Personal Development

What does critical illness feel like to a child? Eimear and her mother Rachel share their experience in a smaccMINI conversation, with written takeaways about fear, clear explanations, the ICU environment and preparing patients and families for recovery and discharge.

What does an ED handover look like from the other side of the stretcher? Ashley Liebig draws on prehospital experience to discuss respect, a calm reception and uninterrupted communication, then asks teams to agree and practise a shared approach to transferring care.

How can an ED make its leadership and development roles clearer? Southampton’s collaboratively written leadership portfolio sets out duties, accountability and allocated time, helping consultants and specialty doctors use job planning to agree expectations and review their non-clinical work.

The St Emlyn’s team looks back on 2016 through clinical successes, teaching experiences, research milestones and personal moments. These reflections share the people, ideas and learning opportunities that mattered to the contributors, alongside hopes for the year ahead.

Can a rude comment disrupt clinical teamwork? This 2016 appraisal examines a randomised neonatal simulation study in which rudeness impaired performance and information sharing, then considers the limits of transferring those findings to real care and the implications for everyday professional behaviour.

What happens when clinical work makes us afraid? In this companion to his SMACC Dublin talk, Ross Fisher reflects on recognising fear, its effects on performance and teamwork, and the value of colleagues who support us through it.