I know the difficulty writers face at having to come up with unique and unusual methods of killing off their fictional characters. Hence, the constant hunt for lethal, undetectable poisons. One popular author came up with the following scenario for his serial killer. I read this detailed scene with great interest but in the end, the implausibility of the scenario kept me up that night. I continually analyzed the scene in my mind and wondered if the author might have posed the question to a medically sound person as to its plausibility.In short,...
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
I'm an avid reader. Don't you have to be as a writer? I have to admit, there are a few authors I lean toward. Generally, I'll read most of what they publish.I also have an issue. I know that it can be very hard to get medical details right in a manuscript. I faced this challenge when I wrote an OB scene and had an OB nurse review it. To put it mildly, she was displeased with what I wrote. I was actually relieved to find that out during the editing...
Monday, September 26, 2011
Flashpoint is one of my favorite television shows. Within the last month was a fairly intense episode where an officer was shot six times at near point blank range in the chest. Luckily, he had his vest on (thank goodness because he is my favorite character) and suffered some gunshot wounds to the arms but was otherwise in good shape.Off to the ER he goes.Now, of course, my nursing/analytical brain turns on and I begin to look at every...
Friday, September 23, 2011
I'm pleased to host Alina Adams today as she writes about the importance of research and how she forayed into worlds she didn't have a clue how to write about-- including mine-- pediatric medicine. Welcome, Alina!My first two published books were Regency romances, set in Regency England (think Jane Austen).I know nothing about Regency England. (I am of the mindset that nothing romantic could have possibly happened prior to the invention of...
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
This medical question for a current work in progress came to me via Facebook. Remember, I am always looking for those pesky medical questions to answer to make sure your medical stuff has the ring of truth... even if it is fiction.Question: Is there a life-threatening condition that twins could have that could be fixed with minor surgery in the 1830's?http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/155709/enlargeAnswer: This question sets up a very difficult scenario...
Monday, September 19, 2011
Prior to the birth of modern medical theory, the pervading thought for illness was that disease was caused by an imbalance of body fluids. To right this, common medical practices included purging, starving, blistering or blood-letting to place things back in order.Maybe you think we don't use any of these practices anymore. Think again.Let's consider blistering a patient.In historical medicine, blistering used a caustic substance on a portion...
Friday, September 16, 2011
Heidi Creston returns today for her monthly blog post. Today, she covers a very important topic: scope of practice for different obstetrical providers. Scope of practice dictates what a medical provider can and cannot do so it is important to know a particular providers limitations. For instance, as a registered nurse, I cannot diagnose illness though most nurses are very good at this very thing and we may indicate to a family what...
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Dianna Benson is back for her monthly post discussing the different types of personal protective equipment healthcare professionals wear in different types of situations. As a writer, these will help you write authentically.As an EMT, a Haz-Mat-Operative, and a FEMA Mass Casualty Incident Operative, PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is vital to my safety and health. At a bare minimum, I wear medical gloves and wash my hands post removing...
Monday, September 12, 2011
Lisa Asks:I just found your site and it looks great! I'm writing my first mystery novel and I have a character who attempts suicide by taking an overdose of Ambien. She is discovered in time and pumped out, but I'd like to know:If she was unconscious when they found her, would they give her adrenaline or anything to wake her up, or just let her sleep it off? Would she be on oxygen or on an IV with some sort of drugs to counteract the sleeping drug?...
Friday, September 9, 2011
As a tribute to the upcoming ten year anniversary of 9/11, I thought it would be nice to have our resident ER doc write about triage.Where were you on 9/11? Please, leave a comment today.Most people over the age of twenty probably have some memory burned into their mind of the fire consuming the World Trade Towers and their ultimate collapse and destruction. northernlight220 I had just flown in from Chicago the night before. I remember waking up...
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Have a pregnant character in your novel? What lengths might they go to to put themselves into labor? Would those methods actually work?I'm pleased to host guest blogger Erin MacPherson today at Redwood's Medical Edge to discuss those ever popular myths (and some truths) about how to get a woman to go into labor. Erin has a wicked sense of humor so this should not only be informational but give you a chuckle as well. She hosts the equally funny Christian...
Monday, September 5, 2011
Some religions object to medical care. Some believe in faith-healing. Other's will accept some medical treatment but object to some procedures such as blood transfusions. When I worked in the pediatric intensive care unit, one of these instances arose. The child was on a breathing machine and not doing very well. The patient's hemoglobin level was low. You may know this as anemia. However, that's just one type of anemia. What's...
Friday, September 2, 2011
Most people imagine Sunday afternoons to be filled with football and family. Especially now that there will be a football season--- and yes, I do hear the collective sigh of all men. But, if you're a nurse and an author, you think there's nothing better than to go to a talk given by the local coroner, Chris Herndon.That's what I did a few Sundays ago.... http://coloradocoroners.org/board.htm As always, I'm always intrigued by medical...
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