Blog

A Patient Experience

Those of us who have become parents know only too well that whilst a joyful time it can also be a turbulent, exhausting and emotional rollercoaster. To imagine navigating this huge life change whilst also experiencing a life-threatening illness and a critical care admission is almost impossible...

Written by Dr Cathy Ross

Dr Cathy Ross shares lessons from her final year of ICM training, covering placements, leadership, job planning and preparing for life as a consultant.

The perfect combination?

“Doc, doc, this is the captain. We need you back on the ship asap for a medical emergency”

I’ve been working in expedition medicine for nine years and last year was the first time I was asked to deal with an emergency. I grabbed my bag packed with IV medications, defibrillator, scalpel, and various tubes, and jogged back to the beach to be shuttled to the ship with a certain amount of trepidation...

Written by Dr Jonathan Messing

A matched journey through intensive care training

When I left home for medical school, I packed my £79 Halfords bike and headed to Edinburgh. Known for its hilly terrain and charming cobbled streets, Edinburgh wasn’t exactly cyclist-friendly. But for me, cycling was a practical way to get around. As a medical student, every minute counted, and cycling gave me a few extra minutes of sleep—something that felt vital during a jam-packed schedule of lectures and studying...

Written by Elaine Yip

A New Training Opportunity for Intensive Care Trainees in the Severn Deanery

As a newly qualified Foundation Year 1 doctor, I witnessed the devastating impact of poor communication in a clinical setting. A consultant surgeon had the unenviable task of informing a patient that her cancer was inoperable. The conversation was rushed, clinical, and devoid of empathy. The woman sat in stunned silence, her confusion and distress palpable, while the surgeon moved on to his next case without offering any support. That moment stayed with me and underscored the importance of effective, compassionate communication in medicine...

Written by Dr Tom Cloke and Dr Hannah Crofton

It all started with a crucial question from a colleague working on an ECHO HD data collection form design: "Should we include gender options alongside sex on this data collection form?" This seemingly simple query opened a much broader discussion about the importance of inclusive data collection in medical research, particularly when it comes to understanding the long-term health outcomes of transgender individuals...

Written by Dr Sameera M Jahagirdar

Eighteen months ago I moved jobs. I’m sure the trainees/rotational doctors reading this are thinking this isn’t anything worth blogging about, but as I’d been a consultant for 10 years it was quite a change for my world. I feel it helped me see the world, the NHS and critical care through different eyes and therefore I volunteered to write a blog for WICM about it...

Written by Dr Liz Thomas

In our interconnected world, email is an indispensable tool for professional communication. Whether you’re interacting with your close own colleagues, those of another speciality or those who work within the wider hospital infrastructure...

Written by Dr Gilly Fleming

In Life, put your little finger out and if someone pulls it, go with them.

I was told this when I was 20 by Prof Peter Baker (1939 – 1987), of squid neurone action potential fame (KCl). He was telling me to make the best of opportunities which come my way. I have tried to live by this since, and life has been interesting...

Written by Professor Barbara Philips