Critical Care Unit: ICU and HDU |
B12
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Research & QI
Research and QI
The Intensive Care Unit here in Bath plays an active role in research and development- we have recently appointed a research nurse with time dedicated to ICU to enable us to participate in both national and international trials. We have recently very successfully recruited to the ESICM (European Society of Intensive Care Medicine) WeanSAFE trial in January. This study looked at techniques used to wean patients from mechanical ventilation. We managed to recruit twice as many patients as expected. Within the last few months we have also taken part in the ESICM DecubICUs study, which looked at incidence of pressure ulcers in ICU patients.
We are currently involved in the FLO-ELA trial: Fluid Optimisation in Emergency Laparotomy. This trial is being run in around 100 UK hospitals with the aim of recruiting 8,000 patients to elucidate optimal fluid management strategies in this patient group.
We have been accepted as trial centres for two further upcoming trials, including the A-STOP trial which is studying point of care testing for fungal infections, aiming to reduce use of unnecessary antifungals on ICU. We have also been accepted into the BLING III trial which is studying effects of continuous infusions of beta-lactam antibiotics vs intermittent bolus treatment.
We’re very excited to be involved in such innovative work and have made expressions of interest in other upcoming trials which we hope to be involved with. The Consultant body of the RUH ICU boasts some of the most talented academics in the country and we have no less than two professors amongst us! Prof Jerry Nolan is internationally recognised for his work on cardiac arrest and resuscitation, whilst Prof Tim Cook has received equally high recognition for his work on difficult airways and his contributions to the Royal College of Anaesthetists National Audit Projects. Meanwhile, Dr Fiona Kelly is hot on their tails with her work in airways and has recently been appointed to lead on human factors for the difficult airway society.
We look forward to getting involved in many more studies over the coming years and plan to increase our dedicated research nursing time to help with this.
A big thank you to all the hugely motivated ICU nursing staff and resident doctors who have made the work undertaken so far possible!