Greetings From Dr. Chain Saw

Remind me not to schedule elective surgery on Halloween. Meet Dr. Chain Saw. I believe Dr. Saw attended the University of Transylvania. He planned to specialize is hematology, but his professor, Dr. Dracula, was a night owl, and Dr. Saw did not want to attend night classes. I use to have a lot of fun working at the hospital during Halloween. A hospital that I use to work at let us wear costumes until a patient freaked out. The man coded, and the first thing that he saw when he came back was a respiratory therapist dressed up as the devil. The whole experience was very unpleasant. Too bad he didn’t notice the nurse who came to work dressed up as Florence Nightingale. It would have worked out better for all of us.






Dr. Saw’s associates, Dr. Dedwin and Nurse Necro, want to wish you all a Happy Halloween.

The Good Death

Please indulge me today; it’s been a rough week. This is a picture of my dog, Diva. She’s my angel and my little girl. My husband and I rescued her about 8 years ago. Diva had been abused in a puppy mill. We spoiled her rotten. She traveled everywhere with us, and she was the star of the show. She was always full of energy, but last month something changed. Diva started slowing down, so I took her to the vet. She was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. We’ve been giving her Lasix and other medications, but today it was clear that she was suffering. She was struggling to breathe and she was in pain, so I had her euthanized. According to Wikipedia, the term euthanasia come from the Greek words “eu” and “thanatos” which combined means “good death.” I looked into her eyes as she took her last breath. Indeed, it was a good death. I’ve seen a lot of death throughout my years as a nurse. I wish that all of my patients could have died so peacefully.

My husband and I are crazy animal people. We also have two other dogs, two cats, and we are on a first name bases with all of the employees at our local PetSmart. I’m sure that another little angel will find their way into our home, but not today. I’ll spend today remembering Diva.

I Want to Hold Your Hand

This record cover takes me back to my youth. I first saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show when I was eight years old. I thought they were dreamy. My father thought they were the most ridiculous act that he had ever seen on television. He hated them, and he kept griping about their long hair. He said that they needed a (expletive) haircut. I adored their cute moppy hair, and their cool British accent. My poor parents went insane shortly after they bought me a record player for my birthday. I kept playing Beatle records over and over again until the records wore out. The song, “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” entranced me. I knew every word in every verse, and I even heard the song in my sleep. That song still comes to mind every time I have to tell patients that they can’t touch each other while they are residing on the psychiatric unit.


I know that you are wondering why patients can’t touch each other on a psychiatric unit. After all, look at John and Paul. They are in each other’s personal space. It's no big deal, right? It can be a really big deal if you're touching someone who is paranoid. They may think that you are trying to hurt them. I've seen a lot of paranoid patients become violent because they think that they are being attacked. And then there is the issue of abuse. Many patients have been physically and sexually abused in the past, and they really don't want to be hugged by someone that they have just met. They have boundary issues, and it might be hard for them to tell you that they don't like to be touched. And let's not forget about unit romances. I occasionally see patients engaged in a major lip-lock, or trying to slip off into each other’s rooms. The nursing staff never tolerates this. You are on the unit to work on your issues, not to find a date. I remember watching two teenagers who were planning to have sex on the unit. My colleagues and I enjoyed watching their mating dance. It was entertaining. Then the girl made a big announcement at the nurses station that she was going to go take a shower, and that she didn't want to be disturbed. We watched the boy sneak down the hallway into the girl's room, and we counted to three before swinging the door open to the girl's bathroom. BUSTED!!!!!!!



Take John and Yoko’s advice: Don't hold hands on a psychiatric unit, and give peace a chance.

Thank You, Nurse

Isn’t that sweet? The patient is showing his gratitude for all of the great care that he received while staying at the hospital. In fact, I think that he has fallen head-over-heels in love with his pretty nurse. It’s not surprising. Nurses care about people, and we are patient advocates. When I was a medical-surgical nurse, I remember finding oodles of candy boxes and bouquets of flowers everyday at the nurses station. People showered the nurses on my unit with gifts as their way of saying thank you.


