Personal Development

Can cardiac output help explain patient flow? This article uses preload, contractility and afterload as a metaphor for arrivals, staff and resources, and exit block, showing why changes to one part of urgent care must account for the whole system.

Iain and Simon revisit the St Emlyn's blog in their May 2021 podcast round-up. The linked reading covers anaphylaxis, staff wellbeing, adult congenital heart disease, calcium in trauma, spontaneous coronary artery dissection and reporting hospital data after the Manchester Arena bombing.

What should a departmental wellbeing plan prioritise? Iain Beardsell adapts a hierarchy of needs to emergency care, starting with food, water and basic facilities, then considering safety, belonging and meaningful appreciation before the optional extras of wellbeing initiatives.

Joke Van kerkhoven draws on emergency medicine and elite sport to explore leading yourself under pressure. Written during COVID-19, this practical reflection covers mindset, breathing, planning and recovery, with ways to prepare for difficult situations and learn from them afterwards.

Esther Murray and colleagues explore moral injury and the psychological impact of working through COVID-19. This video discussion considers recognition, prevention and support, emphasising honest conversations and the importance of feeling heard when difficult experiences challenge clinicians' values.

Drawing on Simon Mardel's outbreak experience, this November 2020 article examines infection control during the second COVID-19 wave. It considers crowding, fatigue, workplace hierarchy and the systems needed to help staff protect patients and colleagues, rather than relying on individual vigilance alone.