NCS Roundup

By Wade Smith, MD, PhD, FNCS Education and Certification Dear NCS Members, Can you believe that it has already been a year in terms of the pandemic? Over the past year, each of us has had to change our lifestyles and adapt to our circumstances and environment. Whether that has meant staying home, wearing masks or social distancing, we’ve all adapted to make the most of an unprecedented and unpredictable year. NCS also has spent the last year adapting to the pandemic and our changing landscape. Online, digital education has become more important ...

By: Shraddha Mainali MD; J. Claude Hemphill MD, MAS; DaiWai Olson PhD, RN; Leonard Polizzotto Ph.D; Jose I Suarez MD; Keri Kim PharmD. The Curing Coma Campaign (CCC) , a crucial enterprise of the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS), was launched at the NCS 17th Annual Meeting in Vancouver B.C. with a vision to create a world where patients in coma are treated early and recover. The mission of this campaign is to promote recovery of consciousness through early intervention and long-term support. This campaign provides a platform to facilitate synergistic ...

By Megan A. Brissie, DNP, RN, ACNP-BC, FNCS, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Health, Department of Neurosurgery; and Lindsay Marchetti, MS, PA-C, Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester Medical Center, Neurocritical Care The COVID-19 pandemic has both created and exposed an assortment of challenges for healthcare systems, one of which is an increased need for healthcare workers. 1-3 This increased need is due to both patient surges and loss of healthcare workers due to exposure, infection or other factors. 1,4 Many COVID-19 patients ...

By Wade Smith, MD, PhD, FNCS, President, NCS Board of Directors, Professor of Neurology, UCSF; and Sharon C. Allen, NCS Executive Director As we end 2020, we open a new year with much anticipation for better world health. Many of you have qualified as Level 1A priority for COVID-19 vaccination and have already received your first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, and many others will receive it shortly. This historic event marks an incredible collaboration of science and government to arrive at a novel vaccine within nine months of initiation. ...

By Eric Lawson, Masoom Desai and Aarti Sarwal Over the last decade, social media has revolutionized the connectivity of our medical community by providing a global, easily accessible and dynamic platform to share information. It has transformed into a vital, multi-purpose and widely accepted healthcare resource by both medical professionals as well as lay citizens. The scope of social media extends from education about latest medical literature, discoveries and news; professional and social networking with direct access to peers and leaders across ...

By Tamer Abdelhak, MD, FNCS  On Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, the Albany Medical Center neurocritical care team was one of the first Neuro ICU teams to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The team has been on the frontline of managing patients within Upstate New York who have suffered from catastrophic neurologic injuries, some with concomitant COVID-19 infection. New York State was one of the most affected areas in the United States during the April 2020 surge of COVID pandemic. Albany Medical Center is a Level 1 trauma center and the Capital Region's ...

(Pictured L to R) By Aleksandra Yakhkind, MD, Neurocritical Care Fellow, University of Pennsylvania; Pouya Ameli, MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Neurology Neurosurgery, University of Florida College of Medicine; Naomi Niznick, MD, Chair, NCS Trainee Section, Neurology Resident, University of Ottawa, Chair-Elect, NCS Trainee Section Did you miss our first selection of Frequently Asked Questions about finding a job in neurocritical care? Here is part two, including advice on how to interview, how to ask about compensation, and what the heck are ...

(Pictured L to R) By Aleksandra Yakhkind, MD, Neurocritical Care Fellow, University of Pennsylvania; Pouya Ameli, MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Neurology Neurosurgery, University of Florida College of Medicine; Naomi Niznick, MD, Chair, NCS Trainee Section, Neurology Resident, University of Ottawa, Chair-Elect, NCS Trainee Section NCS realizes that finding a first "real job" can be challenging, especially during a pandemic. To help applicants find the right job and help hiring parties fill needs, the Trainee Section and the Fellowship Direction ...

Currents is seeking contributors to grow our neurocritical care content offerings and showcase new perspectives. If you’re interested in learning more about how you can share your clinical expertise through Currents , contact Associate Editor Michael Reznik, MD . #NCSRoundup ​

By Hana Nobleza, MD; Deepa Maliayandi, MD; and Diana Greene-Chandos, MD, FNCS We have all seen our lives changed by the global COVID-19 pandemic since the first reported case of COVID-19 on Dec. 31, 2020. The mission of Women in Neurocritical Care (WINCC) continued to be strengthened during these times. In this pandemic, we saw the rise of neurocritical care not only directly tackling COVID-19 but also getting involved in social activism, continued friendship, international collaboration, and improving diversity, equity and inclusion. This article ...