Things really changed when I became a psychiatric nurse. It’s rare when psychiatric patients give candy and flowers to nurses. I’m not saying that we never get goodies from our patients, but psychiatric patients have unique reasons for not giving goodies to their nurses. Paranoid patients are not going to give gifts to nurses who can read their mind and who are trying to kill them with medications. We understand that, and we accept the logic of the situation. We also accept that we aren’t going to get candy and flowers from patients who display inappropriate behavior on the unit. Psychiatric nurses have no problem laying down the law when someone is being a jerk. This makes us unpopular with drug seekers and individuals who are using the hospital as a hideout from the police. And then there is the issue of money. Most of our patients are broke. Many of our patients can’t afford food or decent housing, so we certainly don’t want them spending their money on us.

The nicest gifts that psychiatric nurses receive are homemade thank you cards. Our patients make them for us in art therapy, or when they are watching TV in the dayroom. We really enjoy these mementos. We hang the cards up in the nurses lounge, and in our report room. We keep them up on the walls long after our patients are discharged because they keep us going when we are ready to throw in the towel and quit nursing.

Thank you everyone, and please keep those cards and letters coming.

It’s Time For Change of Shift

Heads up everyone, Kim from Emergiblog has just posted the latest edition of Change of Shift. The nursing blogosphere is full of great writers, so go check it out. Then dust off you typewriters and start working on your submission for the next Change of Shift. I’m serving as host, and I want to hear from YOU! Please send your posts to nurseratchedsplace@yahoo.com. The deadline for submissions is October 31st at 8 a.m. EST.

And Now a Word From One of Our Sponsors

Please standby for a commercial message from Scrubs Gallery, a proud sponsor of Nurse Ratched’s Place. Scrubs Gallery is providing nurses with a great shopping experience, and they invite you to visit their new and improved website. Their remodeled website is easy to navigate, and it’s full of great looking merchandise. It's too bad that psychiatric nurses don’t wear uniforms to work. I look good in scrubs. Bummer!


We now return to our regularly scheduled programming that is already in progress.

Come One, Come All to Grand Rounds

Doesn't he know that it is impolite to point? I guess he forgot because he is excited about this week's edition of Grand Rounds. Go check it out at NY Emergency Medicine.

Strength For Caring

I picked this book up last week at a church thrift store. The book is about a girl named Emma. She’s the girl on the cover. Emma is a caregiver. She is making sacrifices in order to care for a loved one, and unfortunately, she isn't getting a lot of support.

“Emma had given up her job in London to return home to look after her father, but that annoying Corby Kempson declared that she was wasting her time. But what did he know about it? And what business was it of his anyway?”

Since when did taking care of a loved one become a waste of time? Some people can be so insensitive to the needs of others. Life can get overwhelming for caregivers. Speaking from experience, I know that caregivers need a community in which they can find information and support.


Three years ago I was anxiously sipping on my Diet Coke when my husband’s physician walked into his office and sat down behind his desk. My mouth was dry and my hands were trembling. Something was wrong. As a nurse, I knew that doctors don’t like giving bad news over the phone, and he had insisted that we come to his office so we could talk. The doctor had a hard time looking directly at us as he talked about my husband's skewed lab tests, and abnormal EKGs. I didn’t know what he was trying to say because everything he said sounded vague and unreal. Then reality hit. The doctor informed us that my husband only had a few more months to live and he said we needed to get our affairs in order.

Nurses care for patients and their family members, and we are expected to be a tower of strength when our patient’s life is falling apart. Now my husband was the patient, and I quickly went into nurse mode after learning about his declining medical condition. I decided that I was going to take charge of everything. I thought that I was invincible. I was trained to know what to do in a crisis, and I was determined to play the role of the stoic wife and nurse. Of course, that isn’t how things worked out. I crumbled and started crying hysterically when one of my friends hugged me and offered me his condolences. My mind shut down, and I felt the energy draining out of my body. I struggled to care for my husband while working a full time job. Fortunately, I had a support system that included many educated and compassionate people, many of whom were nurses. A nurse practitioner gave me words of advice that literally saved my husband’s life. She told us to seek a second opinion about my husband’s medical condition. It sounds so simple now, but I never thought about getting a second opinion back then because I was so overwhelmed. I was lucky. Not every caregiver has a good support system in their time of need.

