Current Feed Content from 27 Aug 08 23:19
Best Healthcare Jobs
2008-12-17T16:26:00.000-08:00Whether as a physician assistant, medical assistant, nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, ophthalmic medical assistant, technician, physical therapy assistant, occupational therapy assistant if you are interested in a health career you need to have one very special characteristic: a genuine desire to help people
Vocational nurse training-Vocational nurse job-Vocational nurse salary
Nurse assistant training-Certified nurse assistant job and base salary
Medical Assistant Job
The Nursing Shortage: A Crisis in America Healthcare-1
A serious shortage of nurses is expected in the future as demographic pressures influence both supply and demand. The future demand for nurses is expected to increase dramatically as the baby boomers reach their 60s and beyond
This is an important piece about the looming shortage of nursing in California, and the United States in general. This eye-opening video has been presented to audiences from Sacramento to Washington, DC.
The Nursing Shortage part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5,
Still Not Enough NursesbloggerHow to Become a Nurse & Information on Nursing Program
2008-12-16T18:05:00.000-08:00A career in the medical field is a good choice nowadays. Due to increased demand for healthcare professionals, a career in nursing is especially popular. Nursing educational programs vary a great deal, and sometimes it is difficult to choose which program better fits one’s ambition, age, or financial situation. Basically, there are three different nursing programs available: a licensed vocational nurse (LVN), an associate degree in nursing, and a bachelor degree in nursing.
The simplest route to becoming a nurse is to enroll in a vocational nurse program.
In Texas and California, the basic nursing career is called a licensed vocational nurse (LVN), but in other states it is called a licensed practical nurse (LPN) . Most vocational nursing programs can be finished in one year which is a great choice for people interested in a fast track to a nursing career. LVN programs have different entrance requirements. Some programs require prerequisites courses such as math, English, and medical terminology; others require only a high school diploma and a passing grade in the LVN pre – entrance exam.
After completing the LVN program, graduates receive a certificate or diploma in vocational (practical) nursing. Finally, they are required to take the National Council Licensure Exam. Passing this exam ensures that a LVN is ready to enter the nursing field at an entry level.
Licensed vocational nurses can also advance their careers by applying their LVN certificate toward the Registered Nurse bridge program. It is important to keep in mind that most vocational schools do not offer college credits. Therefore, if a graduate of a vocational school wants to become a Registered Nurse, he or she will need to take additional college courses in English, psychology and anatomy. So, when looking for a vocational nurse program, it is important to choose only those schools where students have transferable credits.
The next path into nursing is to obtain an Associates Degree in Nursing.
This program has to be approved by the state's Board of Nursing and usually takes 2 years to complete. There is such a demand to attend this program at community colleges that in some cases there is a two to three year waiting list before one can enter the program.
Requirements for entrance includes chemistry, psychology, anatomy, microbiology, college level English and math courses. There are many private schools for those who do not want to lose time. However, the cost of such nursing programs could be about five times higher than in the community colleges. In order to earn an RN license, one must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX).
Although an Associate Degree allows a student to become a Registered Nurse, the Bachelor of Science Nursing program has the best advancement opportunities in the job market.
For example, a graduate with a BSN degree can get more prestigious positions such as nursing administration, management, or even work at an insurance company. BSN programs are usually taken at four year colleges or universities.
The prerequisites are the same as for a nursing associate program plus a few additional classes, such as sociology, speech and statistics. Students who already have their Associate degree in nursing can get their Bachelor of Science degree through a bridge program.
A good schooling alternative is through online programs. There are no waiting lists, and online courses are not complicated. It is very convenient to do homework from a home computer whenever one has time. The flexibility of studying online doesn’t interfere with a student’s current job and gives him or her the opportunity to work, make money, and at the same time earn a Bachelor degree.
There are online accelerated programs offering Registered Nurse to a Master of Science in Nursing degree bridge programs without having first obtained a Bachelor of Science degree.
Some students complete the RN to MSN program in as little as two years!
A Masters degree in Nursing gives one unlimited opportunities in the medical field including starting a private practice as Nurse Practitioner.
All in all, the health care market has experienced a nursing shortage, and one cannot go wrong by entering the respected medical professional regardless of which path to nursing is chosen.
--------------------------
Author: Marina Smiley- Find more about Nursing Programs from this site: Best Medical Careers Top Medical Jobs
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included.bloggerSixty-two years of nursing make Eureka woman keynote speaker at CR pinning ceremony Friday
2008-08-27T11:10:00.000-07:00Robust and ramrod straight, Eureka’s Jessie Laurendeau has 62 years of nursing under her belt and no plans to retire.
“What am I going to do?” asked the quality assurance nurse at Pacific Health Care Center. “I’ve worked all my life. I’m not going to go home and sit in a rocking chair.”
Three times, she’s tried to walk away.
“I lasted 4 1/2 months back in ‘93, ” she said of her first stab at it. “My husband told me to go get a job when he saw me cleaning the same cupboard I’d done a week before.”
Laurendeau is the keynote speaker at Friday’s pinning ceremony for the graduating class of 31 vocational nurses at College of the Redwoods.
She’s a treasure trove of memories about health care in Humboldt County, a direct link to the vocational nursing program celebrating its 50th anniversary, and a force of nursing nature since starting her career as a nurse’s aide in 1946.
With the exception of three years in nursing school at San Jose College and six in an ER in West Covina, she’s spent the rest of her career in Humboldt County.
“As a student nurse, I was in charge of the San Jose ER, ” she said of 1951, when sink or swim was the norm and malpractice suits were not. “Somewhere in that four-story building was a supervising nurse. You learned to manage. You had to.”
Case in point: a terrified man pulled her into the parking lot of the ER, where she handled the delivery of his child. A few years later, she had the sense to snag a doctor for an second delivery in the back seat of a Volkswagen bus.
“I wasn’t scared to go out on the floor my first day at General Hospital, ” she said of her return to Eureka.
But she got a start after a call back from lunch one day in the early 1950s. A train severed a man’s leg.
“In those days, the mortician drove the ambulance. We didn’t have EMTs. The leg had been cut off in the boot and they left it at the front door, by the ramp, when they took him up to surgery. I came running up, saw that leg and figured that must be the problem. They gave me a lot of good chances.”
The man went on to open a stationery store in Henderson Center, she said.
Laurendeau has more than her share of county firsts. In 1953, she was among the 17 nurses who gave two weeks notice to General Hospital when it played hardball with nurses by refusing to bump her salary from $275 a month to $285.
“One nurse stayed, ” she said of the county’s first nursing showdown. “Most went to St. Joe, I went to county. General ended up bringing in nurses from Canada. I became friends with one. She got $345 a month.”
Polio, syphilis and tuberculosis were major problems back then, she said.
“There was a TB sanitarium behind where General is now with seven or eight cabins and a big building for nurses to get together. Attached was the isolation ward. That’s where polio went when it was rampaging. Any kind of infection went there.”
As for the TB patients in the cabins, Laurendeau said she doesn’t know how they survived.
