American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
LIAISON REPORT
Date:
April 3, 2010
To:
AACN Board of Directors
Justine Medina, Director of Professional Practice & Education
Susan Flynn, Senior Practice Associate
From:
Julie Miller, RN, BSN, CCRN
Past AACN Board Member
Staff Development Educator – Critical Care, Trinity Mother Frances
Hospitals and Clinics, Tyler TX
AACN
Liaison to:
2010 American Heart Association (AHA) Stakeholder Meeting for the
2010 BLS, ACLS, PALS Guideline Changes
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1. Description of Group and Purpose:
The AHA Stakeholders Meeting is held every time the AHA is about to release
new guidelines for ACLS, BLS and PALS. Presently they have been holding this
meeting every 5 years with guideline releases occurring every 5 years.
Stakeholders with an interest in the proposed guideline changes are invited by
AHA to offer comments, inquiry and dialogue about the proposed changes. This
meeting is an important step in the process of finalizing the changes to the 2010
BLS and ECC guidelines.
Although we were not provided with a list of attendees, the group consisted of
physicians, emergency medical services (EMS) providers and nursing
organizations. Below is a list of some of the groups represented:
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The National Nurses in Staff Development Organization
Emergency Nurses Association
American Association of Critical Care Nurses
National Association of EMS physicians
National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
National Association of EMS Educators
National EMS Management Association
American College of Emergency Physicians
American Heart Association
The attendees were required to sign a non-disclosure/confidentiality agreement
about the proposed changes to the guidelines as the material is under embargo
for publication.
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
Liaison Report
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2. Meeting Discussion and Outcomes:
Over dinner the first night of the meeting, an overview of the AHA Emergency
Cardiovascular Care (ECC) guidelines development process (from science to survival)
was presented by Michael Sayre, MD ECC Committee Chair and Monica Kleinman, MD
ECC Committee Vice-Chair. The guideline development process (begins immediately
after the guideline release in 2005) began recruiting volunteers to provide evidence for
PICO questions about the current guidelines. There are 2 separate volunteer data
gatherers who provide worksheets for each question. These data gatherers then meet
via conference call with the International liaison committee on resuscitation (ILCOR)
(www.ilcor.org) to discuss, debate, and validate the collected evidence. The ILCOR is
represented by resuscitation scientists from all over the world who provide perspective
and input from an international lens on resuscitation. Following this meeting, the
scientists meet for a Consensus on Science (COS) meeting to develop the proposed
guideline changes. Following this meeting, the AHA gathers the stakeholders to seek
feedback from the frontline users of the guidelines. This overview of the guideline
development process set the stage for the presentation and discussion of the guidelines
on the second full meeting day. {If you are interested in the vast number of questions
and the evidence collected on the worksheets you can find this information at
http://www.ilcor.org/en/consensus-2010/worksheets-2010 }
On the second day of the meeting, the evidence and proposed guideline changes for
BLS, ACLS and Pediatric BLS & ALS was presented by:
 BLS: Ben Bobrow, MD, ECC BLS Subcommittee Incoming Vice Chair
 ACLS: Robert Neumar, MD, ECC ACLS Subcommittee Chair
 Pediatric BLS, ALS & Neonatal: Marc Berg, MD, ECC Pediatrics Resuscitation
Subcommittee Chair
Following lunch, the stakeholders broke out in small groups and were given the
opportunity to comment on and question the proposed changes to the BLS, ACLS and
Pediatric BLS & ALS guidelines.
Although I am not allowed to discuss the proposed changes I can share the goal is on
simplification and making them more intuitive. I can also share the input from the
stakeholders was valuable in providing perspective on how the changes would affect not
only the provider at the point of care but on the resources needed and financial impacts
to both the micro and macro health care systems.
3. Implications for AACN:
This meeting is valuable for AACN as it allows the voice of acute and critical care
nursing to be heard at the table before guideline changes are made which affect our
members. Our voice also ensures the language used by AHA in its guidelines is
consistent with the language used by the point of care provider. In addition, the meeting
allows AACN to network with its peers and fellow healthcare providers, working as a
team, to provide input on consensus guidelines which will affect the entire healthcare
system.
The guidelines are due to be released October 18, 2010.
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
Liaison Report
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What systems, processes and products do we have in place that will need to be
revised / updated with guideline changes?
On Friday November 12, 2010 The AHA will host 2010 Guidelines for CPR and ECC
Instructor Conference at McCormick Place, Chicago IL. This conference will take place
prior to the AHA Scientific Sessions and Resuscitation Science Symposium. More
information at www.americanheart.org/eccguidelines
 How can we best inform our members of the opportunity to learn about the
guideline changes?
4. Future Meetings:
AHA is contemplating how to make guideline changes more agile and reviewing whether
the 5 year cycle they are currently on is adequate to facilitate transfer of science to
provider. If the decision is to continue on the 5 year cycle the next meeting would occur
in 2015.
I appreciate the opportunity to represent AACN at this meeting. I believe our presence at
the table was valuable in providing feedback for the proposed guideline changes and
their potential impact on our members.
From AHA: