Healthcare Careers

Online Nursing Program

2011-08-26T09:03:00.001-04:00

Check out Excelsior College for an online nursing program with an excellent reputation!

http://www.excelsior.edu/school-of-nursing

Anatomy and Physiology Guide!

2011-08-23T20:55:00.000-04:00

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Advice From Snopes

2010-03-03T09:06:00.000-05:00

Advice From Snopes

By now, I suspect everyone is familiar with www.snopes.com and/orwww.truthorfiction.com for determining whether information received via email is just that: true/false or fact/fiction. Both are excellent sites. Below is their advice for us.

Advice from Snopes.Com

1) Any time you see an E-Mail that says forward this on to '10' of your friends, sign this petition, or you'll get bad luck, good luck, or whatever, it almost always has an E-Mail tracker program attached that tracks the cookies and E-Mails of those folks you forward to. The host sender is getting a copy each time it gets forwarded and then is able to get lists of 'active' E-Mails addresses to use in SPAM E-Mails, or sell to other spammers.

2) Almost all E-Mails that ask you to add your name and forward on to others are similar to that mass letter years ago that asked people to send business cards to the little kid in Florida who wanted to break the Guinness Book of Records for the most cards. All it was, and all any of this type of E-Mail is, a way to get names and ' cookie' tracking information for telemarketers and spammers - - to validate active E-Mail accounts for their own profitable purposes.

You can do your friends and family members a GREAT favor by sending this information to them; you will be providing a service to your friends, and will be rewarded by not getting thousands of spam E-Mails in the future!

If you have been sending out (FORWARDING) the above kinds of E-Mail, now you know why you get so much SPAM!

Do yourself a favor and STOP adding your name(S) to those types of listings regardless how inviting they might sound!

You may think you are supporting a GREAT cause, but you are NOT in the long run. Instead, you will be getting tons of junk mail later! Plus, we are helping the spammers get rich! Let'sstop making it easy for them!

Also: E-Mail petitions are NOT acceptable to Congress or any other organization. To be acceptable, petitions must have a signed signature and full address of the person signing the petition.

BEFORE 'FORWARDING' ANYTHING YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED, CLEAN THE TOP OFF WHICH HAS E-MAIL ADDRESSES OF EVERYWHERE IT'S BEEN, THEN USE THE 'BCC' ADDRESS BOX TO PROTECT ALL THOSE YOU FORWARD TO, PLEASE.

Medical Transcriptionist

2010-02-26T12:55:00.000-05:00

If you're looking to switch careers, you might consider becoming a medical transcriptionist. This is someone who interprets and transcribes dictation by healthcare professionals. There are many benefits to a career in this field. For instance, you can, in many cases, work out of your own home at your own pace. Also, the demand for jobs is pretty high right now, provided you know what you're doing. Most professionals seeking out a transcription service prefer someone who has been through training at a community college or trade school and has some work experience.

Besides the proper training, you'll need the proper equipment. Since a medical transcriptionist listens to dictated information using a recording device and headset, you'll need to purchase these items. A foot peddle is also necessary to start and stop the recording device and the information you gather will have to be entered onto a computer or word processor. You will also need medical and pharmaceutical directories since you'll be expected to know the proper terminology. If any words or phrases are unfamiliar to you, it will be your responsibility to look them up in one of the aforementioned reference books. You should know the principles of basic grammar and be able to spell check and proof read your own work. Since you'll be transcribing dictated information, you'll also need to be a good listener.

Whether you're working through a medical transcription service or on your own as an independent contractor, the type of clients you have will probably include doctor's offices, hospitals, free clinics and rehab centers. You'll be transcribing any number of documents including patient histories, autopsy reports, referral letters, consultation reports and other medical records.

If you're interested in becoming a medical transcriptionist, you must first get the proper education. Courses in this field are available at colleges, trade schools and even online. Most programs take about two years and some require you to work an internship at a medical facility. Further information regarding a career in this rewarding field can be gathered at the library or on the Internet. Good luck!

Source: Free Articles

Jobs in Nursing Homes

2010-02-20T17:07:00.003-05:00

The Future Of Nursing: Nursing Home Jobs

By: Rita Henry

According to the Occupational Outlook guide, the nursing profession is among the fastest growing of all career paths. Within nursing, the single specialty expected to grow by leaps and bounds is gerontology. The aging of the baby boomers has increased the average age of the typical patient. According to one survey, patients over 65 make up 60 percent of adult primary visits, 48 percent of inpatient hospital admissions and 85 percent of nursing home residents. By the year 2020 - less than 15 years from now - a study from Occupational Health and Safety Administration predicts that the need for registered nurses in nursing homes will increase 66%, for licensed practical and vocational nurses by 72% and the need for certified nursing assistants will increase by 69%. For nurses working in home health settings - which include ‘managed care' nursing home settings - those numbers are even higher - well above 250% increase in nurses needed at every level of licensing.

In other words, if you're planning a career in nursing or are already a nurse, there are thousands of jobs available for you in nursing homes and chronic care facilities. The face of geriatric nursing has also changed considerably over the past decades. If your image of a nursing home is one of bleak halls and hopeless, helpless patients, then a visit to many of today's nursing homes will offer an unexpected and pleasant surprise.

Nursing Home Jobs In the New Millennium

This generation of seniors is more active and more determined than any other that has come before them. It's led to major changes in the practice of long term elder care. If you decide that a nursing home job is for you, here are some of the options that you can explore.

On Site Nurse in Senior Housing

Many seniors don't need round the clock nursing care, but do need some nursing supervision. Senior housing communities often have an on-site nurse who is available to help residents with medication problems, take care of routine medical care and be available in case of an emergency. The nurse on site will also often consult with doctors who work with individual residents to help manage any medical care that they need. The pay scale is generally quite good, and the hours closer to a regular work week than in many other geriatric nursing jobs.

Continuing Care Retirement Community Nursing Jobs

Unlike traditional nursing homes, residents of CCRCs have and maintain their own apartments with whatever support they require to remain as independent as possible. Nursing job opportunities in CCRCs range from managed care nursing similar to the duties of a head nurse in a hospital to providing personal care to individual residents. CCRCs offer opportunities for skilled nursing care, medical case management and licensed practical nursing.

Rehabilitation Facilities

Not all nursing homes cater to long-term geriatric patients. As hospital costs have risen, the trend has been to discharge patients to rehab facilities and convalescent homes rather than keep them in the hospital until they're ready to go home. Nurses in rehab facilities and convalescent homes get to be part of the recovery process, and many take great pride and joy in watching a patient advance and recover. Convalescent home jobs include charge nurses, floor nurses and nursing assistants as well as physical and occupational therapy specialists.

Traditional Nursing Home Jobs

Even traditional nursing homes are far different than they were a few decades ago. A nurse specializing in gerontology in a nursing home can expect to work with patients in the long term. The jobs available range from head nurses for an entire facility through floor charge nurses who are responsible for overseeing the care and medical needs of one wing or floor and certified nursing assistants who do much of the hands on nursing care.

About the Author

Rita Henry is a contributing editor for Nursing Job Finder, the leading job and resource site for the Nursing Industry. Interested in receiving only the hottest Nursing job listings weekly for free? To learn more visit Nursing Job Finder.

(ArticlesBase SC #33101)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - The Future Of Nursing: Nursing Home Jobs

Police: Nurse Betty not really a nurse

2009-08-07T14:13:00.002-04:00

Don't try this at home......

Norwalk (WTNH) - A woman that worked as a registered nurse, administering medication and doling out advice to patients at a Norwalk doctor's office, has been charged with posing as a nurse.

Betty Lichtenstein, also known as Betty Trudel, 56, worked for Dr. Gerald Weiss.
Police began investigating Lichtenstein back in March 2009 after a patient complained that she was acting unprofessionally. They found out that she had never been licensed to practice nursing.

Lichtenstein even went so far to fool her employer that she staged a dinner honoring herself as 'Nurse of the Year', hosted by the Connecticut Nursing Association. Police say she paid more $2,000 of her own money for the dinner and that the Connecticut Nursing Association does not exist.

Illegal use of the title 'registered nurse' is a felony. Lichtenstein has also been charged with reckless endangerment and criminal impersonation.

Back in May, she was arrested by Norwalk Police in an unrelated case and charged with illegally obtaining prescription drugs and forgery. That case is pending in Norwalk Superior Court.

Elder Rights Protection CONSUMER ALERTS

2009-08-07T10:43:00.004-04:00

Connecticut Better Business Bureau Warns Consumers about Chimney Cleaning Con Game(Press Release)

Dishonest Operators Use Fear, High Pressure Tactics and Lowball Estimates to Cheat Consumers

Wallingford, CT - July 23, 2009 - In light of the recent arrest of two New York men who tried to cheat a Milford homeowner, Connecticut Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about chimney cleaning scams.
The arrests followed an investigation by the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), which alleges the men turned a $39.95 chimney cleaning estimate into a recommendation for $3,200 in unnecessary repairs. Charges against the pair ranged from impersonating home contractors to performing work without a license.

According to Connecticut Better Business Bureau President, Paulette Scarpetti, this is not a new scam, and the intervention by DCP shows its potential to cheat consumers. "When a contractor tells you that your life is in danger or part of your home needs urgent repairs to prevent serious damage, your first instinct is to protect yourself and your property.Unlicensed and dishonest contractors often use fear tactics to turn routine maintenance into an unnecessary costly and potentially unsafe job."

Chimney cleaning fraud usually starts with a postcard, flyer, an unsolicited telephone call or e-mail and an unusually low price, typically around $40.00.Once the scammers perform an inspection, they may say that there is structural damage, problems with the chimney cap (also known as a spark arrester), and may even bring in dead birds or chunks of concrete to illustrate the "problems."They often claim there is a carbon monoxide leak or that the chimney liner needs replacing.Chimney liners cost thousands of dollars, and some con artist contractors may replace a perfectly good liner with one that may not even fit properly, or only line part of the chimney.

Connecticut Better Business Bureau offers the following advice to consumers to prevent them from becoming victims of chimney cleaning fraud:Don't be taken in by low prices:An inspection usually costs $75 dollars; the cleaning is another $150 and should take about an hour. No reputable chimney cleaner will do an inspection and cleaning for $40.

Protect yourself from being pushed or frightened into immediate action:A chimney carbon monoxide leak is extremely rare. There are instruments to measure this. If they make this claim, ask them to prove it.Ask for documentation:Check to see that the company is licensed and insured.You can check to see if it has a history of complaints by checking their Reliability Report at www.bbb.org.

In some cities and towns, the local fire department may provide free chimney inspections.How often does a fireplace chimney need to be cleaned? If it is used more than three times a week it should be done every year. One clear sign that it needs attention is if soot falls from the damper when it is opened. Once you have reputable experts doing the job, they also can tell you whether your furnace chimney needs cleaning.

The independence of many elderly is threatened by abusive situations ranging from financial exploitation to severe neglect. For others, independence is hindered by limited financial resources, disability, and lack of information on rights and benefits. To help address these issues, the federal government’s Administration on Aging administers a number of Vulnerable Elder Rights Programs operated through the State Unit on Aging (Aging Services Division of the CT Department of Social Services) that provide important protections against threats to the independence, well being, and financial security of seniors.
From time to time you will be receiving consumer alerts from Aging Service’s Elder Rights Protection Programs including CHOICES SMP (educating and empowering seniors to identify, prevent and report health care related fraud and abuse), Prevention of Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation (training how to recognize and respond to elder abuse; supporting outreach and education campaigns to increase public awareness of elder abuse and how to prevent it and supporting the efforts of state and local elder abuse prevention coalitions); and Legal Assistance Developer (developing and coordinating the state’s legal services and elder rights programs to ensure consistent service and quality results). We ask that you provide your widest dissemination of these Alerts to persons or programs of interest that may not otherwise be on our distribution list

Freelance Health Writer- How to Become One

2009-08-06T11:13:00.002-04:00

From: http://ezinearticles.com/?Freelance-Health-Writer---How-to-Become-One&id=1459568

Freelance health writers can be found anywhere. With just a simple search in Google, you will find some freelance health writers in an instant. The question is, "Are those freelance health writers capable of doing the job"? In finding a technical writer there are factors to consider. You can`t just hire someone who prefers to write about technology to work on your health article.
Anybody can be a writer and everyone has his own specialty in writing. To be a freelance health writer, you need to have at least the basic idea about the human body and health. You cannot do writings for health related topics if you don`t value your health. As we all know that writing reflects oneself.

Most workload for a freelance health writer is going to be on how to become physically fit. Are you physically fit to be a freelance writer? Research is not enough in becoming a writer. You have to do your part, enjoy physical fitness and apply it on your writings.
Know the basics of how to get fit. This requires a lot of reading, working, and research, but will help you in writing health articles. Magazines, books and articles are available for you to read and gain knowledge.
Just like any other writers, freelance health writers are valuable. Becoming the fittest writer may be hard, but as a writer is it your job to be dynamic to your requirements. So if you want to be a health writer, be fit.
If you want to know more about Freelance Writing Career then feel free to visit http://www.uniquearticle.net
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jitesh_Arora

Professional Geriatric Care Manager

2009-04-15T12:45:00.005-04:00

A Professional Geriatric Care Manager is a human service professional who specializes in assisting elders and their families with decisions and planning for an integrated and coordinated approach to dignified living.

A Professional Geriatric Care Manager is trained and experienced in assessment, coordination, monitoring, and direct delivery of care management services.

A Professional Geriatric Care Manager receives referrals from family members, physicians, attorneys, bank trust officers, financial planners, hospitals, other medical facilities, conservators, community agencies, home care agencies, and corporate employee assistance programs.

Contact Elder Caring LLC for more information about Geriatric Care Management

33 Old Pawson RoadP.O. Box 917Branford, CT 06405-5130

Areas Served: Connecticut: Branford, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Milford, New Haven, North Haven and Wallingford

Phone: 203-214-0928Fax: 203-458-2988

2009-04-15T12:44:00.001-04:00

This is a test

New England Home Care April Newsletter

2009-04-13T14:34:00.003-04:00

New England Home Care Website

Home Care

2009-03-30T13:52:00.006-04:00

“My view you know is that the ultimate destination is the nursing of the sick in their own homes.”

- Florence Nightingale 1867

Click Here for More Information

National Social Work Month

2009-03-16T14:16:00.001-04:00

Nursing Students Participate in Blessing of the Hands

2009-03-12T13:26:00.000-04:00

Posted on 11.MAR.09

Nursing students enrolled at Piedmont Technical College are being prepared not only in mind, but in spirit through a recent Blessing of the Hands service, presented by the Pastoral Services Department of Self Regional Healthcare.

The purpose of today is to remind you that what you do is sacred, said Chaplain Steve Lemons, director.

The non-denominational ceremony was for all first year students.

This is a wonderful starting point to teach them about the caring side of nursing, said Holisa Wharton, instructor and organizer. You can't go into nursing without faith. You can't try to help the body without helping the spirit.

Students were welcomed by the members of the Pastoral Services Department with prayers and audience participation activities.

Holy God, as oil was used as a base for medicine in ancient times, we ask you to bless our use of this oil today, said Chaplain Bob Albert. May its texture remind us that the soothing work of our hands is also pleasing to you.

Following the prayer, students were invited to participate in the anointing ceremony. Chaplains anointed each student's hands with the oil and said a prayer of blessing. Lemons then reminded students of the importance of compassion in their chosen field.

You start out with a heart and compassion for the people. You will be tempted to become institutionalized, he said. It is up to you to keep your heart tender and remember you have a calling.

Students left the ceremony with a new appreciation of the nursing profession and what is required of them.

This ceremony brings us together in a creative way to unite us with our hands because they are important in what we're doing, said Daniel Bange from Ward. It makes us sit down and think about the career we have chosen.

