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Distance Education Challenges in India

The world’s largest university was the Indira Gandhi National University founded in the year 1985. There are more than 40 thousand students enrolled in the distance education in more than 40 educational institutions. This shows that a huge number of people are embracing the system in the wake of multifarious economic and social changes.

But the system which offers an easy access to higher education had been inconsistent in ensuring the quality of education through inefficiencies and dilapidated regulation. The program is headed the other way and most of the Indian society were not able to understand the purpose it was created. There should have a been a constant policy or a strong management body that will administer properly the system.

In response to this problem, a management body was created for the distance education in 1991. They call it the DEC or the Distance Education Council which is under the aegis of the IGNOU. The job of the council is to regulate, control and monitor the different Distance Education institutions in India. It was later named Distance Education Bureau in the year 2013.

There were still issues and problem arisen even with the creation of the bureau. Many critics have questioned the process, the authority and the system of the bureau. Even there were confusions over legal matters which reached the Supreme Court.

The creation of the Distance Education system has created an overabundance of difficulty and confusion over the years. There hasn’t been a concrete resolution created to properly address the issues involved. The Government was not yet able to keep pace with the fast flowing changes over time. If ever they will be able to try a different approach or strategy to make the system work flawlessly it would be a very ideal program and will be a pattern for other countries to follow.

This is a good example to follow for schools in the U.S. who are planning to put up distance education programs.

 

Mathematics in Nursing Schools

There is a huge need for nurses right now, due to the aging population and in response to the upgrade of the health care system in the country. There were 85,000 US jobs eliminated in November 2009 but that doesn’t include nurses, in fact hospitals still added 21,000 which compose mainly of nurses. There was a need to increase the production of nurses in every nursing school.

Mathematics is slightly included in the curriculum of most schools but there are some who require nursing students to take up basic to advance math subject. So what are these math subjects required in college nursing school?

Algebra is a math subject that is required by many nursing schools. This subject is already a follow-up since it was already taken in high school. This subject can be done in one semester. It already included pre-calculus and may be directed to calculus in the next semester. The college algebra is more on concepts of algebraic expression, line equations and polynomial functions. Though nurses are not required to compute formulas and equations to be able to attend a patient, algebra is still a good subject to help students with their basic computations and makes their brains active with numbers.

Another math subject required was statistics. This subject teaches nursing students to use complex formulas to organize numbers into usable expressions. In this subject uses health care scenarios to be able to relate it to nursing. Probability was the main concept taught in statistics. Statistics may help the nurse in solving and interpret numerical fact about a medication for a patient.

Many nursing schools also taught finite math. This subject includes many subjects before the subject calculus. Geometry, basic math, statistics or pre-calculus are included in this aspect. This is important for nursing students. They must be able to know how to compute dosages of medicines or conversion of basic units.

Mathematics is required in many courses even in nursing. It is because we deal with numbers most of the time. Nurses will be able to use their basic knowledge and principles of mathematics in their daily routine in the health care facility.

When Hospice Care is Needed

It is very hard to accept for anyone to hear that a member of our family already needs hospice care. But as we all know, people age and there will come a time that they will no longer be able to take care of themselves. This type of care gives the family a relief in taking care of their loved ones who near the end of their lives. This can improve the total well being for whatever time is staying and allows a person to die with pride.

It will be hard to entrust your beloved to other people’s care specially when we know nothing about what to anticipate and what things to ask. The hospital will provide the necessary information needed about how the process works and the things to be done. Care can generally be provided in a patient’s or family associates member’s house, or can be carried out in another type of residence or residing service, such as an helped residing service or elderly good care facility.

Every individual has his own needs and may differ from any other individual. That is why hospice care must also have different sets of services that will be offered.  Some people may want or need 24 / 7 monitoring by a skilled nurse, whereas others prefer to be left on their own with close relatives as much as possible with only necessary tasks performed by relevant personnel on an as-needed basis.  Another factor that may change the kind of solutions offered is the time period that a person is under hospital proper care.

The truth will always hurt us. To see our beloved be in a certain situation where he /she no longer as strong as she was before. Most people don’t like to think of what it means when it is suggested that a beloved conversion to hospital proper care, it’s important to note that this type of proper care usually provides for the most sensible and relaxed way for an individual to spend his or her last days.

Humanities and Social Sciences

Scholar operators in the humanities and public sciences are essentially modifying their analysis methods to be more suitable with the behaviors which technological innovation is magnificent on us independently, culturally and expertly. There are great possibilities how this is impacting analysis and, probably, an upcoming profession as an education in humanities.

Digital Humanities can be described as the use of internet centered technological innovation in humanities and public science analysis. At the same time a relatively new area. Archives all over the globe have scanned their data resource, and sometimes even resource material. The primary example of this is the English Library’s on the internet Paper database, which features almost all released magazines in England since Jan 1, 1710. At the age of the internet it cannot argue the importance of making the things easier through digital. In making references digital, it allows the users to operate and improvised their resources.