Caregivers can now tap into a new virtual community for help and support. Strength for Caring, created by Johnson & Johnson, is an online resource for family caregivers. The website is user friendly, and it gives caregivers the opportunity to seek help and share information with others through the use of message boards. Caregivers can also browse featured articles, as well as links to other websites that meet their specific needs. I encourage patients, caregivers, and health care providers to visit this valuable site. And please remember, caregivers need your support.

Waikiki Nurse

Now that I’m done hosting Grand Rounds, I have time to start looking again for the perfect job. I’m heartbroken because the man of my dreams, Steven Jobs, never contacted me about a job, or my new iPhone. By the way, Steven, the offer is still on the table, so call me.

This is a job that I could really get into, just as long as I’m not required to get into that dress. There isn’t enough wiggle room in a wiggle dress for my expanding waistline and hips. Nurse Vonnie looks very confident as she walks along the seashore. Maybe she is wearing a coat on the beach because she left her sunscreen at home. I'm not sure that I could ever get use to wearing a cap and high heels during my strolls along the beach. It might get a little rugged on a windy day, and I hate the feeling of sand inside of my high heel shoes. This job looks like it was made in heaven. The sand, surf, and pink flamingos look so inviting, but looks can be deceiving. Vonnie’s heart is troubled as her wedding day approaches:

“Vonnie tried to respond to Tim’s tender kiss, but in her lover’s embrace the unhappy nurse heard the voice and saw the face of another man. It was then that Vonnie realized that she was hopelessly in love with Dr. Paul Greer, and she knew that it could mean nothing but heartbreak. Because Dr. Greer was engaged to marry the woman who was Vonnie’s patient, a maddened alcoholic, driven to dangerous rages in her need for drink. For the first time in her career, the beautiful RN was torn between her professional duty and her own desperate emotions.”


Poor Vonnie, it must be tough being in love with someone when you are betrothed to someone else. Personally, I think Vonnie is better off without Dr. Greer. He sounds like he has some major codependency issues, and I think that Vonnie would be happier living with a man who doesn't have emotional baggage. Dr. Greer needs to attend some Alonon meetings, and I hope that he dumps his raging alcoholic girlfriend. She is only going to bring him down. Someday Dr. Greer will thank me for my advice.


Vonnie, call me if you quit your job after you get married. I’m a great psychiatric nurse, and I am willing to relocate to Waikiki. I can get use to living in paradise.

It’s Military Week at Grand Rounds

This week at Grand Rounds we are honoring health care professionals who serve their country by serving others. I want to thank Dr. Nick Genes for letting me host Grand Rounds this week, and I also want to thank everyone for all of their great submissions. The number of submissions that I received overwhelmed me, and I apologize that I didn't have room for every post. The artwork found in this week’s edition of Grand Rounds illustrates the history of military medicine, and the dedication of the men and women who care for patients in military medical facilities and outposts around the world. In the 1944 painting above by Jack McMillen, the artist depicts life at the Forest Glen annex of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The annex served as a holding and rehabilitation unit for medical patients, including psychiatric patients during World War II and in subsequent wars.


"Long Binh," by David N. Fairrington.

Editor's Choice

This week I want to spotlight three deeply moving posts. Sid Schwab from Surgeonsblog submitted this post about his wartime experiences while serving in Vietnam. His post describes how the Vietnam War affected his life and the lives his patients. He also talks about a young man from his local community that is accused of committing war atrocities while serving in Iraq. Sid bears witness to the simple reality that war destroys the human body, as well as the human soul. You will clearly understand why war is hell after you read Sid’s submission.

911 Doc from M.D.O.D reflects on a recent memorial service that he attended on a military base for several soldiers killed in action. He talks about heroism and the sacrifices that are being made by warriors who choose to serve their country.

I want to welcome LTC Christopher Coppola, USAF, to Grand Rounds. He is a military doctor who is currently serving in Iraq. He is also the author of “Made a Difference for That One: A Surgeon’s Letters Home from Iraq.” Christopher tells readers why he joined the military and what it’s like serving our country during wartime. Chris, thank for your service to our country.



"American Doctor II--Field Force Doctor Examines Vietnamese Child," by Samuel E. Alexander.



Samuel E. Alexander was a member of the U.S. Army Artist Program and was in Vietnam in 1967. His painting depicts the other functions of U.S. Army Psychiatry in the theater of operations. When not evaluating and treating combat stress casualties, or providing consultation service to commanders, psychiatrists and other physicans routinely provide medical care to the local civilian poplation. Military nurses also provide care to local civilians. As part of her tour of duty, LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC cared for civilians in Accra, Ghana, West Africa. Read her post about what it is like to be a military nurse.