I felt the spirit, said Annie McGee from Newberry. They shared a lot of things today - caring, love and compassion and being a nurse -being part of the healing.

from greenwood today

Learn the Basics on Chiropractic Schools and Careers

2009-03-12T09:16:00.002-04:00

The word “chiropractic” comes from the Greek meaning “done by hand”. It sprang up in 1895 in an era in which modern medicine was very much a fledgling and scores of alternative healing practices were being advanced and promoted. Chiropractic is a health care approach and profession that emphasizes diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine. Chiropractic was officially started by a Canadian, David D. Palmer, from Port Perry, Ontario who was by training a “magnetic healer” and living in Davenport, Iowa at the time. The mechanical disorder of the musculoskeletal system affects general health via the nervous system. It is generally considered to be complementary and alternative medicine, a description that many chiropractors reject. It is often holistic and often touts the fact that the body is self-healing and usually doesn’t need drugs or surgery. The main treatment involves manual therapy. It includes manipulation of the spine, other joints, and soft tissue. Spinal manipulation allegedly unblocks nerves so the body can heal itself. Also, the treatment includes exercises and health lifestyle counseling. Chiropractic seems like a materialistic version of Chinese acupuncture that uses needles. In chiropractic, hands and fingers are used in manipulating nerves rather than the flow of chi in acupuncture.

For More Information, Visit medschoolsphere.com

Ten healthcare fields that can't wait to hire you.

2009-03-11T15:09:00.002-04:00

From answerfaqs.com

Healthcare is one of the hottest career fields in America today. The aging and retiring of the largest population segment in the country, known as 'baby boomers', has left the healthcare industry racing to find enough employees to fill the void. Advances in medical technology and treatment are causing people to live longer as well. Add the fact many universities and colleges don't have enough teachers to train new employees; there becomes a ripe market for healthcare careers. You would be amazed as to how many types of healthcare careers there are available. This article will discuss three main categories; patient care, non-patient care and operations.
We'll also discuss an amazing new trend with tremendous opportunity ' home health.

Three main healthcare jobs in the category of patient care are nursing, medical assisting and dental hygiene.

Nursing consists mainly of direct patient care, but this can take place in a hospital, private doctor's office, or an institution like a school, ski resort or cruise ship. With additional education or experience, some nurses become nurse managers, shift supervisors, epidemiologists, or counsel to insurance companies and law offices.

Medical assistants primarily provide patient care; performing routine medical functions to free up the time of the doctor. In the past, some of these medical services could only be provided by doctors. Medical assistants administer medication, take vital signs and update medical history.
Dental hygienists perform a similar function to medical assistants, only in a dentist's office. A hygienist will clean teeth, advise patients on proper dental health and assist dentists with more complex procedures. The outlook for this profession is excellent, with demand far outpacing supply.

Many non-patient care positions also exist in the healthcare field.

Medical coding is one such profession. Medical coders must know terminology and how to read a patient's chart. They update medical records every time a patient receives healthcare. Some upward mobility is available in management. Many people secure a job as a coder as a way to subsidize further medical education.

Medical office administration is another healthcare position that doesn't involve patient care. These positions answer phones, coordinate with hospitals and check in/out patients. Moves to office management or medical coding/billing are advancement opportunities. Some people also use this position to further their education.

Healthcare institutions are a large employer of operational positions as well.
Information technology professionals are in strong demand since hospitals utilize state of the art databases to store patient's medical and billing records. Database administrators and web programmers are a vital part of a hospital's daily operations.

Medical billing and administration is another key component of healthcare operations. Medical facilities hire for billing positions, collections and administrative support. Special courses / experience are required in medical terminology and billing to obtain these types of jobs.

A rapidly growing sector of healthcare where all of these positions are required is that of home health. In the next six years, Medicare funding of home healthcare is expected to double. Over 7.6 million patients are being treated at home for both long term and short term care. Home healthcare is considered by the medical field and health insurers to be the most cost effective, humane and compassionate method of care.

The shortage of experienced healthcare workers in the United States is creating a boom for people who want to enter this field. There are many career options including positions that involve patient care and those that don't. The current shortage of employees has created excellent starting salaries, generous benefits and signing bonuses.

For more information on how you can get the proper training, go here www.top-colleges.com.

‘Giving kisses’: Hamilton resident publishes a book on caring for Alzheimer’s victims

2009-03-11T09:49:00.002-04:00

By Stephanie Silverstein / ssilvers@cnc.com
Tue Mar 10, 2009, 05:26 PM EDT
from wickedlocal.com

Hamilton -
Hamilton resident Barbara Smith did not always have a close relationship with her mother. Growing up in New York City with a mother who worried provided challenges that teenagers are typically faced with.

As Smith grew up, moved to New England, and started her own family, her relationship with her mother, Sarah Smith, grew stronger. Toward the end of Sarah’s life, the pair were as close as could be.

Sarah had developed Alzheimer’s disease, and Barbara did everything she could to make her mother’s life the best it could be during her eight-year battle with the disease. Now, Barbara is sharing her experience and knowledge with other caregivers in her recently published book “Still Giving Kisses: A Guide to Helping and Enjoying the Alzheimer’s Victim You Love.”

“My book is a combination of the story of her earlier life, but also the transition into developing Alzheimer’s and what to expect in the different stages,” Barbara said.

The book describes ways to change the victim’s environment, such as adapting the living space to be more safe and comfortable, including removing matches and candles and disabling appliances. Barbara prepared food for her mother that did not involve cooking, such as sandwiches and raw vegetables.

Behavioral interventions are described in the book, as well. For example, if the victim is living in an assisted living facility and is unhappy, saying they do not want to live there and hate it there, the caregiver should redirect them, saying something like, “Let’s go for a walk right now, and we’ll talk about that later.”

Barbara, an occupational therapist, drew on her own knowledge that could be applied and read several books about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia before writing her book. In it, she includes an annotated bibliography of her favorite books on the subject that give different types of information and perspectives.

“It’s mainly for caregivers,” Barbara said. A caregiver is someone, such as a spouse, who takes care of their loved one, or is someone who visits the victim regularly and advocates for them. “It’s also written for healthcare professionals, or paraprofessionals like nurses aides who work in assisted living, home care, nursing homes, and senior centers.”

Sarah began developing Alzheimer’s disease while living in Connecticut. Barbara arranged for her to move closer so she could care for her and visit her more easily. Sarah moved to Heritage At Danvers, and then to a nursing home in Beverly, where she died at the age of 86 last April.
“I got the idea of writing this book during the last five years because I felt that so much happened. I developed so many activities and all the information, my experiences, I thought would be helpful for other people,” Barbara said.

When Sarah first moved into the nursing home, she spent a lot of time alone. Barbara put together a book with large print song lyrics so her mother could sit and sing, keeping her mind occupied when there was no other form of social stimulation. She also wrote a story for her mother, the story of Sarah Smith. Each page described a part of Sarah’s life.

“At first, she knew it was about her,” Barbara said. Then, she read it and seemed to be learning something new. “When she read this, it put material in her mind, something to think about.”
Barbara said her mother loved when she read the story to her.
“She felt like she was learning about herself,” Barbara said.

She made a point to incorporate Sarah’s religion into her every day life, as her mother had always done.

“I paid of lot of attention to try and help the facilities provide the Jewish culture that she really wanted,” Barbara said. “I wanted her to be happy and enjoy whatever simulation she related to and enjoyed.”

Barbara said people with Alzheimer’s disease have difficulty learning anything new, so they are more comfortable and become involved with activities more easily if they are already familiar to them.

“Even though this is a depressing topic, I wrote my book and I have created presentations that are uplifting, and hopefully fun,” Barbara said. “There are positives aspects to the whole experience. People who have loved ones with Alzheimer’s don’t choose to become involved with Alzheimer’s. If you’re like me, and you have no choice, you should turn it into a positive experience.”

For more information about Barbara Smith’s upcoming courses and presentations, or to purchase the book, visit http://www.barbarasmithoccupationaltherapist.com/.

Upcoming events for caregivers

Barbara Smith will be presenting at Woodbridge Assisted Living, 240 Lynnfield St., Peabody at 6:30 p.m. on March 12. To register, call Doreen Tanzella at 978-532-4411.
Smith will be presenting at the Rosewood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 22 Johnson St., West Peabody, on April 16 at 6:30 p.m. To register, call 866-747-2263.
Smith is scheduled to teach a course for caregivers at Salem State College, beginning March 24. For more information, visit www.salemstate.edu.

Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides

2009-03-10T09:38:00.003-04:00

By Brad J Jones
As other healthcare careers, jobs for occupational therapy assistants and aides are expected to rise significantly in the near future with the increasing demand for rehabilitation services and long term care. These jobs available in various healthcare firms in the United States provide occupational therapy professionals with the opportunity to enhance their knowledge, gain valuable experience and improve their lifestyle.

Eligibility Requirements
To become an occupational therapy assistant, candidates must have an associate degree or a certificate from a recognized institution (school/college) along with a pass certificate in the national certification exam. In addition to a high school diploma, OT aides must have strong interpersonal skills and a desire to help people. Normally, they receive instructions on the job.

Duties of Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides
With the essential educational requirements, candidates can look for part time, full time, long term, short term, temporary, permanent or traveling jobs in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, institutions, nursing clinics and residential care facilities. OT assistants and aides provide rehabilitation services to individuals with developmental, physical, emotional and mental impairments and help them regain their abilities under the supervision of licensed occupational therapists. OT assistants help the patients with rehabilitation programs and exercises specified by occupational therapists. Occupational therapy aides are responsible for assembling the equipment used during treatment. They do all clerical tasks, which involves filling out insurance forms, restocking or ordering depleted supplies, answering the telephone, scheduling appointments and other paperwork. As they are not licensed, they are restricted from doing as many different duties as OT assistants.

Comprehensive Benefit Package
Common benefits for assistant therapists and aides include:
• Professional liability insurance• Continuing education• High lucrative salary plus bonus• Section 125 Cafeteria plan• Paid housing• Health and life insurance• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan• Short-term disability insurance

Now, a number of recruiting agencies help both locally trained and internationally trained candidates to find preferred jobs in the therapy sector. These agencies assist the foreign candidates in obtaining the necessary immigration clearance, licensing and work visa. Candidates, who are looking to broaden their skills and experience, can grab these jobs by registering their names with these firms online.

From jobs.resumecandidate.com

Breaking Down Obama's Health Care Cuts

2009-03-02T10:18:00.001-05:00

By Ken Terry February 27th, 2009 @ 2:45 pm

Under President Obama’s budget proposal, about half of the money required to fund his $634 billion “reserve fund” for health reform would come from changes in Medicare and Medicaid spending. Jacob Goldstein of the WSJ Health Blog has dug up a detailed list of these projected savings from 2010-2019 in the budget plan. The biggest savings ($176.6 billion) would come from changing the current method of paying Medicare Advantage plans, which has resulted in CMS paying these insurers 14 percent more per beneficiary than it does for traditional fee-for-service Medicare.

Other major categories include “change Medicare home health payments” ($37.1 billion), ”reallocate Medicare and Medicaid improvement funds” ($23.9 billion), “increase and extend rebates on drugs purchased by Medicaid patients” ($19.5 billion), “bundle Medicare payments for hospital and post-hospital care” ($17.8 billion), “create ‘quality incentive payments’ for hospitals” ($12.1 billion), “allow FDA approval of generic biotech drugs” ($9.24 billion), and “drive down hospital readmission rates for Medicare patients” ($8.43 billion).

Attempts to limit home health care payments have been ongoing since the 1990s but have had little success in the long run. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) advised Congress not to give home health agencies a payment increase in 2009. In its report, MedPAC noted that after being cut radically in the 1997-2000 period, Medicare payments for home health care had risen 55 percent from $8.5 billion in 2000 to $13.2 billion in 2006. The number of home health agencies, which had a 15.4 percent average profit margin in 2006, rose from 6,881 to 9,227 during the same period.

A few other comments are also in order:
Experts like Robert Berenson of the Urban Institute have advocated bundling Medicare payments for hospital and post-acute care for years. Yet it remains an untried approach, with uncertain savings.

The same goes for driving down hospital readmission rates for Medicare patients. While readmissions result, in some cases, from poor inpatient care or inadequate discharge planning, it’s not clear how CMS will factor case-mix severity into financial penalties for readmissions.
FDA approval of generic biotech drugs is a great idea, considering that the brand-name equivalents can cost up to $200,000 annually per patient. But will it save the government nearly $1 billion a year?

As fascinating as this breakdown were some of the comments on the WSJ blog. Besides the expected predictions that insurers would dump Medicare HMOs and that investors would abandon biotech drug companies, there was a spirited debate about whether specialist physicians are paid too much. One Boston doctor weighed in with the sage observation that specialists deserve their high pay because of their extra training. “Comparing pediatrician to interventional radiologist is like comparing control tower operator to airline pilot,” he wrote.
In light of this denigration of primary care, it was interesting to read the excellent article in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine by Elliott Fisher, Julie Bynum, and Jonathan Skinner. Entitled “Slowing The Growth of Health Costs—Lessons From Regional Variation,” the commentary argues that if physicians across the country practiced more like their colleagues in San Francisco and Minnesota, and less like those in New York and Florida, we could easily get health costs under control. To do that, they point out, health care fragmentation must be reduced, and physicians must be paid differently. Of course, their prescription for reform would reduce specialist incomes, because volume would no longer be the basis of reimbursement, and primary-care physicians would have incentives not to refer patients unnecessarily. But in the long run, patients would be healthier because of better access to primary care and better coordination of care.

Tags: Payment, Patient, Medicare, Health Care, Healthcare..., Vertical Industries, Enterprise Software, Software, Ken Terry

From industry.bnet.com

Interesting Blog!

2009-01-23T09:18:00.003-05:00

Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative
The primary goal of the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI) program is to generate, disseminate and translate research to understand how nurses contribute to and can improve the quality of patient care. INQRI supports interdisciplinary teams of nurse scholars and scholars from other disciplines to address the gaps in knowledge about the relationship between nursing and health care quality

Visit Site

Are You Job Trendy?

2009-01-21T17:08:00.000-05:00

You heard me right. Are you up on the latest job fashion? And I don't mean interview or work attire... Meaning do you know what your job's trend is? There's another useful tool on SimplyHired.com that will help you in your job search called Employment Trends. This search tool helps you find the number of jobs throughout the nation in your particular field. For example, we did a trend on nursing jobs.

Now the results search listings from May 2007 to today. Here's what this graph shows:RN jobs increased 17%LPN jobs increased 55%CNA jobs increased 50%PN jobs decreased 21%LVN jobs increased 57%Nursing jobs increased 125%As you can see, not all job markets are decreasing. In fact, nursing is booming. Especially the LPN and CNA positions. Check out our Guide to Careers: Nursing Jobs post for more information on what the differences between RNs, LPNs and CNAs are.This is good information for both job seekers and recruiters to know what kind of availability is out there in your field, to stay in the know on your industry and to just see what the market looks like.Related Stories:
Ignite Your Job Search
Recession Recruiting: What to do when they cut the budget- Rosie Reilman

From southtexaslouisiana.blogspot.com

CDH offers scholarships for students pursuing healthcare careers

2009-01-21T14:56:00.001-05:00

By Staff reports
Suburban Life Publications
Mon Jan 19, 2009, 04:46 PM CST

Western suburbs, IL -
Central DuPage Hospital’s Auxiliary will be awarding scholarships to high school, college and graduate students interested in pursuing a career in healthcare.
Scholarships will be issued to students attending a college, university or graduate program in the fall of 2009. In order to qualify, applicants must document academic excellence, plan to pursue a career in healthcare and live within Central DuPage Hospital’s service area.
Scholarship guidelines and applications will be available online starting Sunday, Feb. 1, at www.cdh.org. The completed application, personal statement, transcripts and reference letters are due by Tuesday, March 31.
For more information about the scholarship program, leave a message at the CDH Auxiliary voicemail at (630) 933-4119 or TTY (630) 933-4833 and your call will be promptly returned.

From mysuburbanlife.com

New law requires free language services from HMOs

2009-01-21T08:28:00.000-05:00

By Hadley Leggett

Mercury News

Posted: 01/20/2009 12:15:00 AM PST

For millions of Californians who don't speak fluent English, visiting the doctor or pharmacist just got easier.

A groundbreaking new law requires California heath plans to offer free language services — by phone, video or on-site interpreter — for members who aren't proficient in English.

"We are the first state in the nation to have this kind of law," said Cindy Ehnes, director of the California Department of Managed Health Care. "And I believe this will fundamentally change the fabric of health care in California."

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, more than 40 percent of Californians speak a language other than English at home. Language issues are a huge barrier to health care access in this population, Ehnes said.

The new law, passed in 2003 but not fully implemented until Jan. 1, requires health plans to provide interpretation in doctors' offices, pharmacies and laboratories, as well as in administrative offices. Health plans must also translate official documents into languages that are spoken by a significant percentage of its members.

