In Practice: Reflections from NPs and PAs

December 8th, 2017

Trafficking: Taking Care of Sarah

Alexandra Godfrey, BSc PT, MS PA-C

Sarah The neighbors called the police when they heard screaming. An officer discovered her hiding in a closet in a trailer. In the emergency room bay, I find Sarah naked except for a T-shirt. Her legs are drawn up, arms wrapped around her knees, head down. She looks severely malnourished, and her teeth are broken […]

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October 31st, 2017

Call ‘Em Out: Harvey Weinstein, Bobo Dolls, and the Psychology of a Scolding

Harrison Reed, PA-C

Yet again this year, a familiar tale has dominated the news cycle: allegations of an individual who weaponized his power and influence to abuse colleagues and coworkers. While the high-powered world of Hollywood producers and movie stars might not resemble most of our workplaces, the underlying abusive mentality of Harvey Weinstein’s decades-long rampage is probably […]

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September 29th, 2017

I’ll Take “Nursing Ethics” for $200, Alex

Elizabeth Donahue, RN, MSN, NP-C

First I noticed it all over my social media feed — the story of Alex Wubbels, a burn unit nurse at a university hospital in Utah who was arrested and manhandled by police for not allowing them to take a sample of blood from an unconscious patient without a warrant. Then came a slew of […]

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September 21st, 2017

The Opioid Epidemic: One Year Later

Harrison Reed, PA-C

A year ago I wrote a blog for In Practice and an editorial in the Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (JAAPA) that discussed the factors contributing to the opioid epidemic in America. If the passionate reaction to those articles is any indication, the topic stirred both intellect and emotion. Since then, the issue […]

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January 26th, 2017

Can Medical Professionals Ask Patients About Guns?

Alexandra Godfrey, BSc PT, MS PA-C

A student recently asked me if clinicians can talk to patients about gun ownership and safety. Her question triggered my month-long search for data to provide a solid evidence-based response. Alas, my research did not unearth such an answer. But I did find endless writing that discussed this increasingly contentious question in terms of rights, ideology, […]

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November 16th, 2016

Before You Do Anything Else, Take a Deep Breath

Elizabeth Donahue, RN, MSN, NP-C

Exactly one week ago I arrived at my office in a stupor that it seemed even my favorite coffee shop could not fix. I had not slept more than two hours the night before, and on top of being tired, I was emotional. I had spent too much time in the wee hours of the […]

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November 9th, 2016

Social Media Is Bad for Kids’ Mental Health

Scott Cuyjet, RN, MSN, FNP-C

I remember reading an article in ESPN about a 19-year-old woman who appeared to have the perfect life on social media, but who jumped off a parking structure to her death. I specifically recall the reactions of people close to her who could not imagine why she did this, as her life appeared so perfect. […]

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October 26th, 2016

Friday Night Lights

Emily F. Moore, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC, CCRN

Most everyone has some association with football. Whether we know someone who’s played, played ourselves, or simply have nostalgic memories watching the game, football is a familiar sport to most Americans. I, for one, absolutely love football. Surprisingly, I never realized the danger involved with football until I met my husband, a high school football coach. […]

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October 14th, 2016

From the Locker Room to the Exam Room

Elizabeth Donahue, RN, MSN, NP-C

On Sunday morning I went to an early and excruciatingly difficult barre class with a friend, after which we promptly rewarded ourselves with a decadent brunch. While walking home alone in the rain, hood drawn and head tucked down against the wind, I was taken aback when a man reached out and pushed me aside […]

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August 10th, 2016

Playing Victim

Harrison Reed, PA-C

You are sick of hearing it, but we need to talk about this one more time. By the end you might be angry or frustrated; you might even hate me a little. That’s OK. It’s worth it. America’s opioid epidemic is nothing less than a crisis. I could bury you under CDC statistics but I think […]

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