Jumat, 30 Mei 2008

Nursing Education Programs in Canada

Programmes de formation infirmière au Canada

Please note:

1. Distance means that at least one course is offered by mail or electronic means.
2. This chart lists diploma, degree and certificate programs only. For information on individual courses, please visit the school's web site.
3. Notations are made in the language in which they are offered.
4. Please send suggestions for changes to info@cna-aiic.ca .
5. For further details, please contact the school directly or the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing.

Veuillez noter:

1. « Distance » veut dire qu’au moins un cours est offert par correspondance ou par voie électronique.
2. Ce tableau n'énumère que les programmes menant à un diplôme, un grade ou un certificat. Pour tout renseignement sur des cours particuliers, veuillez visiter le site Web de l'école concernée.
3. Les annotations sont faites dans la langue du programme ou du cours auquel elles se rapportent.
4. Veuillez communiquer les changements suggérés à info@cna-aiic.ca .
5. Pour plus d’information, veuillez communiquer avec l’école en question ou avec l’Association des écoles de sciences infirmières .

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Algonquin College Baccalaureate

LPN University of Ottawa Psychiatric; Community; Emergency; Critical Care; RN Refresher Ottawa Pembroke ON Algonquin College
Assiniboine Community College LPN N/A MB Assiniboine Community College
Athabasca University Baccalaureate

Post RN Baccalaureate (Distance)

Post LPN Baccalaureate (Distance)

Master's (Distance)

Nurse Practitioner (Distance) Mount Royal College
Public Health/Community Athabasca AB Athabasca University
Aurora College Diploma

Baccalaureate

Nurse Practitioner University of Victoria N/A Yellowknife NT Aurora College
Bow Valley College LPN N/A AB Bow Valley College
Brandon University Baccalaureate

Psychiatric Nursing Baccalaureate

Post RN Baccalaureate

Post RN Psychiatric Nursing Baccalaureate Community Brandon MB Brandon University
Brock University Baccalaureate

Post RN Baccalaureate Loyalist College Community St. Catharines ON Brock University
Cambrian College of Applied Arts & Technology Baccalaureate

LPN Laurentian University Post operative; Diabetes Education; Occupational Health; Oncology Sudbury ON Cambrian College of Applied Arts & Technology
Camosun College Baccalaureate

LPN University of Victoria N/A Victoria BC Camosun College
Canadore College Baccalaureate

LPN Nipissing University Critical Care; Palliative Care North Bay ON Canadore College

Nursing Education Center

Nurses, find your online nursing degrees, RN to BSN,and many more, browse through all the listed schools and request info from the schools that interest you. Good Luck with your future education!

The College Network Online

The College Network has helped over 115,000 nurses like you advance their careers with No Campus Attendance. Earn your degree in a fraction of the time at 1/2 the cost of traditional programs with NO WAITING LIST, Guaranteed financing and success. Use our Comprehensive Learning Modules to pass college equivalency exams (CLEP, DANTES, Excelsior) in hundreds of subjects and earn your general education and elective college credits (between 30 and 70% of your degree) at your convenience. Finish your degree online with one of our partner universities. Enjoy Local clinicals with NO clinical testing.

Programs

Travel Nurse Agency Jobs: Traveling Nurse Salary

registered nurse traveling positions, traveling nurse agency jobs, traveling nurse employment opportunity, Benefits of being a traveling nurse, benefits of traveling nurses, traveling nurse Income, high pay traveling nurse career, traveling nurse as a career, Florida Traveling Nurse, travel nurse agency jobs, traveling nurse salary

Name: Amy Robbins
Job Title: Traveling Nurse
Where: Tallahassee, Florida
Employer: Multiple Agencies
Years of Experience: 12
Education: Darton College in Albany, Georgia
Salary: A traveling nurse salary depends on where the assignment is located. (High hourly wage of $40, low of $30)

Travel Nurse Agency Jobs: Traveling Nurse Salary

As the healthcare employment landscape changes, travel nurse agency jobs (mentioned at travelnursingjob.blogspot.com) are growing and many people are choosing a traveling nurse career over other nursing options. But what are the real benefits of a traveling nurse career compared to traditional nursing jobs? In this Salary Story, we spoke to Florida-based nurse Amy Robbins about her traveling nurse career, the benefits of being a traveling nurse and the average traveling nurse salary.

If you're wondering about the future outlook for traveling nurse salaries, what to expect from travel nurse agency jobs, or how to start a traveling nurse career, this Salary Story is just what the doctor ordered!