To ensure compliance with the new law, Ehnes says, the Department of Managed Health Care is using "secret shoppers" — government officials posing as patients — who will call for an appointment and request language services. Plans that don't comply may be subject to fines, she said.

Although many health plans will need to expand the language services

they offer, some say they will be unaffected by the new laws.

For instance, Kaiser Permanente has been providing comprehensive language services for years, said Gayle Tang, director of Kaiser's National Linguistic & Cultural Programs.

"Our approach is really going beyond simply having someone who speaks the language," Tang said. "We want to make sure people are not only fluent in the language but also culturally sensitive and appropriate."

Consumers say they are glad to hear about the new laws.

"Now I feel more comfortable seeing a non-Chinese-speaking doctor," said Kwan Choy, 81, who speaks Cantonese and lives in San Francisco. "I know there are some kinds of language-assistance programs in place."

Ehnes encourages anyone who might need language help to call the customer service line at their health plan.

"This is a law that every patient who is not English-proficient should actively embrace and use to improve the quality of their health care," she said.

If you're interested Anyone who has trouble accessing language services can complain to the Department of Managed Health Care, by calling (888) HMO-2219 or visiting www.hmohelp.ca.gov.

Contact Hadley Leggett at (408) 920-5064 or hleggett@mercurynews.com.

From mercurynews.com

Milford school nurse selected best in state

2009-01-20T14:09:00.001-05:00

From Connpost.comBy Noelle FramptonSTAFF WRITER

MILFORD -- A teenage girl cried hysterically down the hall. Another waited outside the office to talk about something personal, while still another received physical therapy in the next room.A voice came across the walkie-talkie: Two other students were outside, looking quite sick, but without passes."Just send them in," said Kathy Scarinzi, a public health nurse who's worked as school nurse at Foran High School since 1999.Scarinzi, an Orange resident, loves a challenge.

That's why she relishes each hectic day she spends at Foran, helping kids with ailments that range from minor cuts and the stomach flu to serious emotional and psychological issues.And perhaps that's why she's so respected by her peers that she was named Connecticut School Nurse of the Year by the statewide Association of School Nurses."This is like the highest honor you can get as a school nurse," she said, beaming. "I was totally shocked."

Since she came to Foran from Pumpkin Delight School, Scarinzi has made it her mission to foster respect and kindness, as well as physical health.One way she saw to do that was to start a Gay-Straight Alliance in 2002. With a social worker's help, she worked with students as alliance co-founder and is its adviser."I think we've done a good job "¦ because everybody's pretty nice to each other," she said, adding that the alliance has grown. "I just love my job. At the end of the day, you feel rewarded."

Students in the Foran alliance also helped Jonathan Law High School across town to start one, too, she said.With kind blue eyes and a ready smile, Scarinzi is a married mother of three grown children who's been a school nurse in Milford and Orange for roughly two decades. She wears a rainbow pin to signify solidarity with gay students and another that says, "Stop the name-calling."On her wall is a plaque stating, "You have the right to be yourself" and the waiting area and hallway are covered with posters illustrating issues like suicide, rape, drugs and safe sex."There's a lot of complex needs that have to be met," she said. "This [age] is when mental illness starts to rear its ugly head. Everyone is treated equally here. They know that it's a safe place -- you can talk about anything."

Scarinzi has written letters of recommendation for students, mentored younger nurses, taught about self-injurious behavior at Southern Connecticut State University, spoken at a statewide conference and more.President of the Milford school nurses union and recording secretary for the state association, she has testified to lawmakers about school nursing issues, advocating a certification requirement for school nurses."She's the smartest nurse I know," said her mentee, Foran school nurse Lisa Skawinski. "I haven't asked her a question she doesn't know the answer to."

Carla McNamara, the school nurse at Meadowside School, said she nominated Scarinzi for the award after planning to for years."I finally just put my foot down," McNamara said. "She deserves this. She goes above and beyond the call of duty. She just does so much, not only for the students at her school but for us, her colleagues. Any little thing that needs to be addressed, she will address it. Her office is a safe haven in the school for anyone."McNamara said she and others put together a portfolio of glowing letters from former co-workers and supervisors to include with the nomination form.Scarinzi brought a drug-prevention program to Foran in response to concern about drug use at the school, as well as inmates from York Correctional Institute to share their stories with preventative intent, her colleague said.

She will be honored Wednesday at a recognition ceremony in West Hartford.At least one person believes Scarinzi deserves an even higher honor. "You are the best nurse of America, not only of Connecticut," a Foran father from Pakistan told her in a thank-you voice mail.

CNA/ HHA Training New Haven, CT

2009-01-16T13:13:00.003-05:00

The Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut at 1 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven, is offering CNA/HHA training for people aged 55 and above!

You will be paid minimum wage as you attend this program, and learn the skills for a new career as well.

Contact Effie Nemat-Naficy,Program Manager, Senior Community Service Employment Program

203-752-3059

enaficy@aoapartnerships.org

Nursing students find community

2009-01-14T10:58:00.000-05:00

After reopening to address a statewide shortage of nurses, the program will send off its first graduating class since 1995 in spring 2010
Daniel Schonhaut, Bruin Contributor (Contact)
Published: Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Fifty-eight UCLA students currently enrolled in the School of Nursing are on track to graduate in 2010, constituting the first class of students to have completed the undergraduate nursing program since 1995.
The School of Nursing shut down its undergraduate nursing program over 13 years ago due to budget concerns.
The program was reopened in 2006 in response to a growing statewide nursing shortage of as many as 59,000 nurses, according to a 2007 UC San Francisco report.
“California ranks 49th in the nation in nursing-to-patient ratio,” said Lindsay Williams, president of Nursing Students of UCLA, a student group. “I think UCLA recognized the problem, and the late (School of Nursing) Dean Marie Cowan worked really hard to get the nursing program back up and running.”
Few specific changes have been made to the new program, but the school plans to focus more on “the wide use of technology in caring for our patients,” said Courtney Lyder, the current dean of the School of Nursing.
Lyder said that the main goal of the undergraduate nursing curriculum is still to provide a general education in nursing. The general education covers “the arts and science of providing quality care for patients.”
He added that admission into the reopened undergraduate program is “extremely competitive.”
Fifty-five students were admitted to the program last year out of a pool of about 1,700 applicants, Lyder said.
“I think that because our program is relatively small, our students get a lot of one-on-one attention from the faculty,” Lyder said.
“They receive a good foundation in both the liberal arts and sciences, as well as how these are applied to actual patients. It’s a much more intimate learning experience than they would get with other, larger majors.”
Williams, a third-year nursing student, said she agrees.
“The level of support that you get from the School of Nursing is different from any other major,” she said. “I’ve taken chemistry and life sciences and it’s really competitive because everyone is trying to get at one thing and that’s the way they structure the class.”
Williams said that in nursing, “The competition was to get into the program, but once you’re in they want you to succeed.”
“We have small classes that we all take at the same time, so there’s a real sense of collaboration with everyone else,” she said.
The 2010 nursing class is currently preparing to participate in clinical internships, which begin next quarter. They will work intensive 12-hour shifts in hospitals alongside experienced nurses, said third-year nursing student Lindsay Sandberg.
Sandberg described the undergraduate nursing curriculum as “challenging, but worthwhile.”
“It’s not easy to be in all the classes with the medical school kids and to have to take nursing classes at the same time, but it’s definitely a rewarding experience,” she said.
“This program is one of the best in the country, and it’s right out of high school, which is not that common.”
Sandberg added, “When I graduate, I’ll get my degree and be able to go directly into nursing.”
The undergraduate curriculum includes a number of labs designed to give students hands-on experience in the field.
“Last quarter, we had our nursing fundamentals class where we gave flu shots to students on campus, which was really fun, and we had a hands-on lab where we were able to administer intravenous (therapy) on each other,” said Emma Gauci, a third-year nursing student.
“We did a blood pressure clinic where we set up along Bruin Walk and took people’s blood pressure for practice, which was an amazing, exciting experience,” Sandberg said.
According to Lyder, the undergraduate program is designed to introduce nursing students to all areas of nursing and ready them for a career as general registered nurses.
“Our undergrads are being prepared to go directly into general nursing,” Lyder said.
After they graduate, Williams, Sandberg and Gauci all said they plan to work as registered nurses before going on to graduate school to train in a specialization and receive degrees as nurse practitioners.
UCLA currently offers two degrees in undergraduate nursing, according to the School of Nursing Web site.
The general four-year nursing program leads to a bachelor of science in nursing and eligibility to take the National Council Licensing Examination for certification as a registered nurse.
A two-year master’s-entry clinical nurse program is also available for students who wish to go into nursing but are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in other majors.

“General Practice,” I Mean, “Family Practitice,” No, I Mean, “Family Medicine”

2009-01-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever gone to see your primary care physician, called him or her a general practitioner, or a GP, and had them give you a funny smirk or perhaps even a role of the eyes? Ever been embarrassed to ask what’s the difference between a general practitioner and a family practitioner or a family doctor?
Having been an eye roller and smirker myself let me take the opportunity this quiet Sunday morning to go into the difference between general practice, family practice, and family medicine.
Once upon a time medical students graduated from medical school and would do a one year intership at a hospital doing apprentice like work that we so often see on TV. When this was done they became licensed with the state, hung out their shingle, and went into practice. This is the general practitioner, the GP, that was the bedrock of primary care and provided so much of health care to rural areas for much of the history of the US.
In 1969 the American Board of Family Practice was formed in response to an overall trend toward specialization in American medicine. The percentage of medical school graduates going into general practice had declined from 47% in 1900 to 19% in 1964. Family Practice, changed from general practice, deserved to be a specialty of its own and deserved to have full residency training programs. Upon completion of residency training a test, and if all goes well, they could advertise themselves as “board certified.”
(Of note, many countries still use the term general practitioner and you won’t get any eye rolls there as its still the appropriate title.)
As time went on, family practice found that having its own specialty still wasn’t enough to avoid having sand kicked in its face by the specialists on the beach and decided that re-certification should take place to demonstrate physician currency. On a sabbatical-like cycle, family practitioners would retake their certification exam in addition to the continuing medical education (CME are workshops and lectures that most other specialties required of its members).
Eventually many specialties would come to join in on the re-certification parade, but if you ask around many doc still proudly hold lifelong board certification based on a test they took twenty years ago.Back in 2005 the American Board of Family Practice decided it was time for some other major changes. Mid-levels had impeded on the primary care turf. Specialists salaries really started to take off compared to primary care. It decided to start with the name. I began my residency training in family practice, but I graduated in family medicine. Sounds less mid-level-ish and more like we know what we’re doing. The term family practitioner is also probably outdated. Family physician or family doctor are more appropriate.
The other major change is how doctors maintain certification. The board spaced out the certification test to every ten years, but no requires some type of self-assessment or practice assessment on an annual basis. I’ve done computer modules to test my knowledge on cardiac disease, well child exams, and depression. This year I’m doing a chart review for my patients to look at the way I deliver asthma care. Those CME requirements from before, those haven’t gone away as well.
Now I hear rumblings that the other specialties are going to be changing to a similar model and undoubtedly my board will have to think of something new.
Being board certified is not equivalent to delivering quality care. In fact no study, to my knowledge, has ever shown board certified docs deliver better care than non-board certified and the same is true of family physicians that have been part of this new maintenance of certification pathway. Having said that, as board certification becomes more and more the norm and the expectation I would want a pretty good reason for a family member to see a doctor of any specialty that wasn’t board certified.
So if you find yourself fumbling around trying to remember if it’s the GP or family practitioners I recommend just sticking with “the doctor.”
The Country Doc
From thecountrydocreport.com

OU-C partners with VA to offer nursing support classes

2009-01-12T13:18:00.001-05:00

Collaboration gives more class space for program prerequisites

By JONA ISON • Gazette Staff Writer • January 11, 2009

Nursing education in Ross County is growing again, this time through a partnership between Ohio University-Chillicothe and the Chillicothe Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Classes started earlier last week at the VA, providing 30 additional people the ability to start prerequisites needed to be eligible for selection to the associate's of applied science degree in nursing at OU-C. Math, chemistry and English evening classes are offered on the VA campus by OU-C staff. Currently, a dozen of the openings are filled.

"I think it's an advantage to the VA because you have the hospital facility and you're training onsite," said Joyce Atwood, resource development coordinator.

The arrangement also makes it convenient for VA staff interested in the program, added Charlotte McManus, associate director of OU-C's nursing program.

"There are several LPNs out there who might be interested to go into our LPN to RN program. We could get them in a little sooner with the collaboration with the VA," McManus said.

The extent of the partnership still is being determined, but it is possible the nursing classes and labs could be offered at the VA as well, McManus added.

"They have what we need if we do offer it there," she said, adding her students already do some clinical work at the VA.

Jeff Gering, VA director, is excited about the partnership as well as another venture that beings this summer. Starting in July, the VA will be assigned a group of students doing their medical residencies, a first for the Chillicothe VA and unusual for a smaller VA facility, Gering said.

"They find 17 to 20 percent of residents stay in the area where they complete their residency, so this will help the whole community as well," Gering said.

Although OU-C has graduated more than 600 nurses since beginning the program in 1993 and the long waiting list for those interested in the program, neither McManus nor Atwood feel there is any danger of the industry getting flooded.

"I've never seen it flooded; I've been in nursing since 1978 ... I've never had any of my students turned away from a job. All of them get jobs before graduating or a few weeks after graduating," McManus said.

Actually, the need is continuing to grow as baby boomers become older and have more health care needs. However, the higher demand is for RNs, McManus added, and many places are encouraging and providing incentives for their LPNs to continue their education.

In recent years, OU-C has utilized partnerships to expand its program. The nursing program works with Adena Regional Medical Center, Berger Hospital and Ohio Christian University, to name a few.

(Ison can be reached at 772-9367 or via e-mail at jison@ChillicotheGazette.com)

From Chillicothe Gazette.com

Spiritual journey chronicled in new memoir

2009-01-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

Thursday, January 8, 2009 9:09 PM EST
By DAVID SCALES,Special to Weekend

MIDDLETOWN — Picasso once said each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again.When Eleanore Milardo discovered a new personal universe in her life, it brought a new sense of clarity and the words to shape her book, "Sacred Journey: Healing Ourselves and our Planet," (Running Water Press, $20, July 2008).

Milardo may be known to residents as the owner of the house on Sisk Street with the spiral gardens, which was recently nominated for placement in the Smithsonian Institute’s landscape division. The gardens were selected by the Garden Club of America, the only organization who can nominate gardens for such an entry for their innovativeness and naturalness.

"I started on the gardens in 1996, when I attended a conference and walked into this room which had a spiral rope and candles and signs next to each candle telling the story of the universe," Milardo said. "I was so impressed with reading the story and I said to myself, ‘I must bring this to the people.’Filled almost exclusively with native New England trees, shrubs and plants, the gardens are sustainable (balancing resources) and educational.Visitors walk through 14 gardens, from the Peace Garden, the 60-foot spiral of the Sacred Universe Garden, the Rain Garden and the Robins’ Corner.Milardo’s two years of effort literally bore the fruit of recognition — for not only her reputation as a gardener, but her spiritual growth.

But it came at a high price.Milardo, a former registered nurse who began her career as an operating room supervisor in a local hospital, began practicing homeopathic medicine, a relatively new field in 1985.A nurse with a master’s degree and a specialty could be a nurse medical specialist."In the state of Connecticut, you weren’t allowed to practice homeopathic medicine unless you are an M.D.," Milardo said. "I was given a piece of paper to sign and promise never to practice this again and nobody would be the wiser.

But the way it was written, it didn’t really tell quite the truth. I said, ‘No. If I’m going to lose my license over this, I want it to be truthfully known why.’"Milardo chose to go before the Board of Nursing Examiners, which suspended her nursing license for six months."After that," she says, "I got interested in spiritual direction and my whole life took a completely different path. ""Even though the president of the Homeopathic Physicians approved of me and got me to go through the training, he had a heart attack and couldn’t defend me," Milardo said.Still, Milardo claims this potential disaster was the best thing to ever happen to her.

Embarking upon a journey of self-discovery, she began keeping a journal. As the years went on, she realized not too many people really knew her or her story. Considering how others might be helped by her insight; especially her grandchildren, who she wanted them to know, she embarked on a quest to have her work published.

