Apparently I'm a libertarian...

Saw this little "test" over at Respiratory Therapy 101 and decided to give it a shot.

You are a Social Liberal (88% permissive) and an... Economic Conservative (80% permissive) You are best described as a: Libertarian Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also : The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

Friedrich Hayek's Road to Serfdom and lewrockwell.com - it's where it all started folks!

- Spook (proud Paul-ite)

Paul Newman has passed on

Ya know, I'm not usually one to get all weepy and mopey about celebrities.

But I've always enjoyed Newman's work - be it something silly like "Slapshot" or iconic such as "Hustler" or "Cool Hand Luke". He was a humanitarian to boot with charities benefiting children.

So long Mr. Newman and thanks for the fond memories.

Healthy ER abusers are a "myth"

A recent article in Slate claims that the uninsured without a PMD and the insured folks who have PMDs both visit the ERs (or ED if you are Dr. WhiteCoat ;-)) in roughly the same proportion:

If you believe the conventional wisdom, the E.R. abusers of our nation are especially responsible for many problems in health care. They fill up E.R. waiting rooms and because they can't (or won't) pay their medical bills, the insured patients who prudently wait for weekday appointments to see their doctors end up bearing the costs of the abusers' in the form of higher insurance premiums. The oft-repeated claim is that if we can just find a way to get the abusers out of the E.R. waiting rooms, we'd eliminate many of the high costs associated with health care in the United States.

The problem is that this story of the healthy, cavalier, uninsured E.R. abuser is largely a myth. E.R. use by the uninsured is not wrecking health care. In fact, the uninsured don't even use the E.R. any more often than those with insurance do. And now, a new study shows that the increased use of the E.R. over the past decade (119 million U.S. visits in 2006, to be precise, compared with 67 million in 1996) is actually driven by more visits from insured, middle-class patients who usually get their care from a doctor's office. So, the real question is: Why is everybody, insured and uninsured, coming to the E.R. in droves? The answer is about economics. The ways in which health information is shared and incentives aligned, for both patients and doctors, are driving the uninsured and insured alike to line up in the E.R. for medical care.

Click here for the full article

Hmmm...

The "Nursing School" Car

I worked two jobs during nursing school. I bought a beat up 1995 Plymouth Neon - stick shift and a pretty decent radio. It had 2/40 air conditioning (2 windows rolled down driving at 40 mph). The only thing I cared about was the heater, since I lived in Buffalo.

The gauges worked when they felt like it. I once drove an entire stretch from Ohio through Illinois with a non-working instrument panel - I had no idea how much gas I had left or if the engine was overheating etc. The only thing that worked faithfully was the tachometer - so I used to guesstimate my speed based on engine revs and which gear I was in (e.g.: 1800-2000 rpm in 5th gear was roughly 35 mph).

Since the instrument panel worked erratically, the odometer didn't always run either. I had no idea about the true mileage of the car. These things sorta start to matter because you start to imagine scenarios like where your pistons ram through the camshaft because of a timing belt that wasn't replaced at the 'appropriate mileage' or busting a strut because of not having a safety inspection done at the 'appropriate mileage' so on and so forth...

It took me on several 1000 mile trips (and helped me move between two apartments. How I managed to cram my clothes, utensils, computer, stereo system and books and transport them thousands of miles, I alone know). It lasted through some of the worst winters Buffalo threw at us. It saved my ass during a real bad 75 mph spin out on the I-55.

That piece of junk lasted till 2007. I was driving home after my 4th 12 hour night shift in a row. I entered a school zone and with kids around, hit the brakes to slow down. Pedal went all the way to the floor but the car kept going. I used the gearbox to slow down to the point where I could yank the emergency brake. Thankfully, it worked and I was able to stop the car. By then I was wide awake and terrified.

I upgraded to a Honda within 2 weeks after that incident.

So, that was my "school car". What was yours?

Secret Santa

Yeah, I know it's a little "early" to be making posts about Santa Claus and Christmas, but I just ran across a post from Terry over at Counting Sheep (check her out y'all) that reminded me about something.

