I have been busy seeing patients at the new office and am finding rural health very challenging. Some of my patients are reporting chest pain and are in the population with the highest risk of heart attack. We offer sliding scale fee for those who don't have insurance. This helps get people into the office but what happens after they report the chest pain? I tell them that they need to be evaluated with a stress test.
Here's how it usually goes....
I'll have to wait and see what happens or go to the Emergency Room if I have chest pain that won't go away.
"You need to understand the risk of sudden death if you don't evaluate the reason for the chest pain, right?"
Sure... but you know how it is. I have to put food on the table and pay the bills. I can't afford to have a stress test.
"What will happen to your family if you pass away or become permanently disabled with a stroke? What about burial expenses?"
"Can you afford to die?"
Scary huh?
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Things Are Moving Right Along
Things are moving right along at my nurse practitioner office. We still don't have a physician for the office. Know any good ones that want to work near Lake City FL? The ad is going into the weekly newspaper of the town. Yes, you read right, weekly... There are a lot of people who are calling to see if we have a MD who can write for pain medicine. We tell them that I cannot write those medications and they pretty much hang up from there. Most patients are transferring from another branch to this one and there have been a few new patients seen over the last two weeks.
This must be what it feels like to be a brand new practice owner in a new town. Worrying about overhead and no patients must be a nightmare! This is good practice for me whenever I open my own office one day years from now.
I hope that getting the signs up and the newspaper ad will start to make things pick up soon. I don't like to feel non-productive. We have been busy rearranging the storage areas and setting up the lab area. The neighbors in the strip have all stopped by and toured the office. They seem pleased that we are here. The local pharmacy has sent us flowers and gave us mugs and calendars. Our open house is next month. I'm looking forward to it!
Hope things are going great for you all! Till next time... Be healthy and give your favorite NP a hug!
This must be what it feels like to be a brand new practice owner in a new town. Worrying about overhead and no patients must be a nightmare! This is good practice for me whenever I open my own office one day years from now.
I hope that getting the signs up and the newspaper ad will start to make things pick up soon. I don't like to feel non-productive. We have been busy rearranging the storage areas and setting up the lab area. The neighbors in the strip have all stopped by and toured the office. They seem pleased that we are here. The local pharmacy has sent us flowers and gave us mugs and calendars. Our open house is next month. I'm looking forward to it!
Hope things are going great for you all! Till next time... Be healthy and give your favorite NP a hug!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
A Great Question For A Nurse Practitioner
"Hi There -
Just stumbled on your site. I have one question, as I'm trying to decide if pursuing family practitioning is for me. How did you know you wanted to be a practitioner?
A little background - I am a recent grad of a direct-entry MSN program, so I already hold a general MSN. I got my RN license over the summer and have been working on an oncology floor. I love being a nurse. I hate floor nursing. I knew I would, but I value the experience I am getting, despite its many frustrations. Before pursuing my 2nd degree, I worked in management positions in a variety of unique settings, and I'm used to being in the driver's position, so to speak. I'm a critical thinker and a natural leader (whether others like it or not! ). I see connections quickly and I like to get things done. In addition, I am vastly interested in a more holistic approach to nursing than floor nursing seems to offer. And I feel somewhat stifled in my current position - a feeling I know will only intensify as time goes on. My interests are pain management, end-of-life care, family dynamic, and anything that is involved with helping educate and empower the underprivileged. That is so much wordier than I intended, and yet such a nutshell of my passions!
I am knee deep in student loans from my first two degrees, and this makes me nervous about taking out more. But at the same time, I'm so knee deep that an investment in my earning potential may not be altogether worthless on my part.
I am on the edge of applying to programs, and would love any insight you have into family practitioning and how you knew it was for you.
I thought that this was such a great question that I had to post about it. I knew when I went into the nursing program as a RN that I would eventually come out as a nurse practitioner. I always wanted to have the power to completely take care of patients myself. I also like to be in the driver's seat and that goal oriented personality is helpful when making health care decisions.Patients pick up on whether you are confident or not and they also pick up on false bravado so it's a fine line. I tossed around the idea of actually becoming a doctor but knew that it was not feasible both in time and money so I started as a nurse. I will be going back for the DNP but not anytime soon! I need to recover first!
