BACCN Conference 2018: Celebrating Critical Care Nursing and Innovation
"A look back at the highlights, achievements, and key takeaways from the 33rd Annual BACCN Conference in Bournemouth."
The 33rd Annual BACCN (British Association of Critical Care Nurses) Conference in Bournemouth was a resounding success, marking a significant milestone for critical care nursing. Under the theme "Following in the footsteps of giants," the conference celebrated the achievements of nurses, fostered innovation, and provided a platform for sharing knowledge and best practices.
Reflecting on the event, Nicki Credland, Chair of BACCN, lauded the 'brilliant delegates, inspiring key note speakers, excellent conference support from Echo Events, superb conference director @karin_gerber and amazing teamwork from the National Board.' Months of planning culminated in an event that was both informative and inspiring.
The conference wouldn't have been possible without the generous support of industry partners, with LINET playing a crucial role as the main conference partner. Their contribution, along with other sponsors, underscores the importance of collaboration in advancing critical care.
A 40-Year Conference Milestone
BACCN held its 40th Annual Conference on October 7–8, 2025, at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. A conference report describes the event as the author’s second consecutive year attending and recalls presenting a poster the previous year. The 2025 conference also included awards for the best abstract and a critical care course poster competition, recognizing work in critical care education and research.
Tailoring Simulation-Based Learning
A systematic review and meta-synthesis of intensive care nurses’ perceptions highlights the need to choose an appropriate simulation approach and level of fidelity. It also emphasizes regular sessions, the right mix of professional team members, a suitable environment, and a skilled facilitator. The review presents these elements as important to achieving better educational outcomes and return on investment.
Four Decades of BACCN
BACCN marked 40 years with a visual timeline displayed at its 40th conference in Blackpool. The association says its work includes advancing education, influencing policy, supporting research, and strengthening the critical care nursing workforce. It also describes an ongoing focus on quality, safety, and patient outcomes. A separate article frames the conference’s history as a tradition of excellence.
Key Highlights and Memorable Moments
The BACCN Conference 2018 offered a rich tapestry of experiences, from immersive simulations to engaging social events. The conference team focused on delivering a comprehensive experience for all delegates, starting well before the event and continuing throughout the conference dinner.
- Opening Session: The conference kicked off with an engaging session, "999 What's your emergency?" featuring Alton Towers Smiler Ride Crash: An incident commander's view - Dale Harrison, setting the tone for the event.
- Caring Canines: Demonstrating the conference's commitment to community support, Caring Canines, a local charity, was supported throughout the event, providing comfort and companionship.
- SpeakEasy Conference Dinner: Attendees enjoyed a roaring 1920's SpeakEasy Conference Dinner, offering a unique and entertaining networking opportunity.
- Simbulance and Simulation Sessions: These interactive sessions provided practical, hands-on experience for attendees, enhancing their skills and knowledge in critical care scenarios.
Simulation, Infection Prevention, and Implementation
A systematic review reports that simulation-based training improved critical care nurses’ infection-prevention knowledge, procedural skills, self-efficacy, and adherence to prevention bundles across the studies it examined. Evidence for sustained behavior change—particularly long-term hand hygiene compliance—and for direct reductions in infection rates was mixed. A separate multicenter qualitative study using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research found that external networks could support new care practices through cross-facility sharing of resources and information. It also identified challenges linked to relying on outside sources for guidance.
Evidence and Standards Have Limits
A systematic review of outcomes sensitive to critical care nurse staffing levels found that meta-analysis was not feasible because staffing and outcomes were measured in widely varying ways. A qualitative study of intensive care unit staffing organization notes that staffing standards are based on historical working and expert professional consensus, described as the weakest form of evidence. Separately, a quasi-experimental study conducted between October 2023 and January 2024 evaluated OSCE-based simulation training for novice critical care nurses, but the available source information does not report its results.
Education Tools and Staffing Outcomes
A systematic review and meta-analysis of technology-based educational tools in intensive care units reported improvements in knowledge (SMD = 0.91), skills (SMD = 0.52), and self-confidence (SMD = 0.96). A separate review and meta-analysis found increased registered nurse staffing was associated with lower hospital-related mortality in intensive care units (OR 0.91; 95% CI 0.86–0.96) per additional full-time equivalent per patient day. The staffing review also reported associations for surgical patients (OR 0.84; 95% CI 0.80–0.89) and medical patients (OR 0.94; 95% CI 0.94–0.95). These findings address different interventions and outcomes, so they do not establish a direct comparison between education tools and staffing.
Looking Ahead: BACCN Conference 2019
The BACCN Conference 2018 successfully celebrated the critical role of nurses and set the stage for future innovations in critical care. With the conference delegates walking away feeling inspired and more capable, the event has successfully shown itself as a platform to inspire nurses to be proud 'Critical Care nurse' and make their 'voice will be heard'. The conference laid the foundations for BACCNConf2019 in Edinburgh.
Celebrating Advocacy
The 2025 BACCN conference was presented as a celebration of 40 years of advocating for critical care. Its title connects the anniversary to the association’s advocacy work. The available source identifies this theme but does not provide further details about specific outcomes or recommendations.
Adapting to a Changing Landscape
The 2025 BACCN Annual Conference took place in Blackpool, UK, under the theme “Celebrating 40 years of Advocating for Critical Care Nursing: Adapting to Changing Landscape.” The theme signals an emphasis on adaptation, but the available source does not specify particular future initiatives or predictions. It identifies the event as the British Association of Critical Care Nurses’ annual conference.
Diversity and Supportive Environments
The 39th Annual BACCN Conference took place on October 7–8 at P&J Live in Aberdeen. Its title was “Building Environments to Thrive: Celebrating Personal and Professional Diversity in Critical Care Nursing.” The source frames diversity and the conditions that help people thrive as themes of the conference, without detailing specific system-wide challenges or solutions.
A Joint Conference and Its Local Impact
A case study describes the BACCN and IACCN joint conference as an opportunity to welcome new visitors to Belfast. The International Convention Centre Belfast says collaboration and delivering economic impact are part of its work. The source does not quantify that impact or describe individual attendee experiences.