Meet Dr Craig Johnston.
Dr Johnston is an Intensive Care Specialist at Peninsula Health, where he plays a crucial role in caring for the hospital’s most critically ill patients. He works closely with a dedicated team of nurses, physiotherapists, dietitians, and pharmacists to tackle complex medical challenges and ensure the best possible outcomes for every patient.
We spoke with Dr Johnston to discover more about his vital work and how our Intensive Care Unit is helping deliver life-saving care to the community.
Q: What is your background? Where did your medical career begin/ what led you to Peninsula Health?
A: I’m originally from Northern Ireland, where I began my training in Emergency Medicine. About 10 years ago, a colleague from medical school suggested that I move to Melbourne, and we both ended up working in the Emergency Department at Frankston Hospital.
During my time there, I was fortunate enough to complete a rotation in Intensive Care, and I instantly knew I had found my calling. This prompted me to switch my training program to Intensive Care Medicine. Over the following years, I gained experience working at Frankston, St Vincent’s, and The Alfred Hospitals, and I completed my training with an Education Fellowship at The Alfred.
In 2023, I was delighted to return to Peninsula Health as an Intensive Care Specialist. It feels incredibly rewarding to come back and contribute to the place where my Intensive Care journey first began.
Q: Why did you decide to specialise in Intensive Care?
A: I was particularly drawn to the collaborative nature of Intensive Care, where doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians, pharmacists, and other multidisciplinary teams work closely together to solve complex problems and achieve the best outcomes for patients.
The patients we care for are often the sickest in the hospital, presenting with a wide range of conditions. I find this intellectually stimulating because it requires a deep understanding of diverse medical issues and the ability to think critically under pressure.
What I also love about Intensive Care is the immediate, tangible impact of our interventions. It’s incredibly rewarding to see, sometimes over the course of just a few hours, how the drugs, therapies, and equipment we use can help stabilize and improve a patient’s condition.
Q: What does a typical day in your role involve? (if there is such a thing!)
A: A typical day begins with the handover from the night team to the day team, where we discuss new patient admissions and address any issues or concerns that developed overnight. This is followed by the most important part of the day—the morning ICU ward round.
During the ward round, our multidisciplinary ICU team conducts a comprehensive review of each patient. We perform a “deep dive” into what brought the patient into ICU, the underlying causes of their deterioration, the treatments initiated, and how they’re responding. We also review all investigations, communicate with the medical and surgical teams involved, and formulate a detailed plan for the day.
The afternoon is dedicated to carrying out the morning’s plan. This may involve performing procedures, organising further investigations, collaborating with other teams, and discussing the patient’s condition with their family.
The day concludes with the evening ward round, where we reassess each patient to evaluate their progress and anticipate any potential problems overnight, ensuring a clear plan is in place for the night team. As ICU Specialists, we share on-call duties, so I’m regularly in contact with the night team to discuss new patient referrals and troubleshoot any issues that arise overnight.
Q: What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far?
A: While it didn’t seem like it at the time, the COVID-19 pandemic was a particularly transformative period in my career. It was the first (and hopefully the last!) global pandemic I had faced, and at times, it felt like we were in crisis mode every day—dealing with uncertainty, unprecedented patient volumes, rapidly changing guidelines, emotional strain, and the constant threat of contracting the virus before we had a vaccine available.
However, one of the most significant highlights for me was being part of an incredible team, under inspirational leadership, delivering complex, life-saving treatment to many critically ill COVID-19 patients.
One case that stands out was a middle-aged man with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who required ECMO (an artificial heart-lung machine) for over three months. He eventually recovered and was discharged from the ICU after seven months. This experience taught me the power of human resilience and reinforced my commitment to going the extra mile for patients. During difficult times, I often reflect on this case as a powerful reminder of why we do what we do.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your role?
A: Working in Intensive Care puts me in a privileged position to support patients and their families during some of the most frightening and uncertain times of their lives. It’s incredibly fulfilling to be part of a team that helps most patients recover and overcome serious illnesses. However, when recovery isn’t possible, a significant and rewarding aspect of my role is guiding both the patient and their family through these difficult moments, providing compassionate care no matter the outcome.
Additionally, as the Education Lead for ICU, I find great fulfillment in organising teaching programs that help develop the knowledge and skills of our junior doctors and nurses. Watching our Registrars progress through their training, grow as doctors, and develop as individuals is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job.
Q: How are you involved in training and educating the next generation of ICU clinicians? How will the Sim Manikin the Xmas Appeal is raising funds for make a difference in education?
A: Having completed an Education Fellowship at The Alfred, I’ve seen first-hand the profound impact that quality education and simulation training can have on team dynamics and the overall function of an ICU.
Simulation training allows us to challenge ICU staff by presenting fabricated, yet realistic patient scenarios in a safe learning environment. This is incredibly beneficial as it tests not only clinical skills but also team-working abilities, including leadership and communication. Importantly, it ensures that staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage real-life situations.
When conducted in the ICU itself, simulation training also serves as a valuable quality improvement tool. It allows us to assess team performance in the actual ICU setting, using real equipment and protocols, which helps identify and address potential logistical or equipment-related issues.
Having access to a state-of-the-art, high-fidelity Sim Manikin will significantly enhance our ability to conduct simulation training. This technology can be remotely programmed to display specific examination signs, enabling doctors and nurses to refine their clinical examination skills. It will also increase the realism of scenarios, ensuring more immersive and impactful learning experiences.
Ultimately, this technology-enabled learning will support the promotion of excellence and innovation in ICU education, aligning closely with the Peninsula Health Education Strategy.
Q: What do you like to do outside of work? Do you have any hobbies?
A: When not at work you’ll probably find me with my head in a book (mostly non-medical!) or being a dog dad to my 3-year-old Golden Retriever, Tayto. I’m also trying to get better at golf and running.
Every day, our Intensive Care specialists are faced with making life-and-death decisions. It is crucial that our team have access to the very best training so that they are able to provide the best of care for our sickest patients.
This Christmas, we are trying to purchase a life support simulator for our Intensive Care Unit.
With your help, we will be able to fund this vital piece of training equipment, which simulates high-pressure scenarios, so more of our staff can be trained to provide critical care—saving the lives of our sickest patients.