Barbados Butterfly author faces problems at work over her blog

I miss the Barbados Butterfly Blog; like many of you I was a regular reader.  As I perused her insightful, educational, and frequently witty posts, I found myself hoping that if I needed emergency surgery at 3:00 a.m. someone like "Barb" would be on call.  Skilled, tough, and wildly passionate about her work. 

Her posts gave us an insider's view into the challenging, exhausting, and often exhilarating world of the surgical trainee.  Her home is Melbourne Australia, but she spoke eloquently for surgical registrars, residents and fellows everywhere.  Many of them were her most devoted readers.

Not long before her blog closed, she wrote about her sadness at leaving her old colleagues behind, and her excitement at taking the next step in her career at a new hospital. She wrote about learning to find her way around at a new place, the difficult schedule, and being too tired to eat.  We worried about her.  Her readers left words of encouragement in the comments, reminding her of the need to take care of herself.  She is part of our "family" here in the medical blogosphere.

Now a Melbourne newspaper reveals more of the story of what happened to "Barb" and her blog, and it's not a happy one.  Surgeon's Blog Vents Her Guts and Spleens in TheAge.com.au reports that Barb (Jillian Tomlinson) was temporarily suspended by the Alfred Hospital Board for one week because of concerns over her blog. The hospital declined to comment.

Over the years I have participated in various investigations, peer review committees, etc. involving hospitals and medical staff members.  Most of the decisions have been carefully crafted and thoroughly considered.  A few have been emotional and ill-advised. 

Of course, I have no idea what went into the Alfred Hospital Board's decision to suspend Dr. Tomlinson, but I find myself wondering if they took time to read her blog and to appreciate the intelligence, dedication, and perseverance of its author.  I can't help but wonder if she was given the opportunity to make any edits that the hospital board might have wanted, or if she simply found herself suddenly embroiled in a disciplinary action fueled by emotion.

Not a positive way to start a new job, that's for sure.  Let's hope it gets better for her quickly.  But in the meantime, we know that you're resilient and strong Barb. Rest assured that the blogosphere is rooting for you!

"We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world." - Helen Keller

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Recent blogosphere posts regarding BB:
http://dinosaurmusings.blogspot.com/2007/03/thinking-blogger-award.html
http://drdork.blogspot.com/2007/03/chrysalis.html
http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/2007/03/who-breaks-butterfly-upon-wheel.html
http://mdmaking.blogspot.com/2007/03/searching-for-butterflies.html
http://dustitwind.blogspot.com/2007/03/bye-bye-butterfly.html
http://tea-at-ten.blogspot.com/2007/03/barbados-butterfly.html
http://tea-at-ten.blogspot.com/2007/04/im-sorry-could-you-say-that-again-part.html
http://thegirlwiththebluesteth.blogspot.com/2007/03/godspeed-barbados-butterfly.html
http://ourdiagnosis.com/the_britmeds_2007_11
http://msspnexus.blogs.com/mspblog/2007/03/doctors_day_is_.html
http://mdmaking.blogspot.com/2007/03/searching-for-butterflies.html
http://tea-at-ten.blogspot.com/2007/03/dear-barb-butterfly.html