It is common knowledge that the compensation at work is one of the greatest motivator for a person to work harder.  Better pay equals better financial independence and better ability to support and sustain one’s needs and that of one’s families.  Thus, it is but natural for nurses to opt to start their careers in positions that promise a bigger pay for them in the future.  Following are the best paying jobs in the nursing profession.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Nurses are often undermined as assistants of doctors despite the crucial role they play in healthcare.  In most cases, it is the doctors who reap the financial benefits and rewards of the healthcare profession.  In lieu of which, a nurse has to specialized on a certain hospital service in order to reap greater pay.  A profitable option is being a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). This nurse is primarily responsible for facilitating anesthesia in surgery. To become a CRNA however, entails further graduate studies, training and specialization.  This would basically mean further schooling and investing money in education.

Nurse practitioner.  Another lucrative option to earn better is becoming a nurse practitioner.  A nurse practitioner (NP) is essentially a nurse who may conduct regular medical procedures under the supervision of a licensed physician.  The NP basically works as a doctor except that one is a nurse that’s why one is giving higher salaries compared to ordinary nurses.

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Acording to a new study conducted by researchers in the Divisions of Adolescent Medicine and Behavioral Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s hospital, doctors might be able to foresee which young girls have a chance of developing eating disorders later in life – simply from the food they eat when they are younger.

The authors followed 800 girls’ eating behaviors between 1988 and 1999, starting when they were 9 years old, with the goal of determining if what they chose to eat gave them a greater risk of having an eating disorder when they were older.

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Aspirin and other commonly used painkillers may help guard against skin cancer, according to a new study about to be published online in the journal CANCER, that was led by researchers from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark.

Previous studies have already suggested that NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, and other prescription and over the counter drugs, can reduce people’s risk of developing some cancers.

For example, earlier this year, three studies in The Lancet bolstered the evidence that a daily low dose of aspirin may protect people in middle age against cancer, particularly those at higher risk.

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Lifestyle counseling by nurse practitioners (NPs) or general practitioners (GPs) leads to similarly effective prevention of further weight gain among overweight and obese patients, according to 3-year results of a randomized controlled trial reported in the February 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

According to Nancy C. W. ter Bogt, MSc, from the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands, and colleagues

Weight regain after initial loss of weight is common, which indicates a need for lifestyle counselling aimed at preventing weight gain instead of weight loss  This study was conducted to determine whether structured lifestyle counseling by nurse practitioners (NPs) group compared with usual care by general practitioners (GP-UC) in overweight and obese patients can prevent (further) weight gain

The study sample consisted of 457 patients with a body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) of 25 to 40, and either hypertension or dyslipidemia or both, seen at 11 general practice locations in the Netherlands. Mean age was 56 years, and 52% were women. Participants were randomly assigned to the NP group, receiving lifestyle counseling with guidance of the NP using a standardized software program, or to the GP-UC group, receiving usual care from their GP. The primary study endpoints were changes after 3 years in body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, and fasting glucose and blood lipid levels.

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Nurse practitioners (NPs) outscored physicians in a patient satisfaction survey among low-income primary care patients in Michigan, according to researchers at the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) 26th Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.

The survey, released Friday, found that only 50% of physician patients reported that they felt that doctors “always” listened carefully, compared with more than 80% of NP patients.

The US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems questionnaire was given to a random sample of 97 low-income NP patients and 99 low-income physician patients in Flint, Michigan. All patients were aged 16 to 62 years and were enrolled in a county-funded public healthcare plan.

For 15 of 18 core questions, “the difference in satisfaction between patients in the NP and physician groups was significant, all in favor of NPs,” study researcher Susan Lyons, RN, MSN, from the University of Michigan in Flint, said in a news release.

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Radiography systems outfitted with wireless interfaces are redefining how radiography is practiced and equipment is purchased.

Hospitals are sharing wireless detectors across mobile radiography systems and radiography/fluoroscopy systems, as administrators plan future purchases to capitalize on newfound efficiencies. Left in the dust is computed radiography (CR), whose phosphor plates now serve as the stepping stones to digital radiography (DR).

With wireless detectors priced at approximately $100,000 each, sharing is crucial in today’s cost-conscious environment. Besides allowing a detector to travel on rounds with a mobile radiography unit in the morning and join the emergency department in the afternoon and evening, sharing allows hospitals to experiment with workflows and ramp up their purchases as demand allows.

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Is there really a nursing shortage in the Philippines or is there an oversupply of nurses in the Philippines?  The answer to these questions is both yes.  There is a nursing shortage in the Philippines and at the same time an oversupply of nurses.  While in economics, the demand is immediately address by supply, in reality, this is not necessarily so.

