AKI Specialist Day in Brilon: Network and Expertise
· Igor Savitsky
The AKI Specialist Day is one of the few places where networking, professional exchange and meeting old companions truly come together. On 29 September we were in Brilon, both as attendees and as exhibitors. For us as the team of Open Care Intensivpflege and the Open Care Forum Akademie it was a really full day, and we are taking a lot away from it.
What is the AKI Specialist Day anyway?
AKI stands for out-of-hospital intensive care (außerklinische Intensivpflege). This is the care of people with complex care needs who are looked after not in hospital but at home or in a specialised living arrangement. This includes patients who require ventilation, people with a tracheostomy tube or other intensive medical care needs. The AKI Specialist Day brings together nursing professionals, providers, manufacturers and experts from this field. It is not only about products and providers. It is just as much about professional discourse: What is new in out-of-hospital care? What has proven its worth? Which challenges are currently occupying the sector? This exchange is especially valuable in such a specialised field, because in everyday work the knowledge is often very scattered. This time the Specialist Day took place in Brilon, hosted by the Alexians. Thank you for your hospitality.
How was Open Care represented in Brilon?
We came wearing two hats. First as the team of Open Care Intensivpflege, that is, as a care provider that continued its professional education through talks and conversations. And at the same time as the Open Care Forum Akademie with its own exhibitor stand. At the stand we exhibited with two partners: the company Petermann and Nestlé Health Science. Petermann's topic revolves around transfer and positioning aids, exactly the products that are needed every day in out-of-hospital care. Anyone who works in intensive care knows how crucial correct positioning is, for the safety of the patient and for the back of the caregiver. Nestlé Health Science was represented with the product Compleat. This is a nutrition product on a natural basis, which Maik Kaiser of Kaiser Cares presented at the stand. If you would like more details: in the linked video he explains it directly.
Why is professional knowledge so important in out-of-hospital care?
Out-of-hospital intensive care is an area in which a lot is changing. New devices, new products, new legal frameworks. Anyone who provides or coordinates care here needs up-to-date knowledge, not only from the textbook but from practice. This is exactly what a specialist day like the AKI Specialist Day delivers. You speak with people who have the same questions every day. You hear what works in other regions. You discover products you did not know yet, and you better understand why certain standards look the way they do. For families and relatives of people who need out-of-hospital intensive care, this is indirectly relevant too: those who are well networked and well trained provide better care. Whether the team comes from Alpen, Wesel, Moers or Xanten makes no difference to quality in the end, as long as the professional knowledge is right.
What are we taking away from Brilon?
A full head, many good conversations and a few ideas for our own work. The AKI Specialist Day confirmed once again how important this exchange is, especially in such a specialised field as out-of-hospital intensive care (außerklinische Intensivpflege). We met old companions again and made new contacts. We presented products that our partner companies developed for practice. And we listened to what concerns others. Events like this are not an end in themselves. They help us improve. And in the end, the people we care for notice this. If you have questions about out-of-hospital intensive care or would like to know what we at Open Care offer in the region, feel free to get in touch.
Do you have questions about out-of-hospital intensive care near you, whether in Alpen, Rheinberg, Kamp-Lintfort or elsewhere on the Lower Rhine? We are here and we take time for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the AKI Specialist Day?
The AKI Specialist Day is a professional event on out-of-hospital intensive care (außerklinische Intensivpflege). It brings together nursing professionals, providers and manufacturers to exchange expertise and maintain networks. It takes place regularly in different cities.
What does out-of-hospital intensive care mean?
Out-of-hospital intensive care (außerklinische Intensivpflege) means that people with a high need for nursing and medical care are looked after not in hospital but at home or in another living arrangement. This includes, for example, patients who require ventilation. Specialised care services provide the care.
Who represented Open Care at the AKI Specialist Day in Brilon?
Open Care was represented as the team of Open Care Intensivpflege and the Open Care Forum Akademie, both as attendee and as exhibitor. The partner companies Petermann and Nestlé Health Science with the product Compleat were at the stand.
What does Petermann do in out-of-hospital care?
Petermann specialises in transfer and positioning aids. These products are important in out-of-hospital intensive care (außerklinische Intensivpflege) for positioning patients safely and relieving the nursing staff. The AKI Specialist Day in Brilon was an occasion to present these products.
Why is networking relevant in intensive care?
Out-of-hospital intensive care (außerklinische Intensivpflege) is a small, specialised field. Up-to-date knowledge and good contacts help nursing professionals make better decisions. Professional events such as the AKI Specialist Day enable this exchange in a compact way.