By Michelle Schober, MD James Baldwin said, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can change until it is faced.” Many who previously doubted the existence of racial inequity in our society now finally accept it as a grave problem. Sadly, many of the newly convinced fail to internalize the realization, thus perpetuating racial inequity by inaction.   Individual inaction often stems from the unconscious separation many create between “society” and our day-to-day lives. Compartmentalization of the racial inequity “out there” separate ...

The Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) is proud to launch the September 2020 issue of Currents , featuring a compilation of content published on Currents throughout this extraordinary year.  This special annual issue reflects on how neurocritical care professionals have addressed COVID-19, while sharing how our Society and the field will embrace the future. This content provides a mere snapshot of the work our community has done during the pandemic, and we are immensely proud to showcase it in this issue.  Currents highlights innovative ideas ...

By   George Lopez, Chitra Venkatasubramanian and Sarah Peacock We are excited to announce that after much consideration and evaluation, Emergency Neurological Life Support® (ENLS) will receive a major upgrade in Fall 2020! NCS has partnered with Designing Digitally, a company that specializes in simulation content to build several virtual simulation cases in the online ENLS course. Virtual simulation has gained popularity in healthcare and throughout education as they help leaners integrate information in a safe manner. We anticipate the developed ...

As a global society, NCS supports its members in need throughout the world. The tragic Beirut explosion displaced several families and help is needed. Please click here to donate to the Red Cross who is currently providing aid. Funds are needed for food, water, hygiene kits, masks, gloves and other essentials, as well as the Red Cross Restoring Family Links Program. #NCSRoundup ​

By Uttara Koul, MD,   PGY4 neurology resident,   St. Louis University; and Aleksandra Yakhkind, MD,   PGY6 neurocritical care fellow,   University of Pennsylvania Neurocritical care attracts residents from a multitude of specialties   — a majority constitutes adult neurology residents. As one myself and a Trainee Section leadership member, I shall take the onus of speaking on their behalf about our experience with the recent fellowship application process. After surviving through a tumultuous year of internal medicine, we excitedly graduate ...

By Shraddha Mainali, MD; Molly McNett, PhD, RN, FNCS; Sherry Chou, MD, MMSC, FNCS; Jennifer Kim, MD, PhD; Tom Lawson, CNP   The Research Operations Subcommittee (ROSC) of The Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) has continued to support research initiatives throughout the society. Within the past year, the subcommittee has primarily provided operational support for two main projects: The Curing Coma Campaign (CCC) The Global Consortium Study of Neurological Dysfunction in COVID-19 (GCS NeuroCOVID). The Curing Coma Campaign (CCC) NCS ...

By Angela Hays Shapshak and Atul Kalanuria The past several months have been eventful for those of us involved in neurocritical care education. As I’m sure you are aware, the first ABMS Neurocritical Care examination is scheduled to take place in October 2021; applications will become available in December of this year. As announced at the recent meeting of the AAN CCEN Section, the exam is now being co-sponsored by the American Boards of Internal Medicine and Surgery, in addition to Neurology, Anesthesiology, Emergency Medicine and Neurosurgery. A ...

By Gretchen Brophy, Diana Greene-Chandos, Marin Darsie,  Holly Hinson, Elissa Fory, Nerissa Ko, Deepa Malaiyandi, Christa O’Hana S. Nobleza and Wendy Wright-Siegler Women in Neurocritical Care (WINCC) has evolved over the years to be one of the most active sections of the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS). Here, we'll share the evolution of WINCC and give NCS members a glimpse of what’s to come. In the late fall of 2002, an all-female group of fellows (Chere Chase-Gregory, Anise Ardelt, Connie Chen and Wendy Wright-Siegler) from Johns Hopkins started ...

By Katharina Busl and David Greer What is Neurocritical Care ON CALL? Neurocritical Care ON CALL is the subscription-based, up-to-date, comprehensive online resource dedicated to the multi-disciplinary practice of neurocritical care. It was launched in the summer of 2018 by the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS). The platform features easy-to-navigate text content, tables, figures, videos and other media. The chapters offer content for every neurocritical care team member. Since inception, the platform has launched 21 new topics, including the ...

