41 - Rana Awdish - From In Shock to true connection with our patients
Release Date: 04/03/2019
Mastering Intensive Care
Thank you for listening to the ninth and final episode of the Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta series. If you’ve listened to the series, you’ll know my friend Ed Litton and I entered a four-day stage trail running event, the Run Larapinta Stage Race, and ran, climbed, descended, scrambled and walked with 200 other enthusiastic participants along a mountainous and rugged trail in the spectacular red centre of Australia. Ed and I thought these conversations on the podcast might help others in setting and completing endurance exercise challenges, something we both prioritise in...
info_outline Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 8Mastering Intensive Care
This is the 8th episode of the "Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta" series and if you’ve been listening to the previous ones, you’ll know that this episode is coming out after the four day stage race that fellow intensivist Ed Litton and I set ourselves the challenge of running many months ago. Two Intensive Care doctors, both novices at trail running, looking for something moderately hard, something we could do together, and something we could talk about on the show to hopefully inspire you and other listeners to go for a run or to set yourself your own exercise challenge....
info_outline Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 7Mastering Intensive Care
Fellow intensivist Ed Litton and I signed up for a big challenge 10 months ago when we registered to run in the Run Larapinta, a 4-day stage race in central Australia. We’ve both completed many endurance events, however neither of us have done any serious trail running nor have we ever run 130km in 4 days on a rocky and mountainous trail like the beautiful Larapinta trail in the Northern Territory of Australia. It’s now only a week away so Ed and I had a conversation to update each other on our recent training before answering 5 questions we thought were worth asking each other at this...
info_outline Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 6Mastering Intensive Care
To help Ed Litton and I get really prepared for the Run Larapinta stage race we are only a few weeks away from competing in, today we bring a seasoned ultra trail running doctor on to the podcast to share her advice. In this sixth episode of the Mastering Intensive Challenges series, we welcome Dr Cheryl Martin, who is an Emergency Medicine specialist, a podcaster and has huge experience in trail running, including ultra marathons. Cheryl’s podcast, the Mind Full Medic podcast, explores health, wellbeing, optimal performance and professional fulfilment, with a focus on doctors and...
info_outline Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 5Mastering Intensive Care
This is the fifth episode in the Mastering Intensive Care - Run Larapinta series. Ed Litton and I are back on opposite sides of Australia, and neither of us has had the perfect three weeks since we last chatted. There are now less than seven weeks until the event starts, so we chat about our training, then swing over to what we are each thinking about the logistical challenges we will be presented with. We hope you’ll enjoy listening to the conversation, even if you prefer the couch to your running shoes. If we can inspire you to get out for some exercise, that would be even better. Thanks...
info_outline Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 4Mastering Intensive Care
Here is another episode in the Mastering Intensive Care - Run Larapinta series. For this one, I travelled to Perth to meet with my Run Larapinta co-participant Ed Litton and to head out for a few runs together over a three day weekend. We also set up the microphones to update each other with our preparations and to discuss our perspectives on the social aspects of exercise, mainly endurance sport. We talked about group training, family support, and even using the social media platform Strava to share inspiration. We hope you’ll enjoy listening to the conversation, whatever exercise you...
info_outline Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 3Mastering Intensive Care
This is a follow on episode as Ed Litton and I continue our discussion about the Run Larapinta Stage Race we will be participating in soon. Ed and I tell each other how our running training is going. Then we talk about our general views on nutrition and sleep, especially as we lead into a multi-day endurance event. One of us has picked up a little niggle. And each of us has a different approach to what we consume during long runs. It might not be what we talk about on regular episodes of Mastering Intensive Care but we hope you’ll enjoy listening to the conversation, whether you run, walk,...
info_outline 82 - Will Bonavia - An ICU trainee’s perspective on learning, culture and wellbeingMastering Intensive Care
This episode features the wise perspectives of an Advanced Trainee in Intensive Care Medicine, Dr William Bonavia. The discussion covers: Why he chose medicine and Intensive Care His training journey and his learning strategy What makes a good ward round Learning from colleagues The principles of good communication and collaboration The value of work being fun Making mistakes Dealing with the pressures of the job His thoughts on sleep, exercise, resilience and burnout Gender inequity in training The future of his career Tips for fellow trainees Will Bonavia is an Intensive Care Trainee at...
