More Mid-level Practitioners Emerge

The infiltration of Mid-level providers is creeping into other fields. The linked article http://www.healthjobsnationwide.com/news.php?articleID=12 has a very succinct descriptions of Dental, Radiology, and EMS mid-level providers.

PAs, NPs, and Nurse Midwives have been with us for awhile. But with the push for more independent practice I have to wonder if all this is leading to a 'bargain basement' tier of health care.

"Can't afford a real doctor? Our fully trained staff of Nuclear Interventional Dermatology Assistants* are ready to provide for all your skin care needs..."
* I have blatantly plagerized this phrase, but I cannot remember from where. If you coined it, please let me know so I can give proper credit to you.

I can haz propper Inglish?

VooDoo Medicine Man has a post about the bastardization of the English language in America here; http://voodoomedicineman.blogspot.com/2008/12/on-bastardization-of-language.html

I agree with him, wholeheartedly, even though I am sure my written and spoken grammar is far from perfect. I still remember my 7th Grade English teacher, Mrs. McGrath, forcing us to recite the prepositions (of, in, by, to, for, with, and so on). I also remember getting back my diagrammed sentences dripping in red. My maternal Grandfather was a sign maker. He had so much respect for proper English that he refused to do signs with intentional mis-spellings such as Kwik or Sooper. My Father insisted on the children having reading, writing, and public speaking skills.

As a result I have a great respect for the written and spoken word. I know that some of my success in life is due to being able to write a clear, coherent sentence. I despair at what passes for written communication from my residents and Junior Officers.

All that being said, my dear, dear, beloved Sister-in-Law, the cat fanatic, has started sending me images from this blog; http://icanhascheezburger.com/
Every time I see one of those images with, what I can only assume, an attempt at phonetic spelling that is supposed to be cute (kute?) I want to tear the hair out of my head. It is no wonder that most of the reports and write ups I receive look like badly formatted text messages.

MORON Thinkers of 2008

1. WILL THE REAL DUMMY PLEASE STAND UP? AT&T fired President John Walter after nine months, saying he lacked intellectual leadership. He received a $26 million severance package. Perhaps it's not Walter who's lacking intelligence.

2. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS. Police in Oakland, Calif., spent two hours attempting to subdue a gunman who had barricaded himself inside his home. After firing ten tear-gas canisters, officers discovered that the man was standing beside them in the police line, shouting, 'Please come out and give yourself up.'

3. WHAT WAS PLAN B??? An Illinois man, pretending to have a gun, kidnapped a motorist and forced him to drive to two different automated teller machines, where the kidnapper proceeded to withdraw money from his own bank accounts.

4. THE GET AWAY! A man walked into a Topeka, Kansas, Kwik Stop and asked for all the money in the cash drawer. A pparently, the take was too small, so he tied up the store clerk and worked the counter himself for three hours until police showed up and grabbed him.

5. DID I SAY THAT??? Police in Los Angeles had good luck with a robbery suspect who just couldn't control himself during a lineup. When detectives asked each man in the lineup to repeat the words 'Give me all your money or I'll shoot,' the man shouted, 'That's not what I said!'

6. ARE WE COMMUNICATING??? A man spoke frantically into the phone: 'My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart.' 'Is this her first child?' the doctor asked. 'No!' the man shouted, 'This is her husband!'

7. NOT THE SHARPEST TOOL IN THE SHED! In Modesto, Calif., Steven Richard King was arrested for trying to hold up a Bank of America branch without a weapon. King used a thumb and a finger to simulate a gun. Unfortunately, he failed to keep his hand in his pocket. (Hellooooooo)

8. THE GRAND FINALE!!! Last summer, down on Lake Isabella, located in the high desert an hour east of Bakersfield, Calif., some folks, new to boating, were having a problem. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get their brand-new 22-foot boat going. It was very sluggish in almost every maneuver, no matter how much power they applied. After about an hour of trying to make it go, they putted into a nearby marina, thinking someone there might be able to tell them what was wrong. A thorough topside check revealed everything in perfect working condition. The engine ran fine, the out-drive went up and down, and the propeller was the correct size and pitch. So, one of the marina guys jumped in the water to check underneath. He came up choking on water, he was laughing so hard.

NOW REMEMBER.. THIS IS TRUE. Under the boat, still strapped securely in place, was the boat's trailer!

First Post

The first post in my first blog! I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I was inspired to create my own blog after following a number of med blogs.

I am a former EMT-Paramedic who left the bright lights and glory of EMS to pursue a career as a Dentist in the United States Navy. I have almost 20 years in and I am rapidly approaching a mid life crisis where I am considering retiring and entering practice in the civilian world.

I hope this will be the first of many posts.

DocV