Critical Care Summit 2023

A brand-new event on the College's conference calendar, Critical Care Summit 2023 was hosted in Tweed Heads in May 2023. The Summit aimed at providing a targeted education and engagement for critical care practitioners including paramedics, nurses and emergency and retrieval physicians.

Through two days of case-based learning, attendees experienced multi-faceted and interactive presentations centred around complex patient care.

Summit theme: Contemporary care through collaboration

On the cutting edge: From the far east to the far west

The majority of the focus in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand often comes from the eastern seaboard of Australia. If it isn't in Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane, it's not worth talking about right? In this session, we will hear from the champions of critical care medicine, outside of the east coast of Australia. Gayle and Tony will present what is happening in the west, whilst Hannah will tell us all about what is happening in Aotearoa New Zealand. The presenters will include new trials and research projects being undertaken, changes to clinical practice in the prehospital setting, and where critical care medicine is going in the near future.

Presented by:

• Assoc Prof/Dr Gayle Christie, Medical Director, St John Ambulance WA and Emergency Medicine Consultant, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital

• Hannah Latta, Critical Care Flight Paramedic, Wellington Free Ambulance and paramedic lecturer program lead, ultrasound, Auckland University of Technology

• Tony Reynolds, Critical Care Paramedic HEMS WA. St John Ambulance

Faciliated by:

Biographies

Assoc Prof/Dr Gayle Christie - UK trained Consultant with dual accreditation in Emergency and Pre-hospital Medicine with over 15 years experience working with HEMS, rapid road response, motorsport and secondary aeromedical retrieval services. Dr Gayle Christie began working with SJAWA in 2021 as the Deputy Medical Director and Clinical Lead for the Critical Care Paramedics and in September 2022 took up the role as Medical Director for the ambulance service. Gayle has a real passion for education and training as well as developing and expanding the scope of paramedic practice

Hannah Latta - Hannah is a Critical Care Flight Paramedic working in Wellington and a postgraduate university lecturer at AUT University, New Zealand. Hannah has extensive experience in the ambulance and emergency care sector and is passionate about learning and continuing education to ensure that patients receive the highest standard of care. Hannah is currently completing her doctoral studies and is investigating how ultrasound can be integrated into the resuscitation of patients who are in cardiac arrest. Her research aims to identify very ‘low flow’ states associated with pseudo-pulseless electrical activity. Hannah is a mum to Sam and enjoys adventures exploring the outdoors in her spare time.

Tony Reynolds - Tony has worked in Paramedicine for 16 years, 6 years in the HEMS Environment as a joint Rescue Crewman and Single operator Critcal Care Paramedic upon the RAC Rescue Helicopters operating out of the South West of Western Australia. Tony has previous background in remote area first aid in devoloping countries with expedition groups. He holds a Bachelor Of Education and Bachelor of Paramedicine with one of his favoured PD course being The Richard Levitan airway course held in Baltimore and Breath Hold course with apnea australia. If he has any spare time its usually spent amongst Left Hand Surf in WA.