Traveling Nurse Job Description:

The duties of a travel nurse are very similar to those of a non-traveling nurse. I am currently on an Orthopedic and Neurology floor where I attend 5 to 7 patients per 12 hour shift. When I first arrive at work, I am given a report of the status of the patients I am going to attend from the nurse on the shift before mine. The report generally includes the name, age, current medical problems and medical history. After the report I visit each of the patients to introduce myself and assess their conditions.

During a typical shift, I am required to administer medicine (oral, via injection, etc.), document medical information, receive and discharge patients, coordinate patient care with other departments such as physical therapy, respiratory therapy, speech therapy and others. Sometimes a patient will “Code” which means they go into respiratory and cardiac arrest.

For instance, last week a patient on my floor stopped breathing after a tracheotomy was removed from his throat. The patient stopped breathing and did not have a pulse. I started CPR on the patient and had to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation using a plastic device that has a valve to allow air into the patient’s lungs, but prevents the patient from exhaling back into the nurse’s mouth. After thirty minutes of CPR, the patient’s pulse returned and the patient recovered.

In addition to the traditional nurse duties, I also have to deal with several traveling nurse employment agencies I work with. That can require filling out paperwork, moving from assignment to assignment, negotiating contract provisions, etc.

What were your steps in choosing a traveling nurse career?

The schooling required to become a travel nurse is the same required for a non-traveling nurse. However, most agencies require you to have worked as a nurse for a certain amount of time before taking a travel assignment. When I first started as a nurse 12 years ago, the time required was one year. It is probably less than that now, given the need for nurses around the United States.

The way I found my first agency was word of mouth from another travel nurse I worked with. I have also searched Google and clicked on Google ads for travel nurse agencies. I find it best to contact a number of agencies before making a decision. Not all agencies have contracts to provide travel nurses to all facilities. It is best to pick a facility and then see which agency supplies that facility. Also, three of the agencies I use send me updates of jobs and locations via e-mail and some call me.

What are the drawbacks and benefits of a traveling nurse career?

Some of the benefits of working as a traveling nurse include being able to visit different parts of the country every 6 weeks and going on little mini-vacations. I also have my agencies pay for my relocations, utilities, housing and bonuses. Depending on the length of my assignment, my agencies will pay up to $3,000 to take an assignment.

One of the biggest disadvantages is having to deal with two different employers (my agency and the assignment facility). The provisions in my agency contract often conflict with the rules of the assignment facility. I recently ran into a problem when the facility I am now working in required me to attend a larger number of patients than the number outlined in my contract.

Also, when a non-travel nurse finds out I am a travel nurse they automatically know that I am being paid more to do the same job they are doing. This can result in resentment, but often creates an interest in the non-travel nurse to check into travel nursing.

What advice would you have for those interested in a traveling nurse career?

The job outlook of a travel nurse is GREAT. There are now numerous travel nurse agencies recruiting travel nurses. The competition among agencies has driven travel nurse salaries and benefits up. I would advise anyone who wants to be a travel nurse to start out by taking a shorter assignment; maybe 6 weeks or so. Also, make sure you have everything in writing that you discuss with your agency representative. Remember: if it isn’t in writing, it never happened.

What is the average traveling nurse salary?

Depending on your location you can earn an hourly wage of $30 to $40. Typically, California pays more, but the cost of living is higher. Sometimes the benefits are a major part of a traveling nurse salary. For example, you can negotiate with your agency to pay for your relocation, utilities and a sign-on and renewal bonus.

How does your salary compare to a traveling nurse's salary? The PayScale Salary Calculator is a quick and easy way to compare positions. But when you want powerful salary data and comparisons customized for your exact position, be sure to build a complete profile by taking PayScale's full salary survey.

Nurse MH50 (G Grade equivalent) (2 posts)

Cancer Research Uk Funded Oncology Research Programme

Psychological Medicine and Symptoms Research Group (PMSRG)

Click here for Employer Profile

Study Site Co-ordinator / Research Nurse

(Throughout the UK)

FSRF-SF has its main offices at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London but our mission is to conduct national and international multi-centre research studies. Our studies currently involve surgeons at 30 hospitals across the UK. We carry out clinical research on diseases (such as Oral cancer) and injuries affecting the face and mouth, and undertake prospective randomised sociological research studies in schools to discourage smoking and binge drinking. We are looking for full or part time study site co-ordinators to work alongside our participating surgeons in Scotland, North East England, North West England and South West England or Wales - we would expect that you already live in these areas of the UK or are prepared to move there.

The SEND study is the first UK surgical trial in patients with early oral cancer. Cancer Research UK is funding this NCRN supported trial, which compares the two most common surgical approaches to treating this disease. Eighteen centres are already taking part, and more centres in the UK and overseas are expected to join soon. The trial started recruiting in 2007 and is scheduled to run until 2015.

