Brit J Hosp Med
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Research carried out in 2016 by two of the authors of this article investigated the role that leadership 'theory' plays within an individual's leadership development and identified other components of clinical leadership programmes that are key to enabling the development of future leaders. While early career doctors identified leadership theories and concepts as important within their development as clinical leaders, these must be closely tied to real-life practices and coupled with activities that aim to develop an increased self-awareness, understanding of others, clinical exposure and leadership tools that they can use in practice. During a healthcare crisis, such as a global pandemic, maintaining a focus on leadership development (particularly for more junior clinicians) might not be seen as important, but leadership is needed to help people and organisations 'get through' a crisis as well as help develop leadership capacity for the longer term. This article, drawing from contemporary literature, the authors' own research and reflections, discusses how leadership development needs to continually adapt to meet new demands and sets out tips for those involved with clinical leadership development.
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Much is known and reported about sharps injuries among healthcare workers, but there has been a lack of published evidence regarding the psychological impact of sharps injuries among medical students. The purpose of this narrative review was to discover the psychological impact of sharps injuries within the medical student population. ⋯ The review identified six studies conducted in six countries which described the psychological impacts of sharps injuries among medical students as being fear, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The findings highlight the potential psychological issues created by sharps injuries, and highlights that further research is needed into this topic to aid the education and prevention of this harmful problem.
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Wide awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet, also known as WALANT, is the practice of performing surgery under local anaesthetic in the absence of a tourniquet. This technique uses the vasoconstrictive effects of adrenaline and the local anaesthetic effects of lignocaine to establish a Bier block with haemostatic control. Permitting active patient participation intraoperatively, wide awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet surgery improves patient compliance with rehabilitation and yields higher patient satisfaction. ⋯ This is of particular benefit within the current COVID-19 climate, as wide awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet technique provides a means of overcoming restrictions to theatre access and anaesthetic support. This review delves into the current uses of wide awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet surgery, outlining the initial conception of the practice by Canadian surgeons. The advantages and disadvantages are considered, and potential future applications of this technique are discussed.
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This editorial discusses the 'Enhancing Junior Doctors' Working Lives' report from Health Education England and emphasises the importance of junior doctors reading it and engaging with the content.
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Chest pain is a common presenting complaint with a broad differential diagnosis. Even after the full array of special investigations, a cause cannot be found in some patients. ⋯ Not knowing how to manage this situation can lead to poor rapport between doctor and patient. Through their clinical acumen, judicious use of special investigations and by forming a therapeutic alliance, clinicians can identify and help these patients.