Anaesethesia Research Co-ordinators Network virtual workshop a success!

More than 80 delegates attended the ARCN 2nd virtual workshop
held 17 March (St Patrick's Day, hence the green theme :))

by Karen Goulding and Gillian Ormond

A sub-group of the  Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists Clinical Trials Network (ANZCA CTN), the Anaesthesia Research Co-ordinators Network had their second virtual workshop on 17 March. 

More than 80 delegates joined online from across Australia and New Zealand to hear the latest on the achievements of the network by ARCN Sub-committee chair and Monash University affiliate, Ms Allison Kearney, from Princess Alexandra Hospital.

A thought provoking keynote presentation was delivered by Opyl CEO and advocator for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM), Michelle Gallaher, on artificial intelligence and clinical trials.

The focus of the workshop was to discuss how hospitals have adapted to new telehealth and consenting procedures in light of COVID, which has changed the way the network does trials. The delegates had an opportunity to discuss their own practices during a breakout session hosted by ARCN Sub-committee members.  To finish the workshop, there was a spotlight on three of the network’s research departments featuring challenges and strengths in working at a private hospital (St John of God, Subiaco), getting trials off the ground at a regional hospital (Goulburn Valley Health, Victoria), and co-ordinating research among a diverse team at a large tertiary and trauma hospital in New Zealand (Waikato Hospital).

The delegates wore a splash of green to mark St Patrick’s Day with Tweets gaining attention from international network collaborators in Ireland!  The ARCN is a network of more than 160 research co-ordinators facilitating anaesthesia research and CTN-endorsed trials. The Zoom meeting was hosted at the Central Clinical School on Monash’s Zoom platform by Karen Goulding, Gillian Ormond, Sophie Wallace and Majella Coco (ANZCA events coordinator). For more info on tips and tricks for hosting Zoom workshops, visit the published report of our first workshop.