Karen Childress

Karen Childress is Colorado-based a freelance healthcare writer. Read more of her work at www.karenchildress.com.

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Articles by Karen Childress

• 6 tips to stay fit when you’re away from home

  Friday, March 21, 2014

  No matter the reason for your travel, if you want to maintain your regular nutrition and fitness regimen while on the road, plan ahead for success. Here are six tips that will help ensure you won’t return home feeling like a slug.

• Food for thought: Don’t die curious

  Thursday, March 06, 2014

  What would you do if you wanted to be certain that you wouldn't die curious? What's on your bucket list? What are you putting off? And why?

• 5 tricks to make income tax time less painful

  Thursday, February 13, 2014

  ​Who, aside from maybe accountants, looks forward to April 15 each year? No one. But since paying income taxes each year isn't optional, just do it and get it over with. Here are five ways to make paying taxes a little less painful.

• Food for thought: Resilience in the face of adversity

  Tuesday, February 04, 2014

  To be human — especially given the complex times in which we live — is to be occasionally faced with adversity, hardships and challenges. One day, you're happily minding your own business, and then out of the blue you're given a diagnosis you never expected, or you're named in a malpractice case, or your trusted practice manager or spouse suddenly announces his/her departure.

• How to navigate the politics of medicine

  Friday, January 17, 2014

  There are plenty of doctors who willingly — even excitedly — take on leadership roles that land them squarely in the middle of all kinds of interesting and challenging encounters within an organization. Thank goodness for them, because someone needs to be on the front line advocating for patients and members of the medical staff.

• Food for thought: Exercise your optimism muscle

  Thursday, January 02, 2014

  If you routinely hear phrases like "Why are you so negative?" coming from people who know you well — your spouse, practice partner, office manager or even your children — it may be time to work on building up your optimism muscle. The dictionary definition of optimism is, "a feeling or belief that good things will happen in the future," but deep-seated optimism goes beyond simply the ability to maintain a sunny, hopeful outlook on life.

• Doctors: How to get a handle on your finances in 2014

  Thursday, December 12, 2013

  Have you resolved, year after year, to take control of your financial life? Working in the healthcare field keeps physicians busy year-round and leaves little time to assess your money affairs. If 2014 is the year you'd like to actually follow through with that resolution, set aside some time to answer the following questions to jump-start the process. If you have a spouse or partner, work through the questions together.

• Food for thought: Got goals?

  Monday, December 02, 2013

  ​Each new year brings with it the opportunity for a fresh start, a clean slate, and giving thought to what might unfold over the next 12 months. Whether you're setting goals for your business or yourself, it's important to have a plan. There is a well-worn but still useful acronym — SMART — that’s designed to help with setting goals. Here's a quick recap of SMART, followed by three additional ideas to consider when setting goals for 2014.

• How to deal with drug-seeking patients

  Tuesday, November 19, 2013

  ​Prescription drug abuse is becoming a national epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 20 people over the age of 12 reported using prescription pain medications for nonmedical reasons in 2010. There is no way to know how many more people misused painkillers and didn't report it. Like substitute teachers in middle-school classrooms, physicians often encounter individuals who test their limits. The first step in dealing with potential drug-seekers is recognizing them.

• Food for thought: Continuous career development

  Wednesday, November 06, 2013

  ​Watching medical dramas unfold on television, one might conclude that doctors are never bored. How could they be when they're constantly solving rare and complex medical mysteries, sharing their wealth of knowledge with eager medical students and residents, and duking it out with administration as they advocate for patients in need?

• How to ace that locum tenens interview

  Tuesday, October 22, 2013

  Interviewing for a potential locum tenens engagement is different from doing so for a permanent position in that the speed of the process is different. Here are a few tips to help you interview by phone for locum tenens positions that, if you accept, will be a good fit for you, the organization and the patients you’ll serve.

• Food for thought: How are you perceived professionally?

  Tuesday, October 08, 2013

  Fair or not, we’re all judged based on how we present ourselves. Being perceived professionally goes way beyond the wardrobe we choose, however. In many cases, how we are viewed by others is based on more subtle factors.

• Self-care for the caregiver

  Wednesday, September 18, 2013

  ​Your middle-aged patient is slightly overweight with blood pressure and lipid levels that are both borderline and a lifestyle that’s contributing to all three concerns. He works long hours in a stressful job, doesn't exercise enough, and rarely gets what most people would consider a full night’s sleep.