Powered by Max Banner Ads 

Nursing covers a wide area of practice. It includes

- Childcare
- Elderly care
- Services for pregnant women
- Services for newborn infants
- Specialty area – injury nursing
- Specialty area – cancer nursing
- Specialty area – forensic nursing

2. Choose Your Nursing Program

The first step to be a nurse is to graduate from a nursing program. This would enable you to take a state licensure examination. In the US, more than 1500 nursing programs are offered. Three of these programs prepare you in assuming different tasks once you graduate.

A. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
This is a four-year curriculum offered in colleges and universities. A graduate of this course has the advantage of learning health care settings that includes leadership and management. A degree in BSN is preferred and often required in many fields of nursing.

B. Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
This is a 2 to 3 year program offered in community college as well as in junior collages. This program prepares the student in handling direct patient care.

C. Hospital Diploma
This is a 2 to 3 year program that is based in hospitals.

3. Nursing Positions

Now that you’ve covered the basics, let’s take a closer look on some of the nursing positions you can occupy. These positions are based on your experience and education.

A. Entry-level nursing position
This is the Staff Nurse Position. The nurse takes on making judgments based on scientific knowledge. You have to rely on procedures and standardized care plans.

B. Certified Mid-wife
This is a specialty nurse position where the nurse aids childbearing women. It starts during the preconception stage and goes through the prenatal, labor and delivery. Postpartum period care is also included in her duties. The nurse also provides family planning counseling as well as gynecological care for women.

C. Case Manager
Over time, a nurse can become a nurse case manager. In this position, the nurse will be involved in the process of organizing as well as coordinating the resources and services of an entire group of nurses, such as an entire hospital.

D. Nurse Educator
This is also a position a nurse could get involved with. Educating people about proper health care needs and procedures would be the basic tasks for this position. A Nurse Practitioner on the other hand conducts physical exams on patients, conducts diagnoses and provides treatments. A nurse practitioner could also write prescriptions and could also manage patients with chronic conditions such as diabetics and those with hypertension.

E. Nurse Anesthetist
A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist assists during operations. They give anesthesia to the patients before and after the operation.

There are also various specialty nursing programs that would help you specialize in a specific area. Radiology Nursing, Rehabilitation Nursing, AIDS Care Nursing, and Forensic Nursing are few of these specialty areas. Radiology Nurses are concerned with patients that undergo diagnosis in radiology imaging environments. It also includes Ultrasonography, magnetic resonance and radiation oncology. Rehabilitation Nurses or Psychiatric Nurses takes on providing physical and emotional support both to the patient and their families. They deal with patients having mental incapacities. An AIDS Care Nurse manages the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of a patient suffering with AIDS. A Forensic Nurse works in a different environment with other nurses. They work with the law enforcement officials to help in the investigation of crimes like sexual assault and accidental death. They also help in the treatment of the victims of these crimes.

DATELINE: DEDHAM AND PLYMOUTH, MASS…The Commonwealth Advisory Group in Dedham, providing professional guidance to seniors and their families with regard to asset preservation and Medicaid regulations prior to nursing home admission, will hold a FREE seminar on Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 11 a.m. at Stafford Hill Assisted Living, 60 Stafford Street in Plymouth.

Protecting Assets and Qualifying for Medicaid

Attorney Philip Amaru and Executive Director Laureen Vaughn of Commonwealth Advisory Services will provide a one-hour presentation on the topic of how to protect assets from the high costs of nursing home care. Attorney Amaru will discuss the steps that may be taken in the case of an immediate need, as well as steps that ensure future assets are protected should the circumstance of nursing home admission ever arise.

Attendees will also learn about Medicaid regulations and how to qualify for Medicaid.

“Nursing home costs can be as high as $10,000 per month. During our seminar, in addition to asset preservation, we discuss how monthly nursing home costs can be reduced drastically and that ‘spending down assets’ is not necessary for benefit qualification. There are ways to preserve everything that you or your loved one has worked a lifetime for and that’s where we come in,” noted Amaru.