Milardo later joined the International Women’s Writers’ Guild, which gave her a list of editors to contact who might assist in getting the book off the ground.She eventually reached Hazel Dawkins in Greenfield, Mass., who read the manuscript and said it definitely needed to be published. It gave Milardo the courage to keep going. Her interest in helping people know who they truly are and their connection to the divine mystery continued, like her gardens, to bloom.

And so the book was born."I learned how to walk people through difficult times and it’s called spiritual focusing," Milardo said."As children, we need to have our ego get strong as we’re growing up so we can survive our peers, family and culture. Then as an adult, we have to pass through that to the ‘True Self’ so we don’t do what everyone else thinks we are supposed to do. So we come to know what we are supposed to be doing."That’s the message of the book. Once you get past the expectations applied to you, then you understand the truth for yourself."It chronicles Milardo’s personal tragedies, including the loss of her son, and her departure from the Roman Catholic Church."I try to help people recognize the divine is everywhere and in everyone," Milardo said.To purchase the book, see www.spiraloflifegardens.com.

From Middletown Press

Retraining offered to retired RN's

2009-01-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

updated 2:47 p.m. ET, Thurs., Jan. 8, 2009

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY- State and local agencies have teamed up to offer a new program designed to address a nursing shortage in Lackawanna County. The "Re-Entry into Nursing" program
offers training to retired RN's who may want to get back into the field. The training would allow them to get up to date on methods and technology.

The program was unveiled during a news conference at the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning. Chamber President Austin Burke says training would be offered through Luzerne County Community College at the Scranton Community Medical Center's School of Nursing. On the job trainingwould also be offered at several hospitals in Lackawanna County.

With funding from five participating hospitals and a grant from the Workforce Investment Board of Lackawanna County the course will be offered for $225.00 per participant.

Applications are being accepted now. The course will begin on February 20th.

From MSNBC

Psychiatry

2009-01-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

This is not a career listing, but an interesting article that psychiatric care providers may find interesting!

Video Game May Help to ReducePTSD, Psychologists SayUPI Science News - January 09, 2009
British researchers say the video game "Tetris" may reduce the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

A study by psychologists at Oxford University suggests the game can help erase bad memories and reduce flashbacks, the Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday.

Emily Holmes of the Department of Psychiatry at Oxford University, said volunteers exposed to traumatic images and then half of the group played Tetris for 10 minutes, while the other half did nothing. The volunteers who played the video game experienced significantly fewer flashbacks over the next week, the report said.

Holmes said the findings suggest the game helps block the brain from storing painful memories.
"Tetris may work by competing for the brain’s resources for sensory information," she said. "We suggest it specifically interferes with the way sensory memories are laid down in the period after trauma and thus reduces the number of flashbacks that are experienced afterwards."

From Connecticut Network of Care

Cost containment focus could have consequences for health care delivery

2009-01-09T14:30:00.003-05:00

BOSTON – The drive toward containing health care costs could have the unintended consequence of reducing physician productivity, impairing quality and perhaps even increasing costs, two Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center physicians suggest in a New England Journal of Medicine "Perspective."Citing studies in behavioral economics and psychology, Pamela Hartzband, MD and Jerome Groopman MD, express the fear that assigning a monetary value to every aspect of a physician's time could prove to be self-defeating."There is also a communal relationship, an expectation and obligation to help when assistance is needed," Hartzband and Groopman write in NEJM's Jan. 8, 2009 edition.
"We believe that in the current environment, the balance has tipped toward market exchanges at the expense of medicine's communal or social dimensions."The physicians, an endocrinologist and hematologist-oncologist respectively, note the environment in which they work has long been one where a colleague would not hesitate to stop in a corridor and offer a colleague his or her thoughts on a complex case."Now imagine that they had just left a departmental meeting where a divisional budget was reviewed and goals for individual relative value units (RVUs, the monetary metric of physicians' time and effort) were presented. Would their interaction be different?"The physicians cite studies that suggest the answer is yes. Experiments found money-primed subjects were consistently less willing to extend themselves to those who needed help.In one study, a control group asked to do a favor without compensation was significantly more willing to help move a sofa than those offered a token payment.These experiments have a greater meaning in a profession where marketplace and communal relationships live side by side."Many physicians we know are so alienated and angered by the relentless pricing of their day that they wind up having no desire to do more than the minimum required for the financial 'bottom line,'" they write. "In our view, this cultural shift risks destroying some essential aspects of the medical profession that contribute to high quality health care, including pride of profession, sense of duty, altruism and collegiality."Extending oneself to patients, families, trainees and colleagues not only is a traditional element of care, but translates into more effective care."Hartzband and Groopman suggest that new trends in primary care may offer an opportunity to restore balance. The "patient-centered medical home" is being envisioned as a "compassionate partnership" between caregivers and patients, with compensation for what is now unreimbursed time."Caregivers should be appropriately reimbursed but should not be constantly primed by money. Success in such a model will require collegiality, cooperation and teamwork – precisely the behaviors that are predictably eroded by a marketplace environment."

Hartzband is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Groopman is the Dina and Raphael Recanati Chair of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and is Chief of Experimental Medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and consistently ranks among the top four in National Institutes of Health funding among independent hospitals nationwide. BIDMC is clinically affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center and is a research partner of Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox. For more information, visit www.bidmc.harvard.edu.

LPN vs NP

2009-01-08T23:59:00.000-05:00

I have had several people ask me the difference between an LPN and NP this week. So, here it goes:
LPN = Licensed Practical Nurse: an LPN is a nursing degree that is more of a technical degree. It requires about 2 years of schooling and is often what people do before going on for their RN (Registered Nurse).
NP = Nurse Practitioner: an NP requires additional schooling following an RN license. Being an NP does not always require a Master's degree but typically nurse practitioners have a Master's degree.
Hopefully this helps those of you who were wondering.
Have a great day!
Posted by The Peppler Family at 1:17 PM

From Peppler Family Blog

Hospital Scrubs Are a Germy, Deadly Mess

2009-01-08T15:01:00.003-05:00

Bacteria on doctor uniforms can kill you.

By BETSY MCCAUGHEY
You see them everywhere -- nurses, doctors and medical technicians in scrubs or lab coats. They shop in them, take buses and trains in them, go to restaurants in them, and wear them home. What you can't see on these garments are the bacteria that could kill you.
Dirty scrubs spread bacteria to patients in the hospital and allow hospital superbugs to escape into public places such as restaurants. Some hospitals now prohibit wearing scrubs outside the building, partly in response to the rapid increase in an infection called "C. diff." A national hospital survey released last November warns that Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infections are sickening nearly half a million people a year in the U.S., more than six times previous estimates.
The problem is that some medical personnel wear the same unlaundered uniforms to work day after day. They start their shift already carrying germs such as C.diff, drug-resistant enterococcus or staphylococcus. Doctors' lab coats are probably the dirtiest. At the University of Maryland, 65% of medical personnel confess they change their lab coat less than once a week, though they know it's contaminated. Fifteen percent admit they change it less than once a month. Superbugs such as staph can live on these polyester coats for up to 56 days

Do unclean uniforms endanger patients? Absolutely. Health-care workers habitually touch their own uniforms. Studies confirm that the more bacteria found on surfaces touched often by doctors and nurses, the higher the risk that these bacteria will be carried to the patient and cause infection.
Until about 20 years ago, nearly all hospitals laundered scrubs for their staff. A few hospitals are returning to that policy. St. Mary's Health Center in St. Louis, Mo., reduced infections after cesarean births by more than 50% by giving all caregivers hospital-laundered scrubs, as well as requiring them to wear two layers of gloves. Monroe Hospital in Bloomington, Ind., which has a near-zero rate of hospital-acquired infections, provides laundered scrubs for all staff and prohibits them from wearing scrubs outside the building. Stamford Hospital in Connecticut recently banned wearing scrubs outside the hospital.
Across the pond, a British study found that one-third of medical personnel did not launder their uniforms before coming to work. One British surgeon who specializes in hip and knee replacements reduced postoperative infections by two-thirds at her hospital by protecting patients from contaminated uniforms. Before approaching any patient's bed, nurses put on disposable, clear plastic aprons that were pulled off rolls like dry cleaning bags. Each one costs a nickel.
In response to this evidence and public outrage over infections, the cash-strapped British National Health Service is providing nurses with hospital-laundered "smart scrubs." The smart design includes short sleeves, because long sleeves spread germs from patient to patient.

The new British policy will protect patients and prevent superbugs from being carried outside hospitals. In one study, more than 20% of nurses' uniforms had C. diff on them at the end of a shift. The germ can cause extreme diarrhea, dehydration, inflammation of the colon, and even death.
In a hospital, C. diff contaminates virtually every surface. It spreads when traces of an infected person's feces get in another person's mouth. Patients who touch objects in their room and then eat without washing their hands unknowingly swallow the germ. Many otherwise healthy patients who go into the hospital for elective surgery, such as hip replacement, have contracted C. diff and died.
Outside the hospital, C. diff is also difficult to control. It isn't killed by laundry detergents or most cleaners. Researchers at Case Western Reserve and the Cleveland Veterans Administration Medical Center found that even after routine cleaning, 78% of surfaces still had C. diff. Only scrubbing with bleach removed it. That's not the kind of cleaning restaurants are prepared to do after serving hospital workers.
Imagine sliding into a restaurant booth after a nurse has left the germ on the table or seat. You could easily pick it up on your hands and then swallow it with your sandwich. Hospitals should provide workers with clean uniforms and prohibit wearing them in public.
Ms. McCaughey, former lieutenant governor of New York state, is a fellow at the Hudson Institute and chair of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths.

from wsj.com

Hartford Hospital, University of Connecticut Health Center discuss merger

2009-01-07T13:47:00.001-05:00

Hartford Courant, November 24, 2008
Hartford Hospital and the financially-troubled University of Connecticut Health Center are proposing a merger. Many of the details are still being worked out, but a statement envisions one entity situated on two campuses. The facility in Farmington will be owned by UConn and run by Hartford Healthcare; the one in Hartford will continue to be owned and operated by Hartford Healthcare.
Full Story

EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR F/T RNs!

2009-01-04T07:06:00.001-05:00

As Connecticut's premier Home Health Care Agency with over 1,000 employees throughout all areas of the state, opportunities abound for

F/T Medical and Behavioral RNs

in the Greater New Haven Area!

Excellent Salary, Hourly and Per Diem Rates
Shift and Weekend Differentials
Paid Orientation and In-Services
Medical, Dental, Life and Disability Insurance
401(k) with Employer Match
Direct Deposit
Employee Credit Union
Payroll Deducted 529 College Savings Plans

Cohesive Team

Call New England Home Care at 203-874-6667 today to learn more!

Or on the web newenglandhomecare.com

Join a dynamic, patient-centered team!

College prepares students for nursing career

2009-01-03T10:04:00.001-05:00

Patsy Joyner

Published Friday, January 2, 2009

Responding to a critical need, Paul D. Camp Community College established an associate of applied science degree in nursing. This five-semester program prepares selected students to qualify as practitioners of technical nursing in a variety of healthcare facilities.

After successful completion of the program, students will be eligible for the National Council Licensure Exam-Registered Nurse for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Employment opportunities for the registered nurse include staff positions in hospitals, nursing homes, health departments, physicians’ offices, clinics, day care centers, industry, hospices, mental health facilities, rehabilitation centers and home health care agencies.

The program also provides a background for maximum transfer opportunities to four-year colleges and universities.

Following is a sample course schedule:

SEMESTER 1

NUR 111: Nursing I; BIO 141: Human Anatomy and Physiology I; ENG 111: College Composition; SVD 100: College Success Skills; NUR 136: Principles of Pharmacology I.

SEMESTER 2

BIO 142: Human Anatomy and Physiology II; PSY 201: Introduction to Psychology I;

NUR 170: Essentials of Medical/Surgical Nursing; NUR 180: Essentials of Maternal/Newborn Nursing; NUR 137: Principles of Pharmacology II.

SEMESTER 3

NUR 201: Psychiatric Nursing; BIO 150: Introductory Microbiology; SPD 100: Principles of Public Speaking.

SEMESTER 4

NUR 212: Second Level Nursing II; PSY 230: Developmental Psychology; HUM Elective.

SEMESTER 5

NUR 246: Parent Child Nursing; NUR 202: Medical Surgical Nursing I; NUR 254: Dimensions of Professional Nursing.

ADMISSION ROUTES

In addition to starting from scratch, students who qualify for admission can be accepted into the program through the following routes:

CNA-RN Bridge Program: This option provides an opportunity for certified nurse aides to enter the nursing program to advance their careers and, at the same time, recognize the skills and knowledge they have already obtained through their Nurse Aide Program. A transition course is offered (NUR 106) for Certified Nurse Aides (CNAs) who have graduated from certain regional Nurse Aide programs within two years. Candidates must meet all criteria for the nursing program, including maintaining a grade of “C” or better in all nursing and general education course requirements.

LPN-RN Bridge Program: This option provides an opportunity for licensed practical nurses to enter the nursing program to advance their careers and at the same time recognize the skills and knowledge they have already obtained through the Practical Nurse Program. Those who apply for this program must have graduated from an accredited practical nursing program within five years and have completed BIO 141-142, ENG 111, STD 100, and PSY 201. Applicants must currently hold an unrestricted license in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition, candidates must meet all criteria for the nursing program, including maintaining a grade of “C” or better in all nursing and general education course requirements. A transition course (NUR 115) is offered for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) who have graduated from a regional LPN program.

Advanced Placement: LPNs may apply for advanced placement in the nursing program sequence. Those who apply for this program must have graduated from an accredited practical nursing program and currently hold an unrestricted license in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In addition, candidates must meet all criteria for the nursing program, including maintaining a grade of “C” or better in all nursing and general education course requirements.

Transfer of Previous Nursing Credits

Students seeking to transfer credit received from nursing courses at other institutions will be considered on an individual basis by the nursing faculty. Students may be asked to provide course descriptions, course syllabi, pre-admission testing or achievement test scores, and selected data from the course instructor in order to determine placement in the nursing program, subject to space availability. Since there are frequently differences among nursing programs, students desiring to transfer should be aware that there might be an interruption in program progression.

DR. PATSY JOYNER is the vice president for institutional advancement at Paul D. Camp Community College. Her e-mail address is pjoyner@pc.vccs.edu.

From Tidewater News

EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR F/T RNs!

2009-01-02T11:36:00.002-05:00

As Connecticut's premier Home Health Care Agency with over 1,000 employees throughout all areas of the state, opportunities abound for

F/T Medical and Behavioral RNs

in the Greater New Haven Area!

Cohesive Team

Call New England Home Care at 203-874-6667 today to learn more!

Or on the web newenglandhomecare.com

Join a dynamic, patient-centered team!

We all Wish Ours Could Do This!

2008-12-21T17:36:00.001-05:00

Post-Acute Providers Are Not Vendors

2008-12-18T14:39:00.001-05:00

Post-Acute Providers Are Not Vendors

Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq.
Office: 877-871-4062
Fax: 877-871-9739
E-Mail: ElizabethHogue@ElizabethHogue.net

Some hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (SNF’s) refer to post-acute providers as “vendors” and require them to follow the policies and procedures related to “vendors.” These may include, for example, a requirement for representatives of post-acute providers to sign in when they arrive at hospitals and SNF’s to coordinate services in hospitals’ Purchasing Departments.

On the contrary, post-acute providers; such as home health agencies, home medical equipment (HME) companies, hospices and private duty home care agencies; are not “vendors” and should not be treated like “vendors.” They are, instead, fellow providers. Vendors are manufacturers and distributors of supplies and equipment that are utilized by hospitals and SNF’s on the premises of institutions. Post-acute providers rarely sell equipment and supplies that are used by facilities on the premises. In fact, the users of post-acute providers are patients, not hospitals and SNF’s.

When hospitals and SNF’s lump post-acute providers in with equipment and supply vendors they are, at the least, being disrespectful of these types of providers. Such treatment may be demeaning to post-acute providers.

Some hospitals are asking post-acute providers who are categorized as vendors to pay fees to hospitals in order to appear on a vendor list. Such payments are likely to constitute illegal kickbacks in exchange for referrals and cannot be required.