“That was when they thought cold air was good for TB, ” she said. “The cabins only had screens because they didn’t want the windows closed.”
Laurendeau said treatment changed and TB patients were eventually moved to Arizona’s heat. Polio patients weren’t so fortunate.
“That was before the shots, ” she recalled. “We saw lot of people paralyzed, in iron lungs because they couldn’t breathe on their own.”
It was harder on the heart than the hands. The vision of a paralyzed McKinleyville woman who typed and painted by holding a brush or stick between her teeth is still crystal clear.
So is the memory of soaking cloth in hot water, running it through the wringer and placing it on the little legs in the pediatric ward.
As for syphilis, Dr. Jacob Reicher’s 1953 arrival from the East Coast changed that.
“He brought penicillin into Humboldt County, ” she said. “No one had ever heard of it. All of a sudden, everybody got penicillin — anybody who had anything.”
Laurendeau and Rose Lee Pedersen taught the first 85 students to enroll in vocational nurse training through the Eureka Adult School for 64 hours over a three-month period.
“I did that for about three years, ” she said of the training that eventually shifted to College of the Redwoods in 1973.
At the height of the polio epidemic, she became one of 28 nurses from the U.S. and Japan invited to learn modern treatment techniques at Rancho Los Amigos, the largest respirator center in the U.S.
Laurendeau also worked with Dr. Larry Hill, Margaret Thoderberg and Jay Rezzonico to start Humbodlt County’s hospice program.
“Every meeting they had, I was there. Look what it’s become.”
Today, she’s a quality assurance nurse eager to welcome the CR graduates into her life’s work.
“Young people keep me going and on my toes, ” she said. “I’ve appreciated and enjoyed every class that’s come along. I’m looking forward to Friday. I really am.”
(Carol Harrison can be reached at charrison@eurekareporter.com or 707-269-7435.)
College of the Redwoods celebrates 50 years of training licensed vocational nurses Friday with an 11 a.m. pinning ceremony in the campus gymnasium.
“We want to welcome back a half century of licensed vocational nurses and faculty and have them bring in their class photos and memorabilia so we can get a head count, scan it, and create a digitized scrapbook to preserve our history, ” said Roberta Farrar, a registered nurse on the LVN program coordinator since 1998.
The program began in Eureka Adult School in 1957 and shifted to CR in 1973.
Since then, Farrar estimates they’ve trained more than 1, 000 vocational nurses but lost much of the program’s history.
“With all the baby boomers we are going to have, it’s essential we have more LVNs because they traditionally staff long term care and skilled nursing facilities, ” she said. “They use a lot of LVNs in corrections, jails and prisons, too.”
She hopes the 31 students have their license in hand in the next three months, after passing a national exam.
CR students passed the exam at a 91 percent clip in 2007 after two straight years at 93 percent. (source)bloggerTwo new programs to Travel Nurses
2008-08-27T07:53:00.000-07:00Travel nurse job-Travel nurse salary
NursesPro has introduced two new programs to Travel Nurses which allows them to make 30-40% more money than they would with a conventional agency.
NursesPro has launched 2 revolutionary programs for Travel Nurses which aim to correct what they see as ‘an unfair industry practice, ’ whereby nurses are paid only 50% of the amount for which their agency contracts them out. According to industry figures, the average contract bill rate is between $60- $80/hour to the Healthcare Delivery Organization, depending on the region of the country. This translates to an average pay for the nurse professional of only $26/hr, according to national statistics.
Ram Rodriguez, Career Manager with NursesPro said, “When we talked to our nurses, we found out that one of their biggest gripes was that they felt ripped off by agencies taking half of the money they had earned. So we offer our nurses 2 programs, which can result in 30-40% more money for them. With our 80/20 program, we pay our nurses 80% of the contract bill rate for assignments which we find for them. In our 90/10 program, we pay our nurses 90% of the contract bill rate, if our nurse is able to find his/her own assignments.”
Needless to say, NursesPro is finding a lot of interest in its programs – in the first month since the programs were launched the company received over 100 requests for information from nurses from all over the country.
Kashif Aftab, President with NursePro said, “We are thoroughly excited at being able to finally offer something back to our nurses, who work so hard at one of the most demanding and essential jobs in the world.”
About NursesPro: NursesPro, based in Houston, Texas, is an offshoot of SAGA CONSULTING SERVICES, a company originally focused on placing IT Professionals on contract basis with fortune 500 companies.
Travel nurse job-Travel nurse salarybloggerStudents follow their dreams into bioscience program
2008-08-26T21:46:00.000-07:00Licensed vocational nursing courses to be offered on Saipan
Ask the usual fifth-grader what they want to be, and pro sports athlete, police officer, firefighter and astronaut are the popular choices, even if few children ever follow through on their dreams.
When Timothy Young decided to be a brain surgeon in fifth grade, he made that a goal – one he continues to follow.
Young, a junior at Ellison High School, got a big boost for his dreams Wednesday. Young and about 150 other students from 12 Central Texas high schools were given white lab coats, signifying their acceptance into the Texas Bioscience Institute Middle College Program.
Young chose brain surgery because it is considered among the most challenging and rewarding medical careers.
"This catapults me into the long future that awaits me, " Young said. "It gives me a leg up on the competition."
The program offers juniors and seniors in high school an opportunity to receive college credit while in high school by taking college-level science courses.
Jordan Smith plans to use the courses to prepare for a career as a general practitioner. Smith is a junior at Harker Heights High School. Smith, a self-proclaimed Army brat, said her time spent in different countries opened her eyes to the need for better health care.
She hopes to deliver better quality medical care to Central and South American countries as a general practitioner, while nurturing her appreciation for foreign languages.
"I see they need help. I feel like I have a calling to help them, " Smith said.
She expects the TBI program to be one step in making her dream come true.
"It's going to provide for me a better future and I think that's really important because we have a lot of kids in this generation that are going to do great things, " Smith said.
Walter P. Dyck serves as senior adviser to the Temple Health and Bioscience Economic Development District and as professor emeritus at the Texas A&M Health Science Center. He was the guest speaker at Wednesday's ceremony.
He said TBI and the middle college program were designed to tap into young minds and develop a strong work force for biomedical fields by providing superb research and intensive college-level courses to the strongest minds in Central Texas.
Since the program began in 2006 as an extension of Temple College, it has continually grown and become a magnet for talented students, Dyck said. TBI expects 148 students for this fall, with 38 students returning for their second year in the program. The enrollment for 2007 was 114 students.
For Young, TBI is just another reward for setting and following goals, a Temple College news release stated.
"If anything, you gotta prepare now. It may not work out, but in the end, you've got to have a goal, " Young said. (source)
Licensed vocational nursing courses to be offered on SaipanbloggerThe best-paying careers
2008-08-26T14:44:00.000-07:00Travel nursing is an ideal career for '50-something
Big opportunities still exist, despite the headlines. The health-care industry dominates both job growth and pay. And computers still pay.