The procedure of digitizing has not been without complications. Hand-written resources in particular have intended that some of the digitization is either imperfect or uncertain, and in situations even facetious. Here altmetrics get into the structure, at least at the material stage. By discovering which interest you the most, you can quickly make a record of material that are necessary to at least have a look at. Such material hardly ignites much press interest in comparison to, for example, those released in medication and astronomy.

Before a long time there will certainly be public scientists and other scientists who will look at the traditional and public effects of digitalization and, of course, the World Wide Web. Altmetrics will likely be a requirement important interest from scientists and other humanities and public technology students for years to come.

Qualities of a Patient Care Technician

Patient Care Technicians mainly aids physicians and other healthcare staff in providing patient care services. Most of his tasks include collection of samples, monitoring the health status, record health information while assisting in their personal needs. A PCT is under the supervision of a registered nurse or physician. He will depend on them on what action to perform or any particular nursing interventions during his working shift.

Hospitals, living/rehabilitation facilities and nursing homes requires their PCTs to have a training in patient care and mostly the experience in dealing with different situations that may occur. The Patient Care Technician must have a strong communication, time management skills and the ability to work under pressure. Part of their task is to ensure that the patient needs or request are well responded.

Candidates who want to apply as a patient care technician must have an attractive set of objectives on his resume to attract employers. While making it convincing, one must be very careful in choosing an objective statement to avoid rejection. Some statements might not be in accordance to the objectives of the health care institution you are applying.

A successful PCT must have sufficient knowledge to conduct standard patient care activities. They also must be empathetic to the patient and aware of their needs just like any other healthy individual. They must also have an eye for details. Some procedures might be risky for the patient if not properly done.

Passion is also a must and should always be the driving force of the PCTs to work harder. The working shift can be so tiring and stressful and may require physical toughness. So if you have no passion in assisting others, making patients feel at ease and better, and the willingness to serve, this work may not be suitable for you.

Considering a Nursing Home

A nursing home is a provider of custodial care for older people who can no longer take care of themselves. They differ from other senior housing facilities since they provide a much higher level of medical care. Assistance with feeding, bathing, and dressing are part of the services they offer as well as physical and speech therapy. Some nursing homes are designed to look and feel like home, which makes the mood more at ease and won’t make the elderly feel like a patient.

It may be painful to send a family member to a nursing home, it is still the best option to ensure the safety, health maintenance and as well as practicality. Most nursing homes provide residents with nursing aides and skilled nurses who will who will be on hand 24 hours a day.

So when should you consider sending your family member to a nursing home? Here are some of the things you need to ask yourself before making a decision:

Is your family member can no longer take care of himself?  If yes, then it would be risky to leave him alone at home when everybody’s at work or at school. Most of the elderly became forgetful, like wandering and forgot the way back or leave a stove that may lead to a disaster. Bringing him to a nursing home where nurses can provide him basic services will then be an option.

Are there any family members who are available to take care of him? In some situations when the need for a nursing home is just temporary, family members can rotate care or hire a health worker who can work part-time when it is needed.

Are you ready to be separated? It would be hard to send him away when you are used to living with him. But you can visit him anytime at the nursing home whenever you have a free time.

Is the nursing home you know can provide his needs? The senior’s medical needs must be provided and a 24-hour supervision is must. The center must also have programs and conducts activities that will keep the elderly active and healthy.

Patient Care Assistants

Patient care assistants carry out a variety of tasks such as observing patients, assisting with daily living activities, taking vital signs, charting changes in patients’ health or behavior, obtaining lab specimens, escorting patients among other tasks. These healthcare individuals work in hospitals clinics, nursing homes or other health care environments. They are generally under the supervision of a registered nurse.

Programs for patient care assistants are offered in vocational schools and community colleges. Training can be acquired through nurse technician, patient care technician or personal care assistant/technician programs. Requirements for admission may vary. Some programs may require that an aspiring patient care assistant be a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Certified Home Health Aide prior to admission. Others may only require a high school diploma or GED equivalent.

Such programs prepare graduates to perform their duties in hospitals, general surgery units, homes and nursing homes. Training usually consists of lectures, clinical rotations and lab work, including studies in in pre- and post-operative care, anatomy, physiology and nutrition. Students in medical assistant programs are also supplied with instruction in medical terminology, lab procedures, physiology and pharmacology. Graduates can either pursue the CNA credential or take other certification exams.

