Health Field

Posted by Kathy Quan

It is not at all unusual today for people to have two and even three careers. We're all living longer and retiring much later in life. Since the events of Sept. 11, 2001, even more people have switched careers because they want to do something more meaningful with their lives.

Many people once considered a career in nursing and for one reason or another did not pursue their dreams. Now, older and wiser, they are looking for a new career path and find themselves once again considering nursing.

There is a tremendous shortage of nurses, and the profession is welcoming more and more second career nurses. They bring to the table a wide variety of previous work experinces and maturity. Second career nurses are more likely to stay in the nursing program and then remain in the field.

For those who already posess a degree, there are accelerated nursing programs which can be completed in 12 to 18 months. Find out more about this opportunity.

Posted by Kathy Quan

Here are a few medical myths which should be dispelled:

You can swallow your tongue during a seizure. The truth is the tongue in anyone experiencing a seizure or even someone who is actively dying may fall backwards in the mouth especially if the person is lying on his/her back. But the frenulum linguae will prevent the person from actually swallowing the tongue.

Putting butter on a burn will ease the pain and help it heal. In reality, the butter or any greasy substance will just hold the heat in and make the burn worse. It can also introduce bacteria and cause infection. A non-chemical burn should be treated by running cool water over the burned area. Don’t use ice or ice water. Chemical burns and burns that blister or cover large areas of the body need immediate professional care.

Feed a cold, starve a fever. Many people who experience symptoms of a cold or fever may have no appetite or desire to eat or drink.. In both instances however, fluids are important to prevent dehydration. Warm soup such as chicken soup can help to open nasal passages and let the person breathe easier. This will help the patient to rest, which along with fluids, is very important to recuperating from a cold or fever. Feed them both and drink plenty of fluids.

Posted by Kathy Quan

The Healthy Kids EXPO in Toronto, Ontario Canada will be a three-day event October 24-26, 2008 at the Direct Energy Centre. Dr. Mehmet Oz will be a celebrity headline speaker on Friday, October 24.

Dr. Oz is the host of “Second Opinion with Dr. Oz” and a regular contributor to the Oprah Winfrey Show. Tickets to this event are on sale now online. There is a special Summer Seat Sale taking place until July 15, 2008.

The three day event will feature speakers and exhibits to educate children, teens and parents about health issues, wellness and prevention for children and adolescents. Participants include health conscious celebrities, educators, practitioners, politicians and exhibitors.

For more information about this Toronto event or to find out about an event coming to your area, visit www.HealthyKidsExpo.org.

Posted by Kathy Quan

In his book, Please Don't Label My Child, Scott M. Shannon, MD, discusses the issue of a doctor-diagnosis-drug cycle and alternatives for parents to explore before labeling their children with mental and emotional health problems and diseases.

There can be environmental, nutritional and other factors causing many of the symptoms of emotional and mental health and behavioral issues. Are parents, doctors, and educators too quick to jump to prescription drugs to control these problems and not explore the causes and prevention?

Is a diet high in sugar and fat causing spikes in blood sugar that is causing severe mood swings or is the child really exhibiting symptoms of bipolar disease?

Are we expecting our children to sit still and listen, read or solve math problems without teaching them how to get through a day without the constant companionship and stimulation of some electronic device?

Are teachers too quick to label children’s disruptive behavior as an attention deficit problem instead of exploring the possibility that there are way too many children in a classroom and they are bored with the teaching techniques that don’t provide them with instant answers and gratification?

Dr. Shannon offers some common sense causes and alternative solutions to mental and emotional distress symptoms before jumping feet first into the diagnosis-drug cycle.

Posted by Kathy Quan

New technology and advances in care are helping people to live longer and healthier lives.

In 1908, just 100 years ago, the life expectancy was 47 years. Today, the fastest growing segment of the population is over 80. The advances in health care have helped people live much longer and this trend is expected to continue.

One of the ways that health care is helping people to live longer is by promoting wellness and preventing complications from chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Using a team approach has proven to help prevent complications in chronic diseases. This involves using a primary care practitioner along with specialists, nurse practitioners or nurse educators, dietitians, social workers, and exercise trainers. The team works together with the patient to design a plan of care specifically for his needs.

Treating the whole person instead of the disease has proven to help diminish and prevent catastrophic complications.

This means many more health care professionals will be needed by patients. The demand for more and better health care creates a need for more health care workers. If you want to invest in an education for a career with job security, consider a health care profession.

Posted by Kathy Quan

It is to be hoped that you have been doing this for awhile and have some ideas. If you want to pursue a career in the health field, you should be taking math and science courses. You will need subjects such as algebra, chemistry, and biology.