info_outline Mastering Intensive Challenges - Run Larapinta - Episode 2Mastering Intensive Care
In this second of a different style episode, Ed Litton and I continue our discussion about the Run Larapinta Stage Race we will be embarking on in August 2023. Ed and I talk about our preparation and then tell each other why we run, and what we get out of it. Ed is a multi-sport endurance athlete whose reasons for getting out in nature are deep and truly inspiring. We hope you’ll enjoy hearing this conversation, whether you run, walk, cycle, hike, work out in the gym, or do whatever is your style of physical activity. Thanks for listening. Andrew Davies ...
info_outline 80 - Tub Worthley - A pioneering “Grand Master” of intensive careMastering Intensive Care
This episode features the memories, experiences and wisdom of Dr Lindsay ‘Tub’ Worthley, AM. The discussion covers the following: Tub’s training to become an intensivist when no specific training existed His experience at a time when Australian ICUs were in their infancy The difference between the beginning and the end of his clinical career His eventual transition to retirement His writing of textbooks, scientific papers, editorials and a memoir What he learned about humanity in the ICU Working and communicating with various team members Enthusiastic leadership and the importance of a...
info_outlineIf you work in healthcare and haven’t read the book “In Shock: My Journey from Death to Recovery and the Redemptive Power of Hope” I really hope you will.
In the meantime listen to intensivist and best-selling author Dr Rana Awdish on this week’s episode of Mastering Intensive Care and you’ll understand why. In her book, Rana brilliantly tells the real-life story of her near-death experience and subsequent recovery into which she weaves insightful observations and reflections on both the good and the bad of the healthcare she witnessed.
Whilst Rana would have died without the excellence of the team who managed her sudden medical crisis the seeming lack of humanity was stark and frequently counterproductive.
At the time Rana was in the final days of her Critical Care Fellowship in Detroit. Now an intensivist and frequent public speaker she has ample experience and expertise to assist intensive care clinicians to improve, the aim of this show.
Rana graduated from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, completed Internal Medicine residency in New York, and then Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowships at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit where she now works. She is Assistant Professor at the Department of Internal Medicine, Director of the Pulmonary Hypertension program, Senior Staff Physician in the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Medical Director, Care Experience. Amongst many accomplishments she is the Physician Facilitator for the CLEAR Conversations program, teaches on communication, bioethics and physician wellness, and has won the National Compassionate Caregiver of the Year Award at the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare.
Apart from beautifully describing how it really felt to be a patient, Rana also talks about:
- The suboptimal communication encounters she remembers
- Her gratitude for the skill and grace she received
- The benefits of being more engaged and connected with our patients
- Why first impressions matter
- The value of curiosity
- Using mindfulness to enhance presence
- What being cut off from knowledge as a patient felt like
- Her experience of asking for working suction in her own operation
- The value of community in unburdening ourselves as health practitioners
- How Schwartz rounds can be helpful
- The very first patient she met after recovering from her illness
- Her belief that showing compassion will make you more efficient
- The healing effect of family member presence
- The benefits of self-care (and what Rana does herself)
- The part spirituality might play in healthcare
- Better understanding the use of opiates and pain management
- Going home after a chronic critical illness
- How the whole experience has affected how she acts on ward rounds
Our own healthcare experiences should not be the main driver towards the compassionate and caring practitioners our patients need. But as you’ll hear in this episode, they can deliver the sort of truth and learning we may not otherwise find.
Please enjoy listening to Dr Rana Awdish.
Andrew Davies
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About the Mastering Intensive Care podcast: The podcast is aimed to inspire and empower you to bring your best self to the intensive care unit, through conversations with thought-provoking guests. I hope you’ll glean things to help you improve as a healthcare professional and as a human being so you can make a truly valuable contribution to your patient’s lives.
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Links to people, organisations and other resources mentioned:
Rana Awdish on Twitter @RanaAwdish
Book "In Shock" (by Rana Awdish)
Mastering Intensive Care podcast – episode 35 with Paul Wischmeyer
Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare
Mindful Practice with Ronald Epstein and Mick Krasner
Mastering Intensive Care podcast – episode 40 with Ed Litton
Mastering Intensive Care podcast
Mastering Intensive Care page on Facebook
Mastering Intensive Care at Life In The Fast Lane
Andrew Davies on Twitter: @andrewdavies66
Andrew Davies on Instagram: @andrewdavies66