Yes, the loans are crazy! I also have years to pay them back and I am using my adsense ads and Amazon store to help with that endeavor. I am now working in a rural setting and am applying for Federal loan forgiveness programs as we speak.
If you are thinking about becoming a NP, I have found that Family is the way to go in order to be more marketable. You can always specialize later. Please do not stay stifled in a position that you are not happy in. Patients also suffer along with our families. The awesome thing about nursing is the versatility of it.
I hope this helped you and good luck in your endeavors!
Just stumbled on your site. I have one question, as I'm trying to decide if pursuing family practitioning is for me. How did you know you wanted to be a practitioner?
A little background - I am a recent grad of a direct-entry MSN program, so I already hold a general MSN. I got my RN license over the summer and have been working on an oncology floor. I love being a nurse. I hate floor nursing. I knew I would, but I value the experience I am getting, despite its many frustrations. Before pursuing my 2nd degree, I worked in management positions in a variety of unique settings, and I'm used to being in the driver's position, so to speak. I'm a critical thinker and a natural leader (whether others like it or not! ). I see connections quickly and I like to get things done. In addition, I am vastly interested in a more holistic approach to nursing than floor nursing seems to offer. And I feel somewhat stifled in my current position - a feeling I know will only intensify as time goes on. My interests are pain management, end-of-life care, family dynamic, and anything that is involved with helping educate and empower the underprivileged. That is so much wordier than I intended, and yet such a nutshell of my passions!
I am knee deep in student loans from my first two degrees, and this makes me nervous about taking out more. But at the same time, I'm so knee deep that an investment in my earning potential may not be altogether worthless on my part.
I am on the edge of applying to programs, and would love any insight you have into family practitioning and how you knew it was for you.
I thought that this was such a great question that I had to post about it. I knew when I went into the nursing program as a RN that I would eventually come out as a nurse practitioner. I always wanted to have the power to completely take care of patients myself. I also like to be in the driver's seat and that goal oriented personality is helpful when making health care decisions.Patients pick up on whether you are confident or not and they also pick up on false bravado so it's a fine line. I tossed around the idea of actually becoming a doctor but knew that it was not feasible both in time and money so I started as a nurse. I will be going back for the DNP but not anytime soon! I need to recover first!
Yes, the loans are crazy! I also have years to pay them back and I am using my adsense ads and Amazon store to help with that endeavor. I am now working in a rural setting and am applying for Federal loan forgiveness programs as we speak.
If you are thinking about becoming a NP, I have found that Family is the way to go in order to be more marketable. You can always specialize later. Please do not stay stifled in a position that you are not happy in. Patients also suffer along with our families. The awesome thing about nursing is the versatility of it.
I hope this helped you and good luck in your endeavors!
Friday, January 04, 2008
Nurse Practitioner's First Week At The New Branch
Hello everyone! The doors opened on Wednesday and the newspaper ad came out on Thursday for the new branch location. We had a few new patients come in today and a few the other day transfer in from one of the other branches. Not too bad for a soft opening.
I hope the newspaper ads ramp up in the neighboring bigger towns and things really get moving.
I hate to be too quiet. I set up my office and called all the drug reps that I had business cards for. We need to get a cabinet set up for samples and away we go! I am really excited about this new adventure.
I'm also looking forward to applying to the Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program in Feb. You can get up to 4,000 dollars off your student loans for up to four years. Not to shabby! I'm working on finding out other programs to help reduce my 83,000 school debt.
I know!!! Isn't it horrible!
I hope the newspaper ads ramp up in the neighboring bigger towns and things really get moving.
I hate to be too quiet. I set up my office and called all the drug reps that I had business cards for. We need to get a cabinet set up for samples and away we go! I am really excited about this new adventure.
I'm also looking forward to applying to the Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program in Feb. You can get up to 4,000 dollars off your student loans for up to four years. Not to shabby! I'm working on finding out other programs to help reduce my 83,000 school debt.
I know!!! Isn't it horrible!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
