2nd AIS Congress

On 4 October 2024, the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences held its second AIS Congress. Under this year’s motto “designing a sustainable future?!“, the participants engaged in plenary lectures, hands-on workshops, and presentations of bachelor theses dedicated to current and future-oriented developments in anaesthesia, intensive care, and professional training.

The aim of the second AIS Congress was to find answers to topical questions such as “How ‘green’ is patient care in an anaesthetic and intensive care setting?”, “Should we keep an eye not only on our patients, but on our planet as well?”, and “Where will our professional group find itself in the future?”.

In the lectures, almost 100 experts addressed topics including “Green Anaesthesia” and “Personnel Development in Nursing”. In the hands-on workshops, everyone interested had the opportunity to test “awake fibreoptic intubation” or participate in a nursing-related escape room game. The comprehensive programme was rounded off with an expert panel discussion on “ATA: Future in Austria?!" (ATA stands for technical anaesthetic assistant).

“The 2^nd AIS Congress at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences impressively demonstrated the importance of designing a sustainable future. Innovative approaches in anaesthesia and intensive care were animatedly discussed. The positive impressions and valuable insights from the panel discussion reinforced us in our efforts to develop sustainable solutions. Moreover, the workshops and presented bachelor theses clearly highlighted the close interconnection between practice and education”, said the initiators of the Congress, Gabriel Wiesbauer and André Lehmann from the University Hospital St. Pölten and Manuel Kaider, lecturer in the study programme Healthcare and Nursing^PLUS at the St. Pölten UAS.

Top-Class Panel Discussion

The final panel discussion on the future of anaesthesia and intensive care in Austria featured Wolfgang Kuttner (chairman of the Upper Austrian provincial section of the Austrian healthcare and nursing association ÖGKV, lecturer in the bachelor degree programme Healthcare and Nursing^PLUS at the St. Pölten UAS), Carina Witschko (nursing graduate with diploma for intensive care and anaesthesia at the PVZ St. Pölten), Bernhard Rafner (chairman / member of the federal board of the ÖGKV), and Bernhard Rupp (health economist, head of the basic department for health policy at the AKNÖ).

Award-Winning Bachelor Theses

Within the framework of the AIS Congress, a number of bachelor theses from the degree programme Healthcare and Nursing^PLUS of the St. Pölten UAS were presented which addressed anaesthesia and intensive care topics with practical relevance. The audience was involved in awarding prizes to some of these theses: The work “an analysis of seamless patient transfer between the preclinical and clinical settings and its impact on patient safety" by Vanessa Karner and Johanna Labenbacher won first place.

About the AIS Congress: Anaesthesia – Intensive Care – Study Programme

The St. Pölten UAS organised the AIS Congress for the first time in 2022. This year, the event was supported by the Lower Austrian Chamber of Labour (AKNÖ), PräHab Zentrum Breitenfurt, MIN Medical Innovation Network Gmbh, the bookstore Schubert, and Habel Medizintechnik.

Further information is available on the event website.

Studying Healthcare and Nursing^PLUS 

In this study programme, you acquire the necessary skills and knowledge for an exciting and challenging professional activity in the field of healthcare and nursing. In addition, you have the opportunity to complete the continuing education programme Preclinical Treatment and Care.

The application for the summer semester 2025 is open until 15/10/2024.