Playing God: a trauma surgeon's views on Death vs Science | Russell Gruen | TEDxNTU
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- Опубліковано 16 тра 2016
- In this poignant and deeply touching talk, Dr. Russell Gruen, a trauma surgeon who has witnessed innumerable traumatised patients to inevitable deaths in his career, shares with us, some deeply poetic glimpses into the process of dying and how Medical Science is now actively intervening in delaying it, thereby giving life a chance.
Dr Russel Gruen, as a trauma care surgeon lives a slightly different life, as he is constantly racing against time to save a person's life. Having walked alongside people who have crossed the thin line flanked by life and death, He specially cared for the seriously injured in road accidents, falls, sports and other activities. Dr. Russel Gruen is currently the Professor of Surgery at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine. From traumatised patients to inevitable deaths, he has witnessed it all in his career.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx
My child was born 3 months early by c section , she was breach and the doctor pulled her out and began saving her life . The next day he came to my room in tears , he had broke her arm . I hugged him and thanked him for saving her . I just couldn't be angry because he saved her . He was beside himself over it but 22 years later i still feel the same :) , thank you and god bless you xxxx
💔👍
I am so happy to hear the outcome was positive! What a compassionate Doctor!
What a great doc for telling you what had happened (broken arm), some docs never visit their patients after or if do and they've made errors then they refuse to answer questions/admit it. I'm so glad your baby was saved and they were honest with you.
@Grady Whitman There isn't an age limit to have a child although there should be and an IQ test as well.. wow...
There we go with the god ! Literally everything has to be god incorporated it's a brain wash it's like a damn virus
As an anesthesiologist who has done extensive trauma work in the past, the one thing that I found to be the most difficult thing to do was to walk away from someone who just died in front of you. Normally we leave our patients in the hands of the recovery room nurses. When someone dies you just turn off your monitors and just walk away from your patient. It just feel so incredibility wrong.
In the emergency room where I worked, we implemented an (unofficial) program in order to respect the person who had just passed and those who worked to prevent it:
After a patient died, the team would gather around the patient in a circle and hold hands. There would be one minute of silence after which the attending physician thanked each person individually for their work. It made dealing with death much easier.
Dr it is not your fault they died
It was their time
If you stay they will die anyway
I’m a nurse and work hospice
Remove guilt from your heart
Do always your best
From your heart
The patient will The thankful
Thanks 🙏🏽
It'll sound cold but the dead don't care if you walk away.
@@Xarkom89 I have a provision in my will, stating that only with 100% of all of my relatives agreeing can override it, that if I code on the table, I am not to be given more than any ER doctor would give, and I am not to be put on life support. I also have a statement there for any medical team, thanking them for their attempt to save me, but also saying I understand that not everyone can be saved. I also stated I want my body, which will be a "used up husk" at that point, to go to science, so maybe in death, I can still serve the world.
@@SheepdogSmokey My point still stands past the point of death you won't care...
The man is a doctor that studies medicine 24/7 , the fact he doesn't know who Vince Lombardi really is means he's not slacking off watching football. I'd rather have a surgeon that knows everything about my injury rather than a new intern that knows everything about football! Anyone who rips this guy for that I can only hope you get the newbie that knows everything about your favorite tv show and nothing about you and your emergency.
Christopher K. Sadly some these amazing doctors end up committing suicide :( they live sheltered lives with no friends or family. They fully commit to this career that they forget to have social experiences
Their money piles up but no one to spend it with.
Not to mention he's English.
He said he is a baseball coach...
Imagine: it is possible to speak English and never have seen a football game or know the rules. The TED talk was not in the USA, he doesn't sound like a Yank, so: he read the Vince Lombardi quote in a mag or whatever, and didn't get the complete context.
Christopher K. It is possible for a Dr to enjoy and know a sport along with being an amazing Dr🤦🏻♀️
My dad just passed last week of a heart attack, the cardiologist held my mom in his arms and cried with her for over 5 minutes. I can only thank god and that Doctor for trying everything he could to save my dad.
