Text 18912, 121 rader
Skriven 2014-11-04 02:55:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av NANCY BACKUS
Ärende: health biz 199
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 ML> One of the benefits of the ambitious administrators - every
 ML> little intern and resident in the ER here has the use (and has
 ML> been trained to use) the ultrasound machine. A decade ago,
 ML> this was an esoteric skill for which one had to go to school
 ML> special.
 NB> Interesting.  Here, I think it's still (at least mainly)
 NB> the perview of the specialists

I am sure that the more ticklish procedures are left to
the experts, but more and more is becoming routinized.

 NB> but then, they are part of the ER staff essentially too

Despite my opportunities to compare various aspects of
the workings of a hospital, I never got a feeling for who
was or was not capable or authorized to do these things.

 NB> trying to think if I've ever noted other than radiology
 NB> staff doing any U/S work....

But ... I encountered the bladder scanner, which looks
like any other ultrasound machine (about the size of a small
desktop computer, with sensors attached and a screen) but
that does bladders only. They have RNs using these. It
appears that one scans the area, and there's software inside
that calculates the bladder contents to determine whether
there's a blockage. Pretty weird stuff.

 ML> Funny thing I discovered about Panama. A lot of the signs
 ML> are in dual English/Spanish, and the US dollar is the official
 ML> currency; but few of the people speak a lick of English.
 NB> That (the signs and currency) probably is a leftover from
 NB> when the US had control of the Canal Zone...

Of course; that makes sense.

 NB> Apparently there wasn't enough interaction with the natives to
 NB> affect the language so much.

I was outside the Canal Zone, of course, but there should
have been quite a bit of slopover into the general population,
because both the big cities are quite close to the zone's
(former) boundaries.

 ML> Recent discovery: there is no dominant language in the
 ML> hospital here among the support staff, from whom I have
 ML> heard Russian, Kreyol, Spanish, a couple African dialects,
 ML> and more proper French.
 NB> Similar here, with the support staff...
 NB> most speak reasonably decent English as well

At this hospital professional staff, aside from some of the
doctors, are reasonably fluent in English, the more
responsible support staff as well. Some of the janitorial and
cleaning people have little or no English.

Not speaking reasonably decent English dooms one to a harder
life up here, and I don't really see (in contrast to some of
my liberal or leftist colleagues) anything wrong with that.
If you want to get ahead, you learn basic communications and
math skills, period.

One amusing aside from this. There was one extremely cute
(white) nurse's aide who came in to give me a report of some
kind, as the real nurse was busy (this was during the weekend,
with a short staff). She spoke in valley speak so severe that
I had a hard time understanding what she was saying. I sort of
chuckled, and she said, why you laughing at me, and I told her
that what she said didn't make any grammatical sense. The
little witch took umbrage and replied, I'm in school, I write
lots of papers and stuff. And called me rude, to which I
chuckled again.

 NB> Medicine: the art of amusing the ill while nature heals

Indeed.

Strega fish chowder
cat: soup, stew
servings: 6 to 8

1 Tb olive oil
2 Tb butter
2 md leeks, cleaned, white and light green parts
- halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 c onions, chopped fine
1 c celery, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c dry white wine
2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
- peeled, cubed 1/2"
3 c clam juice
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/4 ts salt
1/2 ts pepper
2 c clams, freshly chopped
3 c heavy cream
1 lb smoked haddock, cubed
1/4 c parsley, chopped fine

Heat oil and butter in an 8 qt pot over medium
heat. Add leeks, onions, celery, and garlic and
soften about 8 min. Add wine and reduce by half.
Add potatoes, clam juice, thyme, salt, and
pepper. Bring to a simmer, turn heat to medium,
cook until the broth thickens slightly and the
potatoes are nearly done, 12 min.

Add clams and cream and cook on low for 8 min.
Add fish and cook another 2 min.

Off heat, let chowder stand 1 hr, covered.

Reheat and serve hot, garnished with parsley

Strega Prime, Woburn MA


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