RICE vs. Not Safe For Work
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Browsing through some bicycle forums a few days ago, I read a pretty hefty rant about a poster neglecting to label an image NSFW. The image was a pretty slick single-speed held aloft by a bare-chested woman. The debate ironically continued about whether there was a big difference between looking at 'bike porn', or 'soft porn' as a productivity aid.
Of course, NSFW can be taken in another (albeit rare) context. We can all think of people who aren't very good at their jobs. In Medicine and Pharmacy, these practitioners are actually Not Safe For Work. There are numerous reasons that someone might be unfit for practice, but as students the reason we're most familiar with is someone who's incompetent, can't pass exams and just doesn't get it. This level of potentially unsafe practice is usually under the control of the University or Medical Boards, and by and large, they do it well.
The next step above NSFW is the DNR list. That's Do Not Refer. A person, who through their skills, knowledge or interpersonal manner, you personally deem unworthy of any referral.
At the other end of the spectrum are the kind of Doctors (and Pharmacists) we rave about. The General Practitioners who, if pushed, you'd see yourself, and the Specialists and Surgeons whose opinions you'd seek for yourself or family. These doctors, as far as a student's interaction goes, are keen to teach, excellent team-players and knowledgeable seemingly beyond comprehension. Dubbed as Referred In Clinical Excellence (RICE), these folk are the staple to any medical professional network.
As final exams approach, I've overheard chatter about personal DNR and NSFW lists, and plenty of talk about RICE. In the meantime, most of us hover on a middle ground, ans the next few years of experience and work help define our skills as DNR, or hopefully, as part of RICE.
Of course, NSFW can be taken in another (albeit rare) context. We can all think of people who aren't very good at their jobs. In Medicine and Pharmacy, these practitioners are actually Not Safe For Work. There are numerous reasons that someone might be unfit for practice, but as students the reason we're most familiar with is someone who's incompetent, can't pass exams and just doesn't get it. This level of potentially unsafe practice is usually under the control of the University or Medical Boards, and by and large, they do it well.
The next step above NSFW is the DNR list. That's Do Not Refer. A person, who through their skills, knowledge or interpersonal manner, you personally deem unworthy of any referral.
At the other end of the spectrum are the kind of Doctors (and Pharmacists) we rave about. The General Practitioners who, if pushed, you'd see yourself, and the Specialists and Surgeons whose opinions you'd seek for yourself or family. These doctors, as far as a student's interaction goes, are keen to teach, excellent team-players and knowledgeable seemingly beyond comprehension. Dubbed as Referred In Clinical Excellence (RICE), these folk are the staple to any medical professional network.
As final exams approach, I've overheard chatter about personal DNR and NSFW lists, and plenty of talk about RICE. In the meantime, most of us hover on a middle ground, ans the next few years of experience and work help define our skills as DNR, or hopefully, as part of RICE.
