Critical Care

Critical Care BC provides provincial clinical resources, system-level supports and learning opportunities for health professionals working in critical care settings.
​​​​​​​​​​​​​This page connects health professionals to clinical resources, programs, research and education that support consistent, high-quality care for critically ill people across BC.

For general information about our program, visit the Critical Care ​BC homepage.​
Resources

​​Resources for Health ​​Professionals​

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Respiratory Clinical Resource​s

​​​​​​A curated collection of respiratory and critical care clinical resources for health care professionals in BC:  CCBC's overview ​of key resources (PDF).​​​

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Levels of Care

​​D​escribes the levels of care required for critically ill patients according to their clinical needs, regardless of patient location, aligning with other jurisdictions and literature. Acuity and complexity are considered together and referred to as Levels of Adult Critical Care.​

If you have any questions about these documents or how the data is being collected and/or used, please reach out to Sybil Hoiss, CCBC Lead, Clinical Initiatives and Innovation at sybil.hoiss@phsa.ca.

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ICU Liberati​on Bundle (elements A-F)​

​​​ICU Liberation refers to key clinical elements aimed at reducing pain, oversedation, delirium, mechanical ventilation, immobility, isolation, sleep disturbances and ICU acquired weakness. These experiences contribute to life altering post discharge residual effects or Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS). 

ICU Liberation aims to improve patient and family involvement and encourage interdisciplinary team communication. The CCBC ICU Liberation Bundle - Elements A-F are most effective when implemented by an interdisciplinary team and unit champions.

​ICU Libe​ration Bu​n​dle​​​

Additional links and resources​​

B - Both spont​​aneous awakening trials and spontaneous breathing trial

Roundtable discussion: Sedation: The Art, the Science, the Shenanigans

​Data Tracking f​​orms for use at paper based sites:

Societ​​​y for Critical Care Medicine guidelines​

Interior He​​alth resources

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Pediatric Critical Care
​​​BC Children’s Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Child Health BC have developed provincial pediatric critical care resources to support the delivery of safe, consistent, and high‑quality care for children across British Columbia.

These materials are intended to guide health care providers involved in pediatric critical care.

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Provincial Emergency Fleet

​​Provincial Emergency Fleet is a provincially owned stockpile of medical devices intended to help hospitals manage unexpected increases in demand for critical care resources.  

Regional Health Authorities can request these medical devices from the provincial stockpile for support during temporary periods when resources are insufficient or not available.  

For more information, contact the Emergency Fleet team at PHSA.​ 

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ECLS Resources

​​Standardized provincial resources that support consistent evaluation, escalation, and transport of patients requiring ECLS/ECMO across the BC health system.​

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Critical Care Pronation Therapy

​Island Health–developed clinical guidance and training resources supporting safe pronation of mechanically ventilated patients in the critical care setting.

These resources include updated guidelines, procedures, and instructional videos for proning, repositioning, and supination using both overhead lift and linen wrap methods.

Pronation therapy video series

Watch the pronation therapy video series on Vimeo​; videos include:​
  • ​​Proning a Mechanically V​​​entilated Patient
  • Proning with a Tracheostomy
  • Repositioning a Proned Patient
  • Supinating a Mechanically Ventilated Patient
  • Cardiac Arrest Management in the Prone Patient

Guidelines and procedures

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Major Burns Trauma
​Provincial clinical guidance supporting the early assessment, resuscitation, and management of adult patients with major burn injuries in BC.

Note: Documents updated December 2025 and aligned with contemporary burn care practices, including guidance from the American Burn Association.

​Key resources​

Escharotomy for patients with burns

Provincial clinical practice guidance supporting the assessment and performance of escharotomy in adult patients with burn injuries in B​C.
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Adult Critical Care Ultrasonography
​Society of Critical Care Medicine guidelines providing evidence‑based recommendations for the use of point‑of‑care ultrasonography  in adult critical care settings. Last updated in 2024.​​​ Adult critical care ultrasound g​​​uidelines​

Recovery resources​​​

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​Rec​overy After Critical Illness

​Resources supporting patients, families, and caregivers during recovery following critical illness, including physical, cognitive, and emotional impacts such as Post‑Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS).

​Going back to "normal" after ICU discharge

A 10‑minute film sharing the story of an ICU survivor living with PICS, with perspectives from clinicians and researchers on recovery and support.​​ Watch the video​.​

​Rec​overy after critical illness

A practical guide designed to support patients, caregivers, and families during recovery following critical illness. Developed collaboratively by critical care clinicians, allied health professionals, researchers, and people with lived experience.

Please encourage review with families supporting critical illness survivors and provide a hard copy where appropriate.

​Available formats:

Educator slide decks are available upon request - contact Sybil Hoiss for an editable copy.​​

​​​​N​orthern Health resources

Learn more about the Northern Health Critical Care Recovery Program, including program development and related resources. 

Questions: CCRP@northernhealth.ca​

​Family C​aregivers of BC resources

Free, BC‑wide virtual support for individuals supporting a family member in recovery. Family Caregivers of BC (FCBC)​ is funded by the Ministry of Health.

