Ep 125 - November 2018 Round Up

  St Emlyn's November 2018 Review: Key Highlights and Insights Hello and welcome to the St Emlyn's Podcast and blog. I'm Simon Carley, and I'll be guiding you through the exciting topics and developments we've covered on the blog in November 2018. From leadership insights to groundbreaking medical research, this month has been incredibly informative. Let's dive into the highlights! Leadership Insights from the FIX Conference We begin our review in New York, where Natalie May attended the FIX (FeminEM) Conference. In her second post about this event, Natalie explores profound themes, particularly around leadership and motivation in the medical field. Key Takeaways on Leadership and Motivation Jennifer Walthall's talk emphasized the importance of acting within the system to drive change. When joining an organization that may not align with your values, you can either work within the system to improve it or fight from the outside. Walthall advocates for influencing change from within, suggesting that once embedded, you can effectively drive improvements. Lara Goldstein's session on leadership identified four critical attributes of a good leader: Listening: Truly understanding your team. Recognizing the Impact of Small Actions: Little things add up. Conflict Management: Not everyone will like you, and that's okay. Gratitude, Kindness, and Decency: Core values that should guide every leader. Natalie's detailed reflections on the FIX Conference are a must-read for those interested in these themes. Attending FIX in 2019 should be on your list if possible! POLAR Trial: New Insights into Hypothermia Post-Brain Injury Dan Horner analyzed the POLAR trial in one of our journal club posts. The POLAR trial is a significant randomized control trial investigating the effects of hypothermia in the early stages after a brain injury. This study follows the Eurotherm trial, which explored hypothermia's role in patients with severe brain injuries in the ICU. What the POLAR Trial Reveals The POLAR trial involved 511 patients with severe brain injuries, randomized to either hypothermia (cooling to 33-35°C) or maintaining normothermia for 72 hours. Despite strong pathophysiological evidence supporting hypothermia, the trial found no significant difference in outcomes after six months. Initial results suggest that routine hypothermia for early-stage brain injury might not be beneficial, but long-term data follow-up is crucial. This trial, published in JAMA, is essential reading for anyone involved in emergency medicine or critical care. The Case for Whole Blood Transfusion in Trauma: Insights from Zaf Qasim Zaf Qasim, a former Manchester trainee now making waves in the US, contributed an enlightening post on the use of whole blood in trauma resuscitation. This approach, which makes intuitive sense—replacing lost whole blood with whole blood—contrasts with the UK practice of separating blood into components for transfusion. Advantages of Whole Blood Transfusion Zaf argues that whole blood could simplify and improve trauma care, reducing the time and complexity of reconstituting blood components in the body. Although not yet standard in the UK, this method is gaining traction in places like London HEMS and various European centers. As data continues to emerge, this could revolutionize trauma care, harkening back to practices from the Second World War and Vietnam. Challenging the Use of "Sexy" in Clinical Medicine Natalie May returns with a provocative post challenging the use of the term "sexy" in clinical medicine, especially in resuscitation-related specialties. Often used to describe procedures or equipment, this term can inadvertently perpetuate gender biases and undermine professionalism. Redefining Professional Language Natalie, supported by her husband Oli May's humorous yet insightful critique, urges us to reconsider such language. The term "sexy" in a medical context is not a compliment and can contribute to a culture