Hydrocodone & the Opioid Epidemic Hydrocodone is an opioid pain reliever and a cough suppressant, similar to codeine. Hydrocodone blocks the receptors on nerve cells in the brain that give rise to the sensation of pain. Because it is similar to codeine (and may be seen as …
Air Travel & Medical Aid With the pandemic beginning to wain in some areas, travel is on people’s minds again. While not at pre-COVID levels, air travel continues to increase as more people travel for business, pleasure, and medical tourism. Inevitably, nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants …
Anxious Depression I’ve often marveled at the human tendency to believe somehow that, at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, there will be some sudden and fundamental shift in the fabric of the universe. What I mean by that is – our hope and belief …
Unused Expired Medications If you’re reading this, your first thought is probably ‘why would I EVER throw away medications! I or someone in my family might need them again. It is tempting to “hoard” unused medications, but there are reasons to get rid of them. Today, I …
Serotonin Syndrome versus Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome With an estimated 1 in 6 individuals in the US taking at least one psychotropic medication, prescribers will need to be aware of the potential side effects ranging from mild to life-threatening. The most prescribed psychotropic medications are antidepressants, followed by …
Mental Health Challenges As 2021 ends, I find myself wondering what new clinical challenges the next year will bring. It is particularly true of mental health problems as our patients, and we face more uncertainty (and less consensus) in this pandemic era in which we find ourselves. …
A nursemaid’s elbow is a common name for a radial head subluxation. This injury has also been termed elbow subluxation, pulled elbow, or slipped elbow. All of these describe a sudden pull of a pronated arm leading to the displacement of the annular ligament.1 Who? How? Radial …
Psoriasis and your Patients These days, it seems that most of us can’t avoid seeing a TV ad for a psoriasis medication when watching our favorite shows. Most of these ads seem to promise “clear to near-clear skin” using these medications. Unfortunately, this promise follows many horrible …
How much uterine bleeding is too much uterine bleeding? How do people know when to seek treatment? At what point is it ok to tell a medical professional there is something wrong or to ask for treatment options? What about society might dictate the course of this …
Diabetes & the Uphill Battle Does it feel like you are pushing the boulder uphill with some of your diabetes visits? Your patients with diabetes have a self-managed disease. If they see you for a (great) 30-minute visit 4 times a year, that is 2 hours of …
Clinicians must keep up with the latest practice guidelines, and this is challenging as guidelines are constantly changing, especially in Women’s Health. In my upcoming session at the 2022 SBHPP Conferences, I will be providing an overview of the latest Women’s Health Guidelines, including Cervical Cancer, Breast …
Overview of the latest Women’s Health Guidelines. Read More »
