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Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning over hospitalisation risk from common medications that Aussies use daily
Medicines like paracetamol and antidepressants are contributing to an alarming number of children visiting emergency wards. Parents grabbing over the counter medicine to help their children is causing a startling number of hospital visits, researchers say. Almost 100 children and teenagers are being taken to emergency departments every day after taking over-the-counter medicines such as paracetamol and antidepressants. At least half of these visits are preventable due to being accidental or intentional overdoses on adult-only medication, University of South Australia researchers said. The Royal Children's Hospital emergency medicine director says intentional overdoses can be particularly concerning. '(Paracetamol) is one of the scary medications where early on, there may be very minimal symptoms,' Stuart Lewena told AAP. 'It's only going to be when the paracetamol is starting to cause damage to the liver (when) we'll start to see symptoms of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.' In the case of accidental ingestions, he said parents and carers can be 'flustered, anxious, worried about the error they've made', delaying treatment. 'We've spent a lot of our time decreasing how confronting they're finding it,' he said. Dr Lewena said hospitals are stretched and urged parents to keep medication out of children's reach. Parents should particularly keep an eye on prescription medications as one tablet can cause harm to children. 'Kids are incredibly resourceful at getting to things that they know they're not meant to get to,' Dr Lewena said. 'It's worthwhile having a discussion with your pharmacist or doctor to know ... "how risky is this in my household?".' Imaina Widagdo, who led the UniSA research, says more needs to be done to protect the health of children, who have more adverse reactions to medicine than adults. 'Unlike adults, children have developing bodies, which means they can respond to medicines differently than adults,' Dr Widagdo said. 'Secondly, because medicines are rarely trialled with children, the doses, safety and efficacy of certain medicines may not be fully known or always accurate.' In February, the federal government changed the number of paracetamol tablets per pack from 20 to 16 in general stores. The number is 50 in pharmacy medicine packs.
CNA
24-05-2025
- Health
- CNA
Exposure to high stress at our jobs can harm us in the long run. How do we handle the pressure?
One moment, he is in Singapore and the next, he is in another country helping to transport a patient across country borders. In an aeroplane with limited resources, sick patients and worried family members thousands of metres above the ocean, stress is all too common for Dr Charles Johnson, an emergency medicine physician. While he has since adapted to the pressure and irregular hours since become a doctor more than 30 years ago, the 56-year-old told CNA TODAY that it took him over a decade to get used to the high amount of stress associated with his job. 'When the patient is critically ill, we're working under time pressure with limited resources on the plane,' he said. 'You can't go to the nearest hospital because you're in a plane in the middle of the ocean ... and there are things you can't control like bad weather and turbulence. But I just trust myself that in the moment, I do the right thing and the best I can." Although individuals such as Dr Johnson eventually find a way to function efficiently and more comfortably in such environments, health experts told CNA TODAY that constant exposure to high-stress environments can be harmful, leaving a lasting impact on mental health and decision-making capabilities. LITTLE MARGIN FOR ERROR High-pressure jobs often have tight timelines and place great pressure on people to do everything perfectly because mistakes can have dire consequences. This can be those in the financial services who deal with clients who might give them pressure to perform, to those in the medical field or law enforcement officers who face life-or-death situations often. People who work in other sectors may not face such high pressure situations on a regular basis but may be exposed to them on occasion. Ms Sandhya Aswani, a mental health counsellor from social enterprise It All Starts Hear, said several factors contribute to a high-pressure work environment. For instance, the nature of the job could be fast-paced with tight deadlines, or people are expected to deal with critical situations such as emergency response settings. 'Such environments can be physically and emotionally demanding, requiring you to make quick decisions on the go. These decisions often have high impact and lasting consequences,' she said. Beyond that, such jobs may have little margin for error and employees may have high expectations placed on them. 'All of this is magnified in environments with little support or healthy avenues for employees to cope with stress,' Ms Sandhya said. THE RISKS OF A HIGH-PRESSURE JOB Dr Annabelle Chow, principal clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology, said that when people are placed in high-pressure situations, their brain kicks into survival mode by activating their sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system activates the fight-or-flight response when faced with a threat of perceived danger, by releasing adrenaline and cortisol, a stress hormone. 'Although natural stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline play useful roles in enhancing brain function and increasing blood glucose levels for immediate muscle action, these benefits are only short-term,' she said. 'Key functions such as decision making and emotional processing start to break down, making it harder to stay clear-headed.' In the long run, Dr Chow warned that chronic stress can affect the brain, especially when it comes to memory, emotional regulation and decision making. 