As professional speakers, Attorney Amaru and Ms. Vaughn speak to a variety of audiences about asset protection including Councils on Aging, nurses and other health professionals, Certified Professional Accountants, unions and elder service agencies. Recent speaking engagements include Milton Hospital; The Southeastern Area Department of Mental Health Committees and the Friends of Taunton State Hospital’s Caregiving for the Aging Mental Health Population.

For more information about this seminar, or to book a seminar, contact Laureen Vaughn at 800-705-1415.

Asset Preservation Planning

For 16 years, the Commonwealth Advisory Group has helped over 1,500 clients save their assets (which includes property, gifted assets, retirement accounts, insurance policies, investments and savings) prior to and during an admission to a nursing home. Unlike financial planners, Commonwealth Advisory Group specializes in asset preservation for elders and their families.

In addition to providing asset protection services to clients, Attorney Amaru and Executive Director Laureen Vaughn serve as educational speakers for hospitals, elder agencies and businesses throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. Commonwealth Advisory Group has appeared with Jordan Rich of WBZ News Radio 1030 in variety of seminars on the topic of Senior Asset Protection.

Attorney Amaru is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys; the National Network of Estate Planning Attorneys; the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys; the Massachusetts Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Commonwealth Advisory Group is located just off Route 128 at 3 Allied Drive, Ste. 125, Dedham, MA. For more information, contact 800-705-1415 or visit www.CommAdvise.com.

DATELINE: DEDHAM AND PLYMOUTH, MASS…The Commonwealth Advisory Group in Dedham, providing professional guidance to seniors and their families with regard to asset preservation and Medicaid regulations prior to nursing home admission, will hold a FREE seminar on February 26, 2008 at 11 a.m. at Stafford Hill Assisted Living, 60 Stafford Street in Plymouth.

Protecting Assets and Qualifying for Medicaid

Attorney Philip Amaru and Executive Director Laureen Vaughn of Commonwealth Advisory Services will provide a one-hour presentation on the topic of how to protect assets from the high costs of nursing home care. Attorney Amaru will discuss the steps that may be taken in the case of an immediate need, as well as steps that ensure future assets are protected should the circumstance of nursing home admission ever arise.

Attendees will also learn about Medicaid regulations and how to qualify for Medicaid.

“Nursing home costs can be as high as $10,000 per month. During our seminar, in addition to asset preservation, we discuss how monthly nursing home costs can be reduced drastically and that ‘spending down assets’ is not necessary for benefit qualification. There are ways to preserve everything that you or your loved one has worked a lifetime for and that’s where we come in,” noted Amaru.

Attorney Amaru and Ms. Vaughn speak to a variety of audiences about asset protection including Councils on Aging, nurses and other health professionals, Certified Professional Accountants, unions and elder service agencies. Recent speaking engagements include Milton Hospital; The Southeastern Area Department of Mental Health Committees and the Friends of Taunton State Hospital’s Caregiving for the Aging Mental Health Population.

For more information about this seminar, or to book a seminar, contact Laureen Vaughn at 800-705-1415.

Asset Preservation Planning

For 16 years, the Commonwealth Advisory Group has helped over 1,500 clients save their assets (which includes property, gifted assets, retirement accounts, insurance policies, investments and savings) prior to and during an admission to a nursing home. Unlike financial planners, Commonwealth Advisory Group specializes in asset preservation for elders and their families.

In addition to providing asset protection services to clients, Attorney Amaru and Executive Director Laureen Vaughn serve as educational speakers for hospitals, elder agencies and businesses throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. Commonwealth Advisory Group has appeared with Jordan Rich of WBZ News Radio 1030 in variety of seminars on the topic of Senior Asset Protection.

Attorney Amaru is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys; the National Network of Estate Planning Attorneys; the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys; the Massachusetts Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Commonwealth Advisory Group is located just off Route 128 at 3 Allied Drive, Ste. 125, Dedham, MA. For more information, contact 800-705-1415 or visit www.CommAdvise.com.