Salary range: £23,458 - £30,823 (or pro rata for part time workers)

The post holder(s) will help to recruit patients and collect their data. They will facilitate the efficient and safe management of the trials, including adherence to study protocols, current regulatory requirements and UK legislation. An important aspect of this work will be close liaison with oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The post holder(s) will be responsible for day-to-day coordination and will be supported by the clinical research manager.

Applicant(s) should have a degree in bioscience or nursing and experience in clinical trials. A high level of computer literacy and knowledge of current regulatory requirements are essential. Some experience of working with cancer patients, particularly those with oral squamous carcinoma, would be beneficial. Applicants should be able to work autonomously, as part of a team and with all levels of medical staff in an ever-changing work environment.

The post holder will have an honorary contract with Barts and the London NHS Trust and other Hospital trusts in their area.

You must be able to travel regularly to liaise with our London based staff and investigators at regional participating centres.

Closing date 13th Feb 2008

Please contact Fran Ridout on 020 7601 8807 or e-mail savingfaces@mail.com for further information.

Clinical Trial Site Coordinator

Cancer Research Uk Funded Oncology Research Programme

Psychological Medicine and Symptoms Research Group (PMSRG)

Click here for Employer Profile

Head of Subject: Applied Mental Health

Faculty of Education, Health and Sciences

Ref: BC0178
£35,986 - £53,978 per annum

Opportunity, innovation and openness. That’s the University of Derby – a vibrant, diverse community dedicated to helping thousands of people to achieve more. We’re at the forefront of providing excellent, accessible learning for the 21st century. And we’d like you to join us.

We'd like you to join us in taking forward the newly integrated subject group which comprises expertise in mental health nursing, with a national profile in provision for counselling and psychotherapy.

You will be innovative and enthusiastic, with proven skills in academic leadership and practice experience and keen to make a difference in applied mental health education. You will have excellent leadership and management skills, with the ability to motivate your team to achieve School and Faculty strategic goals and assist in taking the subject to its next level of development. A current registration with a relevant professional, regulatory or statutory body is essential. Professorial status may be considered for suitable candidates.

For an informal chat contact Jen Lewis-Smith (Head of School of Social Care and Therapeutic Practice) at J.Lewis-Smith@derby.ac.uk

Closing date for applications: Friday 8 February 2008.

Interviews will be held on Wednesday 20 February 2008.

For further information and to apply on-line visit our website www.derby.ac.uk/jobs

Alternatively you can email: recruitment@derby.ac.uk or call (01332) 597245 (24 Hour Voicemail) quoting the reference number. Minicom 01332 591685

Applications can only be accepted with a completed application form

Valuing diversity, promoting equality

Research Nurse

Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology Unit

Click here for Employer Profile

The Nurse Is In

Do you have compassion for the sick and those that need your attention? Do you have the patience for long hours, devoting your attention and care for hospital patients? Perhaps, over and beyond these aspects, you just want to be able to try out the lucrative and rewarding career of nurses. Whatever your reasons and motivations, a vocational nursing school will be able to help you in your endeavor.

As you may know, there is a shortage of nurses in the United States and they are even looking to hiring nurses from other countries just to be able to fill the demand. Take advantage of the signing bonuses and other incentives that are being offered by hospitals for qualified people to accept nursing jobs at their hospitals.

To aid you on your quest, check out All Nursing Schools (http://www.allnursingschools.com) This site is a veritable treasure trove of anything and everything about vocational nursing schools. As its name connotes, they offer a listing of hundreds of vocational nursing schools in the United States.

Furthermore, this site is recommended because its search interface is easy and very useful. The search interface allows you to further narrow your search down to 25, 50 or 100 mile distances from your area. Aside from this, you can check or tick an option for whether you prefer online vocational nursing schools to even further narrow your search and widen the probability of finding the perfect vocational nursing school for you and your needs.

As mentioned earlier, aside from the fantastic search function on the site, All Nursing Schools is a wonderful resource on anything and everything about nursing. On your first visit, I suggest you check out first their Frequently Asked Questions page to help you getting a clearer understanding and picture of the nursing sector and how to go about finding the right nursing school for you if you continue to choose to take this path.

Also, don't forget to check out this site's featured schools as well as the different diplomas and degrees you may want to learn more about to further yourself in your nursing career. Whatever the case and need, the All Nursing Schools site will certainly be a great help to you on your journey to and through a nursing career.

First, it will help you find the perfect vocational nursing school to jumpstart your career, and then further down the road, you can still use the site to keep abreast and up to date on new trends as well as guides on different diplomas and certificates that keep you one step closer to the ultimate in your chosen path of nursing.

by: Low Jeremy

Selasa, 27 Mei 2008

Save our Overseas Senior Carers

IMMIGRATION MATTERS

SOS message to Immigration Minister Liam Byrne – If you get rid of all our overseas Senior Carers there will be a staffing crisis in the Care Industry.