If you listen to the daily news, it's easy to believe the entire job market has ground to a stubborn halt. The truth is not nearly so simple -- or bleak.
Yes, large numbers of workers are rightfully frustrated with their circumstances, as millions of positions have vanished in recent years. But even as certain U.S. employment categories (especially manufacturing) are shrinking, plenty of others are growing. And for job-seekers who are young enough or flexible enough to acquire specialized training or education, the opportunities can be dynamic.
So where are these wonderful opportunities? According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projections, based on data and mathematical models released in February, the simplest, most direct answer is this: health care.
(The Labor Department started these projections after World War II to assist veterans in getting jobs and in choosing good careers, and in general, the annual report has been fairly accurate.)
Of the top 10 occupations expected to post the strongest growth in employment by 2012, eight are health-care related.
The baby boom generation (which starts hitting retirement age in 2008) will start straining Social Security and Medicare as demand for health-care services rises dramatically. For that reason, occupations ranging from medical assistant to physical therapist to home health aide rank high on the job-growth list for the current decade.
Fastest-growing occupations in America
Occupation % change
2002-2012
Medical assistants 59
Network systems and data communications analysts 57
Physician assistants 49
Social and human service assistants 49
Home health aides 48
Medical records and health information technicians 47
Physical therapist aides 46
Computer software engineers, systems software 46
Computer software engineers, applications software 45
Physical therapist assistants 45
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
A call for assistance
Medical assistants are expected to see the biggest increase in jobs from 2002 to 2012, growing 59%, according to the BLS.
Medical assistants perform a range of clinical duties for doctors and other health professionals, from updating charts, drawing blood and answering phones to taking blood pressure -- virtually everything short of examining and diagnosing patients. On average, they earn $24, 810 a year, according to the BLS.
Importantly, it's not a dead-end occupation, as medical assistants can move into higher-level medical administration -- or use the experience as a stepping stone for further training in nursing or other medical professions.
The BLS growth projections are borne out by the number of medical assistant schools popping up across the country, according to the American Association of Medical Assistants. The group is seeing more and more post-secondary programs apply for accreditation, according to its executive director and legal counsel, Donald A. Balasa.
Why the surge? It's mainly because medical assistants are versatile, able to manage a wide range of work in today's managed-care environment; they're also able to deliver care in ambulatory or outpatient settings, where there is increasing demand for services these days.
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), representing the No. 3 occupation on the list, also is seeing evidence of the BLS projections.
We are seeing students coming out of programs and quickly finding jobs, said AAPA spokeswoman Nancy Hughes. Most graduates are still in practice today, and the increase in salary is faster than inflation, telling us there is demand out there.
Unlike medical assistants, physician assistants actually examine, diagnose and treat patients, under the supervision of a physician. All physician assistants must complete an accredited course of training, and most have at least a bachelors degree, according to the BLS. Some specialize in areas such as emergency medicine, and all PAs must also pass a national exam.
Helping to make up for all the cost of education is a very impressive average annual salary of $63, 490. But since PAs must always be supervised by physicians, the opportunity for advancement can be limited.
In 2003, there were 57, 879 physicians assistants qualified to practice in the United States, up from 26, 660 in 1996, according to the AAPA census. The aging population is chief biggest driver of demand, Hughes said. But she also noted that the occupation is becoming better known in the health-care community, And with a large number of Americans uninsured, there is a big need to find ways of expanding access to medical care.
Two winning technology careers
In terms of job creation, second only to the care of people's health will be the care of people's computers. One key cog in this arena is the systems analyst, a computer-data specialist who's able to find or design technology solutions for a wide range of business needs -- analyzing sales or inventory trends, for instance, or improving the flow of raw materials to manufacturing facilities.
The number of systems analysts will jump an impressive 57% from 2002 to 2012, the BLS says. These jobs will surface in virtually all major industries, though the broadest swath of opportunity for systems analysts is expected to come in the technology industry itself.
Within the tech field beyond systems analysts, programmers are also expected to see big job gains. The category occupies the No. 8 and No. 9 spots on the job-growth list. The projected increase in demand for software engineers only slightly trails that of systems analysts, and there are a lot of them. Numbering 2.1 million, programmers are the largest job category in the IT field, according to Bob Cohen, spokesman for the Information Technology Association of America.
Notably, the education requirements for programmers have been growing nearly as fast as the numbers of jobs, the BLS said. In 2002, more than 65% of programmers had at least a bachelors degree. That said, less-time-consuming associates degrees are gaining popularity as a way of gaining entry-level positions.
Finding the green
Health care may be where the jobs of the future are, but is it also where the money is? You bet.
Medical professions dominate the list of top-paying occupations, representing nine of the top 10. Only chief executive officers prevented a health-care sweep in the top 10.
The surgeon's skills are still reaping the biggest bucks. The average annual salary for a surgeon in 2002 was $189, 590, according to the latest statistics available from the Labor Department. They are closely followed by anesthesiologists, obstetricians and gynecologists. Internists, pediatricians, family practitioners, psychiatrists and dentists also crack the top 10.
The best-paying jobs in America
Occupation Annual salary Avg. hours per week
Surgeons $189, 590 63
Anesthesiologists $181, 420 60
Obstetricians, gynecologists $179, 640 57
Internists, general $158, 350 60
Pediatricians, general $142, 360 53
Family, general practitioners $136, 260 54
Psychiatrists $135, 220 46
CEOs $134, 960 Varies greatly
Dentists $133, 350 37.6
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Part of the reason these professions pay so well is the skill level needed and the costly training required. On average, graduates emerge from four years in medical school with $110, 000 in student loan debt, according to the American Medical Association.
Then there are the hours. Medical school is followed by at least a three-year residency program, which can be grueling. Last year, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education approved limits on residents' work: an average of 80 hours per week over a four-week period.
And the overtime doesnt stop once the physician is licensed. Nearly all the top-paying medical professions worked much more than a 40-hour week. Only dentists slipped by with less, making six figures and working 37.6 hours per week.
Doctors also have high medical insurance costs to contend with. While cost varies by specialty and state, insurance can run as high as $210, 000 per year for an obstetrician/gynecologist in Dade County, Fla., AMA spokesman Robert Mills said.
I got a McJob, but it doesn't pay
At the other end of the spectrum, flipping burgers still pays poorly. McDonalds (MCD, news, msgs) objected to the term McJob making it into the dictionary as a generic term for low-paying, unskilled labor. But fast-food cooks made the least money of any employment category, on average in 2002, with an hourly wage of $7.18.
The lowest-paying jobs in America
Occupation Annual salary Hourly wage
Fast-food cooks $14, 930 $7.18
Combined food prep and serving $15, 150 $7.28
Shampooers $15, 190 $7.30
Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers $15, 330 $7.37
Dishwashers $15, 410 $7.41
Counter attendant food $16, 090 $7.74
Hosts, hostesses $16, 130 $7.76
Gaming dealers $16, 270 $7.82
Amusement, recreation attendants $16, 360 $7.87
Ushers, ticket takers $16, 490 $7.93
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Food preparation, cafeteria attendants, counter attendants, hosts and hostesses and dishwashers were other food-related occupations among the lowest-paying jobs in the nation.
