97 - Nhi Nguyen - From refugee to purposeful leadership in Intensive Care

The guest on this episode is Dr Nhi Nguyen, who as a six-year-old escaped Vietnam by boat. Today, she is an intensivist, a healthcare leader, and a voice for purpose and compassion in medicine.

Dr Nhi Nguyen is the Clinical Director of Intensive Care NSW and served as the state's ICU Clinical Advisor during the COVID-19 response. She is closely involved in the Single Digital Patient Record program and is the clinical lead for the Nepean Hospital Redevelopment. Nhi serves on the Boards of the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District and the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM).

In this conversation, Nhi shares her remarkable journey - from refugee beginnings to senior leadership in Australian intensive care. She reflects on her family's escape, her early determination not to stand out, and the irony that she now holds these major roles with NSW Health, the CICM and a major hospital redevelopment.

Nhi speaks about the mentors who opened doors, the pivotal choices that shaped her career, and the clarity she has found in defining her purpose. She also recalls her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she helped coordinate intensive care responses across New South Wales under extraordinary pressure.

What shines through is not only Nhi's capability, but her humanity — her focus on compassion, cultural identity, and lifting up those whose potential might otherwise go unseen.

Nhi's is a story of courage, resilience, and humility. And a reminder of what it truly means to be an intensivist.

Thank you for listening.

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 work, with a focus on compassion, collaboration and personal wellbeing.

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Relevant links

Dr Nhi Nguyen on LinkedIn

Piece on Dr Nhi Nguyen about major award

Mastering Intensive Care podcast

Mastering Intensive Care page on Facebook

Mastering Intensive Care at Life In The Fast Lane

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Audio Producer Chris Burke

Burke Sound & Media