Category: Critical Care

On the front lines of COVID-19: the untold sacrifices and heroic efforts of health care professionals

There is a phenomenon sweeping across various medical circles on social media that is forcing people to address accusations from those who were not on the front lines of COVID at the beginning of the pandemic. Though I have refused to pay much attentio…

Surviving the chaos: an inspiring journey of health care heroes

Calling all health care personnel: EMTs, paramedics, nurses, CNAs, respiratory therapists, police, firefighters. All of you. You’ve been cursed at, spat upon, hit, and scratched by fingernails. You never got that 30-minute break during those 12 l…

Awakening the dormant elements of humanity

When I was first paged about Mr. P, I braced myself for the worst. He had already had three “code greys” called—the hospital code for aggressive behavior. When we met him on his hospital bed, he was bound by restraints on his wrists and ank…

The emotional toll of being a doctor: My story of witnessing death and coordinating care during COVID-19

When I was a medical student several years ago, I saw someone die in front of me for the first time. My classmate and I weren’t responsible for the patients; we only observed and made additional reports for our studies. The following day, we disc…

A glimpse into the fragile balance of life and death in the ICU

It was a calm and quiet night in the ICU during my rotation when suddenly, the piercing sound of a code blue alarm filled the air. An elderly female patient, 66 years old, had come in earlier with lung clots due to ovarian cancer. She was on the other …

The underappreciated heroes of health care: a doctor’s appreciation for therapists

As a doctor who has cared for countless critically ill patients, I cannot stress enough how important therapists are for patient recovery. Whether it’s occupational, physical, or speech therapists, these health care professionals play an integral…

The underappreciated heroes of health care: a doctor’s appreciation for therapists

As a doctor who has cared for countless critically ill patients, I cannot stress enough how important therapists are for patient recovery. Whether it’s occupational, physical, or speech therapists, these health care professionals play an integral…

The secret side of a brilliant ICU physician revealed

As I look at his obituary pictures, I can’t help but feel a sense of longing. I wish I could have known him – that other side of him that his family, friends, and colleagues are sharing in their photos. They’re all smiling and laughin…

A tale of two patients: one journey, two stories of courage

It was a busy night in the emergency department, as usual. I rushed from one patient to the next, trying to keep up with the constant stream of people coming in with various ailments and injuries. One patient, in particular, stood out to me that night….

A medical advocate’s role in the COVID ICU [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! In this episode, guest Sara L. Merwin, co-author of The Informed Patient: A Complete Guide to a Hospital Stay, shares her experience helping a family navigate their loved one’s hospit…