With thousands of Work Permit holders and their families facing the threat of removal from the UK, something must be done to ‘Save our Overseas Senior Carers’.

The Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) are refusing virtually all Senior Carer Work Permit applications or putting them “on hold”, pending new policy guidelines. The tough new line taken by the BIA is not only affecting new overseas applications but also existing workers already in the UK and renewing their permits.

New rules, to be announced shortly, are not expected to be good news for the thousands of Filipino Senior Carers already working in the UK whose lives are in the balance. This comes on top of previous measures which have made non-EU workers feel unwelcome in the UK.

Last year the Government changed the rules on permanent residency (ILR) by extending the length of time required to qualify from four to five years. This meant that migrant workers coming up to the end of a four year Work Permit will have to extend their permits and leave to remain at a cost of over £500.

But with the BIA introducing new restrictions, making it almost impossible to renew a Senior Carer Work Permit, many thousands of workers and their families will be removed from the UK.

As recently reported by Immigration Matters “Are Senior Care Work Permits History” the Border and Immigration Agency, has already slashed the number of Work Permits issued this year.

Despite this, applications and fees of £190 are still being accepted by the BIA, when it is clear that 99.9% of Senior Work Permits are being declined with no offer of a refund.

Care Home owners and Managers are also expecting the worst, bracing themselves for the news that their overseas workers will be thrown out like yesterday’s newspapers.

The industry is facing a staffing crisis

Industry trade bodies have yet to speak up for their members on this serious issue, despite the fact that many Care Homes will have to close if they cannot meet strict staffing guidelines laid down by the CSCI.

One Care Home owner in the North East told me this week that he is disappointed with lack of response from industry bodies and has resigned from ECCA (English Community Care Association).

“We have two Work Permit applications on-going at the Home Office which have been with them for weeks and from talking to the caseworker my gut feeling is that they will be refused.

“We’ve had an advert in the Job Centre for Carers and Senior Carers for ten years with very few local applicants, and there is no way we could have survived without overseas staff.

There have been times when our Manager and Deputy have had to cover a night shift because there was not even an agency carer available.” he said.

Nursing and Care Homes, as well as Learning Disability Centres and Domiciliary providers will suffer a severe staffing crisis if the BIA continues to squeeze out foreign Senior Carers. Some of the most vulnerable people in our society will be put at risk.

Something must be done to save our overseas Senior Carers

If you are affected you must make your voice heard by the Government. My advice is to get your employers and local Member of Parliament (MP) involved in this campaign.

If every overseas Senior Carer in the UK goes to see their constituency MP and asks them to write to the Immigration Minister Mr Liam Byrne and the Health Minister Ivan Lewis the Government will get the message.

Action Plan:

Get your employer involved

Visit your MP at their regular surgery and ask for their support

Write to your MP with a supporting letter from your employer

Finally, don’t leave it until your visa has expired before taking action.

You can find details of your local MP by visiting http://www.parliament.uk

If you should have any questions on working or studying in the UK email Charles Kelly info@immigrationmatters.co.uk.

HOW 2 COME TO THE UK to Live Work Study or Visit by Charles Kelly & Cynthia Barker 2005 ISBN 0-9546338-3-0.

Available from National Bookstore, PowerBooks, Fully Booked and our website.
http://www.how2cometotheuk.com

USEFUL WEBSITES http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk/useful_websites.html

Immigration Matters
http://www.immigrationmatters.co.uk
http://www.nursejobsamerica.com
http://www.visas4students.com

How Will You Pay For Skilled Rehabilitation In The Nursing Home

One of the most frustrating events for individuals facing rehabilitation is thinking that their insurance is going to pay for everything and finding out that their insurance will not pay for the complete services required for a successful rehabilitation.

Nursing home skilled units want to be assured that the necessary steps will be taken to assure that they will be paid. Nursing homes are most familiar with Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare Managed Care Plans, Medicare Preferred Provider Organization Plans, Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans, Medicare Specialty Plans, federal employee health program, military health program and railroad retirement programs. If your patient has one of these, they will be highly considered once that payer source is verified.

Medicare Part A is the primary source of insurance that will pay for a skilled nursing home stay. Medicare pays 100% of day 1 through day 20 and from day 21 up to day 100 Medicare will pay everything less $114.00 per day co-pay as long as the resident is making progress towards their rehabilitation goals.