The nursing shortage in the Philippines is reflected by the poor state of healthcare system in the Philippines.  According to the National Health Institute of the University of the Philippines, six of 10 Filipinos who submit to illness die without getting medical attention.   While this sounded preposterous in urban communities and cities, this is a painful reality in rural communities especially located in the outskirts of the country.  Apparently, doctors and nurses are not available in the rustic countryside because no one is willing to go and work there.  Hence, while we may have an oversupply of healthcare workers particularly nurses in urban centers,  there is practicality one to none healthcare workers in the rural borders of the country where the government do not bother reaching, where only charitable missionaries work and where nursing professionals would not go because they will be deprived of the modern life.

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Not all nurses are financially blessed.  Some nurses like many other professionals needed to have a second job mainly in order to support their growing needs.  This is especially true because commodity prices grow faster than one’s salaries.  However, moonlighting is not a new phenomenon.  It has been a practice of many people who are not only struggling to make ends meet but those people who would like to pursue other endeavors aside from doing their professional work.

When looking for a second job, there are some things that one should consider about the second job before taking or embarking on it.  First of, it should not be in conflict with the first job i.e. nature and schedule.  Secondly, it should be not so demanding that it can conflict with the first job.  A nursing job is in itself demanding so one should take a job that is relaxing or easy.  Finally, the second job should be something you enjoy or something that relates to your first job.

Considering the above factors, hereunder are some jobs that a nurse can also do part time.

Tutor. One can tutor high school or college students in particular subjects especially those pertaining to nursing or medicine.  Because of the growing number of foreign students in the country, English tutors are also in demand. This is one part time job a nurse can consider.

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The act of instinctive nursing per se like a mother to her child obviously does not require a nursing degree. Same is true when one takes care or nurses a spouse, one’s parents, a friend or a close relative.   However, to provide nursing services to people as a source of living or a profession to which one is paid for the services, apparently requires a nursing degree.

Professional nursing is not a simple case of administering medicines or handing over instruments needed by a doctor conducting surgery.  It is a job that involves knowledge about healthcare and healthcare provisions.  It is a job that involves intricate services that require comprehensive health and medical care background such as  monitoring symptoms of patients’ conditions and vital signs, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests, preparing patients for medical exam or surgical operation, evaluate the needs of patients and relatives, instruct patients and relatives on how to take care of patient needs at home,  administer medication, inhalation, injection, anesthetics, and conduct specific lab tests, and a whole lot of more.  For obvious reasons, a nurse must have a thorough knowledge of medicine in order to effective carry its functions.  For instance, how can a nurse evaluate the condition of a patient as part of its report monitoring if the person has no idea about the illness of the patient or what symptoms or signs indicate that the patient is improving or worsening.   How can a nurse properly administer medication if one is not knowledgeable on operating or using pharmaceutical devices?

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Following the surplus of nursing graduates, the difficulty in finding employment, the scandals and intrigues that plagued the profession and the stricter policies implemented by CHED in regulating nursing  education, there is a gradual decrease in enrollment of nursing in the Philippines.

Much like any other profession that continually evolves and improves itself, another trend in the nursing profession is the increasing number of specialty fields like pediatric nursing and forensic nursing. The growth of specializations is based on a particular setting or treatment, on a particular illness or health condition, a specific organ or biological system or a particular type of patient.

Finally, the most common way to approach the hot trends in nursing is to look at the technological advancements that is revolutionizing the nursing field. Under this heading, there is the emergence of Point of care technologies which included different devices and systems that connect healthcare professionals with computers such as online collaboration for diagnosis, online health monitoring and point of care testing, among others.  In the field of diagnostic processes, use of optical imaging has taken a big leap which can provide doctors with a 3 dimensional image instead of the traditional flat image.

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Having received my RN license in 2007, I still am relatively young in ”
nursing years” which, as we all know, are different from “human years.” Human years are filled with happiness and sadness; birth and death; unbelievable stress and unending boredom; love and anger; sickness and, of course, the elusive good health.

Nursing years, too, are filled with all those things but then are multiplied by every patient for whom we have cared. Whether we are aware, through our eyes and ears, hands and hearts, voices and actions, we have gleaned time. » Continue Reading

An occupational health nurse is a registered nurse who specializes in caring and preventing injuries and illness at work or in an occupational setting. The occupational nurse is particularly concerned with workplace health and safety. Aside from the typical nurse job of overseeing the health of the employees, the occupational nurse evaluates the health status of individual personnel in relation to the nature and demands of their work job as well as the hazards or risk that comes with it. The nurse utilizes his knowledge to avert if not eliminate any potential risk that could in turn make workers susceptible to harm and accidents. As such, the occupational nurse is involved in making policies towards the attainment of the optimum health for individual employees as well as the whole organization.

