- Part 20

Earning Online Degree

There are numerous domestically approved online colleges that are competency-based and offer versatile techniques for students to earn credit. By signing up for one of these reputable online colleges, you may be able to earn the majority of your credits by proving your learning by acquiring tests rather than by finishing the coursework.

Getting an online degree by taking tests has several key disadvantages. Particularly, students miss out the most significant facets of the college experience. Whenever you take a test rather than a class, you lose the chance at reaching a professor, social discussion with your peers, and learning as part of a community. Additionally, the required tests are challenging and the unstructured nature of learning alone can lead a lot of students to simply quit. In order to be prosperous with this strategy, students have to be especially driven and disciplined.

The tests, which you take, are determined by your college’s prerequisites. You might find yourself taking university tests supervised online, university tests supervised at a specified testing area or external tests. External tests just like the College Level Exam Program (CLEP) can help you bypass the courses in specific subjects such as U.S. History, Marketing, or College Algebra. The CLEP Exams and other tests can be utilized with proctored supervision at a number of locations.

Remember that most of the “earn a degree fast” and “test out of college” advertisements are scams. When selecting to earn a degree primarily through an examination, it is necessary that you sign up for an authorized, accredited online college. Probably the most widely form of accreditation is regional accreditation.

If you choose an accredited online college, your degree should be considered legitimate by employers and other educational institutions. There should be no difference between the degree you earn by proving your knowledge through test taking and the degree another online student earns through coursework.

Threats of Understaffed Nursing Homes

Many nursing home facilities are extremely understaffed that they might be endangering the welfare of the patients; this is according to a report by federal health authorities. The report suggests more stringent recommendations that will require thousands of nursing facilities to employ more nurses and nurses’ aides.

According to several studies, under-staffing in nursing homes has led to many issues in patient’s condition like severe bedsores, abnormal weight loss, and malnutrition. It is, of course, hard to maintain the welfare of the seniors if a facility lacks manpower. It has been reported that a huge amount of patients have developed life-threatening infections that could have been avoided if there is proper staffing.

The US government has already made several vital steps to resolve the issue. It suggests new federal standards to ensure that patients receive no less than two hours of care every day from nursing aides, amongst other things, there must be sufficient amount of nurses and other health professional within the facility. The research states that 54 % of nursing facilities presently fall underneath the suggested minimum standard. This is very threatening, given that it may endanger the life of the senior.

Studies suggest that patients receive only a minimum of 12 minutes each day of care from nurses. Presently, 31 percent of nursing facilities don’t meet that standard amount of nurses. Though the government has intentions in resolving the problem, it is still impossible for the government to propose minimum staffing recommendations since they were supplying insufficient subsidies under Medicare insurance and State Medicaid programs. Many senior care authorities explained that it is also hard to attract and retain good employees because of the status of the economy. Making the job appealing for nurses and developing a program will increase the quality of healthcare service that our seniors will receive in a nursing home.

Nurses Working at Hospitals

Hospital career employment keeps growing, as demands for healthcare professional services expand over time. Whenever you think about hospital careers, you will most likely think of doctors and nurses that happen to be two examples of fantastic hospital professions. Nevertheless, you will find more kinds of hospital professions. If you do not want to be a physician or a nurse, there are numerous hospital profession alternatives for you for almost any education level or niche.

Several hospitals are huge, some are small, just like some other employer, every single hospital features its own customs and work environment, some are much better than others. When choosing an employer, you will need to locate a hospital that most closely fits your personality and work ethic, but of course you need to pass their qualifications.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 2.5 million nurses constitute the biggest labor force within the medical industry. Nursing professions offer a wide selection of roles and a wide scope of accountability. There are lots of various kinds of nurses, and lots of new ways to acquire nursing professions.

Nurses always work with doctors as an essential portion of the patient health care workforce. The physician makes some key judgments concerning the medical diagnosis, treatment method, and medicine, and it is the nurse’s role to provide that care on an ongoing basis to be sure of the effective recovery of the patient. Given that they might actually spend more face-to-face time with a patient than physicians, nurses have to be specifically skilled at reaching out to patients, placing them in a comfortable place, and aiding them in their recovery, and general well-being.

Considering a Paramedic Career

When selecting a job, it will be helpful to get the necessary information and details about it from individuals who have been in the profession. If you are considering a career in paramedics, there are specific things you need to know in detail so you can make an educated decision whether to take the course or not.

