In recognition of Clinical Trials Day 2025, Kate and Ben are joined by Amber Poulter, a Research Clinical Nurse Consultant, for an insightful conversation about the complexities of conducting research in the intensive care environment.

Together, they explore what makes ICU research so challenging and essential. The discussion covers how consent is managed when patients are unconscious or critically unwell, whether patients can be enrolled in trials without their prior consent, and the ethical frameworks that underpin these decisions. They also examine the practical barriers that can make research difficult in ICU, as well as the enablers that support successful trial conduct.

This episode shines a light on the purpose-driven people making ICU research possible, and why it matters for patients, families, and the future of intensive care.

• Clinical Trials Day 2025 - At the forefront of every therapeutic breakthrough, you’ll find clinical research professionals who are driven by a powerful purpose: advancing treatments that transform patients' lives. ​Clinical researchers move innovative therapies from scientific discovery to the developments of tomorrow. With every data point collected, every protocol created, and every patient served, their contributions have the potential to improve health outcomes and benefit generations to come. ​

Building on their previous episode, Kate and Ben draw from their experiences in intensive care to develop a practical toolkit of actions and behaviours that support best practice in family meetings.

The NICE podcast hosts, Kate and Ben, introduce Dr Philip Cheung, an anaesthetist, simulations and professional coach. They discuss the intersection of life and work and how a coaching relationship can lead to success in the workplace.

Links below:

• Philip Cheung Coaching
• International Coaching Federation

Join Kate and Ben as they discuss breaking bad news to patients and families on intensive care. Using inspiration from one of the worlds best story tellers, William Shakespeare, Kate and Ben outline a structured approach to undertaking a family meeting that was first conceptualised by Drs Dale Gardiner and Ben Ivory, both based in the UK. As Kate and Ben share some of their experiences and tips for structuring challenging conversations, the scene is set for future in depth conversation about some of the complexities and nuances of communicating with patients and families at perhaps one of the most challenging times of their lives.

• The Critical Care Commute Podcast - Listen to Dr Dale Gardiner as he discusses his model for breaking bad news and conversations transitioning the care focus towards the end of life.

Kate and Ben reintroduce the NICE Podcast for 2025 and talk about the upcoming NSW CICM Trainee Day which will be hosted in the wonderful NSW ocean town of Newcastle (affectionally known by locals as 'Newy'). The hosts share their vision for the podcast for this year and preview some forthcoming episodes.

Dr Andrew Davies talks at the 2024 NSW Annual CICM Trainee Day held in Newcastle about work-life balance and his reflections on how this has evolved for him over the course of his career.

Andrew eloquently describes his journey from high school to high level international ICU research, and how an innate desire to please others and strive for the ‘top’ led him to a place in his life where he was forced to reflect on what truely brings job satisfaction. Andrew considers on how a change in direction led to a new focus for his life goals, including connecting more deeply with his patients and their families, daily meditation, exercising his body and the creation of his now well establish podcast, Mastering Intensive Care.

Ben and Kate talk to Jeanette Lacy, an end of life nurse practitioner, about the complexities of the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill and its implications for patients, staff and families in intensive care.

Kate and Ben welcome listeners to the NICE podcast, introduce themselves and give a little teaser of what lies ahead.