We made it through one quarter of my first year as a physician assistant. Let's take this opportunity to reflect on some of the lessons learned during my first three months. It's sort of like your boss' 90-day evaluation, but without the sense of impending doom. Transition is Tough - Whether you are moving into a new career or a new city ...

As I entered the patient's room, I introduced myself and asked if her name was ''Sarah.'' She said ''yes,'' nodding in my direction with a welcoming smile. Prior to entering the patient's room, I had diligently reviewed the chart. She was 93 and had been hospitalized after slipping and falling in her home, where she lived alone. Her husband had ...

''I should give her some vodka. That would make her feel much better. Ha ha!'' You would think that a statement like this would be made at a bar or a party. Unfortunately, it was made by the emergency room doctor, as he chuckled with the nursing staff about my grandmother's pain. Maybe I'm lacking a sense of humor here, but I did not find the ...

In discussion with a colleague, we came to an impasse. Both of our viewpoints were opinion based; neither of us was willing to sway. She ended our exchange by saying, ''This is why you are going to die old and alone.'' I know this to be a joke of affection, but also a reference to one of the things we, as a culture, fear most. What brings this ...

Every student nurse knows that clinical rotations are a hit or miss experience. There are so many factors that cannot be controlled on a hospital floor - the patient assignment, the nurse you are shadowing. You can go a whole day with nothing much happening. Yet, there are still a smug few who always have some riveting story to tell at post ...

If you're not chatting with us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, ''like'', ''follow'' and ''connect'' with us and start sharing in the conversations! If you are, keep following and spread the word! This week, our social media sites exploded with great comments from our readers. Here are some of the highlights, copied verbatim and without ...

When I became an NP student, there was no making a couple of adjustments to create a serene and everlasting balance between school and all the other things I have going on in my life. Instead, finding balance has been an ongoing, everyday process. It is often downright exhausting and many times I feel it's never completely achieved. There are ...

At the start of 2011, we published an article describing the job outlook for NPs and PAs this year. Based on our research and interviews with workforce experts, we crafted a headline for that article using the term ''changing landscape,'' and our cover image depicted an NP or PA partially protected by an umbrella. The expectation was that 2011 ...

Health system analysts and assorted other parties have been forecasting a primary care physician shortage for quite some time. An article published recently in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons predicts two additional shortfalls that could affect patient access to care: nurse practitioners and physician ...