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“Health is wealth” as they say, so better to take care of one’s health,  to prevent from getting sick early prevention must be observe in daily lives.  Many hospitals, especially government institutions offer a lot of benefits and services to the people.  The Department of Health (DOH) holds the over –all technical ability on health as it is a national health policy-maker and regulatory institution.  The DOH has 3 main roles in health sector leadership in health,  the government should be the first to be a good  leader in providing a good health to everyone,  ) enabler and capacity builder, has the ability to plan and execute the rules on health wise.   3) Administrator of specific services, the DOH should be the one to supervise all of his officials or subordinates in terms of hospitals either public or private hospitals as for the goodness of all.   Also its command is to develop and enhance national procedure, technical standards, and guidelines on health.  It must be the regulator of all health services and products.  The DOH adheres to the top values of work, these are; integrity, excellence, compassion and respect for human dignity, commitment, professionalism, teamwork and stewardship of health of the people.

As being the chief healthcare provider in the country DOH constituted of various central bureaus and services in the Central Office, Centers for Health Development (CHD) in different region of the country and Institution retained hospitals –do their roles to always improve the country’s health care system.

This is the role of the government hospital of Tondo Medical Center.  The hospital (TMC) is located at North Bay Boulevard, Balut Tondo Manila Philippines, with telephone numbers 63 2251-8421-23 local 222 and 63 2251-8481, for any inquiries about their services, also can reach them thru their website at, http://www2.doh.gov.ph/TMC_home/TMC. The hospital has a 200 bed capacity tertiary public medical center recognized in 1971 by the virtue of the Republic Act no. 6375.  It is under the supervision and control of Department of Health (DOH).  The TMC at present has eight hospitals department, all of which are accredited with their respective specialty societies except for the EENT and Pathology, but still on the course of an official approval coming from the Department of Health and the Philippine Government.

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According to the latest Stats released by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Filipino Nurses taking the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX) continous to drop this year. NCSBN Statistics showed that only 4,354 Filipino Nurses took the NCLEX exam from January to September of this year as compared to the 7,780 who took the NCLEX exam in the same period last year.

According to LPGMA party-list Rep. Arnel Ty

The US labor market for foreign nurses is shrinking. America itself is producing more nurses, and fewer healthcare service providers there are making new hires in light of continuing government subsidy cutbacks

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Women infected with cancer-causing strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) appear also to be at increased for cardiovascular diseases and stroke, even in the absence of other more conventional risk factors, according to new research published in the 1 November issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Lead author Dr Ken Fujise, Director, Division of Cardiology at University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston, told the press that nearly 20% of people who develop cardiovascular disease show none of the traditional risk factors normally associated with it, suggesting there are some “non-traditional” risk factors.

According to Fujise

HPV appears to be one such factor among women

This has important clinical implications. First, the HPV vaccine may also help prevent heart disease. Second, physicians should monitor patients with cancer-associated HPV to prevent heart attack and stroke, as well as HPV patients already diagnosed with CVD to avoid future cardiovascular events.

The study is thought to be the first of its kind to examine the link between cardiovascular disease and HPV, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the US.

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With the aging baby boom generation, the demand for health and medical care service had considerably increased in the last two decades amidst the continued relative world peace that modern society had experienced. Canada is among the many nations, who is experiencing this demand for health care services to an extent that it requires outsourcing the needed manpower overseas. Registered nurses from the Philippines are among the best nurses that address this deficiency in Canada to provide healthcare services.

For a nurse aspiring to be work overseas in Canada, one of the primary requirements is that he/ she must be a licensed nurse in the Philippines. In other words, a nursing degree does not suffice. One should be able to pass the nursing licensure exam and be a registered nurse in the Philippines first. Second, the Filipino registered nurse also needs to pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE) in order to be allowed to practice the profession in the Canada.

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Using only minimally invasive surgery, a device that combines three previously unrelated imaging tools may help diagnose hard to detect early-stage ovarian cancer in high-risk women, thanks to the efforts of researchers from the University of Connecticut and the University of Southern California in the US. The researchers, who propose the new approach may be better than the current standard method of preemptively removing the ovaries, write about how they tested their device in the September issue of Biomedical Optics Express, the Optical Society of America’s (OSA) open-access journal.

The survival rates for ovarian cancer are low because the disease is hard to detect, hence its reputation as the “silent killer”. The authors write that the disease “is predominantly diagnosed in Stages III or IV due to the lack of reliable symptoms, as well as the lack of efficacious screening techniques”.

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Watching fast-paced, fantasy television programs like SpongeBob Squarepants may impede children’s learning by compromising their “executive function”, or their ability to pay attention, problem-solve and control their behavior, according to new research soon to be published in the October issue of Pediatrics.

Executive function is a concept that psychologists and neuroscientists use to describe a set of brain processes that helps people connect experience to action, and includes skills such as planning, organizing, paying attention, remembering details, and inhibiting inappropriate behavior.

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