Casino jobs also got poor marks on the pay scale. While communities ranging from Tunica, Miss., to Atlantic City, N.J., have proclaimed the economic benefits of allowing gambling, most employed in the industry aren't exactly making the big bucks. Card dealers, for example, take home about $7.82 an hour on average.(source)
Travel nursing is an ideal career for '50-somethingbloggerTypes of Nurses
2008-08-26T14:40:00.000-07:00Travel nursing is more rewarding than working as a permanent nurse
Licensed Practical/Vocational Nursing (LPN/VN) 1-2 years (First year is pre-requisites; General Education courses), so essentially nursing programs advertise a 1 year program for LPNs.
Registered Nurses
Associate degree (2 years in length, not including the first Gen Ed year). In 1997, 876 associate degree programs produced 60% of nurse graduates. Program content reflects basic skill preparation and emphasizes clinical practice in the hospital setting and community-based institutions.
Diploma programs (3 years, the hospital-based education programs), Content prepares the graduate in basic nursing skills particularly suitable for hospitalized clients. Diploma nursing programs today produce only 6% of graduates.
Baccalaureate degree programs (4 years in length offered through colleges and universities). The graduate receives a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. These programs emphasize more preparation for practice in nonhospital settings, broader scientific content, and systematic problem-solving tools for autonomous and collaborative practice. 523 baccalaureate programs produced 34% of all nursing graduates.
These are statistics from the National League for Nursing (1997)
ROLES of NURSES
LPN
• Caregiver, teacher, advocate, manager, team member
• Hospital, physician’s office, long term care center, home health agency, hospice, ambulatory care.
RN
• Caregiver, teacher, advocate, expert, case manager, team member, collaborator
• Hospital, physician’s office, long term care center, home health agency, hospice, public health, ambulatory care
NPs
• Nurse practitioners hold a master’s degree and facilitate access to and continuity of care and provides high-quality care.
• Hospital, physician’s office and ambulatory care centers. (source)
Travel nursing is more rewarding than working as a permanent nursebloggerAutotransfusions Increasingly Popular
2008-08-26T12:26:00.000-07:00Travel nurses can pick where and when they want to work
Platelet gel. It has been around since the 1970s but recently has been gaining in popularity. It is widely used around the globe as an effective treatment modality for various surgical procedures and for chronic, non-healing wounds.
The gel, and intra-operative autotransfusion, although separate procedures, are the use of one's own blood and platelets before and during surgical procedures.
Drew Holsapple is a licensed practical nurse and a certified autotransfusionist. The Florida native, who was born in Clearwater and lived most of his life in Ozona, now is a Dunedin resident. He is a graduate of Tarpon Springs High School and the Pinellas Vocational Technical Institute.
Holsapple, 34, is a youthful, athletic-looking man with a short blond crew cut and ruddy complexion. Wearing blue scrubs, he spends most of his working days in the hospital operating rooms of Morton Plant Mease Countryside, Mease Dunedin, Morton Plant North Bay in New Port Richey and the Spring Hill Regional Hospital, among others. Also on his 24-hour call list are several day-surgery centers.
He works for Suncoast Perfusion Services Inc. of Ft. Myers for which he also does marketing.
His responsibility as an autotransfusionist is to collect the patient's blood lost during surgery, reprocess it, and return it to the patient during the surgery, a procedure called autotransfusion.
"A suction line is connected from the sterile field (surgical site) to my machine. The blood from the surgery is collected in a reservoir called a cadiotemy, " Holsapple says. The blood is spun in a centrifuge at 5, 600 rpm to separate the red blood cells.
" The packed red blood cells are collected on one side of the machine and the waste goes into a bag on the other side of the unit. The good blood products are then washed with a saline solution, and sent through an intravenous transfer back into the patient, " says Holsapple.
He monitors the process while interacting with the physicians, nurses and the anesthesiologists. He works during the entire surgical procedure, which can run from two to four hours or more, he said.
Most of the surgeries are scheduled in advance, but when Holsapple is called on an emergency, he phones ahead to alert the operating room staff. "I show the nurses how to hook up my machine while I get there. My window sometimes is only a half hour."
A perioperative blood management company, Suncoast Perfusion Services, says autotransfusion eliminates the risk of transmittable diseases and transfusion errors, costs less than blood bank products, cuts blood loss, and eliminates the waiting period for preoperative donation, among other benefits.
Autotransfusion is used heavily during vascular, gynecology and obstetric, and spinal surgeries where blood loss is heaviest.
Holsapple performs another important procedure, processing platelet gel, which is also used during surgeries. Its popularity has been on the rise, he said.
Prior to a surgical procedure, he draws 55cc's of the patient's blood. It is then spun in a centrifuge that separates the platelets from the red blood cells. The cells are then mixed with an activator that turns the platelets into a gel.
"The process (when applied) puts up the first scaffold of the healing cascade, a healing response you get for healing damaged tissue, " explains Holsapple.
The gel is applied to the incision during wound closing and sometimes is sprayed directly into the wound cavity. "It reduces post-op bleeding and reduces scarring and adhesions, " he says.
It is said to also accelerate healing, fight infection and minimize swelling.
The gel is used often in open-heart surgery, says Holsapple. "It's your body's own natural healing substance. It lessens the chance of bodily (organ) rejection."
According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, in one study, wounds treated with the platelet gel were more than 81 percent closed after 17 days compared with 57 percent closure for wounds treated with antibiotic ointment or a dressing.
Platelet gel is also popular with veterinarians who use it during animal surgery.
"It is widely used, you just don't hear much about it, " says Holsapple.
Rob Reifert is a business manager at Morton Plant Mease Countryside Hospital. He says the hospital has been contracting with Suncoast Perfusion for quite a few years. He notes the rise in usage of platelet gel that, he says, requires a written order from the surgeon.
Regarding its effectiveness, Reifert says, "We are still looking at conclusive studies of the benefits of it."
As a matter of fact, Holsapple says, the platelet gel has become more popular than the autotransfusion. (source)
Travel nurses can pick where and when they want to workbloggerWhat Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Specialist Do
2008-08-26T10:11:00.000-07:00Licensed Vocational Nurse Salary in California
Washington Medical Center , UWMC.
Radiology-Ultrasound Diagnostic has an outstanding opportunity for a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Specialist.
-This individual independently performs portable exams at the patient's bedsid
-Selects appropriate equipment and transducer for use in ultrasound setup, following exam specifications
-Instructs and assists the patient in positioning for the examination
-Selects a transducer and adjusts the equipment controls according to the organ to be examined, the depth of field and other specifications of test
-Enters test data and patient information into computer of ultrasound equipment to maintain record of test results
=roduces images of internal organs and ensures data gets stored to PACS.