The Career Opportunities in the Nursing field are no longer just your general nursing positions. Nursing is no longer “just a shot in the arm” or the plain ‘ole school nurse, nor does the field mean you must wear a white mini skirt. There are excellent opportunities for nurses in the “forensic” areas as well as the “legal” fields.

Legal Nurse Consulting – Nursing has moved into the “legal” field in the role of “Legal Nurse Consulting”. Legal Nurse Consultants can use their knowledge and expertise in the medical field added alongside their knowledge and expertise in the legal field in order to specialize as a Legal Nurse Consultant. Legal Nurse Consultants are thought to be a new specialty; however nurses have been doing legal consulting for decades. This field has become more and more prominent in the last ten to fifteen years. Many nurses have chosen full-time private practice and the demand for their services has risen. It has been noted that lawsuits are on the rise and nurses look for alternatives to the typical bedside nursing careers. Nurses’ specialized experience, knowledge, and training are highly regarded and respected in the legal arena.

The Legal Nurse Consultants not only provide their variety of services such as reviewing records to identify standards of care, conduct research and summarize medical literature, identify and apply regulatory requirements, educate attorneys about medical issues, assist with depositions and trials, and screen initial cases to see if they have merit, but they also can testify in a court of law as well as testify as an expert witness on such cases the consultant has worked on. As an example, the consultant may work on personal injury cases, criminal cases, toxic torts, product liabilities as well as large class-action suits. The consultants work may vary according to their interests and backgrounds. Every case is different, thus never a dull moment.

If a nurse is considering in specializing in the legal field, it is highly recommended that he/she research the field prior to diving into this new field. It is also important that the new consultant have at least three months of income saved in order to enable the consultant to concentrate in starting their own business, if such is desired, and well thought out marketing of their new business. Many consultants have started working part time when they are first getting started and then switch to full-time once they have built a client base, according to the AALNC (American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants). The consultants do work on an hourly set fee which may range from $60 to $150 an hour for independent legal nurse consultants, while salaries for LNC’s who work for employers are comparable to nursing salaries in a clinical setting. Legal nurse consultants must be licensed registered nurses and it is also recommended that they have at least three years of nursing experience. In addition to their marketing strategies, doing volunteer work through the local bar association is a good way to get to know and network with attorneys. They can be trained and certified as a Legal Nurse Consultant through the AALNC or other educational programs; however certification is not mandatory. As in any other business, your own personal success lies within you. Your goals, of course, depend on your personal wants, needs, and tenacity. As any business entrepreneur, you will need to strategize your marketing plan which can be challenging, but is part of your personal success. Needless to say, legal nurse consulting is not for everyone. In order for a consultant to succeed in this specialty, one must be a self-starter, strong communicator and have highly tuned critical and analytical thinking skills. If you think about it though, these attributes I have listed are really the making of any successful professional, regardless of your choice of field.

Forensic Nursing – Another excellent choice of specialized field for nurses is “Forensic Nursing”. When most people hear the term “forensic”, they immediately think of your typical ideal of the word and think of maybe the County Morgue. Forensic nursing is an exciting career that combines nursing with detective work and criminal law. The position requires a tremendous amount of researching as well as investigating. One of many of the positions that a forensic nurse can be working in is as a “Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE)”. Such a forensic nurse would ensure that evidence is collected appropriately and can be used in a court of law. Forensic nursing is relatively a new field that combines the health care profession with the judicial system. The International Association of Forensic Nursing (IAFN) held its first international certification exam in April of 2002. While certification is not mandatory in order to work as a forensic nurse, it is believed that it does give added credibility. Credibility is in fact important because one of the key parts of the forensic nurse’s role, in addition to their performance of comprehensive exams in the hospital, is to give testimony in court.

The legal court system has begun to recognize the expertise of forensic nurse examiners and is beginning to be qualified as experts. When testifying in court, forensic nurses can be qualified as either an expert witness, who would allow them to give his or her opinion, or a fact witness, which would allow them to state the facts only. The forensic nurses are presented by the prosecutor in the courtroom, when they are to testify. When testifying at trials, they are there to present information in an objective manner and not speak for or against the victim or the defendant. The forensic nurse is there to present the facts of the examination they performed.