My Dad was an OB/GYN for 40 years. He wanted that because he could bring life into the world. He did see tragedy but he saw so much life. He would give all of his respect to this Medical Doctor.
Sorry but you're dad didn't bring life into this world, the woman did.
beautifulperson081 he most definitely did
@@beautifulperson081 he ASSISTED in bringing life to this world
I think people somehow forget that medical professionals of all kinds, are still human. We expect perfection and miracles from them and it's not only unreasonable of us to expect it, but it's cruel of us as well. Try being empathetic for a moment. Put yourself in Doctor Gruen's shoes. Not only did he spend a large number of years in studies and training for his job, but of all positions in the medical field, his is among the most high pressure, intense and difficult. Not that any surgery is easy per se, but as a trauma surgeon, Doctor Gruen doesn't have the luxury of planned and scheduled surgeries. He gets hit with whatever comes in off the streets, sometimes with only a few minutes notice to prepare and sometimes probably with no notice at all. He then has to assess the situation as quickly as possible, form a plan and execute that plan within a matter of minutes at times to save that person's life. Now that aside, the enormity of the possibilities that he could face in his position is just mind blowing. It is probable that in his line of work, no two patients are ever the same. Nothing is ever routine. Imagine the versatility you would have to possess to be able to effectively treat such a large array of patients in the worst shape they'll probably ever be in within their lifetime. That in itself is incredible. I am grateful that people like him choose to go into the medical field. No matter how you look at it, it's not an easy job. Whether they show it or not, they all feel the same emotional pain as everyone else and to treat them like they don't disgusts me. I really appreciate that Doctor Gruen chose to share his thoughts and experiences with us. The next time you get upset with one of your medical providers, try to remember that they aren't perfect. They're knowledgeable in their fields certainly, but they're still only human.
Great comment!
Facts...
-paramedic
Thank you for your kind words,doctors certainly have their defects, I am a doc but I think the majority of docs do really want to help people,in fact I think that is the most important role of anyone in this life, not just docs. It's not always easy to help people but can you think of any other reason to exist? Best wishes ,Bart
@Miz Rix haha I'm guessing you have worked with them before 🤭
Storm Meridian Dee!! Your highly intelligent, well reasoned response here, is so passionate and intense. What a great caring and compassionate woman you must be. You just sound so awesome and intense; passionate and intelligent!! I pray God Our Heavenly Father blesses you in every tremendous way He can truly love and bless you, Storm.
I am absolutely mystified why or how anyone would down vote this video.
People are jerks. What other reason could there be?
Literally same
Same technalogy which help this guy to fight 4 patients also bring more patients to him majority of trauma caused by technalogy
Probably Packers fans
most likely religious people who abhor technology that can compete with the powers of their invisible fake diety.
I died three times when I was 36 years old on the operating table but the surgeon actually reached in and pumped my heart by hand that saved my life. These are real life superheroes.
That's amazing. They kept you here in the land of living. May you see the goodness of the Lord
We just had a glimpse of the stories from an emergency room. What an amazing job these doctors are doing and the things they go through ... and staying so strong because of their dedication.. God Bless them!
Absolute respect for this guy.
What a courageous and poignant talk. He is brilliant, yet emotional and vulnerable. His compassion towards the dying boy was deeply moving. I applaud his constant quest for improvement in the medical field, thus enabling himself and others to become better, quicker, more efficient. I don't understand the "playing God" comments below. I think the main point in the talk is that science gives us tools so we may prolong life in the face of seemingly inevitable death. I thoroughly enjoyed this talk.
finally, a constructive comment.
Amazing man we need more like him
@G. uhm no. If he had he wouldn't be able to work efficiently.
@@janedoex1398 yes he could
It gave me full body chills to hear that story and hear his voice shaking as he told it. I always think to myself that people in this field have to become numb but maybe some if not all never can
I sense a lot of compassion in his voice, especially at the end...