Recovery After Sepsis
​A helpful starting‑point resource that helps patients and families understand sepsis, its effects, and the recovery journey. Patient guide: What is sepsis?​​

Patient and family resources​​

​These Post Sepsis Syndrome pamphlets and leaflets provide support for those recovering from sepsis. They should be reviewed with every sepsis survivor and their families upon discharge from critical care. 

These pamphlets and leaflets were created with the Patient Advisory Council of Action on Sepsis at UBC, in partnership with the BC Sepsis network.

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​A helpful starting‑point resource that helps patients and families understand sepsis, its effects, and the recovery journey. Patient guide: What is sepsis?​​

Patient and family resources​​

​These Post Sepsis Syndrome pamphlets and leaflets provide support for those recovering from sepsis. They should be reviewed with every sepsis survivor and their families upon discharge from critical care. 

These pamphlets and leaflets were created with the Patient Advisory Council of Action on Sepsis at UBC, in partnership with the BC Sepsis network.

Greater Vancouver

Outside the Lower Mainland

Provincial Clinical Practice Guidelines

Learning

​​​​​​Critic​al ​Care Connect

Virtual webinar series 

Critical Care Connect is a provincial webinar series that supports knowledge sharing and connection across the critical care community in BC.
  • Format: Virtual webinar 
  • Frequency: quarterly or  3-4 times a year
  • Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
  • Registration: Webinar registration (link) 
After registering, you will receive a calendar invite for future sessions. Registration is required only once to receive ongoing invitations.
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Provincial Critical Care Grand Rounds

Monthly hybrid rounds focused on critical care research and practice​

Building on foundational work at Vancouver General Hospital, Provincial Critical Care Grand Rounds are now co-hosted by Critical Care BC, the CEREBRI Research Cluster, and the UBC Division of Critical Care Medicine. Sessions explore topics relevant to critical care across urban, regional and rural settings in BC.
  • Format: Hybrid (VGH in person and virtual)
  • Frequency: Monthly
  • Audience: Open to all interested in critical care research and practice
Topic information along with date and time will be shared once speakers are confirmed. 

To be added to the meeting invite distribution list, please contact:

Session recordings are available on Vimeo shortly after each event.
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Pediatric critical care learning sessions

Monthly virtual case-based learning

Join colleagues from across BC to review and learn from de-identified pediatric critical care cases presented by providers from a wide range of communities.
If you have a case to suggest for review, please email the organizers​. 

For additional details, see the session poster.
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CEREBRI UBC research lectures​

Neuro–critical care research presentations

This series features UBC-led neuro–critical care research topics presented through the CEREBRI Research Cluster.

​Past Events

​​​BC Resuscitation Sciences Symposium (all years)

Critical Care BC co-hosts this annual event. Partners for past years include BC Transplant and UBC's CEREBRI Research Cluster​​​. 

May 2025: Critical Care BC and BC Transplant co-hosted the BC Resuscitation Sciences Series: Organ Donation & Transplantation Symposium in May 2025. ​

View the full recordings on YouTube here: 
​Presentation Highlights:
  • Dr. Sam Shemie: The Mortem Triplets: Pre, Peri, and Post
  • Dr. Sonny Dhanani: Advances & the Future of Organ Donation Research
  • Dr. Dan Harvey: Normothermic Regional Perfusion: The UK Experience
  • Rachael Durie: Bridging Donation & Transplantation
  • Ron Shiu (St. Paul's Hospital): Qualitative study exploring culturally inclusive end-of-life care in critical care settings.
May 2024: "Evaluating, Managing & Assessing Post-Cardiac Arrest Brain Injury"
Research

Successful CIHR grant for BC‑wide critical care research

CIHR operational grant | 2026–2029

A CIHR Operational Grant awarded to UBC Critical Care Clinical Faculty and Critical Care BC supports province‑wide research collaboration focused on donation after circulatory determination of death (DCC).

Why this matters:
  • Supports cross–health authority, provincial research collaboration
  • Strengthens partnerships between the UBC Division of Critical Care Medicine and CCBC
  • Coordinated with the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group
Participating sites: VGH, RCH, SMH, KGH, EKRH (Cranbrook), with additional Canadian sites including the University of Calgary, University of Ottawa, University of Western Ontario, University of Manitoba and Queen’s University.

Interested in participating? Contact Dr. Myp Sekhon​.
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​Invitation to participate: pharmacy residency research

Expanding ICU pharmacist coverage in BC

Kathleen Lau, Critical Care Pharmacy Resident, is leading a research project (7D ICU) exploring stakeholder perspectives on expanding ICU pharmacist coverage to seven days per week across BC.

Why this matters:
  • Weekend gaps in ICU pharmacist coverage may increase medication related risk
  • Input is sought from pharmacists, ICU leaders, nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals

What participation involves:

  • Shor​t (10 minute) online survey
  • Optional follow-up interview
Interested in participating? Contact Kathleen Lau or check out the poster.
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Invitation to participate: critical illness recovery research

For patients, caregivers and families

This research study explores recovery after critical illness using photovoice workshops, giving ICU survivors and caregivers the opportunity to share their experiences through photos and storytelling.

Study aims
  • Explore emotional and social aspects of recovery after ICU
  • Share lived experiences of patients and caregivers
  • Create a virtual photo exhibit to raise awareness of critical illness recovery
Learn more about this study at ReachBC​.
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