It offers tremendous opportunities for both recent graduates and experienced registered nurses looking for a career change. It is believed, that there is also a strong need for better minority representation in this field. Statistics show that approximately 50% of the victims treated are African American and approximately 20% are Latina. It is believed that such minority victims may be more apt to report the sexual crimes they have experienced if they were aware that the forensic nurses that will examine them are of their own race; thus, they may feel more comfortable in seeking medical assistance.

Forensic nurses can help more than just rape victims. Although much of the focus of forensic nursing is on the sexual assault, forensic nurses are not limited to working on just these types of cases. Many nurses work with victims of interpersonal abuse, including domestic violence, child and elder abuse/neglect and physiological/psychological abuses. Forensic nurses can also examine victims of near-fatal or fatal traumas, such as shootings or stabbings, or possibly even as death investigators.

You must know when to draw the line between being an empathetic nurse and being there to do your job – to collect your evidence. In cases of stabbings or shootings, forensic nurses collect such evidence as bullets and any debris that is on the body, such as leaves that may have clung to the body from the crime scene. The nurse is also in charge of removing the bloody clothes the victim was wearing and putting them in a special wrapping in order to conserve the item. The nurses may also photograph and measure wounds. If the victim has died, the forensic nurse examiner will often collaborate with the medical examiner assigned to the case, answer any questions the medical examiner may have with regards to what the nurse may have seen during the exam. A nurse wanting to move into the forensic nursing field, would have to their advantage to have emergency room nursing experience.

Not only is it an exciting and rewarding career, their demand is rapidly rising. Forensic nurses are even being incorporated into the emergency room setting now. Previously, hospitals felt that any nurse could collect evidence; however, a forensic nurse will have the knowledge and the expertise of what evidence should be collected and how to preserve the evidence so that it is not accidentally destroyed; thus, a more positive outcome in the courtroom in catching the criminal.

As a registered nurse, as in any other career of your choice, it is good to know what your career options may be. As a registered nurse is good to have a list of all of the different types of nursing positions that you have available to select from, depending on what may work best for you. I feel it is very important that you are aware, that in addition to the many opportunities you have available to you, as a nurse, you now also have available the positions of Forensic Nursing or Legal Nurse Consulting and what each of the two career’s job descriptions entail.

With almost 2.6M registered nurses (RN) in the United States, nursing is now the largest health care profession in the country. If you think that hospitals are the only place a nurse could be found, you are certainly misled. Public health agencies, communities, ambulatory care centers and other places where health care services are rendered also commonly have nurses employed.

1. The Nursing Practice

Nursing covers a wide area of practice. It includes

- Childcare

- Elderly care

- Services for pregnant women

- Services for newborn infants

- Specialty area – injury nursing

- Specialty area – cancer nursing

- Specialty area – forensic nursing

2. Choose Your Nursing Program

The first step to be a nurse is to graduate from a nursing program. This would enable you to take a state licensure examination. In the US, more than 1500 nursing programs are offered. Three of these programs prepare you in assuming different tasks once you graduate.

A. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

This is a four-year curriculum offered in colleges and universities. A graduate of this course has the advantage of learning health care settings that includes leadership and management. A degree in BSN is preferred and often required in many fields of nursing.

B. Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

This is a 2 to 3 year program offered in community college as well as in junior collages. This program prepares the student in handling direct patient care.

C. Hospital Diploma

This is a 2 to 3 year program that is based in hospitals.

3. Nursing Positions

Now that you’ve covered the basics, let’s take a closer look on some of the nursing positions you can occupy. These positions are based on your experience and education.

A. Entry-level nursing position

This is the Staff Nurse Position. The nurse takes on making judgments based on scientific knowledge. You have to rely on procedures and standardized care plans.

B. Certified Mid-wife

This is a specialty nurse position where the nurse aids childbearing women. It starts during the preconception stage and goes through the prenatal, labor and delivery. Postpartum period care is also included in her duties. The nurse also provides family planning counseling as well as gynecological care for women.