-Obtains permanent record of internal examination by photographing images of organs shown on the display module or removing the strip printout
-Performs calculations of exam data to determine physiologic parameters such as blood flow velocity, spectral analysis, color Doppler flow analysis, as well as embryonic/fetal development, gestational age, and fetal hemodynamics
-Provides needle guidance to radiologists and non-radiologists during tissue biopsy, aspirations, drain placements, and high-risk obstetrics procedures
-Documents exam data and develops reports for physician review and finalization.
-Instructs imaging fellows, residents, and ultrasound interns in the theory, techniques, applications, and analysis of diagnostic ultrasound
-Performs other related duties as assigned.
Licensed Vocational Nurse Salary in CaliforniabloggerMedical Careers Institute Announces Medical Career Education Expo
2008-08-25T09:19:00.000-07:00LPNs and RNs-similarities and differences
Medical Careers Institute, the School of Health Science at ECPI College of Technology, is pleased to announce a Medical Career Education Expo Open House to be held at all Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina campus location.
Visitors will be able to explore in-demand careers in the health sciences field.
Admission to the Medical Career Education Expo Open House is free and attendees will have the opportunity to see hands-on interactive demonstrations and speak with faculty and staff about their future education and career goals.
Medical Careers Institute offers degree and diploma programs in Dental Assisting, Massage Therapy, Medical Administration, Medical Assisting, Medical Radiography, Physical Therapist Assistant, Practical Nursing, Registered Nursing, and Surgical Technology (program availability varies by campus).
The Institute recently introduced a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN) program at its Virginia Beach and Newport News, VA locations.
LPNs and RNs-similarities and differencesbloggerLVN Training to Adult Students-Sutter County
2008-08-25T08:33:00.000-07:00The One Stop Offers Advanced Medical Training to Adult Students!
The Sutter County One Stop was recently awarded a statewide nursing grant to help combat the nationwide nursing shortage. Using this grant, they were able to implement an 11-month
full-time LVN class. Possible candidates were screened and interviewed to see if they could handle the rigorous demands of the course, which entailed 8 hrs. of theory and/or clinical Monday through Friday, along with over 4 hours of homework a night. Fifteen lucky students were selected for the course and the WIAAdult Program assisted with the books, uniforms, medical supplies, etc.
In addition, they used the nursing grant to implement a 12-week RN Refresher Class. The basis for this class is to re-train already licensed RNs in hopes of getting them back into the workforce with updated skills. Generally, if RNs have been out of the nursing field for more than two years, most medical employers will require that they complete a RN Refresher Course.
In a one-year timeframe, the One Stop will have helped 32 nurses (17 RNs & 15 LVNs) get back into the workforce!
This tremendous accomplishment will make a HUGE impact on the level of care that is available to the local economy and surrounding areas
Certified Nurse Assistant Salary in NYbloggerAverage hourly pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses-Pennsylvania
2008-08-25T01:10:00.000-07:00Average hourly pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is $18.05. That compares to $22.87 in New Jersey and $18.56 in Pennsylvania. ...
Pennsylvania has proportionately more nurses in its work force than the country as a whole, but the state's registered nurses make less than the national average, according to a report released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The report, based on May 2006 data, found that licensed practical nurses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and R.N.s in New Jersey made more than the national average.
Nationally, R.N.s account for 1.8 percent of employees. They're 2.2 percent of the work force in Pennsylvania and 2 percent in New Jersey. The average hourly wage is $28.71 nationally, $32.02 in New Jersey and $27.42 in Pennsylvania.
Average hourly pay for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is $18.05. That compares to $22.87 in New Jersey and $18.56 in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia registered nurses are paid well above the state and national averages. In a region that encompasses Philadelphia, Camden and Wilmington, nurses made an average of $30.24 per hour.
Certified Nurse Assistant Salary in California
Certified Nurse Assistant Salary in NY
Cisco Junior College, LVN Nursing ProgrambloggerThe Average Pay For A Certified Nurse Assistant In California
2008-08-24T23:23:00.000-07:00$35, 647 = Average CNA Salary in San Francisco, CA
$36, 037 = Average CNA Salary in San Jose, CA
$23, 587 = Average Salary in San Luis Obispo, CA
$27, 004 = Average Salary in Santa Barbara, CA
$30, 104 = Average Salary in Santa Cruz, CA
More about Certified Nurse Assistant Salary in CaliforniabloggerThree generations working together at Liberty Medical
2008-08-24T15:39:00.000-07:00Angelina College, Vocational Nursing Program LVN
Chelmo, Co-Director of Nursing Services, first became employed at Liberty Medical Center in 1980 as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
Many families have a business they pass on over the years, but how many families have three generations working in one profession?
Jenni Chelmo, Pat Ludwig and Kari Wicks are doing just that. All three are currently working at Liberty Medical Center.Jenni Chelmo, Co-Director of Nursing Services, first became employed at Liberty Medical Center in 1980 as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
It was not long after, 1985, when Jenni began her nursing career at our facility. She has put her heart and soul into our facility. She has proven to be a very dedicated and valuable employee at Liberty Medical Center.
Pat Ludwig, Jenni's mother, has been working at Liberty Medical Center since August as a Nursing Assistant (NA). Her job duties include one-on-one time with the patients, assisting patients with meals, making beds and helping out where ever needed.
Kari Wicks, Jenni's daughter, began work in March as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). When you are in school there is not much extra time, however, Kari works ten to fifteen hours per week, picking up shifts after school and on the weekends
This type of family loyalty can only be found in small community such as Chester.
Angelina College, Vocational Nursing Program LVNbloggerNo patient turned away at Family Health Center
2008-08-24T11:02:00.000-07:00Certified Anesthesia Technician (Cer.A.T.)
Anesthesia Technician
Certified Anesthesia Technologist
It's barely 9 a.m. and the waiting room at the nonprofit Presbyterian Medical Services Carlsbad Family Health Center is already filling up with patients.
Some sit patiently waiting for their names to be called to see the doctor, while others are filling out required new patient forms that ask for prior and current medical conditions and whether the patient has the ability to pay for medical care at the clinic.
According to Stacy Carlile, administrator for the center located on San Jose Boulevard, no patient is turned away from medical care. If the patient has insurance, the clinic bills the company. Medicare and Medicaid patients also are a big part of the equation, as are patients who find themselves in the no-man's land of being unable to afford health insurance, but not qualifying for Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
"We see everyone, " Carlile said. "Some people are billed on a sliding scale, meaning they are billed according to their financial status. But the under-insured and the indigent don't have the means to pay anything. Last year, PMS absorbed $500, 000 in costs treating that segment of the population. That figure includes the cost of treating the indigent and under-insured at all three of our clinics in Eddy County."
In addition to Carlsbad, Presbyterian operates health and dental clinics in Loving and Artesia. Currently, the Loving clinic is without a dentist. However, Carlile said the group is trying to recruit one.
Rex Wilson, Presbyterian's regional director, believes the medical care patients receive at the clinics is top-notch and the physicians are as well-credentialed as those working in private practice and at the hospital.
