Category: Psychiatry

Ensure your physicians always have crisis support: 5-step awareness program

Physician leaders: Are you committed to doing everything you possibly can to prevent physician suicide? This CHAP is how you answer that question. This document contains two steps that will ensure you do everything possible to be there for your people …

How one patient’s death transformed my approach to mental health care

Prior to working as a nurse practitioner, I worked as a psychiatric registered nurse in an inpatient behavioral health setting, caring for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI). Individuals with SMI die ten to twenty years earlier than the gener…

Debunking the top myths about schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that is commonly misunderstood. A lack of understanding about the disease can cause people to draw inaccurate conclusions based on stereotypical portrayals in movies or television. Unfortunately, movie characte…

Why do physicians – and psychiatrists in particular – write?

All writers want recognition of some sort. No? Recognition can take many forms, such as positive feedback, awards, or simply the knowledge that their work is being read and appreciated. However, it is important to note that motivation can vary among wr…

Physician burnout: We’re partly to blame, here’s how to fix it

From the heart of one doctor to another, let’s address the evil spirit haunting our halls: burnout. It has become the unwelcome companion of many physicians, including myself, who frequently lament our moral injuries and the mistreatment that see…

Physician burnout: We’re partly to blame, here’s how to fix it

From the heart of one doctor to another, let’s address the evil spirit haunting our halls: burnout. It has become the unwelcome companion of many physicians, including myself, who frequently lament our moral injuries and the mistreatment that see…

The many losses of a long psychiatry career

At the beginning of a career – sometimes when viewed through rose-colored glasses not yet spoiled by reality – you hope to be able to lose loss to stay away. Somehow you feel like if you just try hard enough – practice psychiatry in the best way …

Dance, play, heal: a nurse’s guide to processing trauma [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Join us as we sit down with Tara Rynders, a nurse, dancer, and choreographer, as she shares her journey of healing and resilience in the face of trauma. From her experienc…

Resident struggles: How hierarchical health care systems impact IMGs

Residents, particularly international medical graduates (IMGs), often navigate a challenging position within health care institutions, where hierarchical structures overshadow their authority and autonomy. This dynamic can leave residents feeling disem…

Lessons learned in psychiatry: How experience shapes your career

I am now in the twilight of my psychiatric career. Yes, I can write that without wincing now, almost, well, maybe just a little. I have made decisions in the last twelve months that have changed my daily schedule, my work life, and my relationships pro…