C. Case Manager

Over time, a nurse can become a nurse case manager. In this position, the nurse will be involved in the process of organizing as well as coordinating the resources and services of an entire group of nurses, such as an entire hospital.

D. Nurse Educator

This is also a position a nurse could get involved with. Educating people about proper health care needs and procedures would be the basic tasks for this position. A Nurse Practitioner on the other hand conducts physical exams on patients, conducts diagnoses and provides treatments. A nurse practitioner could also write prescriptions and could also manage patients with chronic conditions such as diabetics and those with hypertension.

E. Nurse Anesthetist

A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist assists during operations. They give anesthesia to the patients before and after the operation.

There are also various specialty nursing programs that would help you specialize in a specific area. Radiology Nursing, Rehabilitation Nursing, AIDS Care Nursing, and Forensic Nursing are few of these specialty areas. Radiology Nurses are concerned with patients that undergo diagnosis in radiology imaging environments. It also includes Ultrasonography, magnetic resonance and radiation oncology. Rehabilitation Nurses or Psychiatric Nurses takes on providing physical and emotional support both to the patient and their families. They deal with patients having mental incapacities. An AIDS Care Nurse manages the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of a patient suffering with AIDS. A Forensic Nurse works in a different environment with other nurses. They work with the law enforcement officials to help in the investigation of crimes like sexual assault and accidental death. They also help in the treatment of the victims of these crimes.

Help someone deal with emotions over moving

The decision to move — whether to an independent living community, assisted living community, or nursing home — is only the beginning of what can be a long and challenging journey. Helping someone through this important transition takes research and planning. Here’s a 10-step guide to smoothing her way to her new home and the next phase of her life.

1. Talk to her — and don’t forget to listen.

Even though moving will often improve her quality of life, it’s also likely to stir up all kinds of emotions, and even trigger what Nan Hayes, founder of Moveseniors.com, calls “transition trauma.” Many older adults are filled with anxiety about what a move will mean. They may see moving as a sign of defeat and a harbinger of increasing loss of control and independence.

The listening part should come first — find out as much as you can about her health, needs, fears, and hopes, so you can help her make the best choice possible.

After that, it’s your turn to talk. Help her understand that moving can be “just as freeing as going away to college,” Hayes says. The range of options has broadened tremendously since her parents’ day, and as the human lifespan gets longer and longer, a late-in-life move has come to be a rite of passage just as natural as buying a starter home. If you can help her see a move as a positive transition rather than a defeat, you’ll be off to a good start.

2. To reduce stress, hold off on selling the house if possible.

Moving is hard enough without asking her to live in a home that a realtor is showing to prospective buyers. If she has the assets to finance a move in the short run — or if you can lend her the deposit or entrance fee — move first, sell later is the way to go. If she’s moving to a community where she has to buy an apartment or condominium, a mortgage broker may be able to help her get a “bridge loan” to cover the down payment until she sells her home.

3. Plan on giving her extra support after the move.

A move may be the best thing for her, but it’s also going to be exhausting for her, physically and emotionally. A good assisted living community will offer plenty of support during the transition, but if you’re able to make time for extra visits in the days or weeks after the move, it will help reassure her that the most important things in her life — like family and friends — aren’t going to change.

4. Consider bringing in the pros.

A professional Geriatric Care Manager can assess the level of care an older adult needs, find senior communities in your area, navigate the application process, and prepare for a move. These services can be especially useful if you don’t live in the same state as the person who’s moving and can’t be there to manage the day-to-day aspects of her transition.

5. Help get her finances in order.

This is crucial in order to know what kind of care she can afford and how she plans to pay for it. Also, many continuing care retirement communities and other facilities will ask for thorough documentation of her income and assets in order to be sure she’ll be able to pay for her care over the long haul.

If she doesn’t have an accountant who can help you pull the paperwork together, the Society of Certified Senior Advisors can refer you to a financial planner who specializes in assisting older clients.

