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 […]
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 […]
August 9th, 2017
Curing the Culture — A Gentle Nudge
Harrison Reed, PA-C
You and I have covered a lot of ground this year. We exposed the fallout of a toxic workplace culture and discussed some of the first steps we can take to fix it. We reestablished respect for our patients. We adjusted some of the biggest problems with our sign-out process. We reminded ourselves of the power […]
June 27th, 2017
Bring Back the Letter of Condolence
Harrison Reed, PA-C
I don’t remember the first time I watched someone die. I don’t remember the second or third time either. But I know it happened when I was 24 years old, and I know that, afterward, I went home, ate dinner, and went to sleep. The next morning I woke up, put on a clean pair […]
May 31st, 2017
Curing the Toxic Culture: First, Honor Thy Patient
Harrison Reed, PA-C
In March I wrote a blog post for In Practice that detailed some of the devastating effects of a toxic workplace culture. It’s worth a read, but the main points are easily summarized: abusive environments in medicine affect nearly every aspect of professional performance and hurt both businesses and patients. They lead to lower productivity, […]
April 21st, 2017
Brainstorm: Are Subarachnoid Hemorrhages Affected by the Weather?
Harrison Reed, PA-C
When I walked into the ICU and stared at the roster of current patients, my jaw hit the floor. “Ho-lee cow,” I said as I scanned the list of diagnoses. The entire unit was full of patients with hemorrhages in their skulls. “Yeah, man.” The physician finishing the previous night’s shift leaned back in his chair. “Didn’t […]
March 15th, 2017
Toxic Talent: Why High-Performing Jerks Aren’t Worth the Trouble
Harrison Reed, PA-C
Susan Fowler’s first day on the job did not go well. She had just joined the ride share company Uber as an engineer in late 2015 when the messages arrived. Hours into her first official assignment, Susan’s new manager contacted her over the company’s communication system to ask for sex. Susan was so struck by the […]
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 […]
January 8th, 2017
7 Medical Terms to Ditch in 2017
Harrison Reed, PA-C
Your new diet plan might fail. That daily planner might collect dust on the corner of your desk. The gym membership gifted by a well-intentioned (but not-so-subtle) cousin might go unused. But fear not. You can still resolve to make 2017 just a little bit better than last year. And it starts by cleaning out […]
November 25th, 2016
A Word of Precaution
Harrison Reed, PA-C
When I try to explain the art of medicine to people –family, friends, strangers on airplanes—I scare them a little. You see, I sometimes say, in medicine there is often not a right or wrong answer. Two clinicians, both competent, might approach the same problem in two very different ways. We don’t refer to one […]
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.