"Unfortunately, there appears to be some stigma attached to going to a clinic like ours. Some think it is a free clinic, so therefore the medical care is not as good as they would get by going to a private practicing doctor, " Wilson said. "We try to collect fees when possible, and we do everything we can to get patients into programs that pay for medical care, and our doctors are highly qualified.
"Our doctors practice family medicine, so they see people of all ages. If a patient needs specialized medical care, they are sent to the specialist they need to see. All of our doctors have hospital privileges, so they treat their patients in the hospital, " Wilson said.
Carlile said that while each of the three clinics is family health oriented, they also offer different services. For instance, the Artesia clinic offers behavioral health services, while Carlsbad offers a school-based clinic at Carlsbad High School where students on Tuesdays and Thursdays can obtain medical care from a medical assistant and physician. The Carlsbad clinic also offers prescriptions drug service.
"The school-based program is working well, " Carlile said. "Kids don't miss school because they can see a doctor on-site and get the quick medical care they need. The only problem there is that it is more difficult to collect the fee for their care. Kids don't have the reasoning or knowledge that there are fees attached to getting healthcare. The clinic at the school is an extension of the Carlsbad Family Health Center, which is fee based."
Carlile said the rise in Hepatitis C seen in local patients became a concern for the clinic's medical staff. But now, through a $30, 000 grant from the University of New Mexico, Dr. Tetteh Addy, one of the clinic's three doctors, is able to treat and provide the costly Hepatitis C patients the series of treatments free of charge.
"We don't bill them, " she said. "Dr. Addy has about 10 patients in the program. Three have successfully completed the program. Dr. Addy has a real passion for that population, and his patients are certainly grateful that they are receiving the treatment without being billed for it."
JoReena Harrell, who has been a patient at the clinic for the past two years, and came in for blood work, said that had it not been for the clinic, she would probably not have medical care.
"I don't have insurance. I can't afford the fees charged by doctors in private practice. What I like about coming here is that they charge on a sliding scale. I pay what I can afford. That is very important for me. I like the doctors and nurses here. My doctor, Jorge Barasas, is great. If you talk, he listens. Everyone is caring here."
Wilson said the clinic accepts walk-ins, which is another reason people choose PMS as their healthcare provider.
Dr. Herbert Ojiaku, a native of Nigeria, completed his medical residency in Minnesota and moved to Houston afterward. He said Carlsbad and the clinic are a perfect fit for him and his family.
"The warm weather here really was attractive to me. Minnesota is too cold and Houston has too many people, " Ojiaku said. "My wife and I wanted to raise our two children in a small town, and we felt Carlsbad would be a good place to raise our kids, " he said before heading into one of the clinic's exams rooms to see his next patient.
"This is a family health center and I get to see patients of all ages with a variety of illnesses. Being in family practice medicine is really not much different from when I was doing my residency when I saw all types of patients and medical conditions. The only difference is that it's not quite as hectic as when I was doing my residency."
Addressing the issuing of providing health care for patients considered indigent, Wilson said it is a financial burden that the clinic accepts. He said the state and federal funding Presbyterian receives is not enough and the group looks for other funding sources.
He said that when Eddy County cut Presbyterian from its 2006-07 indigent budget to the tune of $150, 000, it was a blow. However, he said he hopes the county will consider re-instating all or part of the funding today when the Eddy County Commission conducts its mid-year budget review.
"The county indigent plan is the last resort before we write off the care costs ourselves, " Wilson explained.
The county cut the funding due to indigent fund budget constraints. The Eddy County Commission said it would take Presbyterian's request under advisement and make a decision after it has reviewed the budget.
Wilson said Presbyterian Medical Service, not to be confused with Presbyterian Healthcare, has been in Carlsbad since 1991, offering medical care to people regardless of race, creed or ability to pay. Many of its programs are located around the state in federally designated health professional shortage areas.
According its Web site, PMS is the successor to the United Presbyterian Church's medical mission work in the southwest, which began in 1901. In 1969, with church encouragement, a group of area citizens came together to serve on the board of directors for a new entity.
Presbyterian Medical Services became a New Mexico-based nonprofit corporation to ensure continuation of the mission to provide health care services to the underserved communities throughout the state.
Presbyterian's Carlsbad
Family Health Center
Payroll is slightly more than $2 million.
From January through October, the Carlsbad clinic has served 2, 584 patients; Loving, 1, 607 and Artesia, 2, 236.
Funding sources for the Carlsbad facility includes patient pay, 31 percent; insurance, 11 percent; Medicaid, 12 percent; Medicare, 12 percent and other grant, 33 percent.
Presbyterian's Carlsbad Family Health Center is located at 2013 San Jose Blvd. (source)
Certified Anesthesia Technician (Cer.A.T.)
Anesthesia Technician
Certified Anesthesia TechnologistbloggerNew medical and dental areas-Central Nine Career Center
2008-08-24T10:08:00.000-07:00Triton College vocational course
Central Nine Career Center is finishing up the first phase of a two-part renovation to modernize the vocational school and create a vibrant campus for area high school students.
Hagen's vision for the vocational school in Greenwood is becoming reality.
A new front entrance and medical and dental classrooms greeted students when they returned to classes this week. In Phase 2, the improvements will include adding cosmetology classrooms.
The school serves about 1, 000 students and It offers many programs, including health science and dental assisting. Many programs enable students to obtain professional credentials, such as nurse aid and emergency medical technician certification.
Triton College vocational coursebloggerInland colleges get high marks in annual report
2008-08-24T01:12:00.000-07:00Urology medical assistant-What they do?
Cardiology Medical Assistants ~What they do?
UC Riverside was singled out as one of the country's most innovative schools in the rankings of America's Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report magazine.
Altogether, four Inland universities received high marks in the 25th annual rankings. UCR and the University of Redlands each appear three times in the rankings and California Baptist University and La Sierra University, both in Riverside, each get one mention.
The rankings appear in the magazine's Sept. 1 issue, which is due to reach newsstands Monday.
In a category new this year, UCR was rated ninth among "Up-and-Coming Schools." Kenneth Terrell, assistant managing editor, education, at U.S. News & World Report, said he didn't know specifically what earned the ranking for UCR.
When we were surveying the top officials at different universities ... we asked them to nominate schools that they thought were making good improvements and offering innovative approaches to college education, " Terrell said in a telephone interview. "And Riverside got enough nominations to be placed on the list this year."
Thomas Baldwin agrees with the listing, although he acknowledged he only recently learned of the school's dynamism. Baldwin arrived at UCR in June as the new dean of the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. He spent the previous decade at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
"All my career I've sort of thought of UC Riverside as being, 'Oh, that's that little bitty school out there in the UC system, ' " he said in a telephone interview. So he was skeptical when he was offered the possibility of the deanship.
"I came and took a look and I met the faculty and I said, 'Holy camoly!' Man! This place is much, much stronger than it is perceived outside, " he said.
It is not uncommon for improvements such as those happening at UCR to go largely unnoticed for a time, he said.
