Peter Vernon van Heerden – författare

The intensive care unit (ICU) is a specialised hospital ward where the ‘sickest-of-the-sick’ patients, often with life-threatening illness, receive around-the-clock monitoring and life support. There is a wide spectrum of conditions managed, and these present unique challenges for those who work in this field. Written in lay language by experienced ICU doctors (Intensivists), Psychiatrists, healthcare professionals outside of medicine and other stakeholders, “Stories from ICU doctors” provides insight and commentary around the nature and management of stressors for senior doctors working in the ICU. The first five sections of the book describe the distinctive nature of the ICU environment: the human factors involved, the characteristics of thriving Intensivists, the emotions they experience, and how they behave in response. The final three sections provide a synthesis of the advice of these clinicians for both current and future Intensivists, the advice from those who surround the Intensivist both at work and at home; and some concluding remarks about trainee suitability and selection for intensive care medicine.This book is for ICU patients and their families, it is for the families of ICU doctors, it is for doctors from other specialities, it is for the nurses and others that work alongside ICU doctors, and for anyone considering a career in ICU medicine and those who care for them.  We share these stories in hope that readers might better appreciate the human side of these doctors, better understand the complex working environment in which they practice, and perhaps better empathize with their stressors and struggles. Most importantly, this book is also for the ICU doctors who currently work within the specialty, to validate their feelings and experiences, and ultimately provide support by reminding them that they are not alone in navigating the difficulties they face.

The intensive care unit (ICU) is a specialised hospital ward where the ‘sickest-of-the-sick’ patients, often with life-threatening illness, receive around-the-clock monitoring and life support. There is a wide spectrum of conditions managed, and these present unique challenges for those who work in this field. Written in lay language by experienced ICU doctors (Intensivists), Psychiatrists, healthcare professionals outside of medicine and other stakeholders, “Stories from ICU doctors” provides insight and commentary around the nature and management of stressors for senior doctors working in the ICU.

The first five sections of the book describe the distinctive nature of the ICU environment: the human factors involved, the characteristics of thriving Intensivists, the emotions they experience, and how they behave in response. The final three sections provide a synthesis of the advice of these clinicians for both current and future Intensivists, the advice from those who surround the Intensivist both at work and at home; and some concluding remarks about trainee suitability and selection for intensive care medicine.

This book is for ICU patients and their families, it is for the families of ICU doctors, it is for doctors from other specialities, it is for the nurses and others that work alongside ICU doctors, and for anyone considering a career in ICU medicine and those who care for them.  We share these stories in hope that readers might better appreciate the human side of these doctors, better understand the complex working environment in which they practice, and perhaps better empathize with their stressors and struggles. 

Most importantly, this book is also for the ICU doctors who currently work within the specialty, to validate their feelings and experiences, and ultimately provide support by reminding them that they are not alone in navigating the difficulties they face.  

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.