My story was published in Pulse: Stories from the Heart of Medicine on August 18, 2017 Out of the Blue Friday, 18 August 2017 Marianna Crane ~ As I sit in the exam room waiting for my first patient of the afternoon, the phone rings. It rings four more times before I realize that Amanda…… Continue reading Out of the Blue (aka Mr. Foley)
Tag: health care
Don’t Question the Doctor Part 2
I posted last week about my friend Lois’ run in with a nasty doctor soon after she graduated nursing school in the 60s. Here is my story about working with a difficult physician that took place in the mid 80s. The medical director, Doctor X, sat me down in her office on my first day…… Continue reading Don’t Question the Doctor Part 2
Are You Glad You Became a Nurse?
I found an interesting study regarding nurses’ satisfaction with their career choice. Note the respondents were middle-aged (45 – 64) and predominately female. Since my specialty is gerontology, I have included the comments made by three older nurses. Yes, Yes, I know they are all positive. I look forward to a study that includes younger…… Continue reading Are You Glad You Became a Nurse?
Cardiac Advances Versus Patient Benefit: A Moral Dilemma
My story, Closing the Door, recently published in Stories That Need to be Told: A Tulip Tree Anthology, tells of the emergence some fifty years ago of cardiac catheterization, artificial heart valves and cardiopulmonary resuscitation and how I, as a young nurse, had to make sense of the advancement of technology versus patient benefit. This…… Continue reading Cardiac Advances Versus Patient Benefit: A Moral Dilemma
Patients Change Us: A Formative Nursing Experience — Off the Charts
From boliston, via Flickr Many years ago, I was given the greatest gift by a patient who had no idea he would change my life and define my professional outlook as a nurse. While not every nurse will be fortunate enough to have such an explicit experience of the effect of the care they provide… via…… Continue reading Patients Change Us: A Formative Nursing Experience — Off the Charts
The Surreal Hospital Experience
My husband was discharged from the hospital following two heart valve replacements, and a week later was readmitted with a side effect of the surgery that occurs ten percent of the time. He was taken to his room directly from the ER. I hadn’t the foresight to bring along my coloring book and pencils—mindless relaxing…… Continue reading The Surreal Hospital Experience
WHEN A NURSE IS AS GOOD AS A DOCTOR
I couldn’t pass up sharing this article in Consumer Reports about nurse practitioners and physician assistants especially since I just registered with my new provider, a nurse practitioner a week ago. She and a physician assistant cover for each other. Best of both worlds. Check the comments, which are so positive. When a nurse is…… Continue reading WHEN A NURSE IS AS GOOD AS A DOCTOR
WAS I DREAMING? PART TWO
Last week, I attended the second and last part of the TeamStepps workshop. In another post (“Was I Dreaming?”) I described the first workshop and my surprise at how the doctors willingly and enthusiastically participated in the dialogue and group activities. What would I find this time around? TeamStepps is a program that promotes teamwork…… Continue reading WAS I DREAMING? PART TWO
NURSES DON’T WANT TO BE DOCTORS
For the life of me I don’t know why the New York Times published Sandeep Jauhar’s essay, “Nurses Are Not Doctors,” in the Opinion Pages on April 30, 2014. His essay argued that nurse practitioners shouldn’t practice independently. As a nurse practitioner it’s obvious that I wouldn’t agree with his opinion but his case was…… Continue reading NURSES DON’T WANT TO BE DOCTORS
INVISIBLE Part 3 of 3
I trudged into the nursing station. The phone sat on an empty desk. Mary, the stocky, dark-haired charge nurse, faced the chart rack at the other end of the room. I avoided acknowledging her presence, keeping my eyes on the floor. Any word from her might shake my resolve. I stood by the desk and…… Continue reading INVISIBLE Part 3 of 3
Getting Older: Charting the Uncharted 