You see, I do not observe the holiday, but it sure is important to most of my coworkers.

I have the exact same opinion about this holiday. I'm not a religious person and don't observe any religious holidays - the only holidays I actually care about, for sentimental reasons are Independence Day and New Years...

...And my birthday - well, it's not recognized as a holiday just yet but I'm working on it :-p

But I know how important this holiday (and Thanksgiving) is for many of my co-workers. My experiences with my first job at a Mennonite hospital in a smallish town in the middle-of-nowhere-midwest-America just solidified the whole thing.

So I always volunteer to cover someone else's shift for Christmas and Thanksgiving - even if it's not my turn.

The way I see it: I get paid time and a half and someone gets to stay home and spend that time with their family/loved ones.

It's a win-win solution as far as I'm concerned. :-)

The more I think about it...

... the more I realize what an awesome thing it was for me to push off from "The Toxic Environment" (aka Old Job). The people I worked with were awesome but the job in itself sucked the life outta me.

I sit here nursing a beer, thinking about all the amazing things I've done since I left that job - all the while knowing that I've barely scratched the surface! I sit here thinking about how I'm working a much busier and more intense environment (my feet hurt like they've never hurt before) and yet don't feel as desolate and run down as I used to.

There exists a greater scope for teaching - be it patients, new grads or EMS students - something that I greatly enjoy.

I'm challenged here - both physically as well as mentally/professionally and I'm surprised to find that I like that. More is expected of me and I find that a little exciting.

So yeah, I guess I ought to thank my sister-in-law (was her idea for me to come down here).

Only in the ED?

ER Nursey blogs about "The naked man in the church" and discusses her sentiments about the episode, wondering if her years in the ED (Hey! I'm learning Dr. Whitecoat!) trenches haven't dulled her sensibilities to shocking human behavior.

Her story reminded me of a shift barely 3 nights ago. Along with the rest of the ED staff, I was treated to the spectacle of a drunk busy jerking off despite being placed in a visible room for observation because of 'suicidal ideation'. He knew he could be seen by others but he just didn't care (no, he wasn't that drunk either).

By the end of the shift, drunk guy and frequent-flyer-drunk-screamer-bitch girl in a near by hall close view bed were overheard sharing tips on scoring easy dope and evasion tactics. One of the senior ED nurses stopped and said (in a voice dripping with sarcasm): "Awww! Love is in the air. Those two are hooking up. Isn't that sweet?"

Of course, what I'd witnessed was within the confines of the ED while ER Nursey's was on decidedly more public (and if you wish 'hallowed') grounds. Still, I couldn't help but think .... "only in the ED."

Bugs

I don't like creepy crawlies.

It's not like I get freaked out over 'em.
But they do disgust me.

Mightily.

Over the past few weeks, I've been noticing a few creepies around my apartment. And the incidents seem to be increasing each week...

Usually, I simply find a sandal and quickly squash 'em to death. And then dispose of 'em.
But it annoys me that I have to do this.

Again - I DO NOT like creepy crawlies.
I know they serve a purpose in nature and all that - but they can serve their purpose outside my apartment thankyouverymuch.

Ugh! Blech! Urk!

Working short handed...

We had six call-ins today.

Six.
With a heat-wave passing through the region, I kinda figured it was gonna be "rough" today anyway... but with the call ins ... man! Heat stroke, chest pains, MI, severe dehydration and others ... you name it, we got it.

At times I was tackling 10 patients at a time.
And I'm just a rookie!!
If it weren't for the expert (and often silent) assistance of my preceptors and colleagues; I'd have never made it through the day! I'm SO in awe!! There's a couple of 'em especially that... someday... y'know... if I ever become 1/10th the nurse they are; I'd consider my nursing career in the ER a success.

Cool.
Collected.
Know everything.
Seen everything.

Can do anything...


Wow! And I mean "WOW!"

Feeling hot hot hot!

Was a rather hot day today and it's only gonna get worse over the weekend.

I suspect a rash of AMI/heat strokes to pay us a visit.

Only gonna get busier...