If, Medicare is managed through a HMO (Health Management Organization) it usually pays 100% of the rehabilitation stay. The HMO determines the length of stay by the assessments provided to them by the nursing home rehabilitation staff and the level of independence required where the resident will reside after their rehabilitation stay. The HMO utilizes a Nurse Case Manager and a Medical Director who is a physician to make this determination.

Secondary insurances with Medicare Supplemental Coverage will usually pay the $114.00 per day co-pay from day 21 through day 30 up to day 100 depending upon the tier level of the insurance plan and some tiers will some times pay up to 120 days. It is important for you to know what your insurance will cover.

If you have the resources you can of course pay the Medicare $114.00 per day co-pay privately.

Most states offer a Medicaid Program for individuals who meet the financial eligibility and medical need criteria. Please contact your State’s Department of Human Services Income Support Division (local Medicaid office) to see if you or your loved one meets the criteria for assistance. Most individuals fear that they may loose their home or all of their income and assets if they apply for assistance. There are laws and regulations in each state that provides Medicaid to protect the home or homestead and to protect the spouse from poverty. There are also attorney’s that specialize in Elder Law that can help you protect your income and assets and plan for the transition to State Medicaid Assistance when you or your loved ones resources become exhausted.

Nursing homes generate income from providing rehabilitation services to keep financially afloat. They check to see that they will make a profit from providing the patient the services they need. That means that everything the patient needs in the way of treatments, therapy and medications must be covered by your insurance before they agree to accept a patient from a hospital.

The nursing home will also want to get an understanding of the patient’s cognitive status and psycho/social-well-being to see that they are appropriate for their facility unless they have a contract with the discharging hospital. Keep in mind that not all nursing homes are adapted to serve all types of patients. If you or loved one has some behavioral issues, related to dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or psychiatric problems they may not be accepted for admission. You may need to find a nursing home that specializes for those types of paient needs.

Understanding your insurance benefits and your needs will get you the services you require for a successful rehabilitation stay.

Long Term Care Insurance: Security for Americans

Health Care Crisis in America

A health care crisis is looming on the horizon for many Americans, one that could bring financial and emotional devastation that would make zooming gas prices and bouncing stock markets pale in comparison.

The problem? According to Metlife, 70% of people over the age of 65 will need some form of extended care before they die, whether it's a visiting nurse in the home or full-time nursing home care. According to The Alliance for Aging, "nearly 9 out of 10 Americans will have at least one chronic condition" by age 65. Thanks to modern medicine, these conditions are debilitating, but not immediately fatal. Most seniors express concern about paying for necessary care in the face of such a condition, but few do anything about it.

Laura Moore, senior vice president for long term care insurance at John Hancock, says the issue is "increasingly important because Americans are living longer, care costs are rising, and company pensions are being cut back." Moore says that Americans are "not facing the reality of what lies ahead."

If you need extended care, but are unable to pay for it, the burden will fall to your families. The emotional, physical, and financial drain of caring for a sick parent is so traumatic that, according to the American Alzheimer's Foundation, 60% of family care givers die before the person they are caring for! Furthermore, if you are placed in a nursing home without the funds to pay the bill, you risk not only your life long savings, but also the family home and even your life insurance.

Understanding Long Term Care

Long term or extended care refers to care that is needed beyond the time period covered by Medicare or major medical insurance. It is often provided in a nursing home, but can also be provided in a person's home or in an assisted living facility.

The cost of assisted living, nursing home care and professional home health care is high and climbing yearly. A 2003 study conducted by Metropolitan Life Insurance found the average rate to be $180 per day or $66,000 per year for a private room in a nursing home. Care in an assisted living facility averages $30,288 a year while professional home care would cost $166,440 a year for round the clock care at $19.00 per hour. Due to inflation, by 2021, nursing homes may cost as much as $175,000 per year.

There are three solutions to surviving these high costs of extended care. You can be rich enough to pay all costs yourself, engage in a spend down to exhaust your assets and qualify for Medicaid, or you can purchase Long Term Care insurance (LTCi).

Long Term Care Insurance

LTCi is an insurance program that pays for extended care when Medicare and private major medical is exhausted, or for intermediate or custodial care which are not covered by Medicare or major medical at all. The most comprehensive programs cover home care, assisted living, and nursing homes. Simpler plans provide home care only and are also less expensive.

The care usually involves assistance with daily activities such as eating, dressing, walking, bathing, moving from bed to chair (called transferring) and using the toilet, or, in the case of cognitive impairment, simply sitting with a person to prevent him from danger to himself.

Regardless of the type of plan preferred, it's like any other kind of insurance. You cannot purchase it once you actually need the care.

Making the Decision for Long Term Care Insurance

Two factors that keep people from taking LTCi are a refusal to accept the possibility that they might actually need it some day and the perception of the insurance as "costly." While you may indeed never need it, if you live a long life, the odds are that you will. The cost of having it and not using it is far less than that of needing it but not having it.

