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How can colleagues help each other improve after formal training ends? In this article supporting his SMACC 2019 talk, Simon Carley explores direct observation and feedback, focusing peer review on understanding clinical decisions and developing practice rather than judging outcomes alone.

Can virtual reality make venepuncture and cannulation less painful for children? Natalie May appraises a 2019 randomised study, examining pain scores, differences between clinical settings and feedback from children and carers, while considering the limits and practicalities of this distraction technique.

How does sleep relate to learning? This discussion of Matthew Walker’s book, Why We Sleep, considers revision, shift work, teaching schedules and conference travel, asking how educational habits might better protect opportunities to rest.

What should emergency clinicians ask when an adult with congenital heart disease attends the ED? This 2019 introduction explores altered anatomy, previous repairs and acute presentations, emphasising patients’ knowledge, specialist-team involvement and resources for further learning rather than offering a comprehensive management guide.

Good workplace relationships need deliberate attention. Stevan Bruijns reflects on how gratitude, generous interpretations of colleagues’ actions, celebrating successes and shared experiences can support emergency care teams, while recognising that no single team can meet every professional and personal need.

The St Emlyn’s team looks back on 2018 through changes in clinical practice, memorable research, books, blogs and podcasts. Alongside personal highlights and experiences, contributors share what they learned and the people and ideas they were watching as 2019 began.

When does belonging to a specialty become a barrier to working together? Based on an EMTA 2018 presentation, this post explores tribalism, stereotypes and how we interpret colleagues’ actions. It suggests practical ways to build relationships across teams and return difficult conversations to a shared concern for patients.

Salim Rezaie’s St Emlyn’s Live 2018 presentation explores cognitive offloading during cardiac arrest care. The accompanying notes discuss CPR, vascular access, airway management, medication and PEA assessment, explicitly bringing together published evidence and ideas for consideration. This is a historical presentation rather than an updated resuscitation guideline.

History A 45 year old man is brought to hospital by paramedics after being found by passers by sat on the roadside.  The paramedics can’t obtain a coherent history and […]

Simon Carley sets out five approaches to resuscitation practice that require no new equipment: preparation with the Zero Point Survey, regular team updates, separating immediate care from strategic thinking, peer observation and hot debriefs. This St Emlyn’s Live 2018 talk focuses on how teams work together.