Pacific Society of Anesthetists host first ICU training day in Annual Refresher Course

The RECSI Critical Care Team was proud to contribute to the Pacific Society of Anaesthetists (PSA) Annual Refresher Course, co-delivering the ICU-focused day in Nadi, Fiji on the 20th of August.

The event provided an excellent opportunity to engage clinicians from across the Pacific, discuss shared critical care challenges, and strengthen collaboration between PSA and RECSI partners.

Sessions led by the RECSI team in collaboration with local facilitators, focused on practical approaches to managing critically ill patients in resource-limited settings, including discussions on mechanical ventilation, sepsis management, and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). These sessions initiated valuable dialogue on current priorities for critical care training and systems strengthening, and highlighted the importance of aligning education and workforce development activities with the broader RECSI objectives.

More than 50 clinicians from across the Pacific participated in this years ICU program - the largest cohort to date. This included a strong nursing contingent from hospitals across Fiji, whose attendance was generously supported by the International Women’s Association of Fiji. 

Image 1: Participants and facilitators for the ICU Day component of the Pacific Society of Anaesthetists (PSA) Annual Refresher Course Nadi, Fiji 

The morning session featured Professor Lisa Bennett (FNU) and Professor Steve McGloughlin (RECSI Program Lead) providing their reflections on ICU leadership, and Dr Lewis McLean (Clinical Lead, Pacific Stream) sharing an update on RECSI’s upcoming critical care activities. Participants also took part in a live survey exercise to better understand training needs, resourcing and contextual challenges facing critical care across the region. The morning session closed with a plenary on the establishment of renal transplant services with Dr Yogeshni Chandra, the President of the Nephrology Society of Fiji, and Professor Steve McGloughlin from Alfred Health.

Images 2 and 3: Professor Steve McGloughlin (left), Dr Lewis McLean and Dr Sovaia Qarau present as part of the morning sessions.

A lunch session with the critical care nursing participants, led by Dr Karen Hammad, Nursing Advisor from the Pacific Community and Rebecca Reilly (RECSI Nursing Advisor) provided an opportunity for the group to discuss critical care nursing and the opportunities for sharing knowledge and experiences across Fiji and the Pacific. 

The afternoon session featured four concurrent hands-on workshop stations focused on key clinical and professional skills, including cardiac ultrasound (echo), maternal critical care, mechanical ventilation, and building culture and collaboration. These sessions were co-facilitated by Pacific intensivists and RECSI staff, reflecting the growing regional expertise and leadership in critical care education. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with participants valuing the opportunity to practise hands-on skills and translate knowledge into practical application.

“I’m thankful for the biggest and most collaborative ICU day for PSA” noted Dr Sovia Qarau, Head of the ICU Department at Lautoka Hospital. “We shared critical care knowledge and clinical experiences whilst identifying priority areas of work, highlighting critical care interest in the region. We celebrated the biggest turnout of both medical and nursing for ICU PSA day, ending the day with 4 parallel workshops”.

Images 4 - 8: Participants take part in workshop training stations

The following day saw an additional working session with critical care medical and nursing clinicians focused on developing clinical guidelines. 

The team would like to thank the PSA for allowing us to participate in this important occasion and connect with colleagues from across the region. 

RECSI is supported by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative. Critical care activities throughout the Pacific are supported by our consortium partners the Pacific Community-SPC and the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS).

Further training will be supported by the RECSI program for Pacific critical care clinicians, including upcoming online leadership training and Australian-based observerships in 2026.