The Pen is Mightier Than the Stethoscope

This post is sponsored by Zebra Pens. All thoughts and opinions are my own, not those of my employer, past or present, or any other organization with which I may be affiliated.

What’s one thing I never leave for work without? A pen! I’m excited to begin my day with two of my favorite ballpoint pens by Zebra Pen. Whether I’m taking notes from patient interviews or writing prescriptions, I know I’ll be doing it in style with my STEEL F-701® and STEEL F-301® Ballpoint Retractable Pens.

Adorned with a crisp white coat and some fresh new ballpoint pens, I’m ready to start my day. Learn how you can Choose Different and have a pen that is beyond a pen but a statement.  The first thing I do when I arrive at work is review all the data for the patients I will be caring for that day. This data includes vital signs, nursing reports, blood test reports, imaging studies, and any other relevant information for the patients I will be evaluating.

When I care for patients who do not have access to health insurance, I must write prescriptions by hand. This way, the prescription will be good at any local pharmacy—even if the patient is not enrolled within an electronic medical record system.

Essential tools of the trade: Business cards, stethoscope, prescription pad, ID badge, pager, and of course— ballpoint pens by Zebra Pen!

Once I’ve reviewed all the necessary data, I grab all my equipment and head off to rounds. During this time, I go room to room and visit all of my patients in the hospital. Each visit entails conducting a thorough interview where I asked detailed questions about symptoms. After this, I perform a physical examination where I listen carefully to the heart and lungs, examine the abdomen, and sometimes perform more specialized examination maneuvers if needed. Then, I update patients and their families about the plan of care.

After rounds, its back to the office where I work behind-the-scenes to make sure all my patients get the care they need. During this time, I put in orders for nurses to carry out, I write prescriptions for medications, and if needed, I will get on the phone with specialists like nutritionists, physical therapists, and surgeons to help coordinate care among the different disciplines. All in all, these tasks make for a busy afternoon. Having my trusty STEEL F-701® Pen by Zebra Pen helps me get the job done efficiently. Check them out yourself on Zebra Pen’s website and use the code “MikeMuellner25” for 25% off!

I’ve been practicing medicine as an internal medicine doctor for six years. The job is certainly not without its challenges. There are hectic schedules and no shortage of late nights on the job. But one thing’s for sure, I will always consider it a privilege to be present with patients and their families as they deal with serious illness. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.