6. Get her home appraised.

If she’s planning to sell her home to finance a move, today’s topsy-turvy housing market makes a professional appraisal a must before assessing her financial position.

7. Talk to a doctor.

Deciding what kind of community is best for her is a medical decision as well as a personal one. Her family physician may be able to evaluate her and make a recommendation. If not, ask for a referral to a geriatrician who can do a full evaluation, or go to the American Medical Association’s Doctor Finder and search under “geriatrics” in your area.

8. Shop around.

In most areas of the country, there’s a wide range of options when it comes to eldercare communities. A good place to start is Caring.com’s local services directory, where you can search for nursing homes, continuing care communities, and assisted living facilities in your area. Your local Area Agency on Aging should be able to steer you to local communities. Your local Chamber of Commerce might also be able to help. Once you’ve narrowed down the list, tour several places — with the person in your care — and make sure to take time to talk to residents, eat a meal, and really get the feel of the place before making a decision.

9. Read the fine print.

Yes, those long contracts can be overwhelming, but don’t give in to the temptation to skim documents before signing (or asking her to do so). The contracts and agreements that come with moving into any kind of community may well spell out the parameters of the care she will — or won’t — receive for the rest of her life, so make sure you, and she, understand exactly what you’re agreeing to before putting pen to paper.

If you spot something worrisome or have questions the facility can’t answer to your satisfaction, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys can refer you to a lawyer who can go over the paperwork with you.

10. Plan the move logistics carefully.

Downsize and deal with belongings now to avoid moving day chaos. An estate liquidator can often help you with selling what she won’t need, and a senior move manager can help with all the logistics. Bring in a senior move manager who specializes in transition and relocation of older adults.

There a couple of important points to be kept in thoughts if you have selected to be a Licensed Simple Nurse. To start with, the workout period is only a year. Secondly, with a growth in the wellness proper care business some of the most beneficial job opportunities are with the house wellbeing due care providers and nurse health care amenities. Thirdly, with a great number of nurses leaving the occupation permanently there will be important position openings as replacements.

Certified Practical Nurses (LPN) are supposed to due care for the sick, disabled, injured, and convalescent below the direction of a medical doctor or registered nurse. Basic bedside care and attention like monitoring temperature, measuring blood pressure, pulse and respiration are piece of a LPNs project. An LPN also prepares and provides injections and enemas, applies dressings, monitors catheters, treats bedsores and offers alcoholic massages and rubs. Samples for testing are collected by the LPN. They also complete routine laboratory tests.

Giving the clients and preserving a record of the typical intake and output by a person is also a portion of a LPNs occupation. In order to hold a affected individual comfortable and hygienic LPNs also bathe and dress up a person to maintain up individual hygiene. In some states, LPNs are permitted to administer medicines prescribed by the medical doctor or start out intravenous fluids. Some LPNs also allow in the delivery method and also present care and attention for as nicely as feed an infant. With knowledge a LPN may possibly get the chance to supervise nursing aides and assistants.

Apart from delivering basic bedside care and handling, LPNs doing work in nursing proper care facilities also guide to evaluate wants of a resident, create plans for caution of a resident, and supervise the nursing aides and caution staying provided by them. LPNs who function in clinics and offices of medical doctors also accomplish clerical duties like documenting appointments and sustaining records. LPNs working in private property may perhaps teach the family members members basic tasks of nursing or how to prepare a meal.

All those who aspire to be a LPN are demanded to comprehensive a simple nursing plan approved by the state and then pass a licensing examination recognized as NCLEX-PN. Typically a substantial college diploma is mandatory at entry. However, there are a several programs that accept a candidate not having a diploma as nicely. Also there are a several software programs that are developed as a element of higher college curriculum.

Most of the software programs made available for Realistic nursing last for around a yr and are inclusive of classroom research and clinical exercise (sufferer care and attention). Standard concepts of nursing and subjects related to medical client health care this kind of as physiology, anatomy, healthcare-surgical nursing, obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatric nursing, nutrition, administration of drugs and earliest aid are covered throughout classroom review. Clinical practice is often offered in a hospital or in comparable settings.