Maybe the best Ted talk I have ever seen Thank you so much Dr Russell Gruen and thanks for posting Ted.
Beautifully spoken and thoughtfully shared. Ceers!
Ok TED, you just gave us your best.
@Andy B godspeed
What a moving talk! The humanity displayed by this highly qualified clinician is amazing. A rare quality that needs to be admired and encouraged for people dealing with death and dying. I hope you find peace and healing as you continue with the outstanding work you do. You can only do so much and this is infinitely more than most people are doing.
Blessing to him, amazing how you can feel his pain. His so caring, and compassionate. Thank you for this
A Lot of respect to this DR. Just remember the Surgeon is only as good as his team. I work in the O.R. its the truth.
Trauma people should train with F1 pitstop mechanics lol
PinguinCrazy No, other way around...
Very very true,no question there.
I can't imagine seeing a person transition from life to death...and understanding exactly how that come about.
Prof Gruen operated on me about 7 years ago, fantastic job from a highly skilled professional. He is a quiet unassuming achiever whose strength i think is to share his knowledge and seek to implement the latest technologies.
Thank you for what you do. Wonderful TED talk.
I worked with Russ for a number of years in Melbourne. He is truely compassionate person who is a great boss, and a lovely Aussie down to earth bloke to boot.
Thank you for what you do. Amazing talk.
Thank you for sharing this talk, very well spoken.
Thank You Dr Russell Gruen
The Surgeon made a mistake about Vince Lombardi! So What! Everyone makes mistakes! Have you ever spoke to a large crowd and be filmed? I have and it's not easy! Listen to what he has to say, you might learn something!
Thanks for offering respect to all dr
@@bluewater3783 Agreed sounds like an Aussie to me.
while you have a point, being a surgeon is all about attention to detail. It's a matter of life and death.
I did learn something: you can lose a baseball game because you ran out of time. 😉
I feel great respect for Dr. Gruen and appreciate his unique perspective from the precipice between life and death.
Powerful stuff, thanks for sharing
Total respect for this man, an inspiration ...
Fascinating talk. Thanks for sharing.
Interesting and what a high pressure job surgeons have.
The anesthesia providers do as much and sometimes more then the surgeons to keep a patient alive. In the O.R.. My surgeons always consult with me before we decide to end ineffective heroic treatment.
Really!! and it's no strange fact that most surgeons are suspect of being sociopaths. \this guy (real as he may be) may just be self promoting. Who knows?
Very well done, sir. I honor and appreciate your dedication, your compassion and your skill. Now if we could just have that level of care and not be bankrupted, would be even better.
The things medics go through to save lives
this video give us a deeply thinking, thanks !
What a brave soldier this guy is
Such an emotional ,scientific , lecture, thank you doctor
This was a real tear-jerker 😭😭 It was real and teaches us that this field is not for the unsure or non detail oriented. This is for those directly connected to the source of God and can know things before we even have to know them.
that was really powerful. Well done on presenting Doc
Sorry to hear about your brother 💔. Thank you for your talk and for what you do ✨
I have taken the same road and experienced similar moments of joy, despair and failures. Along the way When things go wrong you pray for divine intervention and wish that you were better. Give another life I shall take the same road, with more zeal, harder work. When a patient dies in your hands, you see the death of dreams, hopes and opportunities.
I can't imagine the pressure and trauma that these people go through - all to help people in their most terrifying odd times. 1
God Bless Doctors and medical professionals! Some of the most important people in the world!
We didn't loose, we just ran out of time... How true, and deep...
Still they lost the game.
Having survived from a ruptured thoracic aorta (being a chronic hyper blood pressure, overweight person) I just cannot find any other words to say other than : THANK YOU doctors, for ALL your efforts in saving lives. We will NEVER be able to repay you for your efforts, nor for your kindness...
🦋 Thank you for your testimony. 🦋
very powerful words thank you
Dr Russel Gruen you a are great man
Really great talk!
