January 16th, 2010 by DrWes in Better Health Network, True Stories
Tags: Call in sick, Cardiology, H1N1, Infectious Disease, Sick Day, URI
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Recently, I’ve been recovering from some form of upper respiratory illness – of what form, I have no clue – but it was probably the dreaded H1N1 influenza virus or its equivalent (yes, I took the shots, but to no avail). Last Friday, with surprising reluctance, I conceded defeat and called in sick – something I almost never do. Somehow the thought of spreading contagion while wearing a mask while croaking, sniffling, coughing my way though conversations just didn’t seem like the best thing for me or my patients. Gratefully, I’m on the upswing and only now have a slightly hoarse voice and an occasional cough that’s improving, but it is interesting to reflect on why, despite knowing better, I felt so inclined to keep seeing patients despite my illness. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*
January 15th, 2010 by Bongi in Better Health Network, True Stories
Tags: Emergency Medicine, Fasciotomy, Gang, Gang Members, Gunman, Kalafong, Karma, Murder, Pretoria, Sepsis, South Africa, Surgery, Vascular Surgery
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Being South African these days sometimes means we see things in a slightly skewed way. It seems to be the way we have become. I have touched on this before, but there is another story which illustrates the point.
The recent run of hijackings were fresh in all our minds because the perpetrators had shot and killed, execution style, a mother and her three year old child just the previous week. There were reports that one specific gang was working the area and were responsible for most if not all the hijackings and associated killings in the area. So when our patient came in, even before the police told us so, we just assumed he was one of this gang. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at other things amanzi*
January 15th, 2010 by Emergiblog in Better Health Network, Opinion
Tags: ASN, Benefits of BSN, BSN, Controversy, Education, Emergency Medicine, Entry Level Degree, Nursing, Nursing Theory
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The discussion regarding the entry level for nursing has been ongoing for decades. I have articles written in the 1940s extolling the virtues of the BSN long before the first ADN program opened in 1952.
Every now and then, someone broaches the topic of making the BSN the entry level and BAM! the flames that ensue make the health care reform debate look like Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.
Why the rancor?
Well, if one states that the BSN should be the entry level for a registered nurse, then it follows there must be a reason why an ADN should not.
That does not sit well with ADN graduates. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Emergiblog*
January 15th, 2010 by KevinMD in Better Health Network, Opinion
Tags: Advice, Physicians, Privacy, Promotion, Social Media, Twitter
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Thanks to Medscape for including my take in their recent article, “Is Twitter a “must” for doctors?”
I discuss some common sense tips doctors should follow while using Twitter:
1. Patient privacy is paramount. Do not discuss individual cases or provide patient advice via Twitter.
2. Use Twitter to point your patients to trustworthy online health information sources.
3. Use Twitter as a tool to promote your practice’s brand. More and more patients are using Twitter; those who do are likely to feel positive about their physicians using it as well. More than just a fad, Pho says that Twitter is here to stay and offers tremendous potential.
4. Remind your patients using Twitter: Be careful whom you follow. Anyone can sign up for Twitter claiming to be a physician. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com*
January 15th, 2010 by Paul Auerbach, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips
Tags: Emergency Medicine, Injuries, Injury, Knee, Orthopedics, PCL, Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation, Skiing, Sports Injuries
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We’re in ski season and so a few unfortunate individuals will suffer few knee injuries. A while back, a reader asked me to describe an uncommon injury, which is a torn posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).
This injury usually occurs during a fall. As you can see from the drawing, the PCL keeps the lower leg bone (tibia) from moving too far back in relation to the upper leg bone (femur). If a sudden unnatural force is applied, usually a direct blow to the front of the lower leg near the knee while the knee is bent, the tibia is jammed backwards and the PCL may be torn. In the skiing situation, this usually happens during a fall and a tumble, when someone strikes an immovable object, or when the knee is bent or “twisted” and struck forcefully from the side.
The immediate sensation is pain, and there may be a feeling of instability to the knee, particularly when trying to walk or change levels (e.g., walk over the snowpack or on stairs). When the injury occurs, there usually is not the “pop” sensation noted with an anterior cruciate ligament tear. However, the knee will almost always swell, because there is bleeding into the knee joint and/or soft tissue swelling. Read more »
This post, Ski Season, Knee Injuries, And Posterior Cruciate Ligament Tears, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Paul Auerbach, M.D..
