Why aren't there more RT blogs?

Your Question: Why aren't there more RT blogs like yours.

My Answer: There are a few, as you can see by the "Links" tab above. However, many of those blogs have not been updated in so long that I might as well delete them from my list. This is unfortunate, but I think fear has a lot to do with it. In fact, I know of one blogger who was told to quit blogging or he would lose his job. He had the best RT blog ever. Okay? And now he's done because he didn't want to lose his job.

I don't know if you have ever noticed this or not, but sometimes I publish posts on this blog and then think better of it and hit the delete button.  I don't do this very often, but sometimes I have to act as editor and protect the real me from the writer me. I have a tendency to be non-politically correct and truthful, and, Lord knows, the truth can get you into trouble sometimes.

Of course, you might be thinking, "What about freedom of speech?" I think that freedom of speech gets overblown sometimes. There really is no such thing as freedom of speech in the respiratory therapy cave. I can't observe a certain situation at work and then write about it, and then publish it. I mean, I could if I tread carefully. I could if I stayed on the safe side of the line. But that line is invisible, so it's often hard to tell where exactly it is. So, it's better to play it safe and simply avoid these types of articles.

Which is unfortunate, I think. I think the world would be better served if people like me could be honest about what they see at their work. So many times I see something interesting. Something that worked good. Something that didn't go so good. Something that was rare. Something that happens a lot, and shouldn't. So many things I see that have to remain in my head, only to be forgotten to time.

HIPPA I think is good in a way. I think people should have some medical privacy if they want it. But I think the whole HIPPA thing also has been overblown and taken out of context to the extent that people have lost their jobs for no good reason because of it. And I also think it has been a disservice to the medical profession as a whole. So many times, for example, we package up a trauma and ship that person out, and then we never hear a peep about that patient again. What did we do right? What did we do wrong? What could have we done better? We will never know, because of that dumb law.

Actually, we shouldn't blame the law, per se. We should blame the sue happy people who ruined the healthcare system. I think the HIPPA law was the result of lawmakers saying, "We have to do something." Yet I always think that -- the way the founding fathers used to think, I believe -- is that government should leave making laws to the states and to the people, and it's best to do nothing than to do something stupid. And I think HIPPA was that something stupid that resulted from people thinking they just had to do something.

So, it is probably because of this law that you don't see more blogs like this. And it's also why you won't see an article written by me that is too overly honest about my job. That is why I almost have to take a humorous take on much of what is wrong with our job -- and there are a few things wrong, I'm sure you will agree. It's a great profession, but it's imperfect, and it's not our fault it's imperfect. But I think that laws prohibiting bloggers -- or at least scaring them away -- from telling on the job stories work to the detriment to the profession as a whole.

Thoughts?

How to create a successful blog

Your question:  You seem to have a pretty successful blog here.  Can you give some tips on how to start a blog and write good posts like you do?

My answer:  Thanks for the kind words.  There are a few keys to starting up a blog that I think other bloggers would agree with.

1.  Think of a pithy name for your blog that is relevant to your content.  For instance, I put "Respiratory Therapy" in my header so that it would come up in searches for "respiratory therapy."

2.  Create a header for your blog that will catch the eye of anyone who clicks on your blog and reveal what the blog is about.  You can actually create your own headers by going to Google documents, click on file, click on new, and click on drawing, and click on page set up.  In this space you will type in pixels the dimensions of your header.  These can be learned by right clicking on the top of your blog, clicking on "page elements" and the html of your header will appear, revealing the height and width of your header.  Type in these dimensions into "page set up."  Then you can go to Google images to to select pictures for you header, or take your own pictures.  You can then download the images to your header, separate into layers, crop as desired, and type in your blog name and subheading if desired.  Similar programs are also available on Microsoft Word and other programs you have to pay for, but this one is free and easy.

3.  Write content that is related to your blog name.  Since mine is about respiratory therapy, I try to make most of my content relative to respiratory therapy.  However, at times I expand this to medicine and hospital life in general.

4. Write a minimum of three posts every week.  If you write any less readers who discover your blog may lose interest.

5.  Keep posts pithy, which means that each post should only cover one subject.  Make a point, and, whenever possible, add your opinion to posts.  Surely people will come to your blog for facts, but they also want your opinion, which is the purpose of a blog.

6.  Tell people what they already know but never get to say or read about elsewhere.  Like Rush Limbaugh or not, what he does is tell conservatives what they already know and never get to read about in newspapers.  It is this approach that has made him the most listened to voice on radio.

7.  It's okay to write facts.  Facts are your friend. It's one thing to form opinions, but opinions based on facts are the most interesting and most reliable.

8.  It's okay to state your opinion, even if it's about politics:  While facts are important, people come to your blog to hear what you have to say about things. You can write about politics from time to time, and you can let people know what your political views are.  This will not throw people from your blog so long as you don't over do it.

9.  Keep old posts hot by linking to them:  Blogger makes it easy to link to older posts.  This also helps to keep your readers on your blog, making them more likely to come back and read more.

10. Link to other blogs, news items, studies, etc. that are relevant to your post.  This helps show your credibility and reliability.

11.  Use spelling and grammar checks:  You do not have to be excellent at grammar and spelling to be a good writer anymore.  All you have to do is use the tools that are available for free.  You can place your post on a Google document page, or you can just use the spell check provided by Blogger.  I recommend doing both.  Correct grammar and spelling sows you are serious. Besides, there are people who will tune you out if you have too many errors.

12.  Take the time and make the time  Take the time to sit down and write, especially when you have a good idea.  Keep a notepad on you at all times so you can write down your ideas and don't have access to your key board.  Then make the time when all your other chores are concluded and write.

RT Cave Facebook Page
RT Cave on Twitter