I know there’s a lot of information out there about the COVID-19 vaccine. You have probably read many different things about the vaccine from friends and family members, in the news, and social media. There is so much conflicting information that…
Category: Conditions
I am no longer terrified of COVID
I am no longer terrified of COVID. I’ve seen its death. I’ve seen it take the breath from someone’s lungs. I’ve watched it shut down kidneys. I’ve walked the halls of an ICU with pumps outside the room, and patients turned upside down. I’ve heard the c…
The political backlash to evidence-based doctors’ recommendations
Last week, someone referred to me online in the most shocking terms: a liberal. As I read the phrase, I gripped the pearls around my neck and coughed down my scalding afternoon tea. How could this have happened to me? With all its newsworthiness to the…
Think of the vaccines like an umbrella, and it’s raining outside
If you are confused about delta and how well the vaccines protect against infection right now, I don’t blame you: We are learning and updating data in real-time, and it is hard to keep track of it all. So maybe this analogy will help. Think of th…
In memory of a nurse who died from injuries sustained during a patient assault
An excerpt from Hey! I Could Use a Little Help Here! My Story of Healthcare Workplace Violence. This chapter is dedicated to the memory of Lynne Sausse Truxillo, RN, who died on April 11, 2019 from injuries sustained during a patient assault while on d…
COVID’s lab leak theory obscures zoonosis and progression
Even as COVID-19 is found in apes, big cats, minks, domestic cats, other small mammals, and now in U.S. deer, some don’t want to let go of the insultingly simplistic “lab leak” theory. Do they really think the 1918 influenza and AIDS pandemics (or Ebol…
Dying after leaving AMA
The nurse called: “The patient wants to leave AMA.” These calls come, fortunately not often. Typically the patient is not terribly ill, but they really miss their cigarettes or alcohol. Spending another day or two in the hospital would be wise, but lea…
Try this new technique when talking to vaccine skeptics
“Trust and confidence in any product — and here the vaccine is the product — starts with confidence in the process and safety.” -Payam N., Vaccine Outreach Supervisor While training over 1,800 vaccine outreach workers enrolled in the UCSF P…
Try this new technique when talking to vaccine skeptics
“Trust and confidence in any product — and here the vaccine is the product — starts with confidence in the process and safety.” -Payam N., Vaccine Outreach Supervisor While training over 1,800 vaccine outreach workers enrolled in the UCSF P…
Climate change is a public health crisis: a look into the Pacific Northwest heatwave
“Your zip code is a better predictor of your health than your genetic code.” For residents in the Pacific Northwest who recently faced a record-breaking heatwave, this statement hits close to home. The World Weather Attribution initiative, …
