68 - David Tuxen - Making life and work fun (including ward rounds)

This episode features Professor David Tuxen, a pioneer of Intensive Care in Australia, who recently retired after 38 years at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. David trained in both respiratory and intensive care medicine, and became the Alfred's ICU Director at a young age. He led the development of one of Australia's first mega-ICUs before standing down after over 20 years as Director to re-energise his passion for teaching and research.

David is a Professor at Monash University, still works as an intensivist at Albury Hospital and previously served in leadership roles including President of ANZICS and Chairman of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Foundation. He is globally renowned for his teaching and research on many aspects of mechanical ventilation.

David was my first ICU Director, and he rapidly became, and remains, a wise, enthusiastic and long-standing mentor to me. I have particularly admired his excellent clinical skills and specifically his attention to detail so I am thrilled he agreed to appear on the podcast.

Given many people in Australia and New Zealand know David by his nickname "Tux" it shouldn't surprise you to know that David likes to have fun and bring humour to most occasions. In this episode, David's principle message is not to be serious at all times during a day at work, and to keep up an active social life, including with colleagues, in the periods between work.

David delivers a lot of other great advice in this episode, as he talks about topics including:

• Becoming an ICU Director at a young age
• The changes he's witnessed over his career
• Which patients we sometimes over-treat in our ICUs
• Resolving differing opinions about patient prognoses
• The value of thorough physical examination in ICU
• Building rapport with families, especially for end of life conversations
• His experience in being filmed for a reality TV series
• Communicating with patient's families
• Ward round teaching
• Tips for presenting a good talk
• The differences between working in a tertiary and a regional centre ICU
• What he thinks best maintains his wellbeing
• The toll of work on his family life

Tux has led a high-achieving, well-respected and clinically-orientated career. It's a great privilege to have him on the podcast. I hope you will enjoy listening to David Tuxen.

Andrew Davies

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About the Mastering Intensive Care podcast: The podcast aims to inspire and empower you, through conversations about the human side of Intensive Care, to bring your best self to the Intensive Care bedside, with a focus on compassion, collaboration and personal wellbeing.

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Links related to this episode

David Tuxen on Twitter @TuxenDavid

Audio of talk by David Tuxen on the history of the Alfred ICU

Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (ANZICS)

Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Foundation

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

Andrew Davies on LinkedIn

Email Andrew Davies

Audio Producer Chris Burke

Burke Sound & Media