Where is the Love in Critical Care?

If we look at any critical care system there are several components that are required to drive quality, safety and ultimately success. The greatest driver of success is ultimately the staff. Staff who feel safe, valued and... read more

The Science and Art of Pediatric Critical Care Nutrition

Malnutrition is prevalent in the pediatric ICU population, and is associated with worse outcomes. Nutrition support teams, dedicated dietitians, and educational programs facilitate surveillance for existing malnutrition and... read more

The Science and Art of Pediatric Critical Care Nutrition

Airport CPR Training Kiosks

Three airports around the U.S. have joined an American Heart Association (AHA) initiative to provide hands-only CPR training kiosks for passengers waiting for flights. The Cleveland Hopkins International, Cincinnati/Northern... read more

Airport CPR Training Kiosks

Critical Care Reviews Book 2017 (Free eBook)

The 2017 Critical Care Reviews Book seeks to summarize, critique and put in context the best critical care trials of 2016. Five intensivsts working in Northern Ireland have spent the past year writing this edition. This is... read more

Critical Care Reviews Book 2017 (Free eBook)

A part of patient care that I was not taught in medical school

How physicians express condolences. Recently, I’ve been thinking about how physicians express condolences. This weekend, I attended calling hours to visit with the family of a recently deceased patient. As I drove back... read more

A part of patient care that I was not taught in medical school

The "Quality Minute" – A New, Brief, and Structured Technique for Quality Improvement Education During the Morbidity and Mortality Conference

The Quality Minute is a brief, structured presentation designed to incorporate quality improvement (QI) education into the surgical morbidity and mortality (M&M) conference. The 6-slide, 5-minute structure makes it easy... read more

The "Quality Minute" – A New, Brief, and Structured Technique for Quality Improvement Education During the Morbidity and Mortality Conference

A Year at the Bedside With Osler

Ask any resident, and he or she will tell you that this oft-quoted meditation from Sir William Osler, the father of modern medicine and guiding light for many an internist, is beautiful in its language yet quaint and seemingly... read more

A Year at the Bedside With Osler

New Institute to Focus on Immune System

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is launching a new institute to coordinate initiatives among the rapidly evolving disciplines of infection biology, immunology and inflammatory diseases. The Vanderbilt Institute... read more

New Institute to Focus on Immune System

ICU Medicine Is a Team Sport

I am incredibly fortunate to work on a multidisciplinary team every day. The team includes respiratory therapists, nurses, nutritionists, attending physicians (APs), and advanced practice providers (APPs) (nurse practitioners... read more

ICU Medicine Is a Team Sport

What Is Permitted in Text Messaging About Protected Health Information?

This Viewpoint discusses the best use of texting clinical information, noting that neither Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act nor the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act offer... read more

What Is Permitted in Text Messaging About Protected Health Information?

Integrating Advance Care Planning into Practice

Advanced respiratory diseases progress over time and often lead to death. As their condition worsens, patients may lose medical decision making ability. Advance care planning (ACP) is a process in which patients receive information... read more

Integrating Advance Care Planning into Practice

Facing Change: When to Embrace, When to Resist

This editorial is focused on 3 major areas where change is occurring: (1) change in scientific evidence leading to modification in practice, (2) changes in the health care system structure and how it affects our daily lives,... read more

Facing Change: When to Embrace, When to Resist

Physician Depression and Suicidality

As physicians, we frequently care for patients with depression and suicidal ideations. On occasion, we may also have to treat patients who have actively attempted suicide via methods such as medication overdose or self-inflicted... read more

Physician Depression and Suicidality

Why Does Conflict of Interest Matter?

In this Viewpoint, the former president of the Institute of Medicine discusses the importance of conflicts of interest to the integrity of the medical profession, and the importance of policies to manage conflicts of interest... read more

I was confident in my patient’s care. Then my senior doctor overruled me

When a resident and an attending physician disagree, the attending has the right to overrule the resident. But both should talk openly about the issue. During one 28-hour call shift, I took care of a critically ill man in... read more

I was confident in my patient’s care. Then my senior doctor overruled me