This week, I tried very hard to push for tele-psychiatry for non-emergency cases in the ER. We are hopelessly underprepared, even in light of the alarming rate of deaths in NY state which is just next-door to us. We do not have adequate PPE. We are not even mandating that all staff in the ER … Continue reading The Reality of the Situation
Anxiety and Panic during a Pandemic – Thoughts on COVID-19
Where to even start? It's been a whirlwind. The hospital has called for us to work more hours, and cancelled all our vacations indefinitely. We are not provided with enough personal protective equipment; we barely have enough hand sanitizers in the hospital. Patients are panicking, triggering their anxiety disorders. Patients with substance abuse history are … Continue reading Anxiety and Panic during a Pandemic – Thoughts on COVID-19
Work fast, but be thorough
Be efficient, but go the extra mile. Prioritize, but don't skip any steps. Get to the point, but don't miss anything. These are just a few of the expectations of a resident. A senior resident said to me once, "it's better to be fast than slow. Your skills can get better, but you can't fix … Continue reading Work fast, but be thorough
Burning Bridges, Among Other Things
Today was a kind of revelation. A patient was complaining about the way a social worker talked to her today. She said that the social worker made her feel "hopeless" because she had asked her shortly after admission about which homeless shelter she preferred, rather than offering potential drug and alcohol rehabilitation or a residential … Continue reading Burning Bridges, Among Other Things
Something Intuitive
A gut feeling. Sometimes this is all I can say when I meet a patient. Yet I know that my brain is processing millions of information from the patient's unspoken language. From the way the patient carries herself walking into the room, sitting down at the edge of her seat, shifting her position, and pulling … Continue reading Something Intuitive
Small humans make big statements
I was thinking today that I should add a little more positivity into this blog since I started it out with anger and sadness. So I would like to share this story about a little girl and how she reminded me that kids are always watching and learning from the adults in their lives. Today … Continue reading Small humans make big statements
The really really hard part of my job
This past week was one of the most mentally exhausting weeks of my training. Two patients I took care of died by suicide within a few days of each other. I kind of went through the motion the rest of the week, not knowing how to process this. The best word I've come up with … Continue reading The really really hard part of my job