'Over time, it also increases the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia,' she added. 'Essentially, prolonged stress causes the brain to function in ways that are non-optimal, making it harder for individuals to cope with and respond to situations appropriately.' She noted that several studies have shown that chronic stress can reduce the size of the part of the human brain that makes learning and forming new memories difficult. The amygdala, a part of the brain that regulates emotions, can become overactive as well, making people more prone to anxiety or mood swings. For people holding high-pressure jobs where there can be life-or-death outcomes – such as doctors and firefighters – witnessing tragedies as a result of a mistake can also result in survivor's guilt or post-traumatic stress disorder, she added. MANAGE THE PRESSURE WITHOUT LEAVING THE JOB Ultimately, people in high-stress jobs may not be able to escape the pressure entirely without giving up on their careers. However, the experts said there are practical ways to manage the stress. Ms Vivien Tay, a senior counsellor at New Leaf, said it is essential to stay connected to the purpose that drives our work, and trust the judgments that we have learnt through years of training, education and experience. 'While it is natural to feel the weight of others' expectations, staying grounded in your professional training and experience is key to making informed and sound decisions.' She also said that having a supportive network of trusted professionals such as colleagues, mentors or supervisors can help refocus your thinking and assist when the weight of the decision feels overwhelming. 'Maintaining sound decision-making in high-pressure, life-and-death situations requires a balance of self-awareness, support and practical techniques to manage stress,' she added. 'By staying true to your professional training, embracing collaboration and recognising the uncertainty inherent in complex situations, you can navigate high-stakes situations with composure, clarity and confidence.' Dr Chow warned against habits such as skipping meals or sacrificing sleep that negatively affect mental clarity in high-pressure jobs. 'While these may seem like quick solutions, they have significant consequences for mental clarity. The brain requires adequate fuel from food to function optimally and without regular meals, cognitive performance – including concentration, memory and decision making – suffers,' she said. 'To break free from these unproductive patterns, it is essential to replace them with healthier alternatives that prioritise self-care and well-being so that we can be productive in a more sustainable manner.' She said that adopting relaxation techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, which involves slow and deep breaths to help promote relaxation, can help reduce stress throughout he day. When possible, taking short and regular breaks throughout the workday can help prevent mental fatigue, Dr Chow added. It is also important to take care of yourself by staying hydrated and getting enough sleep each day. 'Mental clarity is influenced by a combination of physiological, emotional and cognitive factors,' she said. 'It is important to remember that change does not need to happen all at once. The key to long-lasting transformation is to start small. Choose one area where you feel most ready to improve. Perhaps it is committing to getting enough sleep or tackling tasks before they pile up.' For Dr Johnson, adopting "lifestyle medicine" has helped him stay clear-headed and reduce his stress levels so that he is able to do his best at work while in "the right mind space". Lifestyle medicine is a medical multidisciplinary specialty that looks at making healthy lifestyle interventions to prevent and reverse the root causes of health challenges such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and more. Dr Johnson said he has turned to a diet that avoids meats and ultra-processed food. He exercises often and tries his best to get enough restful sleep. 'It is these little things that help me stay healthy and clear-headed so I can handle work ... and reminding myself that I've tried my best and given my all whenever I'm (on call).'
ABC News
07-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
This young doctor says the public health system has become 'toxic' and fears it could kill him
As a junior doctor in a busy New South Wales emergency department, Dr Fahad Khan expected long hours, high stress and the pressure of life-or-death decisions. What he didn't expect was the creeping fear that his job might kill him. Only weeks into his first year, after working multiple 15-hour shifts in a row, Dr Khan found himself slipping into microsleeps behind the wheel on the drive home. "Within about five to ten minutes of driving I'll start to have microsleeps," he said. "When I get to the lights I might fall asleep, and then I'll get a beep and a nice person swearing at me through the window." Dr Khan did multiple 15-hour shifts in a row while working in an emergency department. ( ABC News: Che Chorley ) To survive the commute he came up with strategies: pulling over to nap or keeping a friend on the phone for the entire 40-minute drive. For the past two months Their dispute with the NSW government has reached an impasse with no resolution in sight, according to the doctors' union, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (ASMOF). Dr Khan, who is paid $38 an hour, said the situation is unsustainable. A "I just think it's very disappointing that junior doctors have to, collectively, have a plan on how to not die when you're driving home," he said. Things the public don't see Dr Fahad Khan says one of his colleagues admitted to wetting the bed at night due to stress. ( ABC News ) To endure the relentless pressure of the job, Dr Khan says he and his