If we don’t start looking after our doctors there will be no one to care for our patients

If we don’t start looking after our doctors there will be no one to care for our patients

"Would you choose medicine again?" I look into the eager faces of the sixth-formers I've been asked to speak to. Not for the first time, I hesitate before I answer. I love my job – it's a great privilege to be a Registrar... read more

Early Psychological Screening of ICU Survivors

Early Psychological Screening of ICU Survivors

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression assessed 1 week after ICU stay correlate with 3-month psychological outcome. The HADS and PTSS-10 may be useful aids to identify ICU survivors at high risk for... read more

Stress Management Intervention to Prevent PICS-Family in Patients’ Spouses

Stress Management Intervention to Prevent PICS-Family in Patients’ Spouses

Sensation Awareness Focused Training (SĀF-T) intervention during the ICU stay is feasible, acceptable, and may improve family caregivers' post-ICU outcomes. Larger clinical trial to assess the effectiveness of SĀF-T in... read more

Risks and Benefits of Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis for Patients With Severe Sepsis

Risks and Benefits of Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis for Patients With Severe Sepsis

Since the rate of gastrointestinal bleeding requiring endoscopic hemostasis is not different comparing patients with and without stress ulcer prophylaxis, and the increase in hospital-acquired pneumonia is significant, routine... read more

Climate Change, Global Warming, and Intensive Care

Climate Change, Global Warming, and Intensive Care

In the last five decades, human activities have resulted in the release of increasing quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, thus contributing to global climate change by additional heating of the atmosphere.... read more

Economic Evaluation of a Patient-Directed Music Intervention for ICU Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilatory Support

Economic Evaluation of a Patient-Directed Music Intervention for ICU Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilatory Support

Music intervention has been shown to reduce anxiety and sedative exposure among mechanically ventilated patients. The aim of this study was to examine ICU costs for patients receiving a patient-directed music intervention... read more

Family Care Rituals in the ICU to Reduce Symptoms of PTSD in Family Members

Family Care Rituals in the ICU to Reduce Symptoms of PTSD in Family Members

Offering opportunities such as family care rituals for family members to be involved with providing care for family members in the ICU was associated with reduced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This... read more

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

A New York Times bestseller and international sensation, this stimulating and important book is a fascinating dive into the purpose and power of slumber. Walker is a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology and the director... read more

Prehabilitation and Nutritional Support to Improve Perioperative Outcomes

Prehabilitation and Nutritional Support to Improve Perioperative Outcomes

Studies evaluating exercise and nutrition interventions before elective major surgery in adults are producing encouraging early results, but definitive clinical evidence is currently very limited. Future research should... read more

Mental Health Medication Use In Parents After A Child’s PICU Admission

Mental Health Medication Use In Parents After A Child’s PICU Admission

This was the first large study to examine mental health medication use in parents after PICU admission for their children. Antidepressant and anxiolytic incidence rates for parents with critically ill children increased... read more

Effect of a Nurse-Led Preventive Psychological Intervention on Symptoms of PTSD Among Critically Ill Patients

Effect of a Nurse-Led Preventive Psychological Intervention on Symptoms of PTSD Among Critically Ill Patients

Among critically ill patients in the ICU, a nurse-led preventive, complex psychological intervention did not significantly reduce patient-reported Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptom severity at 6 months. These findings... read more

Psychological Consequences of ICU Admission

Psychological Consequences of ICU Admission

For most patients and their families, admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) is an unanticipated event that causes substantial psychological distress. For patients, short- and long-term consequences include delirium,... read more

Crisis Management in Acute Care Settings

Crisis Management in Acute Care Settings

Crisis Management in Acute Care Settings: Human Factors and Team Psychology in a High-Stakes Environment is unique in providing a comprehensive overview of the human factors issues relevant to patient safety during acute... read more

Counterbalancing Work-related Stress? Work Engagement Among Intensive Care Professionals

Counterbalancing Work-related Stress? Work Engagement Among Intensive Care Professionals

Work engagement counterbalances work-related stress reactions. The relatively high workload in ICUs, coupled with an especially heavy emotional burden, may be acknowledged as an integral part of ICU work. This workload... read more