"Perceptions trail reality by at least 10 years and I think this university is just about to burst onto the national radar screen as being a very, very good place to go to school. I think you're going to see a lot happen over the next five years."
Timothy White, UCR's chancellor, called the listing "very welcome news and very confirming, I think, of what the university is all about these days."
"When I was being recruited for the position of chancellor, what really attracted me, so many things, but one of them was the fact that this is an up-and-coming place. ... I think the word innovation is a word that gets used a lot, but in this case it's an absolutely precise word about all aspects of the institution's activities, " White said by phone from Virginia City, Nev., where he was traveling.
The University of Redlands was included in a list of "A+ Schools for B Students, " which U.S. News has been compiling for a few years, Terrell said.
"We basically wanted to get the word out ... that there are some excellent schools that offer opportunities to kids who maybe didn't score that high on the SAT or may have done not so well on a couple of classes in high school, " he said.
The University of Redlands embraces that listing, said Neil Macready, vice president for university relations.
"We take great pride in the fact that we're ranked in that category because we don't focus as much on the inputs that the students bring with them when they show up on campus, " he said by phone. "We're more about the outcomes that they take away from Redlands when they graduate four years later. We're really focused on what the transformation has been because of the Redlands experience."
Brian Bingham, 20, of Riverside, is a junior at Redlands and said he was a B student in high school.
"I think I had the experience a lot of freshmen have -- that everyone around you is overwhelmingly smart, " he said by phone.
Another area where the University of Redlands rated high was affordability. Bingham said the university gives him a $5, 000 grant each semester.
Mario Godoy, 19, of Riverside, is another junior at Redlands who says he gets good financial aid there.
"I feel I'm paying less there than I would if I went to a UC school because of the financial support they give you, " he said by phone. "It does seem like a lot when you first find out how much it is annually, but once you factor in all the financial aid that they offer, it's actually very affordable."
Macready, the Redlands vice president, said officials there take note of the rankings, but do not use them in their marketing or for comparing the university to other institutions. "Typically, we let the rankings speak for themselves, " he said.
UCR students Richie Brajas and Daniel Reynoso, both 20 and juniors from Riverside, said the rankings played no part in their school selection, but that they were good for the school.
"It gives them some publicity. UCR's kind of a smaller school, so at least it helps get the name out, " Brajas said by phone.
"It's good. They need the press and everything else, trying to get a medical school and a law school over there, so it's probably helping out, " Reynoso said by phone.
Cal Baptist was ranked 41st in "Best Universities -- Master's (West). In an e-mail exchange, Mark Wyatt, the university's vice president for marketing and communication, said, "We view the rankings as one of the tools that many families use to help decide which colleges their students will attend."
He said the university uses the "Best Colleges" badge in its marketing and that the rankings help the school "keep track of how others view California Baptist University in the highly competitive higher education marketplace."
Staff writer Vanessa Franko contributed to this report.
WHERE THEY RANK
Four Inland universities made U.S. News & World Report's 2009 rankings of America's Best Colleges. Up-and-Coming Schools is intended to gauge a school's innovation. The category Universities -- Master's includes schools that offer undergraduate and some master's degrees but few, if any, doctorates.
UC Riverside: 89th (seven-way tie) in "Best National Universities"; ninth in "Up-and-Coming Schools"; fifth in "Racial Diversity, National Universities"
University of Redlands: Eighth in "Best Universities -- Master's (West)"; listed among "A+ Schools for B Students"; second in "Great Schools, Great Prices, Universities -- Master's"
California Baptist University: 41st in "Best Universities -- Master's (West)"
La Sierra University: First in "Racial Diversity, Universities -- Master's (West)" (source)
Urology medical assistant-What they do?
Cardiology Medical Assistants ~What they do?bloggerWoman nurses hope for a career
2008-08-23T20:21:00.000-07:00Central Texas College, Vocational Nursing Program
Eichelberger, who bounced in between Longview and Mississippi most of her whole life, was trying to get a fresh start in Longview this spring after struggling with drug use down south.
Mitchell, Eichelberger’s former mentor from the Educational Service District 112’s Youth Workforce Program, dropped by the Longview Quiznos sandwich shop where Eichelberger was working and asked if she would like to re-enroll in the program.
Since then Eichelberger has earned her GED high school equivalency diploma, became a licensed Certified Nurses Assistant and got a job at the Canterbury Inn assisted living center in Longview.
“It feels good doing something with my life for once and be able to get somewhere, have my own place and money in the bank, ” Eichelberger said.
Eichelberger trained for her CNA license in the ESD 112’s federally funded Youth Workforce Academy, an eight-week vocational training program for low-income and at-risk youth.
ESD 112, a regional agency that serves 30 public school districts in Southwest Washington, launched the CNA track of the academy this spring because there is a demand for CNAs in this area, said Mitchell, a youth workforce specialist.
Other tracks offered in ESD 112 academies —construction, early childhood education, business technology, and health care— are also in demand fields, she said.
The training program not only prepares students for long-term employment, it helps low-income students with immediate financial needs, ESD 112 specialists say.
Students are paid minimum wage to attend career academies with federal dollars through the Youth Workforce Investment Act. Students can also get assistance for travel expenses, work clothes, or post-secondary training, said Christine Katon, ESD 112 youth workforce specialist.
Eichelberger first moved from Longview to her dad’s home state of Mississippi when she was 8. Eichelberger said she was a good student until she started using drugs at 13.
Around the age of 15, Eichelberger said she quit school to care for her grandmother who had Alzheimer’s. Shortly after that her grandmother died and her father went to prison, so Eichelberger came to Longview to live with her aunt and her brother.
“My aunt is amazing, ” Eichelberger said. “She has flown me here twice on a day’s notice.”
As a sophomore, Eichelberger enrolled Mark Morris High School’s Monarch Program, an online, after school alternative program.
She also joined the ESD 112’s Youth Workforce Program to get help with schoolwork, as well as career counseling and job training.
As part of the program, Eichelberger was in a health care academy in the summer. “It made me want to really explore the health care field more, ” she said.
But continuing to use drugs slowed her progress. Her family, she said, has a history of drug abuse, and ” I followed their path for quite a while.”
“I got messed up in drugs and I could not handle high school. I ended up dropping out a month before graduation.”
After a falling out with her family in Longview Eichelberger went back to Mississippi and found work as a nurse’s aide. That state does not require a license, she said.
“I went back with friends and got strung out on drugs, ” Eichelberger said.
Early this spring, Eichelberger said she moved back to Longview from Mississippi to start over.
Eichelberger said she didn’t consider getting CNA training until she reunited with Mitchell.
“I would have never thought I would pass, ” she said.
Eichelberger said going through the ESD 112’s CNA academy helped her to stop using drugs when she returned to Longview.
This month she passed the CNA licensing test and has found a job she loves. “I love being an aide working with the elderly and getting to know them, ” she said.
She helps residents with daily tasks such as eating, brushing teeth and getting ready for bed.
