to improve the care, treatment, and quality of life of critically ill persons in Australia and New Zealand through:

• The provision of research grants for projects in areas of intensive care and critical illness or issues related to those subjects
• Promoting the awareness and education of the general community about intensive care and critical illness or issues related to those subjects.

The Foundation recognises that medical research in the area of intensive care is vital, as knowledge can mean the difference between life and death.

 $50000 

The Grants are available to Doctors, Nurses, Allied Health and Scientists practising in Intensive Care in Australasia.

If you have a project in mind, if you need financial support and if you complete the application form maybe you could recieve up to $50000 AUD for your project.

Applications have to be in by Friday the 3rd of May

Find out more below...

 Anthony HOLLEY 

 Podcast: COAGULATION MANAGEMENT 

Anthony Holley, a world famous transfusion and coagulation guru, draws on his military, ED and ICU experience and talks about the most recent blood transfusion guidelines. They are a great resource and can be downloaded here. This talk is different to the last one he gave at Bedside Critical Care 2012!

Click READ MORE for the podcast and slides...

International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (ISICEM)

The most famous ICU conference (other than SMACC) has been on this week.

Li Huey Tan, an intensivist currently working at The Alfred hospital in Melbourne was there feeding us live reports as a mini-blog to give those of us who couldn't make it a bit of a taster...

Click "Read more" to hear Li's third report.