You should be looking at colleges and making some decisions. Are you considering someplace close to home or do you plan to go away to school? Is there a waiting list for the major you want at those schools?

If you’re considering a career in nursing for instance, there are waiting lists at most community and four year colleges. Yes, there is a tremendous shortage of nurses and this means there is also a shortage of nurse educators so space is limited in many nursing programs. There are some that don’t have a waiting list, but they may not be in your hometown. Consider these possibilities and how they might fit in with your plans.

Do you have to take special admission or entrance exams in addition to the SAT or ACT exams? Will you have to write an essay as part of the admission packet? Do you need some experience in the health field as a volunteer or employee? Some schools especially those with waiting lists have a point system and give extra credit to students who have some experience in the health field.

These are things to find out now. Applications to colleges are typically due in the early fall which can be a hectic time. If you start writing your entrance essays now, you’ll have plenty of time to review them and polish them long before they are due. If you need to get some experience, that should be your focus for the summer.

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Posted by Kathy Quan

Congratulations to all of the new graduates of health care programs. And to all of you who have recently been accepted into programs for the Summer and Fall terms. This is an exciting time in your lives as you embark on new paths. Welcome to the world of health care. You will find this to be a rewarding career.

There is a shortage of health care professionals throughout the world and the health field is growing and expanding continuously in response to demands and new technology.

Burnout has been an issue in the past for health care professionals such as nurses, but with so many new options availble, this should not be a problem. If you're not happy in a job, there's no reason to stay. New opportunities are open almost anywhere. You may have to leave your comfort zone, but you can find a niche that fits you.

New grads will be taking board and licensing exams shortly. It's natural to panic, but be confident and give yourself credit. You graduated after all; therefore you have the knowledge and skills to pass your boards. You just need to bolster your confidence. Find a group to study with.

Posted by Kathy Quan

Job opportunities in the health field will continue to grow as the population grows and ages. The older the population, the more health care it needs. Baby boomers are growing older and the population over 80 is the fastest growing segment of the current population.

Advances in technology in all aspects of our lives has spoiled us. We demand excellence in our health care and will continue to expect new treatements and cures.

All of this add ups to job security for those in the health care industry and new opportunities for those who seek to explore health care careers. Many require specific and technical education, but some require a high school diploma and a desire to help others.

Find out more about opportunities in the health field.

Posted by Kathy Quan

The main reason for this is that the tumors usually wrap around or intertwine with the healthy neurons which deliver impulses to and from the brain for bodily functions as well as higher brain activities such as speech and language skills, mathematical calculations and spacial relationships.

The healthy tissue is often so intertwined that to remove the cancerous tissue, the brain can be badly damaged. This can then dramaticaly affect the quality of life. The ability to speak can be lost. Vision can be severely impaired. Hearing can be lost. Other sensations can be afected such as smell, touch and taste. Multiple functions can be controlled in the same small area of the brain and so many fucntions can be affected.

Surgery is not a cure for brain tumors. Sadly there is no cure, and surgery usually buys little extra time for the patient so it is often not an option.

This differs from having a malignant tumor in an organ such as a lung or in the colon where part or all of the affected area or organ can be removed and the body can adapt and the quality of life is not as affected. The chance for cure is also much higher when any radical surgery is recommended.

Posted by Kathy Quan

Nurses Week begins tomorrow, May 6 (Nurses Day) in the U.S. and on May 12 (Nurses Day) in Canada. In Australia, it begins today with International Midwives Day and continues through May 12 which is International Nurses Day. Join in the celebration of nurses everywhere!

There is a tremendous shortage of nurses throughout the world and it is only going to worsen as the population grows and ages and demands more and better health care.

It is hoped that by bringing attention to the nursing profession during Nurses day and Nurses Week celebrations that more young people will consider nursing careers, and others will consider a second or third career opportunity in nursing.

Issues of pay and working conditions have long been problems for nurses and affected retention of staff. Improvements have come a long way in recent years, but there is still more to be done.

Improving patient safety and reducing medical errors has long been a goal of the entire health care industry. Nurses fight the battle of safe staffing ratios everyday. The U.S. Congress has taken up the issue of safe staffing with the Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act of 2007 (S. 73/H.R. 4138).

The American Nurses Association urges all U.S. nurses to honor themselves and their colleagues this week by contacting their legislators and asking them to co-sign these bills. Private citizens can honor nurses by doing the same. Email, call or FAX your legislators today! Thank you!!!

Nurses worldwide should also be encouraged to contact their government officials and ask them to honor nurses by working to improve working conditions and patient safety by implementing safe staffing laws.

More about Nurses Week....