Thank you for that most awe inspiring video.
what an incredible science communicator this Dr is!
I wish every doctor felt this way... :(
Great testimonial, thank you so much because it helps me on of what I'm going through right now and I hope we go further then that. Great Shoe! THANK YOU!
Vince Lombardi comment easily forgiven. Excellent talk
That first one... so typical of young trauma victims, they show SO little sign of how ill they are, then suddenly arrest and stop fighting. I've seen these doctors at work, they're quite something to watch. I was just an EMT, but it was insane to know that after we handed over a trauma patient, a whole team of people were there to care for them, right up to them leaving hospital if they made it. Certainly put our job in perspective, no matter how important it is, we can't even give blood on the road! And a tension pneumothorax is treated with the most basic and hit-and-miss procedure. Even the air ambulance can only give blood and try to stop bleeding temporarily. They'll go as far as cutting the chest open if needed, but creating a permanent fix is a whole different level!
It’s a team effort. Without EMT like you, the patient would never get to the trauma centre in time. Everyone is trained to do something different and it’s because we all work together that we achieve the incredible!
"I was just an EMT, " Hello you are on the front line in the medical field Don't ever say you were JUST an EMT ! You people are the true hero's Give yourself some credit
I am currently living in a country with no EMT services. Trust me your EMT role is vital and invaluable work.
Fantastic talk Dr Russell.
Very well spoken, thanks for sharing this with us.
Excellent emotionally powerful presentation from an experienced trauma surgeon.
This is the problem with society. We hear about the kardashians all the time, but have to go looking for the best people society has to offer. This guy sounded like he was holding back tears.
Coz we r Kardashian and not the doctor.
Spaghetti Who/what are the kardashians?
Can't imagine the stress and pressure these docs deal with. Re think whether you have stress in your job after hearing this
love how he never steps out of the red circle
Special people that can and do this type of work. A fine line between biology and spirituality. God Bless you Angels.
Thank you for sharing. =)
I've been a nurse for ,38 years surgeons are the gods of Iife in the O.R. and at times they lose ,it's always tough and heartbreaking.
Thank you for being a nurse! I found this video very interesting. We just lost our 4 yr old son Mikey on the operating table on 6/10/19. Mikey had a severe CHD and was having a thoractomy. His left lung artery exploded and he bled out immediately and was left brain dead. I wish I could have met everyone that worked on Mikey so I could have thanked them for trying.
@@christy49534c ty. I'm so sorry for your loss.
This is so important to talk about, thank you.
Although I wish that someone at TEDx could have placed your microphone better. Because your consonants tend to pop here and there, and I can hear you breathe. But that's not your fault Dr.Russell. You were great.
I deeply respect ethical doctors struggling and trying to save lives and having to deal with their own emotional traumas because of what they experienced.
Amazing advances in Medicine 👏👏👏
Wonderful man!!!!
I am proud to study Biotechnology / Molecular biology.
Find a cure for metastatic ocular melanoma, thanks in advance lol ;)
Thank you. We need more people like you.
Very poignant talk by a very special guy. Much respect.