You will find some apparent places where you will probably find a paramedic: ambulances and fire engines are the very first things that come to mind. However, paramedics tend to be more versatile than you may think. There have been 226,500 jobs readily available for EMTs and paramedics this year, based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics. EMT and paramedic job demand is anticipated to increase 33% until 2020. This shows the potential of the career. It offers good compensation especially for those who upgraded their expertise.

Don’t look at the compensation first, let’s take a look at the challenges paramedics faces on a day to day basis. Like any other career profession, paramedics have difficult moments as well. They are often assigned in dangerous places or situations as well as required to work long hours. It is not easy to rescue someone, you have to be quick, accurate and mentally prepared on what to do or else you will not be able to save someone who is in a dangerous condition.

If you are really considering a career in paramedics, you need to assess yourself about your willingness to work as hard as paramedics. Are you mentally tough? And will you stay long with the profession? If your answer is yes, then maybe you are destined to become a paramedic. Choose an excellent program for you which can provide you with the proper training and skill you need to become a well equipped paramedic.

Where do Hospice Care Took Place?

Hospice care typically takes place in the patient’s home or wherever possible. This permits the dying to stay in familiar, secure surroundings and close to people they know. As a hospice nurse, you will basically be making house calls to the homes of very sick people to provide physical, psychological, and spiritual assistance to both the patients as well as their families. And that means you must be at ease driving around throughout the day and going into people’s homes.

But if the patient’s family is struggling to look after the patient, you will find in-patient hospice facilities, usually situated on the top floor of a nursing ward or hospital. An in-patient hospice has beds like a hospital, but that is about where the resemblances end. There aren’t any machines, and there are no prohibitive visiting hours; family and friends are always welcome. The atmosphere is rather quiet and peaceful. Almost all of the rooms are exclusive rooms in contrast to a hospital, and in comparison to a hospital, an in-patient hospice has reasonably few beds.

Hospice care is like a transitional place where the patient and the family are joined together for the remaining days of the patient. Hospice care is almost similar to palliative care. They have the same goals which are to ease symptoms and improve quality of life of the patient as well as to prepare the family members. Hospice care is suitable when there is a life expectancy of less than six months. Whenever a curative treatment is no longer working or effective, or in some cases the patient no longer wants to continue them, hospice becomes the other option.

Major Responsibilities of LPNs

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) monitor the patient, seriously injured, convalescent and handicapped in many different health care settings like hospitals. In some states they are known as Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs).

LPNs/LVNs provide hands-on care to patients under the direction of RNs or medical doctors. LPN prep programs include a year of education at a healthcare facility, vocational-tech school or community college. Once they meet the education, students are then qualified for licensure as an LPN or LVN. Once certified, they are allowed to work at a hospital.

LPNs’ duties are restricted and they also have to work under the direction and supervision of a registered nurse or doctor. Most LPNs deliver standard bedside care. They get vital signs like temperature, blood pressure level, heartbeat and respiration. They also prepare and provide injections, apply dressings, provide alcohol rubs and massage therapy, use ice packs and keep track of catheters.

LPNs monitor patients and document complications or adverse reactions to medicines or treatments. They gather samples for assessment. They also execute routine laboratory tests; give food to patients and fluid intake. They assist patients with bathing, dressing and individual hygiene, they help keep them secure and care for their psychological needs. In states in which the law permits, they may provide prescribed medicines or commence intravenous fluids.

The majority of LPNs in hospitals and nursing homes work for 40-hour week, but due to the fact patients need around-the-clock care, some work nights, holidays and weekends. They frequently stand for very long periods and assist patients to move in bed, stand or stroll. Their job is physically and mentally demanding but may open doors for career development and satisfaction.

Proper Nutrition for Senior

Everyone should know that appropriate nutrition plays a role in our health. This is also true for seniors and individuals who have serious diseases. Terrible physical health, depressive disorders and lonesomeness can also play a vital role in poor eating routine. Many seniors who experience these problems overlook their nutritional needs, and this can result in more severe medical conditions. They may tend to eat more sugary or high cholesterol foods that may lead to diabetes or hypertension.

The food we eat may determine the health of the senior. Thus, it is necessary to monitor the food they eat as part of the senior care program. As an example, it is essential for a person with diabetes to regulate how many sugary and starchy foods in his or her diet and for someone struggling with high blood pressure to cut out salt from their diet. It is of course difficult for a senior to monitor the food that he eats on their own. A physician or a nurse may guide the patient on what is healthy and what is not. Seniors must have good sources of nutrients to sustain their systems and for them to avoid diseases. The healthier they eat, the healthier they become.