The objection most people raise to purchasing LTCi is the cost. It is perceived as "expensive," and perhaps it is, especially if you wait until you are in your 70's to try to get it. However, when tempted to procrastinate, ask yourself if you could afford a bill of about $4000 per month on what you have today. When you retire, are you likely to have more disposable money or less? Wouldn't it be better to pay a premium averaging $900 to $2000 per year now rather than face the possibility of having to pay twice that every month if you need care? According to Medical News Today, "LTCi can be quite affordable, especially if you buy at a relatively young age."

Relying on Medicaid to Pay the Bill

Medicaid is a state and federal program for people who are at the poverty level, or who have certain physical conditions. According to a 2003 report by the American Council of Life Insurers, Medicaid pays only 17% of America's LTC bill. LTCi currently pays the bill for about 5% of those with coverage. A whopping 58% of the LTC bill is being paid by private individuals who are being forced to whittle away their assets to receive the care they need.

In order to qualify for Medicaid to receive care in a state-run nursing home, you have to be below a certain income level and can own only limited property. The rules vary by state, and new laws are making it increasingly difficult to qualify. No longer, for example, can you transfer your assets to your children and then enter a nursing home. Most states have a 3 to 5 year look back period with a stiff accompanying penalty for those who have attempted such a transfer.

The Medicare Misconception

Many people mistakenly believe that Medicare will pay their nursing home bill.

Medicare covers hospitals and skilled nursing facilities for a limited time period. Medicare will pay for 100 days of skilled care in a skilled nursing facility—with a co-pay for days 21 through 100—if you are admitted to the facility within a 30 days of leaving a hospital and have been hospitalized for the same condition for at least three days. A medical professional has to certify that you need this care.

Medicare pays for skilled nursing care in your home if the care is provided by a licensed home health care agency, but you must be confined to your home, under the care of a doctor, and the care must be intermittent or part-time. Medicare does not cover housekeeping services, personal care services like help with bathing, dressing and other activities, meal delivery, or full-time nursing care in the home.

Medicare Supplemental Insurance (Medigap) and Tri-Care do not cover long-term-care services either.

Determining Whether You Need LTCi

Some experts say that only middle class individuals with over $100,000 in assets need LTCi. The very rich can afford to "self insure," (but may prefer to pass their legacy on to their children and let a company pay for their care), while the very poor will be eligible for Medicaid. Those who are already on Medicaid are not eligible. Nevertheless, if you are forced to rely on Medicaid, your heirs may lose your home and all of your life insurance except for enough to pay for your funeral. To make matters worse, relying on Medicaid restricts your choices to nursing homes that accept it. Medicaid does not pay for assisted living and pays for only very limited home care. If independence, and location are important to you, talk to your family to see if resources can be pooled to provide LTCi.

If you have investments, IRA accounts, or savings, having built a small to moderate estate, you definitely stand to lose the most if you need care in your later years. Several strategies can make the cost of LTCi seem less intimidating.

Choosing a LTCi Policy

Companies that offer LTCi often have a wide variety of packages; the language is confusing, and comparison can be difficult. In spite of the convenience of the internet and mail-order, it is always best—when considering LTCi—to sit down with a licensed, reputable agent who will answer your questions and work with you to design a plan that fits your needs and your budget.

The policy should cover several levels of care, not just care in nursing homes. Benefits should increase along with the inflation rate. You should buy from a company that will stay in business for the long run and that has a solid reputation for paying claims.

Policies are priced according to your age, the length of benefit (ranging from one year to life time), and the dollar amount payable per day. According to the latest federal statistics, the average stay in a nursing home is 30 months. While five years or more is an attractive benefit, a three year policy will drastically reduce the price.

Another way to save money is to take a waiting period, usually called an "elimination period." You can think of this as a "deductible" or number of days for which you will pay for care yourself before your policy will begin to pay. Part of your plan should include a consideration of how you will pay during the elimination period.

Lack of Planning Could Mean Disaster

According to Financial Planner, Jeffrey D. Voudrie, ignoring the potential need for LTC is the wrong decision. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that currently some 1.6 million people reside in nursing homes. "That number is likely to increase significantly when the baby boomer generation reaches their senior years." Voudrie reports that many families are already finding themselves "caught in the nightmare of having to provide care that isn't covered by insurance or the government. This problem will not go away, as the government is likely to cover even less care in the future." He advises families to "take action now."

5 Myths You Should Know Before Choosing Elder Care

Myths associated with selecting quality nursing home care suggest quick and easy ways to identify quality care. In fact, relying on these myths can lead to disastrous results. I have identified a few of the most common myths in hopes of helping you avoid some of the problems commonly found in many nursing homes.