Eichelberger said she enjoys learning the little things about residents, like if they want their socks on or off when they go to bed.
“It’s hard work but it’s rewarding, ” she said. “You have all these grandparents.”
Mitchell said being able to work with youth from the time they are 16 until 21 is an advantage of the ESD 112’s Youth Workforce Program.
“We can continue to offer support, ” she said. Even though Eichelberger already completed the CNA academy and got her license, Mitchell will continue to mentor her until she is 21.
Eichelberger said she likes knowing Mitchell will be there checking in on her for another year. “There’s someone to give you a little extra boost to get you going in the right direction, ” she said.
“I’ve never really had parents to help me make my goals, ” Eichelberger said. “In (ESD 112’s) program you’re constantly making goals and having rewards if you make the goals.” (source)
Central Texas College, Vocational Nursing ProgrambloggerCareers in transition-clinical medical assistant
2008-08-23T12:59:00.000-07:00Grayson County College, Texas Vocational nursing program
Job Link offers training and other services for workers, employers
Genevieve Brown thought she'd found her dream job when she was hired at Medtronic in Santa Rosa eight years ago.
Brown, who immigrated to the United States from her native Cambodia at age 13, had held low-paying retail jobs and even done embroidery to help support her family.
Now, she was working for the world's largest medical device company, making advanced technology for treating vascular disease.
Brown assembled coronary stents, tiny implants that keep blood flowing in heart patients' arteries. She also worked in quality control, packaging and labeling. Soon she was training other Medtronic employees.
"I liked learning different things, " she said. "I liked moving around."
But her job ended last year when the biotech giant shifted much of its Sonoma County manufacturing to Galway, Ireland. More than 100 workers were laid off.
Today, Brown, 37, is preparing for a new career as a clinical medical assistant. She's part of a government-funded retraining program for Medtronic's displaced Santa Rosa workers.
"These are skilled workers, but their skills were specifically designed for their jobs at Medtronic, " said Patrick Henning, director of the state Employment Development Department. "They need additional training to help them find new jobs with comparable wages."
The demand for retraining has soared with job losses because of the faltering economy, said Karen Fies, who oversees Sonoma County's employment and training programs.
More than 1, 100 new clients contacted the county's Job Link service in July, compared with an average of 204 during a typical month last year, she said.
"We've seen a huge increase in the number of people seeking help, " Fies said.
In response, Job Link is offering additional job-search workshops and one-on-one counseling.
The retraining for former Medtronic workers is backed by a $205, 000 state grant to Job Link. Many of the workers aren't fluent in English, so the program offers classes in English as a second language.
There also are GED classes for workers who haven't received high school diplomas.
Participants attend workshops on job search skills, resume-writing and interview tips. Clients then meet with a counselor to discuss their interests and abilities and adopt a training plan.
So far, 22 former Medtronic workers have received training, while six others have signed up.
Genevieve Brown is enrolled in the medical assistant program at Empire College in Santa Rosa, one of Job Link's partners. She chose medical assisting because it will keep her in the health care field.
"I want to help people, " she said. "And I want to get good pay and benefits for my family."
Jesse Villarreal, another ex-Medtronic manufacturing employee, is taking accounting classes at Empire College through Job Link.
Villarreal, 59, worked at Medtronic in Santa Rosa for eight years before the 2007 layoff. Job Link helped him find a new career, he said.
"I really wanted to look at all my options before I jumped into something, " Villarreal said. "I like working with my hands, but I'm getting too old for that."
Villarreal had lots of job experience, but not enough education, he said. The accounting program will give him a professional degree in a field where there are lots of jobs, he said.
Brown and Villarreal are collecting unemployment benefits while they train for their new careers.
Not all former Medtronic workers received training, according to Job Link coordinator Kathy Young. Some just received counseling or help with job searches. Others left the area or found new jobs on their own.
Earlier this year, 47 of the workers returned to Medtronic as temporary employees. About 1, 200 people work for Medtronic in Santa Rosa, the headquarters for its global vascular business.
Nearly 80 percent of all laid-off workers who used Job Link over the past year have found employment, according to the program. Of those, 94 percent were still employed after six months.
The health care, business services and hospitality sectors still offer good prospects for job seekers, Fies said.
Laid-off workers who are serious about finding new jobs shouldn't delay contacting Job Link, she said.
"We recommend people come in while they still have unemployment (benefits), " Fies said(source)
Grayson County College, Texas Vocational nursing programbloggerTeens learn more about options in medical careers
2008-08-23T11:19:00.002-07:00San Jose City College Registered Dental Assisting Programs
Not everyone who works at Winchester Medical Center is a doctor or nurse.
That fact was a revelation for many youths in the the hospital’s first Camp W.M.C.
The 18 rising sixth- through ninth-grade students explored nearly 20 professions in the facility on Amherst Street this week
I didn’t even know half of these professions existed, ” 13-year-old Scott Zerull said Friday.
He and eight other students were finishing a trauma call simulation in which they treated a 14-year-old patient with severe injuries from a 4-wheeler accident.
The activity was one of the group’s last as the four-day camp concluded Friday afternoon. It began Tuesday and lasted from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. each day.
After completing his role as an emergency medical technician for the trauma call, Scott waited outside with his mother Lisa Zerull — a registered nurse and academic liaison to Valley Health, parent company of the medical center.
“The purpose of the camp was to introduce them to the health-care profession and health-care staff, ” Zerull said. “If you look at their eyes, they’re like, ‘Oh, my God!’”
WMC joined the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association in Glen Allen to partially fund the program through a grant. The association’s contribution covered half of the camp’s cost. For the other half, each participant paid a $136 registration fee.
Despite the fee, just two days were needed for the camp to fill up. “We sent out an e-mail and within a day and a half, we had 20 e-mails of interest, ” Zerull said.
Most of the campers have relatives in the medical field. Zerull said a pre-camp survey showed that seven campers wanted to become nurses, five wanted to be physicians, and six were seeking other careers. “Truly, they have been engaged all six hours every day, ” she said.
While Scott knew about some health-care jobs from his mother, he was surprised by some of them. “I thought it was nurses and doctors, ” said the rising ninth-grader at James Wood High School. “I didn’t realize it is forensics and babies.”
Another camper shared Scott’s amazement at the range of medical careers.
“I didn’t know they had forensic nurses who work with people who have been in a crime, ” said Hannah Adams, a rising ninth-grader at Sherando High School. “It looks really difficult. I don’t know if I would be doing that.” Instead, she wants to work as a nurse or in pediatrics. “I want to do that because I’m good at it, ” the 14-year-old said.
Hannah added that she has placed intravenous lines in practice patients during activities with no problems. With his new knowledge of medical professions, Scott is still deciding where his future might take him. “It’s 50-50 chance, ” he said, referring to the medical field. “It’s between this and baseball.” (source)
San Jose City College Registered Dental Assisting Programsblogger
feedcat.net promotes your content, measures audiences
and saving load of your server resources!
*