Debbie Moore-Black

United States

I am an ICU RN X 30 years. Come visit my Facebook blog 'Do Not Resuscitate'. and: Facebook blog: 'The Sordid Nurse', KevinMD

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Articles

Improving patient encounters: time-saving strategies for physicians [PODCAST]

2 weeks ago | kevinmd.com | Debbie Moore-Black |Bonnie Friedman |Sara L. Merwin |Michele Luckenbaugh

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!Endocrinologist Michael Morkos discusses his article “Mastering the art of efficient patient encounters: tips for physicians.” Michael shares practical strategies for optimizing the patient encounter to enhance both efficiency and patient satisfaction.
What money can’t fix: the scars left by a friend

2 months ago | kevinmd.com | Debbie Moore-Black |Curtis Gattis |Wes campbell |Timothy Byars

I stood at the check-in counter of my physician’s office, waiting for my yearly physical. Beside me, another patient was checking in. I recognized her instantly. It was Denise—my childhood best friend. And yet, I couldn’t bring myself to say hello. We had spent our childhoods side by side—playing Barbies, cheerleading, swimming at the neighborhood pool. Every single day. She wasn’t just a friend; she was my safe place. We stayed close all through high school, best friends through and through.
A retired ICU nurse's brunch conversation sparks a life-changing moment

2 months ago | kevinmd.com | Debbie Moore-Black |Jay Wong |Seth Rabinowitz |Robert Smith

We were a team. Always had been. Always would be. We defended each other, protected each other—from management, from nurse bullies, from the cruel ICU doctors who thought they ruled the world. Back in the day, we had our own kind of “therapy sessions”—long talks over coffee, unloading the weight of twelve-hour shifts, of lives saved and lost, of the battles fought in the trenches of critical care. But life had gotten busy, and we hadn’t had one of those talks in months. It was Gail’s birthday.
Wisdom for new nurses: lessons from a 30-year ICU veteran

Feb 17, 2025 | kevinmd.com | Debbie Moore-Black |Seth Rabinowitz |Janice Phillips |Katie Boston-Leary

Dear new nurse graduate,Welcome to a world unlike any other—a world brimming with happiness, sadness, confusion, self-doubt, defeat, and heroism. You’ve just stepped onto the first rung of a ladder that reaches into the unknown. Nursing is not easy, and there will be countless moments when you ask yourself, “What was I thinking?” or “Why did I choose this path?”But nursing isn’t just a job; it’s a lifelong journey, a calling. It will demand everything from you—mind, body, and soul.
Finding freedom through gratitude and resilience

Feb 5, 2025 | kevinmd.com | Debbie Moore-Black |Jimmy Chen |Ami Shah |Riya Sood

The sun was out, casting a warm glow over the world as the snow melted into slush. The air was crisp, invigorating, as I leashed up my pups for their morning half-mile walk. Today, I had an extra companion, another pup I was babysitting, turning my duo into a trio. As we strolled, I couldn’t help but feel grateful. My health—both physical and mental—was intact, and I knew how fortunate I was.
How a nurse's journey through trauma inspires hope and kindness

Jan 20, 2025 | kevinmd.com | Debbie Moore-Black |Michele Luckenbaugh |Alexander B. Camp |Barbara Olson

A former ICU nurse and close friend told me tonight that she wanted to start the new year on a positive note. I nodded, trying to absorb her optimism, but deep down, it felt like an impossible belief to hold onto. Earlier in the evening, I finished watching Selena: The Series on Netflix. Tears streamed down my face, not just for Selena but for all those whose greatness was taken too soon. JFK. Robert Kennedy. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X. Medgar Evers. John Lennon. Selena.
The untold story of a nurse's final shift after 47 years of service

Jan 5, 2025 | kevinmd.com | Debbie Moore-Black

I was on the phone with my sister when I thought I heard a knock at the door. Then another. My dogs barked, and I told her, “Don’t hang up.” My chest tightened. Nightmares of someone coming for me flashed through my mind—a stranger lurking in the dark. After more than 40 years as a nurse, transitioning from the chaos of the ER to the intensity of the ICU, I thought I was ready for something different, something less physically demanding as I neared retirement.
Abused and broken: her fight for survival in a behavioral health unit

Nov 18, 2024 | kevinmd.com | Debbie Moore-Black |Martin Lustick |Mitchell Berger |Timothy Hoff

It was that bewitching hour. 0300. Behavioral health unit/behavioral health intensive care unit. She was a small young woman. Her eyes appeared black as coal, as if her soul had been sucked out repeatedly. There were bruises around her eyes, black and blue punch marks up and down her arms. Several superficial cuts on her forearm—self-destruction. She was quiet, almost invisible. She wanted to sit in the corner of her bed, curled up in a fetal position. He was so charming.
Go quiet into the night

Oct 13, 2024 | thegooddeathsocietyblog.net | Debbie Moore-Black

(This article was first published on KevinMD and is used with permission. The author, Debbie Moore-Black, is an RN who has worked in the ICU for over 30 years. She created her blog to share nursing stories, offer ideas to improve care, discuss dilemmas facing patients and healthcare providers, provide a little humor, and offer opinions and insight on dying and dignity.
Why prayers alone couldn't save my friend from cancer

Oct 11, 2024 | kevinmd.com | Debbie Moore-Black |Susan Levenstein |Robert Pearl |Michael Millenson

I was raised in the Catholic Church. The solemn, reserved, respectful quiet as the priest whispered out his occasional reverent chants. That’s what I knew. That was the only thing I grew to love of the Catholic faith. This friend of mine. We met years ago by happenstance. She was a firm believer in God, her husband, her dog, her daughters, and her Christian novels that she read feverishly. She also loved social media.