"Killed in Action," by Burdell Moody.








Burdell Moody starkly portrays a squad returning to base camp in Vietnam, carrying the body of one of their soldiers. Perhaps the most stressful aspect of combat for a soldier, other than pondering his own death, is the death of another, especially a member of his or her own unit. Witnessing death is a critical event in the life of any soldier and his unit, one warranting immediate debriefing to lessen the likelihood of developing post –traumatic symptoms in the future. Toni Brayer from EverythingHealth writes about a new organization that is developing a national network of mental health professionals that will provide free care for returning Iraq and Afghanistan vets and their families. I urge you to read her post to learn more about Give an Hour.

Adam from NY Emergency Medicine writes a congratulatory note to Boston psychiatrist Jonathan Shay in his column, Shrinking the News. Dr. Shay received a MacArthur Foundation “genius award” for his pioneering work in using literary parallels from Homer's 'Iliad' and 'Odyssey' to treat combat trauma suffered by Vietnam veterans. Read about Dr. Shay’s work and how he is helping combat troops.


“Wounded Aboard,” by Lawrence Beall Smith.

Doctors, Medical Corpsmen and ambulances were always present for the “sweating in” of the returning mission during Word War II. Coming in late in the day and often in the heavy weather, any ship in the group, which had wounded men aboard, would drop red flares. This was how they communicated their need for immediate medical assistance upon landing. The key to any successful military action is excellent communication within its ranks. Corporations also know the importance of good communication and are entering the blogosphere as a way of reaching out to consumers and health care professionals. Media relations team members, Marc Monseau and Rob Halper, are writers for Johnson and Johnson’s corporate blog, JNJ BTW. Both bloggers attended the Health 2.0 Conference, and submitted their impressions of the event.

Jan Martens from MedBlog.nl sent in this overview of the Health 2.0 Conference. Check out his post and see video highlights of the event.

Bertalan Meskó from ScienceRoll writes an open letter to the physicians of the world about why to use web 2.0's features in a medical practice.





"Flashlight Surgery In Saipan," by Robert Benney.









Prompt medical care by highly skilled specialists, together with improved evacuation services under battlefield conditions have spared countless lives during wartime. Mortality rates hinge on the speed and timing of patient care services. Robert Benney's picture illustrates army doctors as they perform a delicate brain operation by flashlight during World War II. Sometimes civilian health care providers feel like they are working in a war zone, too. Terry Freemark from Counting Sheep sent in a post about giving anesthesia. Find out why she thinks that giving
anesthesia is like going off to battle.

Bongi from other things amanzi writes that surgery can be summed up in one sentence; “Eat when you can, sleep when you can and don't f#@k with the pancreas.” I’m sure military surgeons would agree with his assessment. Bongi gives readers advice on how to wake up after you indulge yourself in a quick nap.

Here's something that will wake you up. GruntDoc sent in this post about how to make coffee. He said that Navy Docs like their coffee.



"Night Vigil," by Robert Benney.

While the Hospital Train rolls through the lonely night, the Army nurse checks the patients’ charts. At the far end of the car, the medical aidman keeps an alert eye on his patients. Colonel Florence Blanchfield, the Superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps during World War II, said, “There’s no glamour about nursing. Every nurse (in the military) is a volunteer. She is nursing because she wants to. Unless you want to help others and make sacrifices, you have no right to be in nursing.” Nurses of today are no different than nurses of the past. They are mobilizing to improve the lives of their patients. Teri Mills from the National Nursing Organization supports the establishment of the Office of the National Nurse. Teri believes that nurses will volunteer to help improve health care in America.

Nurses are working on other fronts to improve patient care. A group of West Coast nurses have declared war on greedy corporate hospitals. Kim from Emergiblog writes about an impending nursing strike in Northern California. Theses nurses are fighting and sacrificing for all nurses and for the patients we serve.

ERnursey isn’t happy with how hospitals conduct marketing campaigns. Read her post about how using smoke and mirrors to draw in the wrong type of patients is hurting our health care system.





"Purple Heart," by John O. Wehrle.