Nice explained thanks docs
Good work Gruen nice tedx
Good talk
Thank you Dr. Gruen for sharing your perspective and personal insight on such a heavy topic. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to watch several patients die and think that if you had 5 more minutes they would have lived. Especially for the 15-year-old boy who had a lifetime of opportunities and possibilities ahead of him, 5 more minutes could have changed everything for him. Dr. Gruen personifies what it means to practice medicine while using beneficence. While discussing his beliefs and sharing his stories I couldn’t help but think “wow, Dr. Gruen truly wants to do good for his patients”. It appears that Dr. Gruen pours himself into his work to make sure that he is doing everything in his power to help and do good for his patients. However, I don’t like the analogy that Dr. Gruen used at the end of the talk. He describes how technology has advanced over the past several years and how it is essentially buying us time and by buying us time it is helping us to save lives. Lives that without those few extra precious minutes would otherwise be lost, like the 15-year-old boy described at the beginning of the talk. Religious beliefs aside, I don’t think that “playing God” was the correct phrase to use to describe these technological advancements. When we become physicians, we take an oath promising to uphold certain ethical principles and our practice becomes bound by them. I think using the advancing technology to help ensure the survival of our patients is upholding these principles in the most basic sense. Saving our patients life is doing them the utmost good or beneficence and not doing them harm or non-maleficence. Choosing to not use these technologies for apprehension of “playing God” would be violating them in the most irrational sense. I think we need to be careful of how we brand certain medical practices because this may confuse patients and ultimately result in the patient refusal for a service. I know as a Christian that if a practice was deemed as “playing God” some of my family/friends of the same faith would deny the use of it. I think we need to be careful to not muddle treatments for vulnerable populations that are relying on their physicians to provide clarity about said treatments.
This guy is amazing, I wish I was half as talented as him, .
I am a max fax resident. it's never about talent, that I can guarantee.
it was a great reflection of situation " event horizon"...
Good men like this is proof that the world is inherently good
In the UK doctors drive towards the emergency scene in order to safe lives cause the first 30 minutes after an emergency is crucial to survivors. By the time paramedic arrives to the hospital with a patient is too late. There is a documentary in Netflix about it. In this film a doctor saved a woman by doing a heart surgery on a street sidewalk in London.
@Slippery Storm the doc is useless without proper gear, he can't operate with bare hands,
From an ethical perspective, the principle of autonomy is extremely relevant to this discussion, as it pertains to a patient's right to make decisions about their own medical care. One of the many challenges that Dr. Gruen highlights in his talk is the fact that patients who are in critical condition may not be able to communicate their wishes regarding their medical care, whether they would want to be kept alive through the use of modern technologies or whether they would prefer to be allowed to die. This places a very difficult decision in the hands of an assigned person such as family or friend, or in cases where an individual is alone or unidentified, in the hands of medical personnel. In cases where a patient's wishes are unknown, it is important to contact family or those who may know what the patient would want to happen. In cases where a patient is alone or has not let their wishes be known, medical providers listen to input from the person assigned and they should follow the principle of nonmaleficence, do no harm. Another consideration when deciding whether to use modern technologies to prolong a patient's life is the cost of these technologies and the long-term side effects. While modern medical technologies have the potential to save lives, they can also be incredibly expensive. From an ethical perspective, it is important to consider whether it is justifiable to use expensive medical technologies to prolong a patient's life, as healthcare and healthcare costs can cause financial problems for both the patient and families for decades following the inciting event. Further, after the use of expensive medical technology and life saving measures are taken to prolong an individual’s life, they may never be the same person they once were. With life saving measures comes not only physical scars, but many times mental, emotional, and even personality and behavior changes. Ultimately, the ethical considerations surrounding end-of-life care are complex and multifaceted, but the principles of autonomy and nonmaleficence provide a framework to have conversations around.
From goosebumps to hiccups we have a defense for everything and I always thought something like that happened for death.
All of the talk about him not knowing who Vince Lombardi is, is a blessing. I would much rather him not know who some celebrity is because that shows that he’s not obsessed by TV. He’s got much better things to concentrate on in his life.
I watched another Surgeon speak who said he totally believed in God after what he had seen in the operating room. Everyone has their own views. Good speech either way.
whats the name of the surgeon?
What did he see ? Could you tell us.... I wanna know
The aspect of God is somewhat misunderstood, how could humans understand a being such as God as it is a being that is infinite in every way. While I have in the past struggled to wrap my head around God and how this being correlates with people and this world all I could conclude is due to the conservation laws of thermodynamics particularly the first law that states energy is neither created or destroyed only converted we do not enter a big empty and cease to exist, how could we defy laws that cannot be defied.