In addition, restrictions that hospitals and SNF’s may appropriately put on the activities of vendors while on the premises are inapplicable to post-acute providers. Vendors may, for example, be prohibited from going to other areas of institutions besides purchasing departments unless they are accompanied by staff of facilities.

No such restrictions should be applied to post-acute providers. In fact, it is inappropriate to restrict the activities of post-acute providers who:

- Have received referrals of patients; or

- Cared for patients immediately prior to their admission to institutions

Under these circumstances, post acute providers should be permitted access to patients, their families, and information about them as part of the discharge planning process.

It is important to note that referrals for post-acute services do not have to come from physicians. They may come from patients, their families, physicians, case managers/discharge planners, or other sources. Referrals may also be received by post-acute providers, either verbally or in writing. When post-acute providers are acting on verbal referrals, they should, however, document the name of the person who made the referral and the date and time at which it was received.

Of course, patients have the right to freedom of choice of providers. This right to freedom of choice of providers includes the right to self-refer to any type of post-acute provider. There are a number of sources of this right, as follows:

1) All patients have a common law right, based upon court decisions, to control the care provided to them, including who renders it. Thus, when patients, regardless of payor source or type of care, voluntarily express preferences for providers, their choices must be honored.

2) Federal statutes of the Medicare and Medicaid programs guarantee Medicare beneficiaries and Medicaid recipients the right to freedom of choice of providers. (Medicaid recipients may have waived this right if they participate in a waiver program.) Consequently, when Medicare patients and non-waiver Medicaid patients voluntarily express a preference for a home health agency, these choices must be honored.

3) The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) requires hospitals to develop a list of home health agencies that are:

a) Medicare certified;

b) Provide services in the geographic areas where patients reside, and;

c) Ask to be on the list.

In addition, if a hospital places the name of an agency on the list in which it has discloseable financial interests, the relationship between the hospital and the agency must be disclosed on the list.

This list must be presented to all patients who may benefit from home health services, regardless of payor source, so that they can choose the home health agency that they wish to provide services to them.

4) Hospital Conditions of Participation (COP’s) that became effective on October 1, 2004, include the basic requirements of the BBA described above.

5) Court decisions, such as the opinion in Assured Home Health, Inc. v. Providence Health System, also support patients’ right to freedom of choice of providers. In this case, Assured claimed that the hospitals in the System regularly violated patients’ right to freedom of choice and “steered” patients to agencies owned by the System. This case was settled when the System agreed to institute additional safeguards to protect patients’ rights, including monitoring of the hospital’s practices by outside third parties.

A patient who received services from a post-acute provider immediately prior to admission to an institutional setting may, of course, choose to receive services from a different provider upon discharge. If a patient does not choose another provider, his or her care should be continued by the same provider with which the patient is likely to have a continuing provider-patient relationship.

Likewise, patients who are referred to post-acute providers may, of course, choose different providers any time they wish to do so.

Patients greatly value the services that post-acute providers offer. Hospitals and SNF’s, therefore, should not treat them like “vendors.”

©Copyright, 2008. Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq. All rights reserved. No portion of this material may be used in any form without the advance written permission of the author.

Facing Deadly Ice Storms, Home Medical Equipment Providers in New England Mobilize to Protect Oxygen Patients

2008-12-17T14:31:00.000-05:00

From marketwatch.com

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec 16, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Home oxygen providers in New England prepared for the deadly ice storm that struck last week and have responded with extra visits and contacts with patients receiving home oxygen therapy. An oxygen patient who uses an oxygen system that runs on electricity must have a back-up supply of oxygen. Oxygen therapy is critical to more than one million Americans who suffer from respiratory illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
On Friday, December 12, with no electrical power or telephone service at the Home Care Specialists, Inc. facility in Haverhill, Mass., the company implemented its disaster response program. With the help of a generator, the company was able to handle patient calls using cell phones and deliver more than 100 emergency backup oxygen cylinders to patients without power. The following day, the company delivered and serviced more than 60 emergency backup oxygen cylinders and another 30 were serviced on Sunday, December 14.
William E. Desmarais, a respiratory therapist, is co-owner of Home Care Specialists, which provides durable medical equipment and services to northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. The company cares for more than 800 oxygen patients who were forced to rely on backup emergency gaseous cylinders provided by HCS following the power failures caused by the New England ice storms on December 11 and 12.
"In many cases, home oxygen companies provide home oxygen service over and above what is required by accrediting agencies and by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services," said Desmarais.
"We have heard similar stories from many of our members who provide home oxygen equipment," said Karyn Estrella, executive director of the New England Medical Equipment Dealers Association. "One of our members, Clinical 1 Home Medical in Hingham, Mass., delivered oxygen to a nursing home whose back-up generator failed and they ran out of tanks. They also transported oxygen to an ambulance company in Worcester who had exhausted their supplies."
The typical Medicare home oxygen user is a 73 year-old who suffers from late-stage COPD. Approximately 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD. An estimated 12 to 15 million more remain undiagnosed. The American Association for Homecare represents durable medical equipment providers, manufacturers, and other organizations in the homecare community. Website: www.aahomecare.org.
SOURCE American Association for Homecare http://www.aahomecare.org

Online Healthcare Degrees

2008-12-12T13:20:00.001-05:00

Healthcare professionals are always in a great demand. Read on to find online degrees in different healthcare disciplines from popular institutions.
According to the labor statistics bureau, healthcare job sector is on the rise in almost all the countries and especially in the U.S. Hence, the need for healthcare degree programs is also on the rise. Persons who wish to pursue a degree in healthcare can also do it through the healthcare online degree programs. Information on the same are be available online from various websites. Various specialization programs might be available in healthcare such as nursing, administration, psychology, human services, health informatics, pharmacy, physical therapy and many more.
The great thing about online degree programs is that the university or college offering the course need not be in the same locality or state or nation where the student is residing but can be located anywhere in the world. This avoids the need to commute to the college or university and stay there physically that the expenses towards them are saved.
Healthcare careers and opportunities are very open and easy to obtain that when the person is clinically inclined, he has various options. Students who wish to take up the healthcare online degree programs can get the necessary information from the websites that they can choose the online university or college according to their choice and suitability. Moreover, they can also gain easy access to the classmates, courses, computer support and professors all the day of the week when pursuing it online.
http://educationonline-101.com/healthcare-online-degree-programs/

Clip & save guide: healthcare careers

2008-11-18T18:16:00.001-05:00

From NY Daily News

BY LORE CROGHAN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Monday, November 17th 2008, 11:41 AM

Health care jobs are there for the taking - for people with the right training.

Here are some tips for launching a career in a field that experts say will see rapid growth in the coming years:

RELATED: SPECIAL ON EMPLOYMENT CRISIS, PART II: WALL STREET VET FINDS HOME IN MEDICINE

Unemployed New Yorkers can get vouchers from the city Department of Small Business Services to pay for up to a year's training. Call 311 for more info.

Home care agencies around the city offer free training for people who want to be home health aides. The student takes 75 hours of training - and must pass drug tests and be fingerprinted get a certificate.
CUNY's New York City College of Technology offers an associate's degree for people who want to be X-ray technicians. It takes 2½ years to complete the degree. Tuition is $2,000 a semester for state residents. The student must pass an exam to get a license.

RELATED: SPECIAL ON EMPLOYMENT CRISIS, PART I: LOOKING FOR JOBS IN TODAY'S ECONOMY

Monroe College has a two-year associate's degree for people who want to become medical assistants. Tuition is $5,600 a semester.
Monroe College has a three-semester program for those who want to become licensed practical nurses. Tuition is $6,660 a semester. Graduates get a college-credit practical nurse certificate from the school and then pass a test to get a license.
Pace University has a one-year bachelor's program for people who want to become registered nurses - and already have bachelor's degrees in other subjects. Tuition and fees are $46,800. An exam is required to get a license.
Medical school at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons is a four-year program. Tuition and fees - not including living expenses - are about $50,000 a year. Years of residency and internship follow. The school has received applications from several Wall Streeters in their mid-20s and early 30s who pulled in six-figure incomes, a spokesman said.

Healthcare Career at Vocational Trade School

2008-10-11T19:03:00.001-04:00

The U.S. population is aging. As the Baby Boomer generation nears retirement, demand for adequate health care workers is going up. Life expectancy is higher than ever before and the elderly require health care. In this time of economic uncertainty, blue-collar jobs are unstable as employers lay off workers to cut costs. But do you know what? There is a stable, satisfying, flexible career just waiting for you in the booming health care industry.

You can start a new healthcare career fast by attending a vocational trade school. There are many possible jobs you can do with an education from a trade school and there are many career schools and technical schools to choose from.

You can see just how many careers are in the health care field by thinking about the last time you visited the doctor. The receptionist took your name and entered your information into the computer system. Technicians and nurses were responsible for taking your vitals. If you had to have blood drawn, they probably sent you to the lab to see the phlebotomist. At the dentistas office, you probably saw the receptionist and the dental hygienist in addition to the dentist.

You can start a new healthcare career fast by attending a vocational trade schooland you can prepare for many of the jobs you see being done in a doctor’s office, a dentist, a hospital, a rehab center, or a nursing home.

Not only can you prepare for these jobs, but these jobs may become a stepping stone to even more education and a more technical job. For example, if you find you like being a nurse’s aid, you may decide to return to school and become a registered nurse. A short education in a vocational school allows you to try out a type of career without having to make a commitment to it for the rest of your life.

When you work in health care, youall go home every night feeling that youave made a difference. The world is a better place for having you in it. Every day youall help to reassure stressed-out families in crisis. Every day youall make sick and injured patients feel better, more comfortable, and less alone. What could be a better career than that?

Healthcare careers are also flexible. Are you a night owl? Work second or third shift. Are your kids in school during the day? Work first shift. Some healthcare settings have different kinds of schedules that allow you more than two days off in a row. Healthcare careers also vary enough that you can find your niche. For example, if you like to do different things across a day, you might become a home healthcare aide. If you like being in one place, you may work for a doctor’s practice.

Going to a vocational trade school and earning your degree qualifies you to work in lots of areas of the health care sector. This could be the opportunity of a lifetime, and the first step to doing what youave always wanted to do. You can seize this opportunity now and start toward a better life today. What are you waiting for?

New Jersey Teens Enter Nursing Camp

2008-10-07T12:46:00.004-04:00

by Suzanne Holland Hauser, RN, MSN
Monday October 6, 2008
From Nurse.com

As a high school student in 2003, Anna Finn was interested in a career in nursing. Her choice was confirmed after attending Nursing Camp, a program at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden, N.J. Five years later, Finn, a 2008 BSN graduate of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Camden Campus, is a new RN working at Virtua West Jersey Hospital Marlton in its Total Joint and Spine Center.
And five years later, Lourdes continues to host Nursing Camp, hoping to inspire other students to consider careers in nursing and healthcare. William K. Pierce, RN, BSN, CCRN, RRT, MBA/HCM, is Lourdes' director of nursing practice/performance improvement and coordinator of the camp.
He says the one-week program can accommodate about 25 campers, ages 13 to 15. To recruit them, Pierce sends information to local schools and churches, so the campers are primarily, but not exclusively, from Camden's inner city. The free program's funding comes from the Lourdes Foundation and former Philadelphia Eagle quarterback Ron Jaworski's foundation. Camp counselors include a nurse manager, staff nurses, and nurse externs.
More:

Wedding is a first at healthcare center

2008-09-18T13:19:00.002-04:00

By James Lomuscio of The Advocate

Photo By Kathleen O'Rourke

Article Launched: 09/18/2008 02:44:03 AM EDT

NORWALK - As the strains of Pachelbel's Canon in D Major filled the third-floor sunroom, some women wept. A few men choked up.
Many of the guests looked back and forth from the groom, Ronald Price, to the hallway where his bride, Michelle Weiner, was about to make her entrance at the Marathon Healthcare Center.
"What's taking her?" they asked. "Did she get cold feet?"
But when the deejay played "The Bridal Chorus," commonly known as "Here Comes the Bride," Weiner appeared. Pushing the joystick on her wheelchair, she moved at a steady pace to the music and to the cheers and camera flashes of about 30 patients, staff members and guests.
It was a first at the rehabilitation and care center - two residents who need 24-hour, long-term care were about to tie the knot.
Price, in his own wheelchair and with best man Ed Getlein standing at his side, beamed as Weiner rolled up alongside him. There, Justices of the Peace Joanne Romano and Rick McQuaid, both Norwalk Common Council members and wearing black robes, were ready to officiate. Janice White, a Marathon resident and Weiner's maid of honor, held a bouquet as she sat in a nearby chair.
"Everything leading up to this moment was of value," McQuaid said. "Love is more powerful than your past."
Price was eager to seal the deal.
"Ronald, do you take Michelle to be your wife . . ." Romano began.
Before she could finish with the words "to have and to hold," Price shouted, "I do."
Price, 59, has been wheelchair
bound for 14 years because of arthritis and a stroke during heart surgery. Weiner, 56, suffers from multiple sclerosis.
Price strained to reach his bride to place the ring on her finger. She, too, had to stretch with the ring to reach "my partner in life, my one true love."
After they were pronounced husband and wife, applause filled the East Three Solarium, followed by the deejay spinning Frank Sinatra's "The Best is Yet to Come."
Though there was no dancing, a festive atmosphere prevailed. Residents, many of them elderly or handicapped and in wheelchairs or holding walkers, chatted loudly or dug right into the dinner served up by Doug DeAndrea, director of food services.
Marathon Executive Director Courtney Young said Weiner and Price transferred to the center a month ago from one in New Haven.
"We met in New Haven two years ago, and I asked her if she would like to go out with me back in May," Price said. "On our first date, we went on a walk-a-thon for breast cancer."
"It was at Lighthouse Point in East Haven," Weiner said.
"On June 22, I asked her, 'Honey, would you like to marry me?' " Price said. "And she said, 'Yes, yes, yes.' "
Getlein said Price called him a couple of weeks ago, asking him to be best man.
"We've known him for years from when he used to sing in the choir at Trinity Episcopal on the Green in New Haven," said Getlein, who traveled with his wife, Olive, from Woodbridge to the ceremony. "He also sold hot dogs at the Yale Bowl. He has a heart of gold and he always wants to be part of things."
McQuaid said a justice of the peace often doesn't know much about the people he marries. This time was different.
"I got caught up in the emotion," he said.

The Advocate

Torrington CT Healthcare Careers

2008-08-05T10:42:00.001-04:00

On August 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the Northwestern Connecticut Community College campus, in Green Woods Hall Room 304, Joyce B. Liljedahl, Health Careers Advisor, Northwest Region for Connecticut Community Colleges, will present a comprehensive orientation for those who want to learn about Health Careers training in Connecticut. If you would like to attend the Orientation to Healthcare Careers program, contact Joyce B. Liljedahl, 203-574-6971 ext. 444, or by e-mail at jliljedahl@commnet.edu.
From the Register Citizen

How to Pay For Nursing School

2008-07-31T21:17:00.005-04:00

Ok so we have established that the Healthcare field is a sure bet for a recession-proof career, and that the nursing shortage is reaching crisis level. You have always thought about entering this field, and the time has come to get the education for it.

The problem??? Nursing school isn't cheap! Trying to figure out how to pay for it?

Scholarships are available, as well as tuition reimbusement. For a comprehensive guide to learn how to pay for nursing school, click below

Free Money For Nursing School

and get on the road to a wonderfully rewarding, secure career!

“Narrative Writing” May Ease Pain In Cancer Patients

2008-07-31T20:52:00.000-04:00

From bloggernews.net

Posted on July 31st, 2008

Read 78 times.

A recent study conducted at the Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts reveals that cancer patients who write about their experiences may lessen their pain and agony.

Dr. M. Soledad Cepeda, who led the study, states that patients who spent twenty minutes per week writing about their physical and emotional experiences experienced a decrease in pain and an overall “greater well-being” in the longterm.

The research team believes that it is the “emotional release” that accompanies writing that aids the overall healing process. It also allows the patient to better express their needs to their physician.

The benefits of narrative or “emotional” writing have been a topic of psychological study for many years, and many cancer patients choose to implement “alternative” methods of treatment, including writing, massage, and aromatherapy into their overall treatment plan.

Healthcare careers and IT careers appear to be recession proof.

