The intensive care unit (ICU) is a specialized hospital ward where people with life threatening conditions receive around-the-clock monitoring and life support. It is here that the sickest of the sick patients are managed, and there is a large spectrum of challenging working conditions that may cause significant psychological stress to those who function in them. There is a growing body of evidence supporting the increasing prevalence of mental health issues among the medical fraternity. The notion of professional burnout syndrome in the intensive care specialty is well described in the literature and is perceived to be due to the workload and acuity of the field.

Contemplating the Role of the Intensive Care Doctor brings together an experienced group of intensivists and other clinicians to provide further commentary related to the observations and generous reflections of those interviewed. The main focus is on the need for young doctors to contemplate their own personality and the intensive care environment itself to prepare themselves to work within the specialty and have longevity and good health while doing so.

The book is comprised of eighteen chapters that explore personality traits, various allocations of role, the working environment, and the complex nature of communication between peers, teams, and families. It aims to facilitate the resilience of young doctors by challenging their perception of themselves and of those around them. We hope that by exploring these narratives, these doctors will be better prepared to manage their potential vulnerability within the ICU medical team.

Relates to the mental health and wellbeing of doctors working within the intensive care speciality Explores the stressors experienced by doctors working within the intensive care unit environment Includes a unique handbook of activities designed to easily translate to clinical practice

Autorentext

Diane Dennis BSc, PhD, FHEA

Head of Physiotherapy Department

Sir Charles Gairdner and Osborne Park Healthcare Group, Nedlands, 6009, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Peter Vernon van Heerden, MBBCh, MMed(Anaes), PhD

Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine

Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

Michael Ruppe, MD

Division of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics

University of Louisville, and Norton Children's Medical Group, Louisville, KY, USA

Inhalt

Part 1: User guide to this book .- So, you want to be an ICU doctor? How this book might be useful for an ICU trainee.- Thinking about thinking - how this book might be useful related to communicating in ICU.- Connecting people - how to use the book in a mentoring relationship.- Doing what's right, but what's right? How this book might help to prepare for ethical dilemmas in ICU.- Balancing insight with serenity - how to use the book to self-reflect but not ruminate.- Part 2: Swimming lessons.- Can you swim? Contemplating your personality.- Floating, treading water, and swimming - contemplating your role.- The stormy sea - contemplating the place.- Nearly drowning, diagnosing bias - contemplating societal biases.- Swimming in new waters - contemplating the ICU environment after a pandemic.- **** Part 3: Learning to sing.- Singing from the same songbook - contemplating communicating with family.- Melodies and harmonies - contemplating communicating with other doctors.- Different performances, kids are special - contemplating paediatric ICU.- Leading the choir - contemplating communicating with your own team.- Part 4: Mastering aerial acrobatics. - Learning to climb the ropes - shadows of doubt - contemplating self-care.- When ropes get tangled - contemplating change.- Installing safety nets - contemplating our fieldwork guide.- Bouncing safely ahead - contemplating the future.