#populationpensive

Long time no talk. Life in the burn unit has been busy but things are starting to slow down a little bit. We’ve had a fair number of large burns this summer. Right now we are struggling with containing a fungal outbreak on the unit. Literally all of our large patients have Candida. With the coronavirus outbreak among the staff in the past, I’m sure epidemiology LOVES my unit. 

I had to work from home today as I have a pending coronavirus test. I’m in the national vaccine study and started having headaches and photophobia. When I told the study coordinator about it, they wanted me tested. I’m 98% convinced that it’s a migraine and not rona related, but I can’t physically go to work until I’m cleared. *sigh*

On the plus side, this meant that I could lurk in my basement like a vampire. I actually hissed when I went upstairs and had natural light exposure. Maybe I was bitten by a bat? 

Life has been otherwise rather uneventful. Spending the time coloring, reading, watching Disney films, watching ATLA, and avoiding society in general. It’s been swell. I have been more of an online shopper as of late and got a lot of new Halloween decorations for the house! Mr Poppen has a thing of keeping holidays in their own month so he unfairly makes me wait until October 1st to put up Halloween decorations. It. Is. Torture. 

Currently at 9K. A long way to go, but we can get there. We aren't fighting for independence, we are fighting to eliminate red tape and improve the availability of quality healthcare across America and our ability to pivot during a crisis!! We love our MDs/DOs and the collaboration we have with them. Their time is valuable and their patients need them as well! Their time shouldn't be needlessly spent reviewing charts/signing orders/signing paperwork if our docs/hospital admin don't think it is necessary (meaning we aren't under review or other need for supervision). This is to optimize team practice and allow PAs to practice at their full scope not eliminate current collaborative relationships!

White House FPA (full practice authority) Petition

The time is now. There are highly qualified PAs who are being forced to sit on the sidelines because they're current SP doesn't work in Emergency Medicine. This is ridiculous.

Let's do what we can to set our profession up for success (we all know this is needed). But more importantly, to remove barriers that prevent us from treating patients in a time when healthcare providers are needed more than ever. PAs have always been collaborative, and a legislative requirement will never change that. Let us take responsibility for our license and practice to our scope of practice.

Here is the petition. It currently has 6,000. Needs 100,000 to get a response. It might not be much, but it's something.

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/grant-pas-full-practice-authority-function-licensed-independent-practitioners-federal-jurisdictions

Here is a NYT video recently put out that does a great job describing the regulatory burden that is placed on PAs and forces willing and qualified PAs to sit on the sideline.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/04/opinion/physician-assistants-hospitals-coronavirus.html

Please sign!

@emedpa

@populationpensive

@mrspediatricpa

@cranquis

@digiti-minimi

@brooklynpa-c

@hangrypa

@livingthepadream

@mynotes4usmle

@pa-c

@physicianassistantstudents

A very Happy Thanksgiving to all of my followers! I am extremely grateful for you all. This blog started in 2011 when I was teaching French and wanting to pursue medicine but didn’t know how. It evolved into a blog about my journey as a non-trad in PA school and my life as a PA-C.

I found a great medical community here for support and guidance and I’m so grateful to be able to pay it forward and offer advice and help for people who are also on the journey to PA school. There were many times that I NEVER thought that I would get where I am. I am grateful to all of you who provided words of encouragement and support. 

Y’all are awesome. Seriously. Thank you for following me and thank you for supporting me. 

If you search for PAblr, I actually show up! I’ve been helping to run this community for...oh geez, idk 4 years? 5 years? It’s been a long time since @pa-for-fer and I started the #pablr hashtag. And finally the algorithms have included my blog in the search results. And here I was just just willing to place the credit for my increase in followers on the Cranquis-Affect. ;-) 

Lately, believing that a B list rock star was writing the patient secret messages in his music and that they were secretly in love. The patient had planned to leave their family and move across the country to be with this star who they had never met. 

You:

Me:

(gesticulates wildly) YOU GUYSSSSS.

Thank you so much for leaving me nice words to come back to! And now to address them individually:

populationpensive: Sadly we're not allowed to keep exams, but I've been making a list of things I'm super good at in chem, and the ones I need to really hit hard. Unfortunately, the ratio's skewed more to the "needs improvement" side...

I'm already formulating a list of things I can improve on next semester, and I'm definitely going to try and create a study schedule I can stick to. I'll definitely be needing it, because I have a larger workload next semester (financial aid permitting).

populationpensive replied to your post: “I always underestimate you!”

What a douche canoe.

Excuse me, I need to file this away in my lexicon of insults because it's awesome.

callstheadventurescience replied to your post: “I always underestimate you!”

What a little shithead. Keep on kicking ass!

Thank you, friend! I definitely will!! >:)

lindsaytheamazing replied to your post: “I always underestimate you!”

SMASH HIM.

HELL YEAH I WILL!!!

descantforhope replied to your post: “I always underestimate you!”

Katniss him so hard that his entire district holds a tiny grudge against how good you are.