Nicholas Chrimes, BSc MBBS(Hons) FANZCA

Nicholas is a specialist anaesthetist in Melbourne, Australia who works clinically in both public and private practice as well as sitting on a number of committees involved in clinical risk management.

Nicholas also has extensive experience in healthcare education. He completed a fellowship in clinical simulation in 2006 and has previously occupied positions as the Head of Education for both Monash Simulation and the Monash Health Medical Education Unit. Through these appointments and in educational roles with the Australian & New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and Monash Health, Nicholas has been involved in the development and delivery of training for medical and nursing staff across multiple specialties and levels of experience. He is an accredited EMAC instructor as well as being an accredited instructor for the Western Australian Airway Group's (WAAG) surgical airway training program.

With a particular interest in simplifying clinical decision making in emergency situations, Nicholas is the creator of the Vortex Approach for difficult airway management and the Triad Approach for crisis management. He also wrote & directed The Elaine Bromiley Case and What If videos which are used to educate clinicians about the issues of human factors in airway management. His interest in human factors and patient safety has also lead him to become coordinator of the EZDrugID campaign which aims to improve the distinctiveness of medication packaging in order to reduce medication error.

Anoushka Perera, MBBS FACEM

Anoushka is an Emergency Physician based at Geelong Hospital. Working in a dynamic healthcare environment has led Anoushka to be a strong advocate for interprofessional team training in order to standardise approaches to patient care and improve patient safety outcomes.

In 2010, Anoushka undertook a simulation fellowship at Monash Simulation, staying on at the completion of this term to consolidate her skills at a consultant level. Simulation education has complemented Anoushka’s passion for on-the-floor clinical teaching in the emergency department. She has a special interest in paediatrics and is an Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) instructor. A particular area of interest for Anoushka is the use of immersive simulation to assist junior staff to improve their perceived level of confidence and competence to function within a dynamic team environment.

Adam Rehak, MBBS FANZCA

Dr Adam Rehak is a Consultant Anaesthetist at Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW and is also a Senior Instructor and Director (Anaesthesia Stream) at the Sydney Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre at RNSH. He is also a former Chair of the “Resuscitation and Emergency Response Committee” at the hospital.

Dr Rehak is heavily involved with medical education at all levels, from undergraduates to senior clinicians, with a specific focus on clinical crisis management, human factors and avoidance of medical error. He is the NSW supervisor of the “Effective Management of Anaesthetic Crises” course.

Dr Adam Rehak is a senior consultant anaesthetist at Royal North Shore Hospital. He is also the director of anaesthesia courses at the Sydney Clinical Skills & Simulation Centre, also at Royal North Shore Hospital. He has an appointment at Sydney University as a Senior Clinical Lecturer, where he is currently co-coordinating a post-graduate degree in clinical neurophysiology. He underwent his undergraduate training at Melbourne University and the Austin Hospital in Melbourne. He was an anaesthetic registrar at Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne and at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital Trust in London, before undergoing a provisional fellowship at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney.

He has particular clinical interests in neuroanaesthesia, intra-operative neuro and spinal cord monitoring, airway management and human factors in health care. He is a member of the executive of the Airway Management Special Interest Group (SIG) of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. His other interests include wilderness and expedition medicine, ski touring, camping and surfing.