In locations of employment like nursing houses a LPN can advance to develop into accountable to oversee the perform of nursing aides and other LPNs. LPNs can decide to turned out to be registered nurses by attending LPN-to-RN guidance programs. A LPN is needed to have a caring and sympathetic attitude. Emotional stability is also a pre-requisite for a LPN, as she may well have to show results with irate, agitated, uncooperative, and irrational affected individuals, which can be stressful. Keen observation, good communication skills and decision-creating flexibility are also preferred in a LPN. When in a physical condition treatment group, a LPN will need to have the capacity to stick to orders and succeed even though staying closely supervised.

Myth #1: Nursing home facilities smell bad.

Reality: Most good nursing home facilities rarely smell bad, and when they do, chances are, it will be taken care of promptly. Not only are nursing home facilities inspected by each State on behalf of the Medicare administration every twelve to fifteen months, but they are also inspected by family members and other health professionals, albeit more informally, on a regular basis. So while you may encounter an unpleasant odor on one visit, it’s likely you may never experience it on subsequent visits. If you do, take it up with the administrator. Nursing home administrators are typically very sensitive to this issue and will take action quickly.

Myth #2: Nursing home facilities are like hospitals.
Reality: Nursing homes are residential facilities that provide medical care, but they are not like hospitals. The environment in nursing home facilities is much less clinical, for one thing. In addition, community living has a much different feel than a temporary stay in a hospital. Nursing homes offer activities to keep residents engaged in the community, and interacting with one another. And as neighbors, residents often form lasting friendships.
 
Myth #3: The people who live in nursing home facilities are all dying.

Reality: Nursing homes provide continuous medical care for people whose medical conditions require around-the-clock care or monitoring. While it is true that some elderly and terminally ill residents may be dying, at that point they are certified by their doctor to receive hospice (i.e., end-of-life) care, and that is certainly not the case for all residents. Many nursing home residents simply need a higher level of care than is available at an assisted living facility.

Myth #4: All nursing homes are the same.

Reality: This couldn’t be farther from the truth. It is important to carefully research the nursing homes you are considering, because despite stringent federal regulation, all nursing homes are different. This can be a wonderful thing-for example, when it creates a strong sense of community among residents-but it can also have a down side, especially when a facility does not address problems that affect residents’ quality of life and/or quality of care.

Myth #5: Caregivers can use restraints to control residents.

Reality: Restraints may only be used when it is medically necessary for a resident’s safety or the safety of others. It is unlawful for nursing homes to administer physical or chemical restraints for any other purpose.

Myth #6: Insurance will pay for my nursing home care.

Reality: It depends on the type of coverage you have. Many people are surprised to learn that Medicare only pays for 100 days of nursing home care per illness, and prior to that, you must meet a number of requirements before you are eligible for benefits. Also, only the first 20 days are covered in full; the rest requires a significant co-payment ($133.50 per day in 2009). After that point, you are responsible for paying for expenses out of pocket until you become eligible for Medicaid. Some long-term care insurance policies provide coverage in a nursing home facility, but not all. If you have a long-term care insurance policy that provides nursing home coverage, check your policy to determine your coverage limits and restrictions.

Myth #7: There is no privacy in a nursing home facility.

Reality: It’s true that there is typically less privacy in a nursing home facility than in other types of senior housing. Most rooms are shared by two residents, and caregivers may enter the room as needed-visitors, too, as desired. However, nursing homes are required to maintain a private area for visits with family, and most facilities try to respect residents’ privacy as much as is possible. Residents have the right to privacy, and to keep personal belongings and property as long as they don’t interfere with the rights, health or safety of others.

Myth #8: Nursing home residents have limited rights.

Reality: Nursing home residents retain all of their legal rights once they move in. In addition, Medicare has established a Nursing Home Residents’ Bill of Rights that clearly defines residents’ rights pertaining to: respect; services and fees; money; privacy; and medical care.

