April 10th, 2017
Pulmonary Embolus: Evaluating the Five Ps of PE
Alexandra Godfrey, BSc PT, MS PA-C
Years ago, my physician father said to me; “If something does not make sense, if you struggle to determine the pathology, consider pulmonary embolus (PE).” More recently, an ER physician colleague offered me the following advice: “If you think about PE, test for it.” Of course, an astute clinician places both pieces of wisdom into context. I am not going to look […]
April 4th, 2017
Of Little Hearts and Little Teeth
Emily F. Moore, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC, CCRN
Recently, I had to cancel a child’s heart surgery because she had multiple cavities. I recall spending close to an hour explaining the surgical process and obtaining a complete history and physical only to then discover obvious caries on multiple teeth during an oral exam. Turning to the parents, I asked when their daughter had last […]
March 29th, 2017
Deep Brain Stimulation Targeting in Neurosurgery, Part II of III
Bianca Belcher, MPH, PA-C
This is Part II of a three-part series on deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting designed for providers who lack an intimate level of knowledge and/or experience with this subject matter. In Part I, the ventralis intermedius (VIM) target as well as an overview of DBS, equipment, and programming were discussed. Globus Pallidus Internus (GPi) Where is […]
March 23rd, 2017
When Medicine Is Hard
Megan Tetlow, PA-C
My posts are usually lighthearted and (hopefully) informative observations on the differences between my experiences in medicine here in the U.K. versus the U.S. But today I am writing about something that’s both personal and cross-cultural — something that has at times been a struggle for me and likely has been a struggle for health […]
March 8th, 2017
Planning for End-of-Life Care: Patients and Providers Working Together
Elizabeth Donahue, RN, MSN, NP-C
I was sitting alone in a parking lot last Tuesday, waiting to meet one of my undergraduate students and her nursing preceptor for a hospice home visit. Little did I know, sitting there in my car, that I would not make it to that visit; instead I was redirected by a phone call to the […]
March 3rd, 2017
Asking Pediatric Patients About Drug Use
Emily F. Moore, RN, MSN, CPNP-PC, CCRN
I remember the very first time I obtained an adolescent HEADSSS assessment in graduate school (HEADSSS being the acronym for Home environment, Education and employment, Eating, peer-related Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/depression, and Safety from injury and violence). Walking into my patient’s room, I was likely more nervous than my patient was. I recall telling my […]
March 1st, 2017
Listening to Bowel Sounds: An Outdated Practice?
Alexandra Godfrey, BSc PT, MS PA-C
Medical programs teach us that listening to bowel sounds is an essential part of the physical examination of the abdomen, especially when the differential includes ileus, small bowel obstruction, diarrhea or constipation. Woe betide the student who fails to auscultate the abdomen of patients with these presentations. Yet firstly there’s little supporting evidence for this maneuver, […]
February 24th, 2017
Deep Brain Stimulation Targeting in Neurosurgery, Part I of III
Bianca Belcher, MPH, PA-C
This three-part series is for providers who lack an intimate level of knowledge and/or experience with deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting. My goal is to provide a baseline understanding of each target, its indications, contraindications, and adverse side effects that may be observed from imperfect electrode placement and/or imperfect programming. Specifically, I will discuss the basics […]
February 13th, 2017
What’s Your Sign(out)?
Harrison Reed, PA-C
My house is a disaster zone. After working a string of 12-hour shifts, there is a mountain of dishes in the sink and a minefield of dirty clothes on the floor. As I navigate that post-apocalyptic landscape, my mind tends to wander back to the hospital I just left. I sometimes pause on the small […]
February 2nd, 2017
From Leogane to Longwood: How Different Are Our Patients?
Elizabeth Donahue, RN, MSN, NP-C
When I worked in family medicine, I considered my practice to have two very distinct patient populations — the pediatric population I served from their birth to adolescence and the adult population — each with a very different set of needs. Now that my practice has changed and I care exclusively for patients over age […]
NP/PA Bloggers
Elizabeth Donahue, RN, MSN, NP‑C
Alexandra Godfrey, BSc PT, MS PA‑C
Emily F. Moore, RN, MSN, CPNP‑PC, CCRN
Advanced practice clinicians treating patients in a variety of settings and specialties
Learn more about In Practice: Reflections from NPs and PAs.