2008-07-31T11:09:00.003-04:00

From gatlineducation.com

Although online job board postings slowed down by 11% during the second quarter of 2008, the Healthcare Services industry and Information Technology industry appear to be virtually recession proof according to the, “Second Quarter 2008 Career Trend Analysis and Industry Outlook Report,” just released by Beyond.com.
“Although many industries have been affected by the economy, some industries experienced continued growth during this period. Information Technology continued to hold the top position with 13.99% and exhibited the second largest percentage gain over the past 12 months with 1.13%. Healthcare & Medical also remained strong with 12.65%, representing not only one of the largest percentage gains of 0.52% this period, but the largest gain over the past 12 months with 2.15%.” To download the most recent report or previous quarterly reports click here.

Healthcare careers promise job security

2008-07-28T13:06:00.002-04:00

Hands-on training -- and sometimes guarantees of a job after graduation -- attract people of all ages to programs for nurses, pharmacy techs, radiology techs and other health professions.

BY VANESSA GARCIA Miami Herald

''There has been and will continue to be in the decades ahead a shortage in aesthesia providers, nurses and doctors,'' says Robert Wagner, program director and assistant professor of the anesthesiologist assistants program at Nova Southeastern University.
Services at the University of MiamiAt age 54, Erma Ducasa has gone back to school to become a nurse.
At 41, Angela Okonta also has returned to school to study nursing.
Mid-career switchers like these two women are lining up next to high school graduates to become nurses, as well as radiological technicians, pharmacy techs and anesthesiologist assistants.
SCHOLARSHIP OPTIONS
There's a good reason for the broad appeal: Most nursing and allied health programs in South Florida offer on-the-job training in hospitals and medical centers that are hungry for employees. Some of the programs offer scholarships to pay for classes in exchange for students agreeing to work at a participating hospital for several years after graduation.
It's job security at its best in a tough economy, making careers in these health professions practically ``recession-proof.''
''There's never been a better time to be a nurse,'' says Dean Nena Peragallo of the School of Nursing and Health Services at the University of Miami. ``Nurses cannot be outsourced.''
More

Pittsburg students attend HOSA conference

2008-07-27T10:39:00.000-04:00

The Morning Sun

Posted Jul 27, 2008 @ 12:11 AM

DALLAS —

Several Pittsburg High School students were among more than 5,700 delegates attending the 31st annual National HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) Leadership Conference, held June 18-21 in Dallas, Texas.
Delegates attending from PHS were Breanna Cash, Aubry Keller, Jenny Martin, Megan Nance, Alison Percy, Jessica Wade and Mrs. Toni Gould, PHS HOSA advisor. Alison Percy and Jessica Wade served as Kansas voting delegates during the NLC.
HOSA is a national organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and Health Science Technology Education Division of the Association of Career and Technical Education. Mission of HOSA is to enhance the delivery of compassionate, quality health care by providing opportunities for knowledge, skill and leadership development of all health science technology education students, thereby helping students to meet the needs of the healthcare community.
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Marathon Health Care Centers Receive Prestigious Awards

2008-07-24T15:46:00.003-04:00

Earle Lerner, President and CEO of Marathon Healthcare Group, an East Hartford-based skilled nursing provider with Skilled Nursing Facilities in 6 Connecticut cities, proudly announced on Thursday that 3 more of Marathon’s nursing centers have received the National Malcolm Baldridge Award for Quality and Excellence.

Marathon Healthcare Centers of Norwalk, Torrington, and Waterbury join last year’s Quality Award recipients Marathon Healthcare Centers of Prospect and West Haven. This Step 1 award, which will be presented at the American Healthcare Association’s annual convention, was received in 2008 by only 7% of Connecticut’s 244 skilled nursing facilities.

The American Healthcare Association describes the Quality Award Program as: “The AHCA/NCAL Quality Award Program directly supports the Quality First principles to cultivate and nourish an environment of continuous quality improvement, openness, and leadership. These principles are:
- Continuous Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement
- Public Disclosure and Accountability
- Patient/Resident and Family Rights
- Workforce Excellence
- Public Input and Community Involvement
- Ethical Practices
- Financial Stewardship”

Marathon Healthcare Group’s President and CEO Earle Lerner stated “We are enormously proud of our employees. This Quality Award is further evidence of their dedication and of our higher calling as a patient-centered organization.”

Marathon Healthcare Group is distinguished by their commitment to achieve outcomes of exceptional quality through unwavering focus on physical, spiritual, mental, and financial wellness and by means of patient and staff empowerment in the facilities and communities they serve.

http://www.marathonhealthcare.com/

The Connecticut Hospice, Inc. Announces the Arrival of Six Nurse Scholars From The Henrietta Szold-Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Nursing

2008-07-24T12:30:00.002-04:00

From www.marketwatch.com

BRANFORD, Conn., July 24, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Connecticut Hospice, Inc., birthplace of Hospice in America, is proud to announce the arrival of six Nurse Scholars from The Henrietta Szold-Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Nursing, Jerusalem Israel, in conjunction with New York University College of Nursing.
Lauren Brown, MSN, Co-Director of Education, together with Marianne Treantafilos, APRN, architect of the Norma F. Pfriem International Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Nursing, stated that, "this is the second time in as many years that the nursing scholars have arrived from Israel. The Directors noted that part of their work will require the nurse scholars to clinically round with the interdisciplinary team at 6:30 every morning."
The Connecticut Hospice, Inc. will provide these post-graduate nurses with the opportunity to assess the multi-dimensional needs of new or continuing patients and families receiving care in the Hospice Hospital of Palliative Care setting and the Hospice Homecare setting. The nurse scholars will observe communication modalities used by the Hospice nurses, APRNs, physicians and other staff with patients and families to help the patients/families reach their ultimate goals.
Nurse scholars will learn the key elements of assessment of patients with irreversible disease, including physical symptoms, as well as psychosocial and spiritual aspects of care. The graduate nurses and the Connecticut Hospice nurse preceptors will have the opportunity to reflect on professional and personal challenges of caring for patients at the end of life.
SOURCE The Connecticut Hospice http://www.hospice.com
Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

Careers In Medical Radiography

2008-07-24T11:50:00.001-04:00

The popularity of radiography in the field of medicine has grown exponentially. Radiographers were encouraged and trained to adopt the new technology of conducting diagnostic tests involving X-rays. It started with fluoroscopy, computed tomography and mammography. Medical radiographers later added ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging to the list of specializations.
Medical radiographers are experts who make use of imaging instruments to x-ray various body parts of human beings, in order to diagnose health problems properly. The procedure incorporates medical imaging actions to identify health related problems. Besides this, professionals also prepare the patients for radiology examinations by positioning them under the machines and ensuring appropriate doses of radiation. In addition, medical radiographers are also responsible for maintaining the records of patients and radiographic machines.

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Aging nurses pursue traveling healthcare careers

2008-06-27T08:59:00.000-04:00

Jul 1, 2008
By: Marcia Faller
Healthcare Traveler
Volume 16, Issue 1

Key Points

AMN's 2008 Survey of Nurses 45 to 60 Years Old revealed that 35% of Baby Boomer nurses plan to retire, find non-nursing jobs, work part time, or work as traveling nurses in the next 1 to 3 years.
It is important to address conditions causing older professionals to leave nursing jobs, and consider the retention of experienced nurses a priority for the healthcare industry.

Nurses, like America's population as a whole, are getting older. The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses indicates that the majority of nurses in the U.S. are now at least 45 years of age. In fact, in 2004, over 41% of nurses in the U.S. were 50 years old or older, up significantly from 33% in 2000.

How long are these Baby Boomer nurses planning to remain in the clinical workforce? What facets of their jobs do they find the most gratifying and the most frustrating? What is the overall level of job satisfaction among Baby Boomer nurses, and how many plan on working as travelers?

AMN Healthcare, parent company of American Mobile Healthcare, recently conducted a survey of 1,830 nurses between 45 and 60 years of age to explore these and other questions.

Future workforce issues

AMN's 2008 Survey of Nurses 45 to 60 Years Old revealed that 35% of Baby Boomer nurses plan to retire, find non-nursing jobs, work part time, or work as travel nurses in the next 1 to 3 years. This finding has significant implications for those concerned about the nursing workforce. More than 1.12 million nurses in the U.S. are between the ages of 45 and 60, according to HRSA. Should even 10% of these nurses choose to retire in the next 1 to 3 years or to find non-nursing jobs, the overall nursing workforce would be reduced by some 112,000 nurses.

One benefit offered by travel nursing is that it provides a means by which Baby Boomer nurses who might otherwise choose to retire or find non-clinical jobs can stay in nursing. Two percent of Baby Boomer nurses surveyed reported that they plan to work as travel nurses in the next 1 to 3 years. Should 2% of all nurses ages 45 to 60 choose to work as travelers during this time period, approximately 22,500 nurses who may have pursued some other option would remain in the profession.

Home Health Aide

2008-06-22T09:11:00.000-04:00

Home health aides help elderly, convalescent, or disabled persons live in their own homes instead of health care facilities. Under the direction of nursing or medical staff, they provide health-related services, such as administering oral medications. (Personal and home care aides, who provide mainly housekeeping and routine personal care services, are discussed elsewhere in the Handbook.) Like nursing aides, home health aides may check patients� pulse rate, temperature, and respiration rate; help with simple prescribed exercises; and help patients to get in and out of bed, bathe, dress, and groom. Occasionally, they change nonsterile dressings, give massages and provide skin care, or assist with braces and artificial limbs. Experienced home health aides, with training, also may assist with medical equipment such as ventilators, which help patients breathe.

Most home health aides work with elderly or disabled persons who need more extensive care than family or friends can provide. Some help discharged hospital patients who have relatively short-term needs.

In home health agencies, a registered nurse, physical therapist, or social worker usually assigns specific duties to and supervises home health aides, who keep records of the services they perform and record each patient�s condition and progress. The aides report changes in a patient�s condition to the supervisor or case manager.

From bls.gov

Healthcare Career Opportunities

2008-06-17T18:00:00.002-04:00

Pharmaceutical Sales

Medical Writer

Massage Therapist

Nobody ever WANTS to go into a nursing home! (True, but……….)

2008-06-10T18:49:00.004-04:00

For those of you who have always wondered about nursing homes;

Nobody ever WANTS to go into a nursing home! (True, but……….)

There are many myths about nursing homes that may have been true in the past, but are now very untrue- read on to learn that your preconceived notions may be wrong!

#1) The biggest myth of all! “The nursing home is the end of the line- you only go there to die”

WOW! I am astonished at how often I hear this! Almost every nursing home has a significant focus on helping a person recover from illness or injury and transition to a lesser level of care. That means, if you go to a nursing home, nobody just gives up on you. It is frequently just a stepping stone, rather than a “last stop”. Discharge planning is done on a regular basis for everyone, even if they were admitted for “long-term care!” I bet you didn’t know that! The nursing home has a responsibility to assess whether a person still needs that level of care, and if he or she doesn’t, to make arrangements for discharge to an alternative setting. This could mean home with or without additional services, to an assisted living facility, rest or group home, senior housing, or to a family member’s home. Many states are enacting legislation to provide more home services for these nursing home residents who have improved to the point they no longer require nursing (or skilled) care.

ALSO…………… many nursing homes provide “short-term rehabilitation” or “subacute care” specifically designed to assist those who have had illness, injury, or surgery obtain the physical, occupational, and speech therapy, as well as nursing care, they require after a hospital stay. The focus from Day 1 is to get these residents back on their feet and help them transition back home. In most cases, Medicare and private insurances cover these services as long as certain criteria are met.

Please feel free to call me if you have any questions about myth #1 or nursing homes in general, and stay tuned for myth #2!

Shaileen (203)927-0702

There are many career opportunities in nursing homes! From administrators, to accountants, to housekeepers, nurses, cnas, therapists, and many, many other opportunities, nursing homes offer fulfilling, secure careers with potential for advancement.

Paramedic

2008-05-21T11:43:00.003-04:00

A paramedic is a medical professional, usually a member of the emergency medical service, who primarily provides pre-hospital advanced medical and trauma care. A paramedic is charged with providing emergent on-scene treatment, crisis intervention, life-saving stabilization and, when appropriate, transport of ill or injured patients to definitive emergency medical and surgical treatment facilities, such as a hospitals and trauma centers.
The use of the specific term paramedic varies by jurisdiction, and in some places is used to refer to any member of an ambulance crew. In countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, the use of the word paramedic is restricted by law, and the person claiming the title must have passed a specific set of examinations and clinical placements, and hold a valid registration, certification, or license with a governing body.

Partners In Health

2008-05-18T20:59:00.000-04:00

Partners in Health is an amazing organization run by amazing, committed people. Read on for more......

The PIH Vision: Whatever it takes
At its root, our mission is both medical and moral. It is based on solidarity, rather than charity alone. When a person in Peru, or Siberia, or rural Haiti falls ill, PIH uses all of the means at our disposal to make them well—from pressuring drug manufacturers, to lobbying policy makers, to providing medical care and social services. Whatever it takes. Just as we would do if a member of our own family—or we ourselves—were ill.

PIH was founded in 1987, two years after the Clinique Bon Sauveur was set up in Cange, Haiti, to deliver health care to the residents of the mountainous Central Plateau. PIH co-founders had been working in the area for years. The Clinic was just the first of an arc of successful projects designed to address the health care needs of the residents of the poorest area in Haiti. In the 20 years since then, PIH has expanded its operations to eight other sites in Haiti and five additional countries and has launched a number of other initiatives.

Partners in Health Web Site

Seek Your Center

Seek Your Center

2008-05-17T20:34:00.002-04:00

Healthcare Workers, Please Read ON!!!!!

DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU'VE LOST SOMETHING VITAL IN YOUR LIFE? NO PLEASURE IN THE "NOW?"

"I will be happy when I retire"

"I will have more joy when I win the lotto"

"I will have more peace when I lose weight"

"I will be fulfilled when..........(fill in the blanks)

NOT ANY MORE!!!!!! Imagine being happy, peaceful, and fulfilled EVERY DAY!!!!!!!

Your Life Will Improve Drastically When You Work With Seek Your Center to Find More Joy, More Peace, and More Fulfullment!

Lao-Tzu, a 5th Century Chinese Philosipher, stated "At the heart of your being lies your answer. You know who you are and what you want"

His wisdom lives today- Seek Your Center is committed to helping you find the heart of your being, so you can finally learn who you are and what you want.

You will find Joy in life every single day!

You will have Peace whenever YOU want it; even a Peace that exudes from your very being!

You will have more fulfillment in your life, and be able to ENJOY THE NOW!

Urgently Visit www.seekyourcenter.com!

Marathon Healthcare Center Celebrates National Nursing Home Week

2008-05-14T21:09:00.000-04:00

As a society, we often wonder where the days have gone when young people offered an unsolicited helping hand, a kind gesture, or an expression of gratitude to our elder generation. This week, the staff, residents, and friends of Marathon Healthcare Center of Torrington celebrate the very special importance that such expressions of kindness, admiration, and service for our elders represent for our community. Throughout the United States, skilled nursing facilities are celebrating National Nursing Home Week from May 11 through May 16, and we here at Torrington have put together a wonderful schedule of events to make this year especially beautiful.

We kicked the week off on Monday morning. All the staff donned red “We Love Our Residents” buttons which will be worn like badges of honor throughout the week. At 9AM, we welcomed 12 students from the Brio Academy of Cosmetology who volunteered their time and excellent work, providing complete makeovers including hair cuts, sets, styling, manicures, hand massages and makeup. We thank the students at Brio who provided these services with utmost professionalism, respect, kindness and compassion.

On Tuesday, we honored an excellent group of community volunteers who devote so much of their time, talents and vibrant enthusiasm to Marathon’s residents on a daily basis, with a buffet style luncheon, complete with live entertainment and a certificate ceremony.

Four agricultural students from Womogo Regional High School joined our residents on this beautiful, Spring Wednesday morning, to help plant a butterfly garden in the facility courtyard, with plants and flowers donated by Christine’s flower shoppe, Moscarillo’s garden shoppe and our facility’s dedicated staff.

The week’s festivities culminate on Friday afternoon with our first Spring kickoff BBQ, a resident and staff social in the courtyard now beautifully decorated with a fresh new garden. Nursing Home Week at Marathon Healthcare Center is a great time for our residents, staff and community to reflect on the gifts that we have been provided by our elderly generation, and to celebrate the kindness, love and service that make skilled nursing facilities like ours run so well.

