RBWH staff were sad to hear of the recent passing of former Director of Intensive Care Dr Valerie Muir.
Dr Muir was a visionary leader and trailblazer who wanted to build the RBWH ICU unit into a world class service with academic recognition. The current unit owes much of its design and success to Valerie Muir.
She had a traditional approach to her profession and would spend all night at the patient’s bedside if she thought she could make a difference. Dr Muir practiced intensive care at a time when the specialty was finding its feet and developing the core principles that have served our patients so well in the modern day.
Dr Muir’s insistence that RBWH continue to strive for better and innovate as new therapies became available has led to improvements in care that patients enjoy today.
There is a generation of intensivists and critical care nurses who had the privilege of working with and being mentored by Val Muir.
Valerie Muir was never one to seek accolades or recognition for her work. Yet the height of our accomplishments reached today is by standing upon the shoulders of giants. Dr Muir was a giant of the profession.
Rest in peace, Dr Valerie Muir.