I’m doing laundry at a wash & fold in front of the house boats of Sausalito. Reminder: buy more scrubs. I’m one mile from from the hotel. Three minutes by car, 10 minutes by bicycle. The views are great. The […]
A Letter from the Road: A COVID-19 Crisis Nurse from San Quentin Prison Reports Read More »
The office is closed. The door is locked. If you need supplies, you make a request by email 24 hours in advance. Text when you get there and the supplies will be placed outside the door. Maybe by elves. I’m
Home Health in the Time of COVID-19 Read More »
It’s my first day on the job as an occupational health nurse at one of the largest automobile factories in America. The Tesla Fremont factory encloses 5.5 million square feet and has around 15,000 workers on site at any one
An Occupational Health Nurse’s First Day Read More »
Geriatrics is the medical specialty serving patients 65 and older. Usually multidisciplinary, the geriatric team may consist of primary care providers specializing in geriatrics, diabetes educators, psychologists, medical social workers, pharmacists, and support staff. The goal is to keep patients
Does My Patient Need a Geriatric Referral? Read More »
I sprained my knee. That’s how I found out my 14-year-old daughter was struggling with her gender identity. I was combing the house for an ace wrap and found it in the dirty clothes basket in Karen’s room. It looked
Not a Parent’s Guide to Transgender Children Read More »
The 57-year-old woman is standing in the hall outside of the exam room. She is agitated. “I’m waiting for the doctor. I’m freezing! My back is killing me!” I note she is pale, unable to stand still, and has a
Suboxone: The Wonder Drug? Read More »
First described by the Egyptians in 1550 BC as “sending forth heat from the bladder,” the urinary tract infection (UTI) is a frequent diagnosis seen in urgent care and doctor’s offices. Burning upon urination, urinary frequency, urinary urgency, smelly urine,
What You Need to Know About UTIs Read More »
“I feel dizzy” is a common complaint in the ER and triage nurses sometimes use the shorthand, IFD, when describing the patient’s complaint. Finding a diagnosis for this vague symptom can be challenging. One thing the nurse can do to
I Feel Dizzy (or IFD) Read More »
Nine years ago, I was so happy to have my first article published in Minority Nurse. The article was a discussion on whether or not it’s OK to be out at work as a gay person. Looking back at the
Standing Up for the Right to Be Ourselves, Part Two Read More »
A1C, or Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), is considered the gold standard for managing diabetes. But what is it? The cell wall of the erythrocyte is permeable to glucose. Exposed to this glucose, the Hemoglobin molecule becomes “glycated.” The naming convention for
