Tag: patient care
A Day in the Life of a Cardiovascular ICU Nurse Practitioner
People often ask me what I do as a Nurse Practitioner in the Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care Unit (CVSICU) because the role is ambiguous to [...]
The Fine Art of Calling a Consult
You are just about to wrap up rounds, your feet hurt, your to-do list is longer than your CVS receipt and your N-95 has kept you from getting in t [...]
Recognizing and Confronting Sexism in Medicine
I always knew about the existence of inequality and sexism in medicine (and in society at large), but I still remember when I initially witnessed [...]
Talking to Patients About Opioid Addiction
The opioid crisis has affected thousands of individuals in the United States. Due to increasing rates of opioid addiction, it is more important th [...]
Understanding the Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice
If you are in healthcare, you have no doubt heard the term “silver tsunami” to refer to the growing population of seniors in the United States. As [...]
What Healthcare Providers Should Know About the Opioid Epidemic
From 1999 to 2017, more than 700,000 people have died from a drug overdose. Around 68% of those deaths in 2017 involved an opioid like heroin or i [...]
Old Nursing Skills You Don’t See Anymore
The medical field is always growing and changing. Over time, many of the most popular medical techniques are eliminated. While you may think that [...]
Social Determinants of Health in Seniors
Social determinants of health is a term that is tossed around with increasing frequency. Literature and policy makers tout it as an effective way [...]
What are Plague Doctor Masks?
As you search for the perfect spooky Halloween costume, you might come across a plague doctor mask or two. These beaked masks are a popular access [...]
Should Empathy Be a Factor in Medical School Admissions?
You've earned a high GPA and you've hit your target scores on the MCAT. The medical school of your dreams should be almost a guarantee, right? But [...]
How to Discuss Palliative Care and Hospice with Patients
Discussions about end of life are some of the most difficult to hold with a patient and his or her family. Some clinicians report that they never [...]
Learning to Use “People First” Language with Patients
With all the regulations and documentation and cultural requirements you have to absorb into your daily practice, changing the language you use to [...]
7 Tips to Make Your Practice LGBTQ+ Friendly
In today's world, doctors and healthcare professionals have to strive to create a comfortable environment so patients will want to come back and s [...]
New Year’s Resolutions to Share with Your Patients
A New Year’s resolution that you can share with patients? That doesn’t sound even vaguely realistic. The point is, it might be possible to share N [...]
Why Patient Education & Health Literacy Is Important
There is a fine difference between health education and health literacy but it can make all the difference in the health of your patients and thei [...]
What You May Not Know About Breast Cancer Patients
Although you may be familiar with the rates of breast cancer detection and survival, there may be three things you don’t know about breast cancer [...]
Applying Your Past Experiences to Your Medical Training
We all come from different backgrounds. I remember my incoming medical school class at Penn State consisted of a wide range of individuals—some th [...]
Resident Edition: What Inspired You to Become a Doctor?
Inspiration comes in many different forms, but for medical residents, it is usually in the shape of a human being who loomed large somewhere in th [...]
Coping with Death as a Nurse
How do nurses cope with death? By talking with one another. This strategy presents itself repeatedly in the literature, blogs and nurse forums. Re [...]
The Ugly Truth: Coping With Death as a Physician
There are volumes written about the ways that doctors cope with death. It is a deeply personal experience and coping mechanisms vary as widely as [...]