By Deborah Tran First, I would like to thank nurses   for all the work you do for our neurocritical care patients daily, and for the work many of you are doing to provide care for the patients with illness related to the global pandemic. Many of you are working in different areas than usual, and the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) Nursing Section applauds your efforts. Our committee has the charge “to grow, strengthen and diversify the nursing voice within the Neurocritical Care Society.” We work to identify and meet the needs of neurocritical care ...

By Stephen Trevick, MD Medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic has seen greater change over a shorter period of time than once believed possible. As physicians and associated medical providers, our institutions, case profiles and even day-to-day workflows have undergone incredible shifts.  The Neurocritical Care Society has released a bundle of the book " Law and Ethics in Neurocritical Care " by Drs. James E. Szalados, Wendy Wright and Wade Smith alongside "The Ethics Curriculum for Neurocritical Care Fellowships," edited by myself and written ...

By Shraddha Mainali, MD; Sherry Chou, MD, MSc; Molly McNett, PhD, RN, CNRN, FNCS, FAAN; Raimund Helbok, MD, PhD; Jennifer Frontera, MD; Ericka L. Fink, MD, MS; Michelle Schober, MD; and Courtney L. Robertson, MD Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), or the COVID-19 pandemic, is advancing at a rapid pace. The widespread nature of this virus has led to significant constraints in healthcare resources, forcing many hospital systems to limit and monitor resource utilization. The overwhelmed healthcare systems are compelled to ...

Women in Neurocritical Care Corner: Perspectives from the Frontlines By Diana Greene-Chandos, MD, FNCS I recently watched a segment from a critical care physician on national news, where she described writing a “goodbye” letter to her children while struggling to catch her breath due to hypoxia from COVID-19.  I, like many, were moved to tears by the rawness of the interview and the mere consideration that I and many of my colleagues around the world, could potentially be in the same boat.   Many medical professionals have lost their lives ...

By Khalid Alsherbini, MD 1 ; Tariq Abu Elem, MD, FAANS 2 ; Ahmed Yassin, MD 3 ; Said Dahbour, MD, FAAN 4 ; Mohammad Talib Abu Elem, MD 5 ; Lama H Nazer, PharmD, BCPS 6 ; Islam Ahmed Ali E’lemat, MD 7 Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Methodist University Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Email: kalsherb@uthsc.edu Arkansas Neuroscience Institute, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine , King Abdullah University Hospital, Irbid, Jordan Faculty of Medicine, ...

By Yasser B. Abulhasan, MBChB, FRCPC, chairman, Neurocritical Care-MENA chapter of IPACCMS It was a great pleasure to be tasked by the congress chairman, Dr. Assem Abdel Razek, to collaborate with the scientific committee and organize the neurocritical care tracks for the 13 th Pan Arab Critical Care Congress in association with the 7 th Annual Congress of the Egyptian Society of Critical Care and Emergency Medicine, Intercontinental Cairo Citystars, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt (Nov. 19-21, 2019). This demonstrated the recognition, importance of advanced ...

By Chitra Venkatasubramanian, MBBS, MD, MS, FNCS; George Lopez, MD, PhD; and Sarah Peacock, DPN  We are in unprecedented times with the COVID-19 pandemic. Quarantines, lockdowns and shelter-in-home are the buzzwords, and schools have switched to continuing education using online curriculums.  At NCS, we are not far behind. In fact, the idea for live online Emergency Neurological Life Support (ENLS) lectures germinated in 2019 as we recognized the increasing demand for ENLS worldwide and the need to deliver high-quality educational content in ...

Submitted by the Neurocritical Care Society Survey Working Group Members: Julius Gene S Latorre, MD, MPH, FAAN, FAHA, FNCS; Abhijit V. Lele, MBBS, MD, MS, FNCS; Navaz Karanjia, MD; M. Moheet, MD, MHDS, FNCS; Peter Papadakos, MD, FCCM; and Syed Omar Shah, MD, MBA  As the field of neurocritical care continues to solidify and evolve, there has been no comprehensive benchmarking survey that encompasses both compensation and structure of practices. The 2019 NCS Compensation Survey was created to fill this gap in knowledge and will allow practicing physicians ...

As COVID-19 continues to evolve worldwide, the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) will share the latest updates regarding our events to keep you informed. We’ve also included some basic information about the virus below for you to share with your patients. We will update this page as changes occur. For more information, visit the NCS COVID-19 Resources web page .  What You Need to Know About the NCS 18th Annual Meeting Currently, the NCS 18th Annual Meeting , scheduled for Sept. 22-25, 2020, in Phoenix is still being offered. As the situation ...