Kim C, The NP

The images of the ongoing devastation of southern California are difficult to watch. The loss of life and property is truly horrifying and heartbreaking.

The first responders and everyone out there working to stem the siege and rescue the trapped or injured are undoubtedly amazing and heroic.

But you know who else deserves credit for their hard work? Members of the media. They are out there in perilous conditions doing their best to keep the public informed. Please note that I am NOT AT ALL suggesting that the media deserves any hero worship — I’m suggesting that despite the challenges of the environment, they are still out there doing their jobs.

Among those reporting live out in the chaotic field was David Muir of ABC News. Despite the smoke, wind and debris flying around him, a tiny detail of his attire managed to capture attention — a clothespin on the back of his rain jacket.

Many who noticed it called him vain and narcissistic, assuming that the clothespin’s purpose was to make the jacket fit better so he could look good on camera.

As someone who has reported on camera out in the field, wind, rain and other difficult weather conditions can interfere with the microphone. Those same weather conditions can cause loose clothing to flap back and forth, creating additional sound interference. Also, a jacket that is ill-fitting can be distracting. When trying to report live, the focus is on reporting and it is very, very difficult and daunting. There are no teleprompters. It’s just you and whatever sentences form in your brain and leave your mouth at that moment. Distractions like wind causing rippling of clothing can completely ruin the flow of information.

I understand that opinions of the media are not favorable and I understand why (though I disagree), but this criticism is unfair.

What are your thoughts?

Of note, it is 4:48 a.m. and about to be hour 11 of a 13-hour shift. Please forgive any typos and the lack of verbal finesse.

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. How many of us make daily promises to be better about so many things next year?! I just ravenously chowed down on a sizable slice of cake, telling myself that I’ll eat healthier next week!

I think we all arrive at the end of a year with hopes and dreams for the upcoming 12 months. Often, they remain just hopes and dreams, but isn’t it great that for a period of time, they make us feel empowered and confident? They help put the “happy” in “happy holidays!”

It may seem like a drastic change from a few weeks ago when we felt “down” about what we didn’t accomplish in 2024. A colleague of mine said she had “all these big plans” for this year, but she “blew everything.” I myself lamented about how short I fell of my own goals this year and second-guessed every decision I made that contributed to my perceived failures.

It’s this time of year that can really upset the balance of our mental health. In the early part of the season, there’s lots of stress related to gifts, family gatherings and what we haven’t achieved. We then shift to party mode and start thinking and dreaming super big!

As we end another year, let’s try to be kind to ourselves. It’s perfectly reasonable to set goals for the new year and also to have some regrets about the ones we didn’t meet this year, but remember that most of us do the best we can and that’s good enough!

Happy holidays, everyone!

So ….

How did I end up working at a hospital caring for patients in the middle of the night?

Back in 2003, the closest I got to a hospital was passing by one on my way to my grad school journalism classes.

But back in the 1990s, the hospital was my dream career destination. As a kid, all I ever wanted was to be a doctor. In my mind and my heart, it was destiny. I focused on science classes and planned years ahead for being a pre-med, then taking the MCAT, then medical school ….

Until I completely fell off the academic cliff in physics … then organic chemistry … then biochemistry ….

Of course, I was devastated. Destiny derailed. But I moved on and focused on what I thought was my strength — writing. (Okay, maybe it’s not great right now. I’m rusty!)

Gradually, I couldn’t suppress my appetite for telling stories. On top of that, I wanted to use that skill for educational purposes as well. My journey to journalism began and I pursued that career. I spent 13 years working in local television news as a reporter and at one of the major news networks in production and ultimately, as an online reporter.

Unbeknownst to me, my transition into health journalism in 2009 marked the end of my career in the news business. While working in health news, I joked I needed “street cred” as a health reporter, i.e., actual medical credentials. What I didn’t know at the time was that corporate downsizing turned that joke into my next reality.

After a layoff and at the age of 39, I entered a nursing program. Five years later, I completed my nurse practitioner program and began practicing medicine. After another five years, I’m sitting in my hospital office in the middle of the night and I’m WRITING in between patient care tasks.

Did I finally achieve my childhood dream? Not quite, but I’m close. Now, if I can only get this writing thing moving along ….

Anyway, next time, I’ll “talk” more about medicine and the media. I’ve got a lot to say ….

Is anyone out there? Earth to anyone?

If anyone out there in the vast mass of cyberspace sees this post, welcome to my blog. It’s painfully basic and boring right now, but I’m learning how to snazz it up.

I’m Kim, a nurse practitioner and former full-time journalist (WHOI-TV in Peoria, IL and ABC News) trying this out as a way to combine my love of medicine and journalism into something interesting and educational.

Stay tuned for insights into medicine, media and more.

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Welcome to WordPress! This is a sample post. Edit or delete it to take the first step in your blogging journey. To add more content here, click the small plus icon at the top left corner. There, you will find an existing selection of WordPress blocks and patterns, something to suit your every need for content creation. And don’t forget to check out the List View: click the icon a few spots to the right of the plus icon and you’ll get a tidy, easy-to-view list of the blocks and patterns in your post.

Welcome to WordPress! This is a sample post. Edit or delete it to take the first step in your blogging journey. To add more content here, click the small plus icon at the top left corner. There, you will find an existing selection of WordPress blocks and patterns, something to suit your every need for content creation. And don’t forget to check out the List View: click the icon a few spots to the right of the plus icon and you’ll get a tidy, easy-to-view list of the blocks and patterns in your post.

Welcome to WordPress! This is a sample post. Edit or delete it to take the first step in your blogging journey. To add more content here, click the small plus icon at the top left corner. There, you will find an existing selection of WordPress blocks and patterns, something to suit your every need for content creation. And don’t forget to check out the List View: click the icon a few spots to the right of the plus icon and you’ll get a tidy, easy-to-view list of the blocks and patterns in your post.