The Icelandic Association of Critical Care Nurses
IACCN

Welcome to the site of IACCN

The Icelandic Association of Critical Care Nurses (IACCN) was founded in march 1982
and is a subgroup of The Icelandic Nurses Association.
In the beginning the membership was open only to nurses registered as specialists in critical care nursing. 
This was changed in 1994 and the membership of the IACCN is also open to nurses working in a critical care area and nurses who have worked in critical care area in the past

The current membership is approx. 90

The objectives of the IACCN are:
1. To maintain optimal care for patients in intensive care units
2. To promote progress for critical care nursing by providing facilities for specialised education in critical care nursing
3. To stimulate and encourage members of the association to improve their skills and education
4. To promote research related to critical care nursing
5. To be the link between members and hospitals to improve the working conditions

A Board consisting of 5 members and an Educational Committee of 3 members manages the IACCN.  These members are elected every two years.  The Board meets once a month between September and May.  The Educational Committee organise two meetings or seminars per year.  Members receive four newsletters per year, in addition an access to the online journal Connect - The World of Critical Care Nursing.

The IACCN has been a member of the European federation of Critical Care Nursing associations (EfCCNa) since 1997 and The World Federation of Critical Care Nursing (WFCCN) since 2003.

Iceland has a population of approximatly 280.000. There are 3 critical care units which provide a total of 28 beds and employ approximatly 120 nurses. There is also 1 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the National University Hospital in Reykjavík.
The philosophy of critical care nursing practice emphasises holistic approaches to the provision of a high quality service, this is supported by the use of primary nursing as the dominant organisational framework for care delivery.

The logo of the IACCN is designed by Guðný Björk Guðjónsdóttir, a graphic artist and a critical care nurse.
The logo reflects qualities a critical care nurse must possess, such as vigilance, balance (ying and yang) and care.

For further information, please contact:
Rósa Thorsteinsdóttir
Chair of the IACCN
rosa.th@simnet.is

Useful links:

www.hjukrun.tk
www.efccna.org
www.connectpublishing.com
www.wfccn.org