Simon & Schuster Critical: Stories from the front line of intensive care medicine

I find this book profoundly unexciting. I hadn’t enjoyed reading it as I thought I would.

This book was thoroughly enjoyable to read! I highly recommend it to anyone with a connection, personal or professional, to the world of critical care medicine. As a former RN, I appreciated the science and history within the pages of this book. I have never worked in an ICU, so this provided a vivid insight into the challenging and important work that goes on in this setting. I also very much respect that it’s written in plain language so that no one requires a medical degree to understand this memoir. Perhaps one of the most meaningful elements of this book is the evident compassion Dr. Morgan has for his patients, and his ability to personalize his cases. Dr. Morgan’s anecdotal stories are not about a disease or a bed number. They’re all about real people and the very human connection between caregiver and patient and family. I am also a former ICU patient, and a daughter whose mother passed away after a brief stay in the ICU. From personal experience, I can’t stress enough how critical it is to recognize and demonstrate the human connections in these situations. The honest, compassionate relationship building that Dr. Morgan details is a true gift to patients and families.

Came on time super happy and excited to read this! It was a little damaged but barely noticeable and totally acceptable as it used one of the used ones. But bery happy with it overall. Thank you!😇😍

This was a really good read with some very interesting case studies. I liked the explanations of the importance of critical thinking in an intensive care setting and the bit on CPR is very good also. Would definitely recommend.

As a healthcare student, this book was just perfect in terms of "revising" some basic aspects of intensive care. I liked the description of the main body systems in each chapters, that are vital in sustaining life, when patients are in between life and death. I could understand that some readers could view this book as too academic with too much details but this fitted me greatly (as an alternative to massive academic books - which I have but are sometimes way too boring). So in that score I'm happy with. This book is not here for untertainment such as the one from Adam Kay (which I despise completely!). I could take Dr Morgan's so called patronising any day (CPR description or the "not smoking because it gives you COPD") rather than Kay's misogynist unrespectul so called humour. At least Dr Morgan respects his patients and is still practicing. Kay left the profession. To live off making shows about his profession he had left.

I've read a lot of medical books over the last few years and this ranks as one of my favourites. Each chapter is about a different body system which means there is little repetition which medical books are sometimes guilty of. Many of the stories are very emotional and it is easy to feel as if you're in the situation yourself with such vivid descriptions of the meetings with families. I think this book would be a great read for any students considering becoming a Doctor - many books I have read previously often portray a very pessimistic view of the medical profession. This book does not sugarcoat the negatives of being a Doctor but it highlights the big highs associated with the career, which books from authors like Rachel Clarke and Adam Kay often miss. Even for those just curious about critical care, each condition is explained in simple terms so is accessible to everyone.