We would like to thank everyone who has given so much of themselves to our beautiful home, especially those volunteers and community members that have joined us to celebrate this wonderful week.

Residents and Staff members of Marathon Healthcare Center of Torrington

Medical Billing Specialist

2008-05-11T21:05:00.002-04:00

The opportunities for a Medical Billing Specialist are many. Once a person is finished with the training, which includes working with insurance companies, Medicare, Medicaid billing, anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, coding, and proper form completion, that person is qualified to join the staff of a healthcare provider and provide billing services.
Potential employers are hospitals, nursing home companies, doctors offices, and medical billing companies. Many jobs have set hours, although he or she can also work from home.

For information and to learn to become a Medical Billing Specialist and create your own business at home, click below.

Become a Medical Billing Specialist

Let's Not Forget The Volunteers!

2008-05-06T21:31:00.001-04:00

FRANK JULIANO

From www.connpost.com

MILFORD — Her co-workers at Milford Hospital like having Kay Provencher around.

The staff of the medical records department feted the 88-year-old Provencher, a volunteer for the past 10 years, with a proclamation and a table full of pastry on Friday.

While the retired office worker insisted that she was "no big deal," her co-workers took turns praising the active senior.

"Kay is an inspiration to our department," secretary Donna Taylor said. "She comes in every Friday morning and does a good morning's worth of work without getting paid for it."

But there was another reason for honoring the volunteer records clerk. "Kay is the only volunteer who caught on to what we do here," said records technician Sherrie Moyher.

"I was just looking for something to do," said the grandmother of two. Provencher is also a part-time crossing guard for the Milford public schools. "I was familiar with bookkeeping so I thought I'd do this."

The Bridgeport native had worked for the old Connecticut National Bank and later for a medical practice doing billing and coding. "Bridgeport was a great place to grow up," Provencher said. "I graduated from Harding High and I remember reading the Bridgeport Herald every Sunday. Harry Neigher wrote up all the dirt," she said of the defunct scandal sheet.

A resident of the Black Rock section of Bridgeport until recently, Provencher now lives at Foran Towers, apartments for seniors on High Street in Milford, and drives herself to her many appointments.

"They don't treat me like an old lady in here," Provencher said of her co-workers. "They treat me like one of them; I like that."

But the vivacious widow wasn't the only hospital volunteer Friday with ties to the Park City. Jim Santo, a retired educator who taught in several Bridgeport schools, has logged more than 900 hours in less than three years as a patient escort. Wearing his blue volunteer jacket and waiting in the lobby, Santo said he chose the hospital to volunteer in because he knows many nurses.

"But also, I wasn't a fan of hospitals and I thought that this would be a good way to get over my apprehension," Santo said.

CAMC promotes health care careers

2008-05-04T21:29:00.001-04:00

Local high school students will gain an up-close look at surgery and health care career options during the second Imagine U: Virtual Healthcare Experience broadcast.

Charleston Area Medical Center representatives will be on hand Thursday at Charleston Catholic High School and Buffalo High from 8 to 10 a.m.

Imagine U is a collaborative effort between CAMC and the West Virginia Department of Education that introduces students to health care careers using technology that links classrooms to hospitals.

Participants will view open-heart surgery and hear about careers from health care professionals. A cardiovascular surgeon will conduct a question and answer session with students.

From Charleston Daily Mail

Certified Pedorthist

2008-05-02T11:07:00.002-04:00

A Certified Pedorthist, or C. Ped. is a specialist in using footwear - which includes shoes, shoe modifications, foot orthoses and other pedorthic devises - to solve problems in, or related to, the foot and lower limb.

[edit] Description
Primarily, a C.Ped will select, make and/or modify footwear and foot control devices to help people maintain or regain as much mobility as possible or to optimize their lower extremity biomechanics. Their scope of practice is typically defined in layperson's terms as the ankle and below.
When ability to walk is affected, everything that surrounds or touches a foot - whether it is foot orthoses (commonly known as orthotics or arch supports), shoes, boots, slippers, sandals, socks, hosiery, night splints, bandages, braces, partial-foot prosthetics, or other devices - interacts with a foot. That makes footwear a crucial part of a recommended treatment plan.
Most often, it is Certified Pedorthists, not Podiatrists (or D.P.M.s), who create foot orthotics, whether custom-molded, or pre-molded. A Podiatrist will often take an image of the foot by means of a plaster cast, foam mold, or computer scanned image. He or she will then make recommendations for changes to that image, and send the mold to a lab where the Pedorthist produces the final product.
Becoming a C.Ped. requires completing the educational requirements approved by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC) and passing a written credentialing exam Efforts are currently underway to establish an A.A. degree in Pedorthics, and are expected to be set by 2010.
Pedorthist are not doctors.
For More Information Visit- http://www.abcop.org/

Seminar in West Haven, CT Rescheduled

2008-04-30T14:17:00.000-04:00

Tonight's seminar at Marathon Healthcare Center of West Haven, 310 Terrace Avenue, West Haven, Connecticut, has been rescheduled. We will post the date and time as soon as they are available. Thank you for your interest!If you have any questions regarding this event, please contactDwayne Silva at 203-932-2247.

Free Seminar in West Haven, Connecticut

2008-04-28T19:52:00.001-04:00

On Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
at 6:30 PM,

Marathon Healthcare Center
of West Haven
310 Terrace Avenue, West Haven, Connecticut

Will Be Hosting a Free Seminar
Presented by Vitas Innovative Hospice
on
Recent Developments in
End-Of-Life Care
Power of Attorney
Advance Directives
Conservatorship
Living Wills

All are Welcome To Attend this Free Seminar!
Please RSVP to Dwayne Silva
(203) 932-2247

Refreshments Will Be Provided

We Look Forward to Seeing You There!

Attitude

2008-04-24T18:48:00.000-04:00

ATTITUDE

by: Charles Swindoll

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

X-Ray Technician

2008-04-23T07:39:00.001-04:00

From www.medical-career-training.com

Also known as Radiologic Technicians or Radiographers, X-ray technicians are responsible for conducting imaging procedures specified by a patient’s physician. They prepare patients for filming and operate x-ray imaging machinery. Precision is essential, as the X-ray Technician must position the radiologic equipment at the correct range and angle to obtain the best picture for purposes of diagnosis. This process requires extensive knowledge of both anatomy and imaging technology. Some Radiologic Technicians are trained to utilize even more advanced equipment such as MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and CTs (Computerized Tomography), and others may perform complex tests like flouroscopies.

More........

Travel Assignments centered on your lifestyle...

2008-04-20T22:24:00.001-04:00

Axis Healthcare Staffing helps qualified healthcare professionals in all areas of nursing to find the perfect travel assignments for their way of life. We offer exclusive top paying positions in choice locations across the U.S. from AK, FL, NM, AZ, OH, TN and
over 40 other states!

More...........

Medical Records Specialist

2008-04-18T10:56:00.001-04:00

What is a Medical Records Specialist?

Each time a patient receives a health care service, a record is maintained of the intervention & treatment outcome. A medical records specialist organizes all of this documentation for future use. Many medical practices see a large amount of patients. This creates a vast amount of documentation that someone familiar with various filing techniques must maintain. A medical records specialist is well acquainted with many aspects of a medical practice, especially medical records.

Medical practices follow laws and guidelines for proper documentation, maintenance and usage of medical records. A medical records specialist is responsible for knowing these laws and guidelines and assisting others, such as physicians, in observing them.

Brighton College Online Training

Through a Nurse's Eyes

2008-04-09T11:39:00.003-04:00

Almost every veteran I know is extremely stoic when it comes to his or her health. Suffering in silence, and not seeking medical help are common threads that any healthcare provider recognizes in this population. Blood pressure rises and stay up, fevers burn, pee stings, stomachs ache, and sores fester, and the tough vet says “I’ll be fine” until a fed-up spouse, child, or paramedic shouts “Enough!” and carts the veteran off to the emergency room.

I was fortunate (though I thought at the beginning unfortunate) enough at the age of 22 to be caring for one such health-procrastinator. He was a crotchety old WWII soldier, in the hospital with a ruptured appendix. His surgery to remove the “damaged equipment” was successful, but afterward the incision itself became badly infected, and the old guy was not a happy camper.

Mr. B. was mean and nasty to all of his caregivers, which wasn’t what actually bothered me the day that I found him on my daily assignment. I was okay with awful behavior and shouting, but totally grossed out by infected wounds. They look disgusting with all kinds of pus-filled discharge, brown, yellow, orange, and green; and smell even worse. If you’ve ever left lunch meat in a box outside for three days in August, you know what I mean.

I gathered my courage and steeled myself when it came time to change Mr. B.’s bandage. Knocking on the door, I pasted a smile on my face as I stepped into the room, only to be shouted at by my patient. Mr. B. cursed at me, ranted, raved, and pretty much let it be known that he felt I was a worthless, useless piece of crap.

Instead of running from the room with tears in my eyes, which many nurses would do, I met my difficult patient’s eyes and said matter-of-factly, “Mr. B., it’s time for me to change your dressing.” After calling me several more choice names, Mr. B. slowly drew down the sheet to expose his sore belly. I gulped as I looked at the pus-soaked gauze on the right side of his stomach, and felt my own stomach turn in response.

Sensing my hesitation, the old soldier again began his litany of insults, coming up with names for me and all of my family members I had never even heard before. I blocked them out as I washed my hands, prepared my supplies, and reached out to remove the dirty dressing from Mr. B.’s incision.

Once Mr. B. realized I wasn’t going to react to his constant stream of verbal abuse, he quieted down, lying in the bed with an angry scowl on his face. I wondered why this man was so sour, and thought to myself that maybe the infection was actually his personality seeping out through the wound. Meanwhile, I took off his old dressing and wanted to puke. Underneath was a disgusting mess of foul tissue, a gaping, festering, stinking sore on this poor man’s belly.

Choking down my gorge, I shifted my focus to Mr. B. himself. “That must hurt.” I said, and he looked away and just grunted. On his stomach, the green pus oozed like old pea soup from the depths of his wound as I cleaned it- gross! “I used to have six-pack abs” muttered Mr. B. as he watched. As he said it, his stomach muscles pushed out even more drainage- sick! I felt like I was really going to lose it, embarrass myself and humiliate Mr. B.

“How did you get those six pack abs- not by drinking too many six packs, huh? Did you do it to pick up dames? I bet your wife loved them!” I responded with a smile as I began the nasty job of packing the open wound with sterile gauze soaked in saline.

Mr. B. met my eyes and said “Nobody here has ever cared to talk to me about anything other than my sickness- they all seem to think that I am just a patient and not a person. Thank you.” We went on to have a very personal, fun conversation during the rest of the bandage change. Mr. B. turned out to be a very intelligent, humorous man who was able to keep my mind occupied as I went about the unpleasant task of caring for his festering wound.

During the rest of his stay at the hospital, Mr. B requested that I perform his wound care whenever I was working, even when he was not on my assignment. I found out later on that the reason he requested me was that I was able to keep his mind occupied during the bandage change, and even though it was not pleasant for him, at least he was able to have a diverting conversation. I laughed to myself when I learned this, since he was doing exactly the same thing for me!

Eventually, through excellent nursing care, (emphasize care,) Mr. B’s infection cleared and his wound healed. I like to think that he learned from me that it is okay to admit when you are not well, and to allow someone to help you. I learned a more valuable lesson from him, though, which is that if you are open, even to a cranky, grouchy jerk, and try to see that jerk for the person he really is, he may be able to touch you in a way that helps to see you through some extremely awful circumstances.

Physician Assistant

2008-04-05T10:07:00.001-04:00

Healthcare Careers

2008-04-04T22:11:00.003-04:00

Health care will generate 3 million new wage and salary jobs between 2006 and 2016, more than any other industry. Seven of the twenty fastest growing occupations are health care related. Job opportunities should be good in all employment settings.

Employment change. Wage and salary employment in the health care industry is projected to increase 22 percent through 2016, compared with 11 percent for all industries combined (table 3). Employment growth is expected to account for about 3 million new wage and salary jobs—20 percent of all wage and salary jobs added to the economy over the 2006-16 period. Projected rates of employment growth for the various segments of the industry range from 13 percent in hospitals, the largest and slowest growing industry segment, to 55 percent in the much smaller home health care services.

Table 3. Employment in health care by industry segment, 2006 and projected change, 2006-16
(Employment in thousands)
Industry segment	2006 Employment	2006-16 Percent change

Health services, total	13,621	21.7

Hospitals, public and private	5,438	13.0
Nursing and residential care facilities	2,901	23.7
Offices of physicians	2,154	24.8
Home health care services	867	55.4
Offices of dentists	784	22.4
Offices of other health practitioners	571	28.3
Outpatient care centers	489	24.3
Other ambulatory health care services	216	32.3
Medical and diagnostic laboratories	202	16.8

Employment in health care will continue to grow for several reasons. The number of people in older age groups, with much greater than average health care needs, will grow faster than the total population between 2006 and 2016; as a result, the demand for health care will increase. Employment in home health care and nursing and residential care should increase rapidly as life expectancies rise, and as aging children are less able to care for their parents and rely more on long-term care facilities. Advances in medical technology will continue to improve the survival rate of severely ill and injured patients, who will then need extensive therapy and care. New technologies will make it possible to identify and treat conditions that were previously not treatable. Medical group practices and integrated health systems will become larger and more complex, increasing the need for office and administrative support workers. Industry growth also will occur as a result of the shift from inpatient to less expensive outpatient and home health care because of improvements in diagnostic tests and surgical procedures, along with patients� desires to be treated at home.

Click Here For More

Health care jobs help area colleges expand

2008-04-04T07:29:00.001-04:00

From Press of Atlantic City:

By DIANE D'AMICO Education Writer, 609-272-7241

David Courtney is scrubbing his way to a new career, one finger at a time.

"You scrub your nails with a brush 30 times, then everything else 20 times," the soaped-up North Wildwood resident explained as he and classmates prepped in their surgical technician class at Atlantic Cape Community College's new Health Professions Institute in Atlantic City. "It's very precise, but you really feel very clean when you're done."

A licensed practical nurse, Courtney jumped at the chance to train to work in an operating room. The full-time 11-month program offers classroom and clinical experience.

More....

Speech Therapy

2008-04-03T21:56:00.000-04:00

Nursing shortage forcing hospitals to find new ways to fill staff vacancies

2008-04-03T15:32:00.002-04:00

Wilton Villager

By JILL BODACH
jbodach@wiltonvillager.com
NORWALK — With the current nursing shortage predicted to worsen over the next decade and peak at the same time thousands of baby boomers are aging, care hospitals across the country are required to find new ways to fill staff vacancies.
No longer can hospitals rely solely on U.S.- trained nurses to fill the slots that will be left due to retirement and other absences. Experts estimate that by 2012 the nation will need 1 million new or replacement nurses.

Norwalk Hospital is part of a national trend to hire foreign-educated nurses to fill vacancies in U.S. hospitals. Over the last four years approximately 60 nurses, primarily from India, have been hired by Norwalk Hospital, said Jan Mola, executive director of ambulatory and emergency nursing services.
"International recruitment is not our primary recruitment but that is a significant number of nurses, so it's a pretty big deal," Mola.
Recruitment can take up to two years, due mostly to the immigration process which can take as many as eight months to complete in some cases, said Mary Nolan, vice president of nursing at Norwalk Hospital.

For More, Click Here

Online Pharmacists Refresher Course

2008-04-02T09:42:00.003-04:00

The Pharmacists Referesher Course is designed for pharmacists who wish to return to community practice after an absence for three or more years. The course has 3 modules, all of which are approved for ACPE continuing education credits (home study).
The course assists pharmacists to reenter the profession and receive updated information concerning new drug entities, new medical therapies that are affected by drug usage, new working conditions, new patient care services, computerization, demands of third party payers and new state and federal regulations.
The first two modules are offered as web courses through Charter Oak State College. The third module is an experiential externship centered around core competencies.
Those who participate in all three modules will earn a certificate from Charter Oak State College. Those taking Mods 1 and 2 for personal enrichment will earn ACPE credits through the CPA.
For more information, please visit the Connecticut Pharamcists Association Website or

email CPA (members@ctpharmacists.org)

or call (860) 563-4619.