Employment for home and personal care aides are seen to grow by 70% between 2010 and 2020 – a growth rate much faster than many other job sectors. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) predicts that there should be an increasing demand for care in the growing elderly population and in-home setting.  The average salary for patient care assistants was around $20,830 as of 2012, while home health aides made an average of $21,830 annually.  According to the BLS, there are no certifications or licensure requirement for these types of jobs. Some may be required to pass a competency test to break into this field.

Healthcare Spending Growth Rate is Slowing Down in the US

Though expenditure previously increased at a high yearly rate, the growth in healthcare spending has slowed down to a great extent in the past decade. This is a new report revealed by The Lancet.  More than any country in the world, the US expends more on healthcare per capita. This report may come as surprising news since a great deal of reforms have been put into place recently to stretch healthcare coverage across the nation which led  to the reduction of the number of people with no medical insurance.  In a comparison made by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) about the spending and policies of the US along with five other high-spending countries, they found out that America’s spending growth rate dropped to 1% in the last 10 years which is almost the same as the average growth rate in other countries.

According to Luca Lorenzoni, author of the study, the disparity in healthcare spending between the US and the other countries with the same level of income could be due to health sector prices for hospital care and prescription medicines, among others, that are comparatively higher in the US. The gains made in the reduction of healthcare spending can be caused by the price movement, for example, the increased utilization of affordable drugs and the cutback on growth in physician reimbursement rates, the authors concluded.

The OECD is an international group whose aim is to “promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.” According to them, further economic recovery could bring unfavorable effect on the slowing down of health care spending. The progress found in the study is no reason to be confident in this area. They suggest measures including price controls on Medicare and Medicaid should be considered to avoid potential increases in costs caused by an improving economy.

Credit by Examination and Home Schooled Students

If you’ve ever considered how a homeschooler can graduate from secondary school and college at the same time, it is probably because they combined home school with earning college credit by examinations. CLEP examinations, DSST examinations and AP examinations can be used to accelerate through high school and college. There are three basic types of examinations used to earn college credit while home school learners at the secondary school stage. These are the same programs used by learners attending a physical high school as well.

1. The CLEP (College Level Examination Program) was designed by the College Board to allow scholars to gain credit for prior experience or knowledge. There are 33 examinations available that range from three to six credits per test. More than 2900 approved colleges and universities agree to these assessments as credit for classes, allowing learners to skip starting programs and get to the meat of their program. Home schoolers can take CLEP examinations at local colleges and universities.

2. DSST examinations (formerly known as DANTES Subject Standardized Tests) were initially designed for the army and allowed servicemen to speed up their education while serving in the military. While these assessments are free for the army, citizens may also use these examinations instead of attending a traditional college class. Over 1200 schools agree to the 38 DSST examinations as credit for classes at their schools. Home schoolers and High School students are drawn to DSST examinations as they cover common topic like Astronomy, Personal Finance, and Introduction to World Religions that learners are likely to have some information about and may have to take as a core subject in college. Students must take the credit by examination at a university that provides the test.

3. AP programs with examinations are designed by the College Board and used widely in public schools to award high school learners with college credits. AP exams are often taken in the Spring as part of an official AP (Advanced Placement) class; however, home schoolers can still participate through independent study. You will also need to arrange to take the AP credit by examination at a college in your area that takes part in the AP program.

Medicare Hospital Issues

The House Ways & Means health subcommittee held a hearing last May 20 on hot-button Medicare hospital issues, specifically focusing on CMS’ two-midnights inpatient admissions policy, brief in-patient stays, out-patient observation stays, auditing and appeals, subcommittee Chair Kevin Brady (R-TX) said. Inside Health Policy said that the hearing was in the works. The hearing also will look at appeals trapped at the third level of the system, Brady says in a hearing statement.

In introducing the hearing, Brady says, “There are a number of problems associated with brief hospital stays and the way medical centers are audited. The Ways and Means Board battled hard to ensure that sufferers are getting the proper care they need and that Insurance coverage is properly paying medical centers for the care they offer. While we were able to offer some relief last March, it was only a short-term fix. We must work on a lasting solution. We don’t want suppliers needlessly looking over their shoulder area for auditors. We want medical centers to be perfectly refunded so that they can focus all of their time on providing the right type of care to sufferers.”

Brady is making reference to Congress’ decision, as part of the short-term doctor payment patch passed in March, to put on hold until March 31, 2015 Restoration Audit Contractor audits on most brief hospital stays related to medical requirement during an elongated transition to the two-midnights plan. A representative for the American Coalition for Healthcare Claims Integrity, which symbolizes RACs, says that the coalition facilitates continuous developments to the RAC system. “We hope this hearing will light up the impressive volume of waste in Medicare and the value of the RAC system to recipients, tax payers and the Medicare Trust Fund,” the representative says. Recent quarterly reviews from CMS show that the RACs’ recoveries have dropped since the two-midnights plan and other changes to the system were applied.