''The first month of a job is the worst and you basically have that for a whole year.'' And that is how my friend described this next year of my life. November began the clinical year of PA school for me and she's not too far wrong in observing the first month at anything involves a learning curve -- like that of the horrors of Algebra I (the ...

When a friend calls to me from the road　And slows his horse to a meaning walk,　I don't stand still and look around　On all the hills I haven't hoed,　And shout from where I am, What is it?　No, not as there is a time to talk.　I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,　Blade-end up and five feet tall,　And plod: I go up to the stone wall　For a friendly ...

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 ...

Doctor: ''Nurse, the diabetic patient in room 8 is waiting for his insulin shot.'' Nurse: ''What diabetic patient? Bed 1 or 2?'' Doctor: ''Umm...the bed by the window. I'm blanking on the name right now. John? No, Tom. I think. To be honest, I'm not quite sure. Check the chart. He is the cellulitis patient who is been here for 2 ...

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 ...

Privet (hello in Russian), my name is Olga. Yes, it is a typical Russian name, but my story does not unfold how most people expect it to. I was born in Moscow, Russia, but I spent most of my childhood years on the other side of the world - in the evergreen, banana-exporting country of Ecuador. I speak and write Russian but do not consider myself ...

This blog is brought to you by ADVANCE and DNA. Editor's note: This blog post was written by Victoria Lazareth, MA, MSN, NP-C, DCNP, national chairwoman of the Dermatology Nurse Practitioner Society.She practices in the Division of Dermatology at the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Mass. She is also ...

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 ...