John O. Wehrle depicts a serviceman in Vietnam who has received his Purple Heart in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit. In combat settings, traumatic brain injury often occurs in conjunction with other injuries, as shown in the painting. How to Cope with Pain says that it's becoming increasingly apparent that chronic physical pain is a significant problem for a high percentage of men and women returning from combat. As the survival rate after injury improves because of better protection, the rate of development of chronic pain unfortunately increases also. This article is the first in a series reviewing types of medication that are helpful for chronic pain.

Val Jones MD from revolutionhealth takes and interesting historical look at how war sadly advances the field of surgery, and was the primary cause for the birth of her own specialty, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. In her 2 part series on “What the Heck is a Rehab Doc?,” she talks about how the Civil War, World War I, and World War II resulted in the creation of a specialty to handle amputees and to help re-integrate people into the work force after life-altering physical and mental trauma.

One of Dr. Jolie Bookspan's areas of injury research for the military involved finding ways of preventing back pain caused by running. Disease Non-Battle Injuries (DNBI) caused by exercising and physical therapy is a huge military issue. Read how she is helping people learn about healthful daily movement.





“Pill Call,” by Franklin Boggs.









Soldiers suffering from malaria during World War II received their daily quota of atabrine tablets from the Medical Corps captain. Atabrine was more effective than quinine, and was the army’s first line of defense against malaria. Pharmaceuticals save countless lives during times of war, and they are playing an increasingly important roll in our lives. David E. Williams fromHealth Business Blog sent in this post about the FDA. The agency is considering adding a formal category of drugs that would fit in between prescription and over the counter medications.





"Life-Giving Plasma," by Ernest Fiene.












In 1945, Surgeon General Norman T. Kirk was asked to name the first three outstanding innovations brought about by World War II, and without hesitation he said, “Surgery, the sulfa drugs, and penicillin.” Other outstanding achievements in military research included dried plasma, which was developed and first used during World War II. Medical research conducted by the military during wartime continues to save countless lives. Research in the civilian world is also saving lives. Dr. Anonymous sent in this post about the American Cancer Society and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One day researchers will find a cure for breast cancer, but until then Dr. Anonymous is urging readers to learn the facts about the disease.

Emmy from the Pink Tee Shirt is a member of another type of army. She is one in an army of of volunteers who walk and run to raise money for cancer research. Read her story here.

Advancements are being made in all areas of the health care arena. David Harlow from HealthBlawg writes about creative approaches to caring for seniors in less restrictive settings.

The effort to improve the health of patients continues on other front as well. Christian from Med Journal Watch writes about how depression in women might be caused by the War on Obesity.

"Jungle--Ally of the Enemy," by Franklin Boggs.

The tropical jungles of the South Pacific seemly were on the side of the Japanese during World War II. These jungles were infested with malaria, and strange tropical fevers and skin diseases that had never been seen before by military doctors. When medics weren’t busy attending to wounded men, they moved around the jungle with a bottle of solution and swabs, checking the ravages of prevalent skin disease.

Military doctors have always functioned as detectives to cure unknown illnesses that have plagued the troops. Philip from Past Lessons, Future Theories is a House, M.D. fan and he sent in a post about about a patient on the show who was suffering from Von Hippel-Lindau disease. Dr House can cure anything. He is a medical detective just like the doctors who served in the South Pacific.

Other situations remain a mystery. Steve Sims, a contractor working in Iraq was shipped home because he has diabetes. Was he shipped home for political reasons? Read Diabetes Mine and find out what happened.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like living with type 1 diabetes? Kerri Morrone from Six Until Me writes about her troubling low blood sugar that hit her in the wee hours of the morning.


Here's another mystery. Does fat and meat impact prostate cancer?Gerald Pugliese from DiseaseProof.com is staying out of the fray, and invites you to voice your opinion.

Do you want to know how to reduce your risk for asthma? Read this post from Allergy Notes. Mystery solved!


“The High Visibility Wrap,” by Joseph Hirsch.

I want to thank all the men and women who are serving in uniform, and those individuals who are taking care of wounded troops around the world. Your service is invaluable. You not only touch the lives of your patients, but you touch the lives of all of us as well.

NY Emergency Medicine is hosting Grand Rounds next week.

Desperately Apologizing: ABC Takes the Heat For Slamming Filipino Medical Schools.