The nurse can educate the individual and family the amount of carbohydrates in the food typically eaten by the patient; or the aide will shop for and prepare food with low sodium content, avoiding those that are high in sodium. Getting a proper meal on a daily basis often leads to better nutrition. It will also avoid unneeded hospitalization thus saving money by avoiding hospital bills and medicines.

Senior Care Health Insurance

Medical health insurance policies may help cover part of the expense of elder-care. It is very important to know that to which a policyholder is eligible and it’s also essential to understand the restrictions of your respective insurance so you will not waste time pursuing benefits that they may never acquire. For people doing extended planning, comprehending the limits of coverage is important to avoid misunderstandings about who covers the cost for care later on.

As “elder-care” is a wide term and one not utilized by most medical health insurance corporations, it is useful to consider insurance benefits in categories instead of the whole.

As the majority of senior Americans have Medicare as their main health care insurance coverage, it is helpful to be aware of its benefits and coverage. To start with, it needs to be said that Medicare is only going to pay money for medical care; it doesn’t cover the expense of personal care. This means Medicare will not pay for assistance to help the elderly execute their activities of everyday living like bathing, grooming, eating and mobility. Therefore with little exclusion, Medicare will not pay money for home-care or assisted living. Medicare does cover elderly care, although not at 100% and only for a restricted time period.

In relation to medical equipment, healthcare supplies and medicines, Medicare offers benefits in each of such areas provided the items are medically important, determined by a physician and are among the list of approved items.

With regards to assisting people to age in place, Medicare will not pay for home improvements. However, Medicare offers a distinctive program in some spots through which all of a participating senior’s healthcare requirements are covered. These programs are usually well liked by individuals who are lucky enough to get to live in an area of the country where this sort of insurance is provided.

Taking a Credit by Exam

For the majority of college students, the road to earning credit usually requires weeks of paying attention to classes, taking notes, finishing projects and passing a mid-term and final examination. However, if you can earn that credit faster and at a small fraction of the expense of getting a formal course, will you be engaged? There would be no projects to finish and no classes or lessons to go to, just an examination to pass.

Students searching for a more effective style to acquire a college degree must look into credit-by-exam programs, which may have gained popularity among those who wish to speed up their education and save money at the same time. Credit-by-exam programs have already been employed for many years and strive to grow today simply because they offer real value to students and allow them to finish degree demands more proficiently than taking conventional courses.

Almost 3,000 universities and colleges within the U.S. recognize credit-by-exam as transfer credit. The programs permit students to earn credit by passing just one examination and tend to be an excellent fit for self-sufficient students, students who possess college-level knowledge and students who are good applicants.

Credit-by-exam programs aren’t for everybody, particularly students preferring a structured atmosphere and getting together with a teacher and fellow students. Choosing to gain college credit by getting ready for an exam that includes a semester’s worth of content means you need to be self-motivated and encouraged. This method appeals to many hectic adult students who have contending demands on their own time and preferring to work independently.

Students thinking about credit-by-exam programs must consult with their academic advisor to ensure credits with the exam they’re planning to take can be moved to fulfill essential requirement in their degree program.

Nursing Fulfillment

There are so many good things about selecting a nursing career. Choosing a course in nursing education may be challenging but rewarding. The nurse assists individuals on a regular basis, and more often than not finds the job to be really satisfying. Nurses have the ability to select their particular specialty, doing work in the field of nursing or medicine that meets their preferences. Nursing offers many options for development into management, in addition to having more employment opportunities, even in troublesome periods. Nurses are compensated well for the work that they execute. Nursing can provide a chance to travel in different states. Giving the leisure to see other places and meet new friends.

Nurses are capable of helping individuals achieve wellness on a regular basis. Many individuals see nursing as a noble profession, permitting the nurse to deliver care to others. The job is often quite fulfilling. Numerous nurses find great fulfillment in aiding patients as they regain their own health.

The profession of nursing permits the nurse to select her own niche. Nurses can choose to function in most of the many nursing fields accessible, and can also decide to become certified in a specialty of preference. Selecting a career in nursing can provide opportunities for leadership, and lots of times, nurses find their way into management in large healthcare corporations.

Even if job prospects are gloomy for the remainder of the industry, the requirement for nurses never diminishes, giving the job strong employment security. Nurses will also be paid well for their work, with many registered nurses generating well over the median salary of the United States for full-time employment.

You can find a great many possibilities to the nurse, and lots of advantages to selecting a career in nursing. Nurses discover great happiness in their profession, and are compensated well. They’ve got unlimited possibilities for improvement, and are able to travel to work in new areas. If you are heading towards nursing education, it’s a noble and decent course to take.