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by THOMAS PAINE, MD on May 26, 2016 in Nurse Stories

I have been an emergency physician for 12 years. I have had the opportunity to learn from and try to emulate an impressive number of amazing clinical physicians. These doctors seemed god-like at first, but as my training and career progressed, I realized that they were mostly teaching me through their own experiences.

One of my favorite teachers had a humbling saying: “Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment.” It was his way of trying to get me (and all of the residents) to learn the lessons of his own mistakes. Experience is an incredible teacher — perhaps the best teacher of all.

Helpful chart to remember tyramine containing foods, which should be avoided with MAOI’s.

Helpful chart to remember tyramine containing foods, which should be avoided with MAOI’s.

Every few months when things are slow, someone publishes an article about the imaginary dangers associated with doctors wearing scrubs in public. A recent version is from The Atlantic. An associate editor saw some people in scrubs having lunch in a restaurant and was, of course, horrified. She questioned the magazine’s medical editor, Dr. James Hamblin, whose response was remarkably reasoned (until the end).

He pointed out that it might not have been doctors because everyone, including secretaries (and even custodial people in my hospital), now wears scrubs to work. Dr. Hamblin rightly added that there is a lot of debate about the issue. He speculated that some guys wear scrubs in public as a signal to women that they are doctors.

But at the end of the piece, he said it was OK if his colleague were to “tell off” the people she saw eating lunch in scrubs.

Since I’ve been married for 38 years, I don’t need to wear scrubs in public to attract women. Anyway, they tend to flock to me even when I’m dressed in civilian clothing.

Being “old school,” I don’t like to see people wearing scrubs outside the hospital. I just think it sends the wrong message — and what’s worse, it continues to provoke folks into writing letters, blogs, and newspaper and magazine columns full of indignation.

However, I can’t get worked up about this, and here’s why: Yes, bacteria can be found on scrubs. But one has to wear something to work, and whatever one wears can occasionally become contaminated. After all, it is a hospital. There is no evidence that bacteria on scrubs spread disease. Nor is there evidence that bacteria on other objects such as ties, white coats, cell phones, stethoscopes, computer keyboards, or numerous other articles shown to be contaminated has made people sick.

In addition to the large number of ancillary hospital personnel who wear scrubs, here are some others: my dentist and his staff, including his secretary and his hygienists, and my dog’s veterinarian, his secretaries and the guy who holds my terrified dog.

I don’t see a simple solution to this problem. Scrubs are sold in stores. Anyone can buy them. They come in all colors. A nurse at my hospital wears a set of desert camouflage scrubs with a matching backpack. I don’t know how to tell him that the desert camo doesn’t work. It’s easy to spot him as he stands out rather clearly amid the solid colors of the unit’s walls and the white sheets on the beds. He would blend in better if he could find a set of “hospital beige” colored scrubs.

I would also suggest that telling people off is 1) rude and 2) possibly hazardous to your health. You never know what that person you’re telling off might do when confronted.

What do you think about wearing scrubs outside the hospital?

As of 2014, the average Certified Nursing Assistants brought home just shy of $25,100 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But earnings vary greatly by location, as employers must offer higher wages in certain areas of the country to attract qualified candidates. On average, the highest wages paid in Certified Nursing Assistants were in Alaska, Nevada, New York, Connecticut & District of Columbia.
Salary (annual): $18,790 – $36,170
Min. Education: State-approved education program
Job Outlook 2014-24: 17% (Much faster than average)
Related Careers: Home Health Aides, Personal Care Aides, Registered Nurses & Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides.

Where the highest nursing salaries are
State	Salary (hourly)
1. Alaska	$17.87
2. Nevada	$15.86
3. New York	$15.61
4. Connecticut	$15.36
5. District of Columbia	$14.87

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Data extracted on February  10, 2016

Listed below is a table of the most commonly used phlebotomy abbreviations in alphabetical order along with their respective meanings.

Approved Medical Abbreviations List | Common Medical Abbreviations – MPR

Newborn Reflexes To Know for NCLEX