We love to preach about what people should do. My wife and I often look at other people and critique their parenting. Then we laugh at our condescending manner and say to each other,
“Wow, isn’t it great that we are such great parents?”
“And great people too.”
We love to point out other people’s shortcomings. Drugs are yet one more place this comes in. Everyone is anti-drug, but we use them every day. I just got back from the coffee machine. My 3rd trip and it’s only 8 am.
A beer or glass of wine when you get home from your surgery rotation to calm down a bit is delightful.
In fact, a study commissioned by the English Government that was supposed to portray the dangers of illegal drugs made a shocking discovery. Horseback riding should be illegal. Professor David Nutt, a British psychiatrist, unveiled in his report that raised a few hackles in merry old England, that horseback riding is far more dangerous than taking MDMA.
It makes me laugh when I look around and see that some drugs are socially acceptable and other drugs aren’t, based on very little fact. Anyway, I’ll get off my soapbox so we can get started.
Do yourself and your patients a favor and perform a test. Go one week without drugs. No caffeine, no nicotine, no alcohol, no dopamine (that’s video games, Facebook, Instagram. Anything that gets you a sweet, sweet dopamine hit) or whatever other drugs help you get through the day…
See how you do. I’m a complete addict. I went cold turkey, no coffee for a month last year and it almost killed me. I mean I almost died. I was chugging soda like a man who was lost at sea for 90 days and suddenly finds himself inside a Pepsi delivery truck.
One of the PACU nurses and I were discussing yesterday what carbohydrate addicts we all are. One day without carbs and my head hurts, and I get these ridiculous cravings.
Look around a little at what you’re doing to “get by” before condemning your patients.
There is a great story about Gandhi. It’s probably apocryphal, but it is still a great story.
A young mother takes your little boy to meet Gandhi. She waits in a long line for over hours just for the chance to speak with him. When it is finally her turn, she asks Gandhi “Please can you tell my son to stop eating chocolate.”
She was worried about his health and his addiction to the yummy drug of choice. Oooh, caffeine and sugar together, what a great idea.
Gandhi says to the woman, “Come back in two weeks’ time.”
The mother upset because she has been waiting so long and it was a difficult journey replies, “Please, can you simply tell him to stop eating chocolate?”
Gandhi again says to the woman, “ come back in two weeks’ time.”
Two weeks go by and although the mother’s upset, she makes the journey and waits in the long line again to see Gandhi.
When she finally gets to the front of the line, Gandhi turns to the boy and says, “Young man, please give up eating chocolate. It is best for you.”
The mother, perplexed, turns to Gandhi, eyebrows drawn in, hands on her hips and asks, “Why could you not tell him that two weeks ago?”
“I needed time to give up chocolate myself before I could ask the same of the boy,” he replied.
Think about how difficult it is to regulate your own behavior before you are too condescending towards your patients. Try to understand them just a little.
But before you’re going to have patients, you have to pass the PANCE.
The Final Step will totally help you do that.
Don’t believe me?
Maybe you’ll believe Margret (this email is from a while back):
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Brian:
I took my PANRE Monday April 16, 2018 and found out this past Friday that I PASSED! Not only did I pass, but I passed with FLYING COLORS!
I believe your study material was the biggest part in this achievement.
Thank you,
Margret Brown, PA-C
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Grab your copy here.
Brian Wallace