1. The Smell Test

You've heard it repeatedly: "The best way to determine the quality of care a nursing home provides is to be alert to bad odors when you visit the home."

It seldom, if ever, works. Why? Nursing home administrators have heard the very same advice. As a result, they are particularly sensitive to unpleasant odors in any area that might receive visitors. Almost all will do their best to remove offensive odors as quickly as possible, even when it means avoiding their primary responsibility to their residents.

2. The Personal Recommendation

Recently, I heard a guest on a radio talk show state that the very best way to find great nursing home care is to get recommendations from a friend. Like other myths, there is a grain of truth here, but you must check whether your friend has had extensive interactions with the nursing home recommended. Often that is not the case.

Last weekend I dealt with an emergency call from Jim, a friend who had placed his mother in a nursing home recommended by a friend. Although she was recuperating from a stroke, no nurse or aide checked on her condition for more than 14 hours. Jim discovered her in the morning with many cuts and bruises, her bedsheets soaked in blood. He was astonished that anyone would recommend such a poor care facility.

"My friend said her grandmother was in this particular nursing home," he reported. "So, I thought it would be good care."

"How often does your friend visit her grandmother?" I asked him.

"I didn't think to ask," he responded.

"And did you check the latest survey for that nursing home?"

"No," he answered. "I thought a personal recommendation was all I needed."

Jim's mother is now back in an area hospital. No one knows yet how much damage this experience caused to her recovery.

3. You Get What You Pay For

Nowhere is this statement less applicable than in nursing home care. In fact, I'd replace it with another shibboleth -- "Buyer Beware." Our own research, encompassing more than 6000 nursing homes and more than 100 assisted living facilities shows no relationship between cost and quality of care. You may find quality care in an expensive facility, or you may not! Similarly, the fact that a facility is low-cost does not indicate whether you'll get poor, average, or quality care. You have to do your homework. Relying on price as the sole indicator of quality care can lead to disastrous results.

4. Adequate Staffing Equals Quality Care

A recent report by the Senate's Special Committee on Aging indicated that quality care for a single nursing home resident requires more than three hours each day of nursing and nursing aide time. However, statistical analysis of the latest federal database on nursing home deficiencies indicates no relationship between quality of care and staffing levels. This finding is consistent with a number of university studies.

What should you look for, then, in nursing home staffing levels?

There is a level below which nursing homes are so understaffed that quality care can not be provided. I'd suggest that you not consider any home providing a level less than two hours per day per resident. For levels greater than this, I'd focus not on the number of hours available for care but on the motivation of staff available to provide care. Those who are motivated to care for the elderly will do so. Those who are motivated only by a paycheck will probably provide shoddy care regardless of their numbers.

5. A Well-Known Chain Will Provide the Best Care

This is another myth that can lead to tragedy. Sometimes, well- known companies do provide top-quality care. In other instances, however, a quick review of newspapers and magazines will show you other companies with long records of legal troubles stemming from accusations of neglect and abuse. One such company has been sued simultaneously by several states' attorneys general.

How will you know? The company is not likely to tell you, so you won't know unless you take the time to look into the company's historical performance.

There you have it -- 5 myths exploded!

What does work? There is no substitute for your own personal investigation. With a little research, with personal visits to nursing homes before you sign anything, you can avoid many of the difficulties that have come to those who relied on such myths.

How to Become a Home Health Care Nurse

Home Health Care Nursing Information and Overview

Home health care is allowing the patient and their family to maintain dignity and independence. According to the National Association for Home Care, there are more than 7 million individuals in the United States in need of home health care nurse services because of acute illness, long term health problems, permanent disability or terminal illness.

Home Health Care Basics

Nurses practice in a number of venues: Hospital settings, nursing homes, assisted living centers, and home health care. Home health care nursing is a growing phenomenon as more patients and their families desire to receive care in their homes. The history of home health care stems from Public Health Nursing where public health nurses made home visits to promote health education and provide treatment as part of community outreach programs. Today academic programs train nurses in home care and agencies place home health care nurses with ailing individuals and their families depending on the nurse's experience and qualifications. In many cases there is a shared relationship between the agency and the academic institution.

Many changes have taken place in the area of home health care. These include Medicare and Medicaid, and Long Term Care insurance reimbursement and documentation. It is important for the nurse and nursing agency to be aware of the many factors involved for these rules and regulations resulting from these organizations. Population and demographic changes are taking place as well. Baby boomers approaching retirement and will present new challenges for the home health care industry. Technology and medical care in hospitals has lead to shorter inpatient stay and more at-home rehabilitation. Increases in medical outpatient procedures are also taking place with follow-up home care. This has resulted in the decrease of mortality rate from these technologies and medical care has lead to increases in morbidity and chronic illness that makes the need for home health care nursing a greater priority.

