As a medical student with a limited knowledge base and limited exposure to taking care of a high volume of patients, my idea of being the physician I hoped to be involved in spending time at the bedside and really getting to know my patients as people and hearing their stories. As I was learning my way around how the medical world worked as clerkship student, this was perhaps the …
There are three versions of name displays in health care institutions, each tailored to different groups of individuals. For physician staff, full names are typically shown, including both first and middle names, along with their highest educational level. This helps establish their presence and expertise within the health care institution.
On the other hand, non-physician staff usually have only their given names displayed in full, followed by the rest of their …
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In this episode, we talk to Amber Gipson-Fine, a project manager, about her personal experience with a medical error and the importance of medical apologies. March was Endometriosis Awareness Month, and Amber shares her journey with the …
Night float had always been this mythical monster to me, an intimidating prospect that conjured up some of my greatest fears about a residency rotation – jetlag, nocturnal clock, lack of continuity with patients or a day team, multiple pagers and multiple admissions every night. Maybe it was the uncertainty of the unknown that had seemed so daunting.
Somehow, after three admissions on my first night, I found myself still awake …
As I reflect on my first year of residency, it’s hard to believe that I’ve cared for nearly 500 patients spanning across multiple departments; floor medicine, ICU, ER, neurology, cardiology, and surgery. I’ve had the opportunity to perform one central line placement, three intubations, ran a code blue, and performed CPR in both the ICU and the ER. Though these procedures may seem daunting, I learned that confidence comes not …
Imagine that you are suffering from chronic pain.
The pain keeps you awake at night so you don’t get much sleep. Lack of sleep most nights and the ensuing chronic fatigue causes you some anxiety during the day. Your primary care physician suggests that she is concerned with the increasing amount of aspirin and ibuprofen you are consuming to manage the pain. She can prescribe opioids to help with the pain, …
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In this episode, we are joined by clinical psychologist and health systems leadership consultant, Nicola F. De Paul, to discuss the importance of psychological safety in health care environments. Nicola shares her personal experience of addressing psychological …
Physicians caught in the tentacles of employment as a means of possibly earning higher incomes and, unfortunately, believing such a platform of medical practice is the panacea of satisfaction and reaching your medical practice expectations that permeate your retirement with regrets.
During my 14 years of clinical medical practice in various settings, including the military, HMOs, and as a hospitalist, my experiences disrupted my initial career plans and intensified my desire …
A strong organizational culture is considered the secret sauce of successful organizations. But the Latin term, “Abyssus Abyssum Invocat” (“One Hell Calls Forth Another”), explains perfectly why it is increasingly difficult to maintain optimized organizational cultures in health care organizations.
Hell #1: Pre-pandemic, health systems and their workers in both Canada and the United States were highly stressed. The reasons were different; the end-consequences the same. And then, as predicted, this …
“FYI, your patient died.”
This message from another physician sat in my Epic inbox. Feelings of disappointment and sadness surfaced as I prepared to start my overnight shift in the emergency department. The death of a child simplified to an Epic chat message felt eerily impersonal and distant.
Months prior to receiving this message, I had another traumatic patient experience in the same emergency department. I will never forget the feeling …
“I feel tired,” said Mr. T. Mr. T was a 72-year-old man who came to our ED. For the last three days, he had been passing reddish urine. Two weeks before this, he had a bout of bronchitis that did not require hospitalization, just ciprofloxacin. He had made a full recovery. The emergency department ordered many tests, among which was a comprehensive metabolic panel and a complete blood count. It …
I work as a physician in a hospital. As much as we wish it were New Amsterdam with a little”Grey’s Anatomy and Dr. House in the background diagnosing — I can tell you the reality is much different.
Every health care article comments on how overworked and tired our health care workers are. I can tell you this is true. It’s not a TV show where the staff performs neurosurgery while …
They’re very easy to spot. Sometimes it’s the crisp, brand-new lab coat or the shadows under their eyes. Often it’s announced in large letters on their ID badge. Or the badge is hidden, which is also a tell. If they’re trying to avoid being spotted, they’ll usually say they’re “working with” my doctor, as though I can’t figure out what that means.
Well, hello, resident doctor.
I see a lot of you …
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Today’s guest is Maha Al-Ghafry, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist who shares her experience with clinical rounds.
As health care professionals, we know the struggle of clinical rounds, where you receive patient handoffs, pre-round on EHR, physically pre-round on patients, …
As Physicians Week and Doctors’ Day approach, I’m getting ready for the flurry of posts and memes that get shared on social media about the appreciation being extended to us. Whether it is from our patients, colleagues, or administration, the common theme seems to be: the pizza delivery to the breakroom (getting cold while I run around hair-on-fire seeing all the patients) and the CEO emailing, “Thank You, Providers” is …
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Meet Corinne Sundar Rao, an internal medicine physician who found her passion in ballroom dancing. After 14 years of practicing medicine, she transitioned into being a full-time hospitalist but still felt like something was missing. One day, …
As anyone in health care knows, a strong nurse-physician dynamic is critical to achieving successful patient outcomes. To provide a quality care experience, it is essential to have a clinical team that knows how to collaborate to achieve that goal. If we don’t know how to work together, or how to coordinate our care, it’s going to be very difficult to maintain a safe environment for the patient.
Nurses are at …
Life is often viewed as a competition where resources and opportunities are limited. This is especially true for health care professionals, who must navigate the delicate balance between their professional responsibilities and their personal lives. The challenge becomes even greater when factors such as competition among family members and the rise of artificial intelligence threaten to disrupt the traditional roles and relationships that have defined humanity.
Geography plays a significant role …
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