We live in a world where we understand infinity and the definition of it has never changed, it is an inevitable truth that it exists and while some people think God doesn't exist this fact alone should be all that is required to understand when someone says that then they are wrong. We do not understand infinity and it appears that if energy is infinitely converting then existence should be continuous and without end. I tried to understand the bible, the quran etc etc and they all share a commonality which states the same thing.
Of all the experiences I have had in my life I have to say the most pronounced is speaking to the being Christians refer to as Christ, Muslims refer to as Muhammad. I figured one day I would simply ask how and why, the amount of knowledge I obtained from such an simple question was enough to convince me God was there. However, I did not get some sort of spiritual enlightenment, I got vivid realizations of why people don't believe there is a God, why it should be virtually impossible and still have existence happen, and a lot of answers to questions people never realize is the staple of life itself.
After all that I still wasn't completely convinced and it is difficult to explain but I fell asleep one day and I normally do not dream however this not only was a dream but it was the most vivid dream I had ever had and they were over a series of a few days. I know its gonna sound crazy but I saw a few times I existed and of those times how I died. Reincarnation is the system God uses for people to maintain balance in a world balance is fluctuating all the time. The very last dream was of a wreck caused by my own stupidity and cost my life and the lives of the people in the vehicle, then suddenly after I was on the bank of a very pretty lake waiting. I had a sense I was waiting on someone but no one but me was physically around but thee was a sense Christ (I refer to the being as Christ but it was the same entity of other religions) was there, instantly I felt better about the lives lost as I was reassured they went on to exist again and then I left his presence and was returned to another body. The most prolific thing about this is I mentioned to my mom memories of when I was born, the look of the interior of the hospital and what was being said. she confirmed the memory and was astonished that I could remember what no human on Earth seems to remember, when she asked how could I remember it so well, I said I asked God to remember it and so I did.
I am quite aware it all sounds crazy but it is even more crazy to think this spontaneously happened out of thin air. From what I understand is we reside within the imagination of God and is why it is important to believe he is there so we are not forgotten. We were the product of creativity and creativity comes from the imagination and nowhere else and is why we can control certain things we are powerful enough to control with our own minds.
I did ask a few atheists why they believed there was no God and mostly the end result was a more agnostic belief. But honestly the fact we must think to understand and knowing something is not the same as understanding it and a whole process needs to take place before you gain the understanding of what is being discussed should prove that consciousness is on a separate dimensional plane, otherwise there would be no thought process as the brain would be the controller for consciousness. But that isn't what happens, our consciousness tries to make sense of knowledge we do not yet posses and is the causation for the whole thought process.
Honestly it may sound crazy but what is even more crazy is living in a society controlled by people who are NOT scientist or even the smartest of the lot allowing them to lead an entire group of people when we know free will exists. The fact we do this means mankind is not intelligent enough to understand the mind of God otherwise we would not feel compelled to shrink the world into a societal standard and follow rules regardless of intent in which they were created for a sense of safety and security. The world is too big for us all to live without a controlling factor of government, so why people think they should be able to grasp the mind of God is beyond me.
evilcowboy this is inspiring thank you for this, everything you’ve explained makes so much sense i relate to not being able to wrap my head around God either and im trying to have more faith.i would love to talk to you more it seems like you really understand and know God 😇
@@evilcowboy i know what you mean to a certain extent. 1) when I was younger and was first learning how to speak my parents told me I started to get angry at them for not talking about my older sister who died in the first, but I never had an older sister and I was never in a fire. From what my parents have told me, I used to go into great lengths about her and how she saved me, but she didn't make it. My mom said the weirdest moment was when I was getting a toy from the store and it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and i sat down and started yelling, in the middle of the parking lot, how this is fire and when people told me it wasn't my eyes got wide and i yelled they don't know what they are talking about. 2) I am older now and I have little recollection of "my older sister", but I have narcolepsy with cataplexy and there have been incredibly strange moments where I really believe there is something greater out there. Some of the strangest include the lights I saw as a child, my memory when I am asleep and my weird dreams that sometimes gives me guidance into things that very few people would be able to understand.
