Stress and Burnout

Stress and Burnout

Stress is endemic at the moment – the NHS is widely known as being a very difficult environment to work in, and doctors seem to be either leaving, emigrating, or becoming so stressed that it results in illness and long-term sick leave. So why are we as a profession so...
The Man Who Forgot Who He Was

The Man Who Forgot Who He Was

A 24-year-old man is brought into an A&E department by the Police. He has been found wandering the streets locally. He is unable to remember anything from his past and is unsure where he is. He is also unable to answer questions about his own personal identity....
An HIV Positive Patient with Blurred Vision

An HIV Positive Patient with Blurred Vision

A 34-year-old man with a known history of HIV presents with blurring of his vision and ‘floaters’ in his right eye that have gradually worsened over the past 10 days. He is experiencing no eye pain and there is no redness or injection of the eye. He states that he had...
An 18-Month-Old with Stridor

An 18-Month-Old with Stridor

A mother brings in her 18-month-old to the Emergency Department with breathing difficulties. The boy was seen earlier that week with a possible mild allergic reaction following eating a cake, but at that time his symptoms settled rapidly following administration of...
The Art of Breaking Bad News

The Art of Breaking Bad News

Breaking bad news is something that every doctor will have to do many times during his or her career. It can be a tremendously difficult job for the doctor involved and is fraught with potential problems. Many experienced clinicians still find this task anxiety...