Just like Mr. Caveman, Filipinos want a little respect. There is a lot of talk going around the blogosphere about an episode that aired on Desperate House Wives in which Teri Hatcher's character slams Filipino medical schools. Personally, when I viewed the scene in question on YouTube, I thought, “Did she say what I thought she just said?” I’ve worked with many excellent Filipino doctors and nurses during my days in Chicago, and let me tell you, they are some of the best health care professionals on earth, bar none.

I think that this whole brouhaha centers on two issues; the lack of cultural sensitivity on the part of ABC, and how other cultures view “Ugly Americans.” If you haven’t noticed, most of the world thinks that our foreign policy and our attitudes are pretty cocky, so I’m sure that this incident serves to fan the flames. I’m not suggesting that ABC maliciously decided to demean a group of individuals. That’s bad business. What I am suggesting is that ABC needs some cultural sensitivity training. Maybe Mr. Cavemen can act as their mentor, and get them onto the path of redemption.

Employment Wanted: Willing to Work For iPhone

I have another excuse to post a picture of Steven Jobs. Yes, I’m obsessed with the father of the Apple Computer. Steven, if you’re reading this post, I want you to know that I’m still looking for a new job, and that I’m willing to relocate so I can work as your corporate nurse at Apple. I’ll work for standard wages and a free iPhone. Think about it and get back to me.



You are so lucky because you don't need to get a job from Steven in order to get a free iPhone. You have a chance to win a free iPhone from Nursing Voices. Nursing Jobs.org is working withNursing Voices to give away two free iPhones to active and deserving forum participants. I'm not kidding! Here are the contest rules. There are just 12 more days left to play, so go check it out NOW!



After you're done checking out the contest, don't forget to check out Change of Shift. Girlvet from madness: tales of an emergency room nurse is hosting this week. It's The Price is Right Week at Change of Shift. Come on down!

Airtime With Doctor Anonymous

The woman with the tray is about to go ballistic. She’s been slaving over a hot stove all day, and the men are glued to the radio because they are listening to the Doctor Anonymous Show. And who can blame them? Doctor A. is very entertaining. Click here to learn more about his radio show. Tune in this week because Dr. A and I will be talking about the next edition of Grand Rounds. I'm sure that we will discuss other things, too, because I never know when to stop talking. Just ask my husband. The show is airing on October 4th at 10 P.M. EST. It’s a good thing that the show is airing after supper because the lady of the house will kill these guys if they blow off another home cooked meal.

Would You Like Fries with Your E Coli?

The movie Super Size Me is one on the best movies I’ve ever seen. I think it should be required viewing for everyone who suffer from illnesses that are related to obesity. I rarely eat in fast food now, but every so often I fall off the wagon. Sometimes a girl needs a Quarter Pounder with cheese.

Last night I went to McDonalds, and I learned that people really freak out when you use the words “raw hamburger” and E Coli in the same sentence when you are standing at the counter at a fast-food counter. I was really looking forward to my forbidden treat, but I lost my appetite after I bit into my hamburger. It was blood red in the center. I walked up to the crowded front counter and I asked to speak to the manager. I had just read a newspaper story about a recall of hamburger related to E Coli, and I wanted him to be aware of what was coming out of his kitchen. I’ve cared for patients with food poisoning before, I just wanted to keep people from getting sick. The manager’s jaw dropped when he looked at my hamburger, and customers waiting to place their order turned and walked out of the restaurant. He apologized multiple times, and offered me anything I wanted off of the menu. I told him I wanted a refund, and I went home.

I’m back on my diet now. Thanks, McDonalds.

Grand Rounds is Coming to Nurse Ratched's Place

Nurses are shown caring for wounded soldiers in "Speedy Recovery" by Marion Greenwood.

I’m very happy to announce that Dr. Nick Genes is allowing me to host Grand Rounds on October 9th. Next week’s edition of Grand Rounds will be a tribute to the doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals who are serving in the Armed Forces. Military medicine is steeped in history, and I want to hear from you if you have served, or are currently serving as a health care professional in the military. Please send your submissions to nurseratchedsplace@yahoo.com. I am accepting posts about all subjects, but posts about military services will be given greater consideration. Deadline for submitting posts is October 8th at 8 A.M. EST.