Massachusetts National Nurses Day Celebration

2008-04-01T21:10:00.004-04:00

National Nurses Day Celebration & Rally
May 6, 2008
Featuring Speeches By Patti LaBelle & Suzanne Gordon
Boston's Hynes Convention Center 10 a.m. - 12 noon
Rally For Safe Patient Limits State House Steps 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Click to Visit Site

Austrailian Healthcare Careers

2008-03-30T19:45:00.001-04:00

The Australian government has unveiled 'ambitious' plans to create 50,000 more health training positions.

Jobs will include enrolled nurses, dental health workers, allied health professionals, ambulance officers and Aboriginal health workers, the Australian reported.

More....

Healthcare jobs expected to explode in Colorado County

2008-03-25T19:30:00.002-04:00

"Westminster, CO, March 17, 2008 - According to Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc., projected growth in healthcare employment for Adams County from 2006 through 2016 is one of the highest in Colorado and places it in the top tier of counties nationwide. Healthcare jobs are projected to increase 33 percent statewide and 22 percent nationwide."

http://denver.yourhub.com/Thornton/Stories/Business/New-Businesses/Story~443637.aspx

Online Medical Coding Program Helps High School and GED Grads Earn Big

2008-03-25T07:26:00.001-04:00

"OnlineCareerAdvancement.com has developed new 70% discounted medical billing and coding courses to help high school and GED graduates successfully pursue medical coding specialist national certification and get good paying jobs. The Certified Coding Associate (CCA) credential requires only a high school or GED diploma and average starting pay is about $35,000."

More information at http://www.freepressreleases.co.uk/Press_Releases/Employment%10Car eers/Online_Medical_Coding_Program_Helps_High_School_and_GED_Grads_Earn_Big_2008032415177/

Some nurses get a free ride

2008-03-16T20:23:00.002-04:00

NEWPORT NEWS - Gas prices have hovered over the $3 mark, but Jody Loftus doesn't have to worry about that.

Even though she and other Bon Secours Home Care nurses rack up an average of 650 miles a month, she drives a brand-new car provided by her employer.

The agency leased 15 white Toyota Corollas for registered nurses who have worked there for at least six months. Bon Secours pays for the lease, maintenance, insurance and gas — whether it's for work or personal use.

More....

http://www.dailypress.com/features/dp-biz_nurses_0316mar16,0,2440978.story

Healthcare Careers

2008-03-11T20:42:00.001-04:00

Patient Care Jobs

2008-02-28T20:51:00.001-05:00

http://dental-assistant.helpful-facts.com/1103/1103/

"Healthcare is one of the hottest career fields in America today. The aging and retiring of the largest population segment in the country, known as baby boomers , has left the healthcare industry racing to find enough employees to fill the void. Advances in medical technology and treatment are causing people to live longer as well. Add the fact many universities and colleges don t have enough teachers to train new employees; there becomes a ripe market for healthcare careers.

You would be amazed how many types of healthcare careers there are available. This article will discuss three main categories; patient care, non-patient care and operations. We ll also discuss an amazing new trend with tremendous opportunity home health.

Three main healthcare jobs in the category of patient care are nursing, medical assisting and dental hygiene.

Nursing consists mainly of direct patient care, but this can take place in a hospital, private doctor s office, or an institution like a school, ski resort or cruise ship. With additional education or experience, some nurses become nurse managers, shift supervisors, epidemiologists, or counsel to insurance companies and law offices.

Medical assistants primarily provide patient care; performing routine medical functions to free up the time of the doctor. In the past, some of these medical services could only be provided by doctors. Medical assistants administer medication, take vital signs and update medical history."

More:

Dispelling Myths About Healthcare Careers

2008-02-09T14:14:00.000-05:00

So you want to go into a healthcare career-but you've heard some rumors: "You need a four-year degree" or "There are not many places you can train to become a therapeutic masseuse." Such myths can stop you before you even get started. But these fallacies are just that-untrue misconceptions.

http://atoz.coolblog.net/dispelling-myths-about-healthcare-careers-post2555

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Program

2008-02-03T13:01:00.000-05:00

Bullard Havens RVTS in Bridgeport, CT offers an in-depth Licensed Practical Nurse Training program. In just 3 semesters you can complete the training and qualify for the NCLEX-PN exam to become a Licensed Practical Nurse!

Bullard Havens Practical Nurse Education Program

Healthcare Scholarships

2008-02-01T10:25:00.000-05:00

http://www.tylenol.com/page.jhtml?id=tylenol/news/subptyschol.inc

http://www.stmh.org/working_stmh/sn/scholapply.html

http://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/education/x469079719

http://www.salisburyrotary.org/scholar.htm

Nurse Anesthetist

2008-01-29T19:43:00.000-05:00

A nurse anesthetist (AE) is a registered nurse and advanced practice nurse who has acquired additional education and training to administer anesthesia. The title, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), reflects the nurse's qualifications and abilities.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_anesthetist

For additional information, visit
The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists

2008-01-27T20:38:00.000-05:00

Discount Home Medical Equipment- While Supplies Last!!!

E-Mail: hme@companionhealthservices.com

BOSTON CAREER EXPO

2008-01-26T10:21:00.000-05:00

BOSTON CAREER EXPO

New England’s Premier Recruitment Event

Wednesday, February 13
Sheraton Boston
11am - 6pm

Pre-Register for the Fair now!

Three separate pavilions ensure you'll find the position that meets your needs!

Professional/General Pavilion:

Sales
Marketing
Management
Finance/Accounting
Secretarial/Office Support
Call Center/Customer Service
Financial Services
Investing
Banking
Insurance
Legal
Skilled Trades
Restaurant
Retail/Hospitality
Seasonal and more!

Engineering, Technology and Security Clearance Pavilion: (U.S. Citizenship required and 2 years experience. Candidates will be pre-screened for experience upon entry to this pavilion)

Defense
Chemical Engineering
Semiconductors
Electrical Engineering
Hardware & Software
Network Engineering
Research & Development
Industrial Engineering
Information Technology
Program/Project Management
Aerospace and more!

Nursing and Allied Health Pavilion: (Candidates will be pre-screened for Healthcare experience or degrees upon entry to this pavilion)

RNs
LPNs
Medical Techs
Nurses Aides
Radiology
Physical Therapists
Occupational Therapists
Speech Language Pathologists
Pharmacists
Pharmacy Techs
Social Workers
Medical Billing
Healthcare Support and more!

Sheraton Boston
39 Dalton Street
Boston, MA 02199
Phone: (617) 236-2000

What to Expect While Studying to Become an RN

2008-01-24T19:02:00.000-05:00

"While Studying to Become an RN By Anne Harvester If you are interested in healthcare careers, perhaps you would like to look into becoming a registered nurse. There are nursing schools available at campuses and online throughout the United States that are ready to help you with the process. There are some classes and hands-on training that you can expect to experience while studying to become a registered nurse. Classes that you will need to have taken before enrolling in nursing school include the basics of math, English and various science courses. At nursing school, you will spend time in pharmacology, physiology, pathology and anatomy. Although there are a few nursing schools run out of hospitals themselves, you will find the majority are held through college affiliation and on college campuses. To start you on the road to becoming a registered nurse, you can begin by working toward an Associate of Science degree in nursing. Associate degrees are granted by community colleges most often, and generally are offered as a two-year program. The teachers at these programs are individuals who are not only experienced nurses but also trained educators. These skilled instructors will lead you through courses such as anatomy, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, behavioral sciences, physiology, psychology and nutrition. Your practical experience will take place in hospitals' maternity, surgery, psychiatry and pediatrics departments. You might also be given hands-on nursing experiences in other venues such as nursing care facilities, ambulatory clinics, public health departments or home health agencies. As an RN you can expect to perform diagnostic tests and their analysis, give treatment and medication, educate patients about different medical conditions, operate medical hardware, and assist patients with rehabilitation and post-treatment health care. Registered nurses can become specialists in certain areas of patient care or can specialize in where they offer their nursing services. Some nurses, for example, specialize in critical care, and they take care of patients who have had cardiovascular, pulmonary or respiratory failure. Some nurses work in emergency rooms in hospitals, and focus on treating patients with life-threatening health conditions. Some nurses begin their health careers as an LPN, or licensed practical nurse. This option takes less time in school than does RN preparation, because it usually takes one year. LPNs often work under a doctor's supervision at medical clinics. Some LPNs then take their training and further their education in order to become a registered nurse. An LPN can perform such nursing tasks as giving medications including injections, changing dressings, recording the vital signs of patients, as well as patient feeding and bathing. LPNs must practice nursing under the supervision of a registered nurse or a physician. You can begin your nursing training today by studying at online colleges and universities, or attending classes on campus."
http://www.articledepots.com/?p=507

National Activities Professional Week

2008-01-22T20:54:00.000-05:00

"Therapeutic Recreation is the provision of treatment services and the provision of recreation services to persons with illnesses or disabling conditions. The primary purposes of treatment services which are often referred to as recreational therapy, are to restore, remediate or rehabilitate in order to improve functioning and independence as well as reduce or eliminate the effects of illness or disability. The primary purposes of recreation services are to provide recreation resources and opportunities in order to improve health and well-being. Therapeutic recreation is provided by professionals who are trained and certified, registered and/or licensed to provide therapeutic recreation. (ATRA, 1987)"
http://www.atra-tr.org/careerinfo.htm

One of the most overlooked, but important, healthcare professions, Therapeutic Recreation can also be one of the most rewarding. Also known as Activities Professionals, Therapeutic Recreation providers work individually or in groups with people who are ill or disabled, often in a hospital, nursing home, or institutional setting, but also in day programs. This career is perfect for an outgoing, organized, fun-loving, caring individual who enjoys working one-on-one as well as in a group setting.

A hearty salute to all Activities Professionals, this is your week! Thank you for helping our patients, residents, and clients have fun!

Good prognosis for health-care jobs

2008-01-20T21:26:00.000-05:00

"With a degree in nursing, Joliet's Jennifer Clements didn't have to look far for a job. After receiving her bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of St. Francis College of Nursing and Allied Health in Joliet in 2004, the then 20-year-old Clements applied for positions at eight hospitals -- and received job offers from all eight. By the following year, she was earning an annual income of more than $60,000.

Today, at 23, Clements is a part-time intensive care nurse at Naperville's Edward Hospital, and a full-time master's degree student at St. Francis. Earning a master's degree will enable her to become an advanced practice nurse, a position employers ranging from CVS and Walgreen to physicians' offices and state-funded nurse-managed clinics eagerly seek to fill. "It makes you all the more marketable," she said.

Just how marketable is indicated by the perks some employers offer graduates, including tuition forgiveness and sign-on bonuses of up to $10,000, Clements said."

For More Information, visit http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-sun_outlook_0106jan06,1,5152385.story

How do I Know if a Medical Career Might be Right for Me?

2008-01-20T19:00:00.000-05:00

"First ask yourself what kind of future appeals to you. Do you want challenges, opportunities, a chance to make a difference? Many bright and motivated college students describe a "dream career" with the following characteristics:

Service: Allows you to help people and advance knowledge.
Action: Doesn't tie you to a desk all the time.
Respect: Your work and contributions are an important part of your community.
Security: Enables you to earn a good living with a secure future.
Excitement: Changes daily, so it's hardly ever boring.
Mobility: Your skills and knowledge are in demand, wherever you choose to live.
Flexibility: Offers you lots of career options from the same education base.

Few occupations meet all of these standards. None meets them better than a career in medicine."

Registered Dietitian

2008-01-16T19:03:00.000-05:00

A Registered Dietitian (sometimes spelled dietician, although the official spelling is Dietitian) is an expert in food and nutrition. Dietitians help promote good health through proper eating. They also supervise the preparation and service of food, develop modified diets, participate in research, and educate individuals and groups on good nutritional habits. The goals of the dietary department are to obtain, prepare, and serve flavorsome, attractive, and nutritious food to patients, family members, and health care providers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietetics

Respiratory Therapy Video

2008-01-15T20:29:00.000-05:00

Respiratory Therapy

2008-01-15T19:46:00.000-05:00

Respiratory Therapists

Significant Points

Job opportunities should be very good.
An associate degree is the minimum educational requirement, but a bachelor’s or master’s degree may be important for advancement.
All States, except Alaska and Hawaii, require respiratory therapists to be licensed.
Hospitals will account for the vast majority of job openings, but a growing number of openings will arise in other settings.

Respiratory therapists and respiratory therapy technicians—also known as respiratory care practitioners—evaluate, treat, and care for patients with breathing or other cardiopulmonary disorders. Practicing under the direction of a physician, respiratory therapists assume primary responsibility for all respiratory care therapeutic treatments and diagnostic procedures, including the supervision of respiratory therapy technicians. Respiratory therapy technicians follow specific, well-defined respiratory care procedures under the direction of respiratory therapists and physicians.

In clinical practice, many of the daily duties of therapists and technicians overlap. However, therapists generally have greater responsibility than technicians. For example, respiratory therapists consult with physicians and other health care staff to help develop and modify patient care plans. Respiratory therapists also are more likely to provide complex therapy requiring considerable independent judgment, such as caring for patients on life support in intensive-care units of hospitals.

Healthcare Careers

Online Nursing Program

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Advice From Snopes

Medical Transcriptionist

Jobs in Nursing Homes

The Future Of Nursing: Nursing Home Jobs

Police: Nurse Betty not really a nurse

Elder Rights Protection CONSUMER ALERTS

Freelance Health Writer- How to Become One

Professional Geriatric Care Manager

New England Home Care April Newsletter

Home Care

National Social Work Month

Nursing Students Participate in Blessing of the Hands

Learn the Basics on Chiropractic Schools and Careers

Ten healthcare fields that can't wait to hire you.

‘Giving kisses’: Hamilton resident publishes a book on caring for Alzheimer’s victims

Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides

Breaking Down Obama's Health Care Cuts

Interesting Blog!

Are You Job Trendy?

CDH offers scholarships for students pursuing healthcare careers

New law requires free language services from HMOs

Milford school nurse selected best in state

CNA/ HHA Training New Haven, CT

Nursing students find community

“General Practice,” I Mean, “Family Practitice,” No, I Mean, “Family Medicine”

OU-C partners with VA to offer nursing support classes

Collaboration gives more class space for program prerequisites

Spiritual journey chronicled in new memoir

Retraining offered to retired RN's

Psychiatry

Cost containment focus could have consequences for health care delivery

LPN vs NP

Hospital Scrubs Are a Germy, Deadly Mess

Hartford Hospital, University of Connecticut Health Center discuss merger

EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR F/T RNs!

College prepares students for nursing career

EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR F/T RNs!

We all Wish Ours Could Do This!

Post-Acute Providers Are Not Vendors

Facing Deadly Ice Storms, Home Medical Equipment Providers in New England Mobilize to Protect Oxygen Patients

Online Healthcare Degrees

Clip & save guide: healthcare careers

RELATED: SPECIAL ON EMPLOYMENT CRISIS, PART II: WALL STREET VET FINDS HOME IN MEDICINE

RELATED: SPECIAL ON EMPLOYMENT CRISIS, PART I: LOOKING FOR JOBS IN TODAY'S ECONOMY

Healthcare Career at Vocational Trade School

New Jersey Teens Enter Nursing Camp

Wedding is a first at healthcare center

Torrington CT Healthcare Careers

How to Pay For Nursing School

“Narrative Writing” May Ease Pain In Cancer Patients

Healthcare careers and IT careers appear to be recession proof.

Healthcare careers promise job security

Pittsburg students attend HOSA conference

Marathon Health Care Centers Receive Prestigious Awards

The Connecticut Hospice, Inc. Announces the Arrival of Six Nurse Scholars From The Henrietta Szold-Hadassah-Hebrew University School of Nursing

Careers In Medical Radiography

Aging nurses pursue traveling healthcare careers

Key Points

Home Health Aide

Healthcare Career Opportunities

Nobody ever WANTS to go into a nursing home! (True, but……….)

Paramedic

Partners In Health

Seek Your Center

Marathon Healthcare Center Celebrates National Nursing Home Week

Medical Billing Specialist

Let's Not Forget The Volunteers!

CAMC promotes health care careers

Certified Pedorthist

Seminar in West Haven, CT Rescheduled

Free Seminar in West Haven, Connecticut

Attitude

X-Ray Technician

Travel Assignments centered on your lifestyle...

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Wednesday, February 13
Sheraton Boston
11am - 6pm