Advanced Critical Care Practitioners recognised for care of Covid patients

Pictured: Helen Inwood, Deputy Chief Nurse, presents the Advanced Critical Care Practitioners with their Team of the Month award

A specialist team in Critical Care have been praised for the crucial role they played in caring for patients with Covid-19. Advanced Critical Care Practitioners (ACCPs) are highly skilled clinicians responsible for performing complex proning procedures on seriously ill patients. ‘Proning’ involves turning patients onto their front to enable better oxygenation and respiratory function and is an essential facet of care for patients with Covid-19.

The ACCPs have been given the Team of the Month award for July 2020.

Helen Inwood, Deputy Chief Nurse, presented the team with their certificate.

Helen said: “Ventilators work more effectively when patients are positioned on their front, and since this virus directly affects lung capacity and function, it’s absolutely essential that the proning procedure take place in a safe and effective way. We are very fortunate to have ACCPs on our critical care unit. Not every trust has such a team, but the expertise they provide is invaluable. The team have helped to enhance patient care and they have also helped staff to develop new skills. We’re very happy to recognise the difference they have made, especially during this extremely challenging time.”

Dr Stephen Krueper, Consultant Intensivist, nominated the team. He said: “The ACCPs not only provided an outstanding level of care to patients, but they supported consultants in providing training, supervision and guidance for various junior medical and nursing staff. They also worked flexibly under very stressful and challenging conditions in to support the unit. The team are a real asset to our critical care unit.”

Rebecca Jennings, Advanced Critical Care Practitioner, said: “Turning a sick, ventilated patient, with all of the tubing, attachments and monitoring they need is a very delicate and challenging procedure, but during the pandemic, the whole critical care team became very skilled at it, all whilst wearing full PPE. As a team, we are very pleased and proud to have played a significant role in not only carrying out the procedures ourselves, but in training other clinical staff to become proficient. We would like to thank the consultant team for investing their time in us, as well as the wider critical care team. We are really thrilled to have been nominated for this award by Dr Krueper.”