Myth #9: A move to a nursing home facility is a permanent move.

Reality: Most nursing homes have wings for both long-term care and short-term care. The long-term care wing is for residents, while the short-term care wing houses people who are recovering from an illness, injury or surgery and require rehabilitation. So while a move to a nursing home facility may be permanent for some people, many others return home once they have sufficiently recovered.

Myth #10: Nursing home residents are always on caregivers’ schedules.

Reality: It’s true that a structured schedule can enable caregivers to do their jobs in the most efficient manner possible. However, more and more rest homes are recognizing the need to address residents’ needs in a more holistic manner, and in a way that honors their dignity and preferences. This includes empowering residents with more options and autonomy in setting their own schedules.

by: Deborah S. Hildebrand

Despite the economy, career opportunities in health care and nursing are booming. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as recently as 2006, the health care field was the largest in the U.S., offering approximately 14 million jobs as well as seven of the 20 fastest growing occupations.

The following details how to get a career in this in-demand field.

Certification and On-the-Job Training Options

One interesting fact about the health care field is that many positions require less than a four-year degree, in fact some of the fastest growing health care jobs require little or no specialized education. Careers including nursing and home health aides as well as medical and dental assistants get their training on the job or through a certificate program.

Undergraduate Career Options

Undergraduate degrees offer even more nursing and health care career options. Along with traditional careers such as registered nursing, social work and occupational therapy, there are new trends opening in the field of health care. For instance, RNs who might want to follow a different career could consider becoming a certified legal nurse consultant (CLNC). CLNCs assist attorneys with medical issues. Another new job trend is medical illustration. Medical illustrators use their knowledge of human science and medical concepts to create educational materials for publications and journals and can earn as much $75,000 annually.

Higher Education Career Options

Naturally, higher education offers opportunities for surgeons, psychiatrists, cardiologists and other doctors. However, if medical school isn’t your thing, getting a higher education in the health care field offers a variety of other lucrative positions. Genetics, for instance, is a health care field that offers unique and in-demand jobs. Such jobs include behavioral geneticists, who solve health problems by identifying gene-related therapies, and genetics counseling, which involves informing and supporting families who have members with birth defects or genetic disorders.

The field of nursing is full of great opportunities, and these following top 10 nursing careers have the best job outlook in the field. If you are in the process of completing nursing school or have recently graduated and received your license, you should definitely consider looking into these top 10 nursing careers and what they require.  

1.    Travel nursing

2.    Military nursing

3.    Forensic nursing

4.    Legal nurse consultant

5.    Surgical nursing

6.    Certified RN anesthetist

7.    Nurse practitioner

8.    Clinical nurse specialist

9.    Staff nurse

10.    Flight nurse

Travel nursing tops this list of the top 10 nursing careers because there are many towns and cities in the country and the world that are in desperate need of qualified nurses. Military nursing is another great opportunity that allows you to travel, and opportunities for further education and career enhancement will also be available to you. Forensic nursing is one of the top 10 nursing careers that deal with the law.  Forensic nurses work with law enforcement to collect evidence at crime and accident scenes. Legal nurse consultants also work in the field of law, typically with private attorneys and corporate lawyers.

Other top 10 nursing careers in this list deal with specific specialties, such as surgical nursing, which involves providing assistance to doctors during serious procedures like organ transplants and neurosurgery. Certified RN Anesthetists provide the same anesthesia services as an anesthesiologist.  Nurse practitioners have the opportunities to blend nursing and other healthcare services to provide primary and specialty in areas such as family practice, adult practice, women’s health, pediatrics, acute care, geriatrics, neonatology and mental health. All of these jobs require specialized schooling beyond the Bachelor of Science.

Flight nursing is involved in both emergency and non-emergency transportation of patients rather than long-term travel. Clinical Nurse Specialists are responsible for organizing and coordinating services and resources while controlling costs and they serve as clinical experts in diagnosing and treating illness.  And finally, there is the job of the staff nurse, which deals with making decisions based on scientific knowledge, health care procedures and standardized care plants.