FACES OF CRITICAL CARE
Paul Ross
Clinical Nurse Specialist & Research Fellow
“Challenging, interesting, and teamwork.”
What led you to pursue a career in critical care nursing, and how has your journey evolved into research and education?
The stretch on the ward resources, in particularly the workforce and feeling frustrated with care not completed was what led me first to ICU. My ICU journey has evolved from delivering bedside care to educating others, holding joint clinical and academic appointments, and coordinating a postgraduate ICU program. I have balanced these academic and research pursuits with ongoing clinical practice (night shifts included).
What opportunities has critical care opened up for you?
The passion for education and improvement has led me to complete two master’s degrees and a PhD examining how nursing workload, complexity, and intensity impact patient outcomes. I am way more clinical focused than academically, so a PhD by publication and part-time was way more suitable.
In three words, how would you describe critical care nursing?
Challenging, interesting, and teamwork
What part of the job has changed you the most?
Research and developing the skills to enable clinical inquiry into the care we provide —asking why we do what we do, and whether we should change it. And I am always amazed by the research ideas by nursing colleagues.