This whole birth control debate has left me steaming. I’ve avoided publicly posting about it because not everyone who reads this blog shares my beliefs. I’ve tried to be respectful of that and acknowledge that the goal of this site is not to spout my own political opinions (save for the occasional note of sarcasm). …
Category Archive: The Issues
Let’s talk health policy, health care reform and more…
Mar
14
Mar
08
Happy Women’s Day
I thought I’d step outside the nursing world for a moment and wish you all a happy International Women’s Day. In light of all the aspirin-between-the-knees ”political” discourse that belongs in the Dark Ages and the recent nonsense from Rush Limbaugh, I am particularly attentive to the importance of this day. And in honor of your …
Jan
09
Mandatory Reporter
The recent child sex abuse scandals involving Penn State and Syracuse University have raised awareness about the importance of reporting. I have recently seen billboards pop up in my city reinforcing the message that “It’s okay to tell”. And one of the repercussions of these scandals has been an energized campaign to pass legislation requiring …
Dec
28
Sleep Is for the Wise
The news has been abuzz this week with discussion and debate surrounding the FAA’s release of new rules to prevent fatigue among pilots. I can understand the rationale behind the rule changes (people’s lives are in pilots’ hands up in those friendly skies and the consequences of pilot fatigue have been deadly). But all this …
Nov
10
Outside the Box
Part of our CNL curriculum is a series of Integrative Health courses offered over three consecutive semesters. The sequence progresses from focusing on self-care, to understanding the evidence about integrative health options, to integrating more holistic options into our practice as future CNLs. It has been fascinating to me from Day 1. As someone who …
Nov
10
Reading Rainbow
I told some co-workers the other day how much I miss reading. I told them I couldn’t wait to graduate so I could swallow books whole. True confession: My favorite TV show as a kid was this… Lately I’ve been averaging only 2-3 books a year. By the time I get into bed at night …
Nov
08
Guilty
Moral of the story: Don’t f*ck with propofol. (Source) It’s a potent sedative and anesthetic, not a sleep aid. It belongs in an OR, not a private home. No matter who your patient is or what he asks.
Sep
09
September
A very close friend of our family lost his father this week. Cancer. F*cking cancer. We all knew the prognosis wasn’t good. Hospice had recently been ordered. And each member of my family quietly shuddered as the raw, vivid memories of our own September loss flooded back. In a few weeks, it will be four …
Sep
04
Pain in the…
I attended a really interesting pain management workshop last week. It was intended for both providers and people with acute/chronic pain, which was an interesting mix. One of the “patients” asked an intriguing question… It’s so difficult to manage pain and I haven’t been satisfied with my providers, so I’m “doctor shopping” yet again. How …
Jul
22
Death With Dignity
The other night I forced myself to sit down and watch a documentary I had recorded. How to Die in Oregon. It’s the story about people who have elected to use the “Death With Dignity” Act in Oregon, which allows them to take a prescription to end their life when they have been diagnosed with …
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