I want this guy as my doctor
You've done a really good job updating YT comments 👏 👍 👌 😀 😄 😊 👏 🥰😘🙈🙉🙊💋
what a beautiful man
His slam dunk went out the window with his Lombardi comment.
In Science We Trust. Thank you scientists, researchers and medical teams 💙
A must watch :)
On every one of these people complain about the breathing. Accept its here and move on, these are people making live speeches not touched up by editing software smoothing the sound. Especially this one needs the breathing to bring the important human aspect of this talk, one of the most humanistic talks that applies to all of us.
The other thing is that not everybody is really comfortable with public speaking, especially to a large group. In fact, most surveys rank "fear of public speaking" higher than "fear of death", which means that a significant number of people would rather be the corpse than the one delivering the eulogy.
I'm lucky-I've never been scared of speaking in front of a large group. Tell me I've got to talk for an hour about a subject I'm familiar with, and I'm ready now. But I'm the outlier.
His breathing seems to be from nerves and emotion
Like OH my goodness this person is alive and needs to breathe! I don’t get why people complain. Let’s see them speak in front of a few hundred or thousand people!
I complained about the breathing, but I can tell you that it's not his fault. I've studied and worked with microphones and sound engineering, and it's because someone placed his microphone wrong. Had they placed it right you would have heard sighs, but not every breath he takes. So placing his microphone right would have solved the breathing issue, and it wouldn't have ruined his story telling.
Vince is a football coach great talk
Bravo,thank God for these incredible and compassion filled surgeons and nurses that have chosen a profession that basically makes them human angels.
John Adams Thank their parents instead, your god isn’t real and definitely did not create anything.
Dr. Gruen story is quite incredible! With the advances in science and medicine, doctors like Gruen are going to be able to save so many more individuals than they ever thought they could. I however would like to mention some ethical issues that may arise that should be discussed. With these advances in medicine, it is imperative that physicians keep in mind who they are treating. Not every individual or culture has the same views on death. In many cases it seems we as a society view doctors as a prevention to death which is certainly true, but this is not the end all be all. As the US is becoming more and more diversified so too does medicine. Physicians must realize treatment is much more than just preventing death. Physicians swear an oath to uphold the ethical principle of beneficence. Meaning they must consider the entirety of the patient’s mind/body/spirit. The question is no longer how do I prevent/delay death in my patient but rather along the lines of what does my patient want. What views and beliefs do they live by and how can I respect that. These type of questions/concerns need to be constantly thought about and addressed as medicine advances.
"Sadly, I've never experienced divine intervention" - No Sir, you ARE divine intervention.
Brett S. Stop with the nonsense.
Make me, or be silent while the adults in the room talk.
The story of Mark was really hard to listen to, could not even imagine the stress of a trauma surgeon, as well as the sadness that follows. Tears in my eyes
When I was in Afghanistan from time to time they would task a armed security detail when they brought in a few Taliban injured. Our armed security task was to actually wear a smock to be able to protect a surgical team in the event the sedative Taliban would awake and attempt to harm a member of the surgical team or if the injured Taliban was rigged with an explosive (as far as I know it never happend). That being said, I got to stand in the side lines and watch the best Drs in the world keep cool under pressure and fix or attempt to salvage lives. It was incredible to watch them at there art.
Wow!
I mean you no disrespect Doctor. I have spent 20 years of my life in the ICU unit of a well known teaching hospital.
I am so very sorry for your loss.
I must tell you no matter what a surgeon has at their fingertips it is God Almighty alone who determines ones very next breath.
laynn 10 Amen
And you work at an ICU? Can you wear a special hat or something? I want medical professionals working on me, not fantasists.
Wow!!
this is how our Danny died so very sad. He was only 24
I did find this to be a touching talk, yet I must say that I find these new scientific methods for saving lives very similar to the way that I keep my old diesel pickup running.