Acute Dialysis | Albumin Fluid Replacement | Blood Tests & Transfusions | ICU Delirium | ICU Nurse Training | Inhaled Nitric Oxide | Mechanical Ventilation | Patient Transitions in Care |ROSA
Many of the projects underway by the Critical Care SCN focus on quality improvement and developing provincial practice guidelines to standardize practice in critical care settings across Alberta. This work aims to improve patient outcomes, safety and experience while optimizing value and sustainability across the health system.
This PRIHS 6-funded project focuses on standardizing practices for acute dialysis in Alberta ICUs and aligning practices with the most recent scientific evidence.
This initiative aims to reduce avoidable blood component transfusions and daily blood tests among patients admitted to critical care and high-risk surgical units in Alberta.
A projected 30% reduction in daily blood tests and transfusions is expected to free up health system capacity and health care dollars, while simultaneously reducing potential harms experienced by patients, improving patient experience, and respecting the precious gift of blood donation.
Improving outcomes for critically ill patients with respiratory failure by optimizing mechanical ventilation strategies and standardizing practices in Alberta.
A provincial quality improvement initiative within critical care to standardize care, improve patient safety and optimize value by aligning clinical practice for albumin fluid replacement with current evidence.
This work aims to improve patient transitions from the ICU to hospital wards and to other healthcare providers by standardizing practices for admissions, discharge, transfers and referrals.
By co-designing a patient and family/caregiver-oriented transitions in care bundle, the goal is to improve patient outcomes and experience while reducing hospital readmissions and adverse events.
This initiative began in 2016 and involved front-line staff and physicians, patients and families, and implementation teams in all adult and pediatric ICUs across Alberta. All 21 ICUs implemented the ABCDEF care bundle of best practices to prevent and manage ICU delirium.
As a result of this work, a standardized, evidence-based, provincial approach to ICU delirium care was established and implemented for all critically ill patients, resulting in significant changes in clinical practice and improved patient outcomes.
Provincial Practice Guidelines for use of inhaled nitric oxide in adult and pediatric patient populations in Alberta ICUs.
OPACCA is an adult critical care nurse training program, developed by ICU Clinical Nurse Educators in Alberta.
This Choosing Wisely funded initiative emphasizes an evidence-based, stakeholder informed standardized approach to sedation and analgesia in critical care. This approach prioritizes pain control and as needed sedation, in order to drive the appropriate use of sedation and analgesic infusions in alignment with the most recent scientific evidence.
