Wellbeing

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.

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.

Ambition, setbacks and fatigue can all affect a career in emergency medicine. This reflection explores realistic training goals, fear of failure, the move to consultant practice and life outside work, with attention to colleagues both within and outside formal training programmes.

How do we include children when someone they love is critically ill or dying? These notes accompany a conversation with Liz Crowe about clear explanations, addressing fears and self-blame, preparing children for the bedside and supporting families through difficult conversations.

Ashley Voss-Liebig reflects on how research into conference speakers challenged her assumptions about women’s participation in emergency medicine. This 2016 commentary moves beyond speaker numbers to ask how mentoring, visible role models and removing barriers might support women’s careers in the specialty.