Blogger: Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN

Bio

Brady Pregerson, MD, a returned Peace Corps volunteer and winner of the 1995 Wise Preventive Medicine Scholarship, completed his medical school at the University of California, San Diego, and his residency at Los Angeles County General Hospital. He has authored three medical pocket books for nurses and doctors, as well as the educational web sites erpocketbooks.com and gotsafety.org.

Dr. Pregerson currently works as an emergency physician in Southern California. He writes, "Although the ED environment may be quite different from working on the hospital floor or in an office setting, I am hopeful that you can take these tips and apply them to your own specific work situation." You can buy his books on lessons from the ER, including Don't Try This At Home: Lessons from the Emergency Department and Think Twice: More Lessons from the ER, at amazon.com.

Rebekah Child, RN, attended the University of Southern California for her bachelor's in nursing and decided to brave the academic waters and return for her master's in nursing education, graduating in 2003 from Mount St. Mary's. She has also taught nursing clinical and theory at numerous Southern California nursing schools and has been an emergency nurse since 2002.

She is currently one of the clinical educators for an emergency department in Southern California and a student (again!) in the doctoral program at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Keeping germs off your hair, hands and face

Posted February 17, 2010 | By Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN | no comments

Nurses wear ponytails when their patients have lice. Why? Because you can see lice. Now, think about microbes. They’re there, too, and they’re getting on your long hair.

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When germs hitch a ride…on your scrubs

Posted February 2, 2010 | By Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN | 2 comments

Although the white lab coat is an ingrained part of the healthcare culture, it may carry more than pocket references and PDAs.

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Clothes make the nurse

Posted February 1, 2010 | By Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN | 6 comments

Patients and the public still judge us, in part, by what we wear. Dr. Brady and Nurse Rebekah conclude our “Perils of Beauty” series with a reflection on the practicality of your work wardrobe.

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What’s in your scrubs pockets?

Posted January 28, 2010 | By Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN | 1 comment

Our MD/RN team reflects on what you’re carrying around on your shift…and what that says about you!

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What to do when a patient refuses vaccines

Posted January 25, 2010 | By Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN | no comments

Choose your battles, and remember, the most powerful seed you plant may just be sharing your own personal choices.

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Patients with an irrational fear of vaccinations

Posted January 15, 2010 | By Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN | no comments

Vaccines may sometimes inspire as much fear as the diseases they’re meant to prevent. Yet think of what would’ve killed you by now if you hadn’t gotten that shot…

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How to choose the right words when charting

Posted January 11, 2010 | By Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN | no comments

We’re not saying you should lie…but you get to decide how you will tell the truth.

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Why do some patients object to vaccinations?

Posted January 5, 2010 | By Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN | 1 comment

Why do some people just say NO? Are they having trouble separating fact from fiction?

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How to avoid lawsuits with smart charting

Posted December 30, 2009 | By Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN | 1 comment

Here’s how acting harmoniously with doctors can improve patient satisfaction—and protect you in court.

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Are vaccinations still a medical miracle?

Posted December 22, 2009 | By Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN | 1 comment

Want to see a bunch of people get up in arms? Recommend a new vaccination. With a ton of scary stories linking vaccinations with autism (never mind the fact that numerous scientific studies have debunked the link), how do you deal with patients who refuse immunization?

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Tips for nurses on best charting practices

Posted December 9, 2009 | By Brady Pregerson, MD & Rebekah Child, RN | 2 comments

“I have irritated many a doctor by reminding them of stuff (as in turn, they have irritated me), but if I save a life—well then, mission accomplished.”

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Recent Articles

Doctor apologizes for attacking nurse

Doctor apologizes for attacking nurse

Sadly, workplace violence is increasingly common. See what happened after one ICU nurse was stabbed.

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Image: Jupiterimages | Comstock | Getty Images

The nursing job market overview

“There aren’t enough nurses! We need more nurses!” All this talk about the nursing shortage, but where are all the jobs ? Here are quick, simple facts, projections, and answers to your questions.

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Can scrubs be designed to make you happy?

Can scrubs be designed to make you happy?

What you wear can have a positive effect on your mood…and help establish intimate connections. Here’s how.

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Ben Stiller | Universal Pictures + Theresa Brown | Erika Larsen

Upcoming books, shows and movies featuring nurses

Culturally speaking, this was a banner year for nurses in America. Here are just a few places where nurses are turning up next.

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Have you ever been in a hostile workplace situation? Or just a really frustrating one? Enough to make you open the emergency chute?

Rebekah Child

Rebekah Child

Student nurses are frazzled and panicking right now. You’ve been there. Got any advice for us?

Ani Burr

Ani Burr

Male nurses are almost not existent in the clinics. Other than the MDs, I am the only guy on the floor.

Rob Cameron

Rob Cameron

Is nursing considered a career or a trade? I am not just a skilled craftsman, I am an educated professional.

Sean Dent

Sean Dent

I love hearing about how the nurse practitioner is the “next best thing” in the medical profession. Is it?

Nicole Lehr

Nicole Lehr