The Android version of Google Maps has been updated to include multiple waypoints along one chosen route. This means that if you need to run multiple errands in one trip and want to know the fastest way between them, Google’s here for you. This is version 9.31.2 of Google Maps and it requires that your phone have Android 4.2 Jelly … Continue reading
Can you buy a brand-new, rear-wheel drive convertible in the US for under $20,000? That may sound unlikely, but city car company Smart has priced up the new 2017 ForTwo Cabriolet and, while the size and style might be controversial still, you can get a soft-top for less than $19k. $18,900 gets you the manual version, with a five-speed transmission … Continue reading
Lenovo has a new 2-in-1 PC for those who want the convenience of a tablet and the truly usable form factor of a proper laptop. Unlike some competing 2-in-1 systems, the Ideapad Miix 310 features a keyboard with a hinge — attach the tablet portion to the keyboard and the combination of the two feels nearly identical to an ordinary … Continue reading
Believe it or not, the mobile version of Google Maps hasn’t had support for multiple destinations. You could plan that multi-city tour on the desktop, but you’d still have to navigate one stop at a time on your phone. You might not have to the next t…
Airbags have been at the center of the largest auto recall this year. Japanese corporate Takata’s faulty airbags have forced major automakers to recall about 60 million cars in the US alone. While the automative industry is still dealing with the ext…
In more Games That Aren’t Overwatch news, Epic Studios is offering PlayStation Plus members a $20 Starter Pack for its hero brawler Paragon for free. That includes early access to the game over a month before the open beta launches on August 16.
Chalk up one more game available day and date alongside PlayStation VR. Drool has revealed that Thumper, its PSVR “rhythm hell” music title, will launch in sync with the headset on October 13th at a reasonable $20 price. As the developers put it, thi…
It was a struggle. My team and I spent several minutes fending off a malevolent spirit before finally subduing her, practically destroying a cramped apartment in the process. I was still reeling from being pelted with books and other loose objects wh…
At the recent 2016 annual meeting of the American Academy of PAs (AAPA), the AAPA House of Delegates passed two important resolutions related to the treatment of opioid addiction and the safe prescribing of opiates for pain. The first resolution promotes increased patient access to opiate treatment programs, as well as the full utilization of PAs in opiate treatment programs, submitted by my specialty organization, the Society of Physician Assistants in Addiction Medicine (SPAAM). The second resolution offers guidance to PAs for safe opioid prescribing in the context of the nationwide explosion in opiate-prescribing deaths, submitted by the New York State Society of PAs (NYSSPA). The passage of these resolutions reflects the increased attention being paid to these issues, both inside and outside of the Academy.
The AAPA, partnering with Nurse Practitioner (NP) leaders, has played a key role in promoting awareness of opioid addiction and its treatment. The Academy has made incredible headway in promoting federal legislation aiming to provide increased access to care by removing barriers facing both PAs and NPs who practice addiction medicine. The use of buprenorphine/naloxone (commonly branded as Suboxone) as replacement opiates for people with substance use disorders has previously been limited to physicians; this has been the case for almost 15 years, and getting this issue on the radar of federal legislators has taken years of hard work by the AAPA and other organizations.
It looks like this hard work is going to bear some fruit soon, as the US House of Representatives moved forward a number of bills that would allow PAs to prescribe this medication. This will next go to the US Senate, and hopefully this will lead to actual law sometime in the near future. Here’s some information from the AAPA about this development.
At the AAPA 2016 annual meeting, I was interviewed by The Clinical Advisor (click here to see the interview). In the video, I talk about some other recent, important developments for PAs interested in addiction medicine. One such development relates to the historic restriction by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that allows only physicians to write orders in outpatient opiate treatment programs — historically called “methadone clinics” — and a new process approved by SAMHSA allowing both PAs and NPs to dispense methadone, buprenorphine/naloxone, and other agents used in opiate treatment program settings. This is an exciting development as well, with the potential to greatly increase access to care by removing obstacles to PAs and NPs to fully participate. Read about the exemption process here.
Finally, another symbolic but very positive development relates to the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s (ASAM) decision to finally allow PAs and NPs membership in the association; until recently, membership was restricted to physicians only. Addiction medicine, as evidenced by the issues above, has long been a specialty in which PAs have not been able to fully function. This action by the ASAM is consistent with the nationwide move to increase access to opiate treatment by removing barriers to PA and NP practice.
For more information about PAs in addiction medicine, check out the web site for the Society of Physician Assistants in Addiction Medicine at www.spaam.org.
(This piece orginally ran on 6-21-2016 in the online Clinical Advisor).
— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
It never fails — my son drinks the last drop from his sippy cup, and before you can say, “prune juice,” he is screaming my name. It doesn’t matter whether I am right next to him or in a room down the hall, I am the one that he calls for. The real kicker is that his dad is usually right there, and just as able as I am to fill his sippy cup, but it’s almost as if he doesn’t exist. It’s not dad’s fault, he would fill his juice without a problem, it’s just the way most kids’ brains are wired.
I think that dads start out with a disadvantage from the moment that their children are conceived. Sure, they are their children just as much as the mom’s, but it doesn’t always seem like that. As moms we get to grow these little tiny miracles within ourselves, and we have a bond from the get-go. Dads have to try and play catch up when the baby comes, but even then it can be hard. Babies and toddlers usually go to mom for everything, and we can normally provide all of the nurturing they need. Even though we can give our kids everything they want, dads play a huge role in growing up as well.
The hardest part for some dads is the struggle between overbearing moms to give up some of the power when it comes to parenting. I know firsthand that we can be control freaks, especially when it comes to our kids. Although it can be hard to give up the power and let dad step in, it’s important that we encourage the dads to bond with their children. The earlier, the better, being that they are very impressionable at an early age.
The best thing that we can do as moms, is to step back and give our kids some space with their dads. If it means leaving the house and getting some alone time in the process, then so be it. When we aren’t there breathing down their necks, they have more opportunity to be themselves and enjoy the moments on their own terms. I know that when my son goes with his dad without me, they bond more than they would if they weren’t alone. The more comfortable they get at being around their own kids, the better the family dynamics will be.
There are some dads that can step up and claim their spot from the start, but others need a little more time. It’s hard for some of them to feel a real bond before their children are born, and it is even hard for some to bond before they can communicate with one another. As supportive partners, we need to understand and validate their hesitations, while encouraging them to make steps towards bridging the gap. It does not make them bad dads, it just makes them human. When I was pregnant, I felt like the worst mother in the world because I did not feel a strong connection with my son. I was worried that I wasn’t going to be a good mother because of this. The moment he was born, that connection appeared and was stronger than I could’ve ever imagined. For dads, it is similar to this.
At the end of the day, it’s important that our kids are comfortable with any parent(s) they have in their house. A house doesn’t really feel like a home of you are placed in awkward situations with other members of your family. I’m certain from my own observance that dads can feel just as awkward. They feel like a third wheel at times, and it can push them further away. For all of you helicopter moms like myself, take a step back and let dad take part in the action. Not only will your kids love it, but you will notice a huge improvement in your family life.
— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