colleagues have found themselves confiding in each other about deeply personal, often distressing experiences. "There's just some really ugly things that the public isn't aware about," he said. He says he recalls one colleague getting kidney stones — twice — because he couldn't find the time to drink water or take a toilet break during punishing shifts. Another doctor admitted to wetting the bed at night, overwhelmed by stress. One even discovered, to his horror, that he had soiled himself without realising it. Dr Khan believes the NSW public health system has become toxic for doctors, with many fleeing to other states or leaving medicine altogether. "An exodus would be a good way to describe it," he said. Dr Jemma Cho left psychiatry after she "lost trust in the system". ( Supplied ) Psychiatrist Dr Jemma Cho is one of them. Nine months ago she walked away from her medical career. She had worked as a registrar at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney and Lismore Base Hospital, but says the working conditions left her emotionally depleted and disillusioned. "I was incredibly burnt out and I had lost trust in the system. It was bleak," Dr Cho said. "I didn't feel like I was making a difference in the way that I wanted. I lost sense of meaning for my job and [it] just wasn't worth it anymore for me." Earlier this year, more then 200 NSW psychiatrists resigned from their jobs in protest over a pay dispute with the Minns government. Their case will be decided by the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) which began hearing expert evidence on Wednesday. Crisis escalates Public hospital doctors went on strike over pay and conditions in Sydney in April. ( ABC News: Abbey Haberecht ) In early April doctors across NSW walked off the job for three days in a rare and dramatic protest. They called for a number of key changes including a guaranteed 10-hour break between shifts to ensure safe working hours, and pay parity with doctors in other states — which would require a 30 per cent increase. But their demands were dismissed by the government as "unrealistic". Premier Chris Minns said meeting those demands would cost taxpayers an additional $11 billion and further strain an already overburdened health budget. Dr Tom Morrison says the NSW health system has "deep cultural problems". ( Supplied ) Neurosurgery registrar Dr Tom Morrison, who represented the doctors during negotiations, said talks have stalled. "I don't think it's ambitious to be asked to have safe working hours," Dr Morrison told 7.30. "I don't think it's ambitious to not have to work 30 hours [continuously] treating patients, and I don't think it's ambitious to be asked to be paid the same as every other state." Dr Morrison, based at Liverpool Hospital in Sydney, said tensions escalated sharply in the lead-up to the strike. Two days before the planned walkout, the Department of Health sent a letter to doctors warning they could be referred to medical regulators if they proceeded. The IRC had earlier ruled that doctors must not strike for at least three months. Dr Morrison says he and his peers took that as a threat. "These are bodies for serious professional misconduct, not for people who are standing up saying, 'we're working in an unsafe system',"Dr Morrison said. " People were just astounded that there's been such a dramatic escalation. " Public hospital doctors from Coffs Harbour Hospital on strike in April. ( ABC News: Toby Hemmings ) Then came the claim by the government that hundreds of chemotherapy appointments had been cancelled due to the strike. Days later Health minister Ryan Park's office admitted the information was incorrect. Dr Morrison said the accusation was offensive and that he felt that the government was trying to suggest that doctors are putting patients' lives at risk. "I don't think anything the government's done has encouraged doctors to work for NSW Health," he said. " If anything they've made it clear that the system has these deep cultural problems … and now it's in crisis. " Mr Park declined 7.30's request for an interview, and he didn't respond to questions. Instead his office pointed to his statements made in previous press conferences. Is pay rise a 'sugar hit'? Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite says doctors deserve a pay rise but that it would only be a "sugar hit". ( ABC News: Shaun Kingma ) A special commission of inquiry is looking at how we can better fund the healthcare system in NSW. Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, founding director of Macquarie University's Australian Institute of Health Innovation , serves as a member of the inquiry's expert panel. He said funding health is a complicated challenge. "Healthcare is like a black hole. You could pour dollars into it and not reach the bottom," Professor Braithwaite said. While he sympathises with the NSW doctors' demands, including calls for a pay rise, Professor Braithwaite believes that increasing salaries won't solve the deeper issues within the system. Many public hospitals are not operating efficiently, Professor Braithwaite says. ( ABC News: Paulina Vidal ) "There's a case for them to be paid more … but after that you just reckon you deserved it, and that's what you're worth now — so it's only a sugar hit," he said. Professor Braithwaite's research into modern healthcare systems, including NSW's public hospitals, has revealed that many of them could operate much more efficiently. His findings show that 60 per cent of healthcare provided is of high quality, 30 per cent is wasted due to bureaucracy or inefficiencies, and 10 per cent results in actual harm to patients, including accidents and errors. Shifting these numbers, he said, is essential for meaningful reform. "These numbers have remained fairly sticky for a couple of decades," he said. "It's not good enough". Watch , Mondays to Thursdays 7:30pm on and ABC TV Contact 7.30 Do you know more about this story? Get in touch with 7.30
