BACCN Conference 2023

The world of healthcare has been undergoing significant changes over the last couple of years and critical care nurses have been part of these transformational events. There are new expectations in the way nurses and nursing practices are to be delivered and there are many challenges that besiege the nursing profession as a consequence of the complexities of globalization.

The framework of critical care nursing is a safety-critical, complex, challenging area of nursing practice. Each patient is viewed as a unique individual with dignity and worth. The critically ill patient should receive comfort and be provided privacy in a highly technological environment. In collaboration with other healthcare team members, critical care nurses provide a high level of patient care which includes patient and family education, health promotion and rehabilitation. At the forefront of critical care science and technology, critical care nurses maintain professional competence based on a broad base of knowledge and experience through continuous education and evidence-based research.

Every year BACCN Conference brings together critical care practitioners to share knowledge gained, research done, and practice evaluated over the previous 12 months. In doing this we establish an environment where thinking about what is happening, looking for better ways to do things and questioning "the way we've always done it" are OK. And that's a good place to be. Curiosity - asking questions - isn't just a way of understanding the world, it's a way of changing it. Joining your colleagues spurs learning and the exchange of ideas, fuels innovation and performance improvement, it builds rapport and trust amongst peers. We naturally improve our emotional intelligence, which in turn makes us better questioners - a virtuous cycle.

This year we want also to focus on YOU, and the restoration of YOUR health. A healthy nurse is one who "actively focuses on creating and maintaining a balance and synergy of physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, personal and professional well-being". This sounds like a new year's resolution - something we hope for every year but abandon soon after. Why? Isn't our own health as important as our mission to restore our patient's health?

Of course, it is. But it seems that we aren't starting from a strong place. Many of us face issues with our physical health, drive distractedly, work through breaks; stay late; and are exposed to incivility, stress and physical assault in the workplace. We know feeling good isn't only about physical health, and self-care isn't only about exercise but also encouraging self-compassion and paying it forward. Getting together at conferences helps to improve our well-being, and can be restorative. It helps counteract the effects of emotional exhaustion. Healthy nurses live their lives to the fullest capacity, across the wellness/illness continuum, as they become stronger role modes, advocates, and educators, personally, for their families, their communities, and work environments, and ultimately for their patients.

Sustainability in healthcare is the newest trend all across the globe. Many hospitals are now beginning their green movement, often with the ambition of only a few employees, who began recycling to reduce waste. But what exactly constitutes "green" when it comes to healthcare? Thinking strategically about incorporating sustainability can help hospitals save resources and become more efficient - what are you, your unit, and your hospital doing?