Hot Topics
ACCCN 2026 Hot Topic - Beyond the Brain: Neurocritical Care in Paediatrics
Cnr Hawkesbury Rd & Hainsworth St
When neurological deterioration occurs in a critically ill child, recognising what is happening and knowing what to do next matters.
Join the ACCCN NSW/ACT Committee for Beyond the Brain: Neurocritical Care in Paediatrics, an evening of clinically focused education designed to strengthen your knowledge and confidence in recognising, monitoring and managing neurological injury in critically ill children.
Developed for health professionals working across paediatric intensive care, emergency, retrieval, high-dependency and acute paediatric settings, this Hot Topic will take you from the foundations of brain anatomy and physiology through to their practical application in neurological monitoring, post-cardiac arrest care, traumatic brain injury and trauma-informed care.
Whether you are building your knowledge or refreshing established skills, the program has been designed to connect the “why” behind neurocritical care with the decisions clinicians make at the bedside.
What will you take away?
Across the evening, you will:
- Strengthen your understanding of brain anatomy and physiology and how it applies to clinical assessment and decision-making.
- Enhance your recognition of neurological presentations and monitoring, including the physiological information that can help identify deterioration.
- Explore evidence-informed post-cardiac arrest care, including evaluation and planning following return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).
- Apply neurocritical care principles to traumatic brain injury through clinically focused case-based learning.
- Look beyond physiological management and consider how trauma-informed care can support children and families following critical illness or injury.
From neurophysiology to bedside practice
Neurological injury in critically ill children can occur across a wide range of clinical presentations, from encephalopathy and cardiac arrest to traumatic brain injury.
Effective care requires more than recognising the diagnosis. Clinicians need to identify deterioration, interpret physiological information, respond collaboratively and consider what happens after an acute neurological event.
The evening has therefore been structured as a progressive learning journey, moving from foundational neurophysiology through monitoring and clinical management to post-event evaluation, case-based application and trauma-informed care.
Presentations will be delivered by clinicians working across nursing, neurology and paediatric intensive care, bringing multidisciplinary perspectives to the challenges of paediatric neurocritical care.
Practical, clinically applicable learning
Expect short, focused presentations supported by case-based learning and practical clinical application.
Sessions will progress through:
- Brain anatomy and physiology
- Neurological presentations and monitoring
- Post-cardiac arrest management
- Structured post-ROSC assessment and evaluation
- Traumatic brain injury
- Trauma-informed care for children and families
A PREP Tool session followed by a clinical case study will help translate key concepts into bedside practice and clinical decision-making.
During supper, delegates attending in person will also have the opportunity for hands-on interaction with neurological monitoring devices at the Masimo trade table, with expert insight available to explore their clinical application.
The face-to-face program also provides an opportunity to connect with other clinicians working in and interested in paediatric critical care.
Why attend?
If you care for critically ill children, this evening offers an opportunity to step beyond individual conditions and build a more connected understanding of paediatric neurocritical care.
You’ll leave with refreshed foundational knowledge, greater insight into neurological assessment and monitoring, and practical approaches that can be applied across acute and critical care settings.
4 hours of CPD are available, with light supper and refreshments included.
Event details
Date: Thursday, 26 November 2026
Time: 17:00–21:30
Venue: The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
Level 9 Conference Room (MR4), Wattle Building
Cnr Hawkesbury Rd & Hainsworth St
Westmead NSW 2145
Pricing
Face-to-face attendance
ACCCN Members: $50
Non-members: $80
Virtual attendance for those outside NSW*
ACCCN Members: $30
Non-members: $50
*To register for the virtual program, please email eventsadmin@acccn.com.au.
Ready to strengthen your approach to paediatric neurocritical care?
Join clinicians from across paediatric critical and acute care for an evening that connects neurophysiology, monitoring and evidence-informed management with the realities of bedside practice.
Reserve your place and register today.
Final Program available here.
Event Flyer available here.
View the Terms and Conditions here.
Not a Member Yet?
Join today on an annual subscription and enjoy exclusive benefits! If you sign up for a membership after registering for a Hot Topic, we’ll refund you the difference of your ticket price, so you pay the member price instead of the non-member price. Don’t miss this opportunity to save and unlock year-round perks!