Home Health Care Nurse Job Description

Through an array of skills and experience, home health care nurses specialize in a wide range of treatments; emotional support, education of patients who are recovering from illnesses and injury for young children and adults, to women who have experienced recent childbirth, to the elderly who need palliative care for chronic illness.

A practicing nurse must have the skills to provide care in a unique setting such as someone's home. The nurse is working with the patient and the family and must understand the communication skills for such dynamics. Rapport is evident in all nursing positions, but working in a patient's own living space needs a different level of skill and understanding. There is autonomous decision making as the nurse is no longer working as a team with other nurses in a structured environment, but is now as a member of the "family" team. The host family has cultural values that are important and are different for every patient and must be treated with extreme sensitivity. Other skills include critical thinking, coordination, assessment, communication, and documentation.

Home health care nurses also specialize in the care of children with disabilities that requires additional skills such as patience and understanding of the needs of the family. Children are living with disabilities today that would have resulted in mortality just twenty years ago. Genetic disorders, congenital physical impairments, and injury are just a few. Many families are familiar with managing the needs of the child, but still need expert care that only a home health care nurse can provide. It is important that a home health care nurse is aware of the expertise of the family about the child's condition for proper care of the child. There are many complexities involved, but most important, a positive attitude and positive reinforcement is of utmost importance for the development of the child.

Medication coordination between the home health care nurse, doctor, and pharmacist, ensures proper management of the exact science behind giving the patient the correct dose, time of administration, and combinations. Home health care nurses should be familiar with pharmacology and taught in training about different medications used by patients in the clinical setting.

Many advanced practicing nurses are familiar with medication regiments. They have completed graduate level programs. Home health care agencies believe that a nurse should have at least one year of clinical experience before entering home health care. Advanced practicing nurses can expedite that training by helping new nurses understand the home health care market and teaching.

Employment and Salary

According to the United States Department of Labor, there were 2.4 million nurses in America, the largest healthcare occupation, yet many academic and hospital organizations believe there is a gross shortage in nursing staff. The shortage of nurses was 6% in 2000 and is expected to be 10% in 2010. The average salary for hospital nursing is $53,450 with 3 out of 5 nursing jobs are in the hospital. For home health care, the salary is $49,000. For nursing care facilities, they were the lowest at $48,200.

Training and continuing education

Most home health care nurses gain their education through accredited nursing schools throughout the country with an associate degree in nursing (ADN), a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN), or a master's degree in nursing (MSN). According to the United States Department of Labor, in 2004 there were 674 BSN nursing programs, 846 ADN programs. Also, in 2004, there were 417 master's degree programs, 93 doctoral programs, and 46 joint BSN-doctoral programs. The associate degree program takes 2 to 3 years to complete, while bachelors degrees take 4 years to complete. Nurses can also earn specialized professional certificates online in Geriatric Care or Life Care Planning.

In addition, for those nurses who choose to pursue advancement into administrative positions or research, consulting, and teaching, a bachelor's degree is often essential. A bachelor's degree is also important for becoming a clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners (U.S. Department of Labor, 2004).

All home health care nurses have supervised clinical experience during their training, but as stated earlier advanced practicing nurses hold master's degrees and unlike bachelor and associate degrees, they have a minimum of two years of post clinical experience. Course work includes anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, nutrition, psychology, and behavioral sciences and liberal arts. Many of these programs have training in nursing homes, public health departments, home health agencies, and ambulatory clinics. (U.S. Dep. of Labor, 2004).

Whether a nurse is training in a hospital, nursing facility, or home care, continuing education is necessary. Health care is changing rapidly and staying abreast with the latest developments enhances patient care and health procedures. Universities, continuing education programs, and internet sites, all offer continuing education. One such organization that provides continuing education is the American Nurses Association (ANA) or through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Conclusion

There are many rewards to becoming a home health care nurse. Some rewards include the relationship with a patient and their family, autonomy, independence, and engaging in critical thinking. The 21st Century brings with it many opportunities and challenges. We must meet these challenges head on - there is an aging baby boomer population, a growing morbidity factor due to increased medical technology and patient care, and the growing shortage in nursing care.

Becoming a home health care nurse today is exciting and an opportunity to make a difference one life at a time. With clinical experience and proper education, a home health care nurse will lead the future of medical care.

Overseas Research Students (ORS) Award Scheme

City Community and Health Sciences

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University of Huddersfield

School of Human and Health Sciences

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Advisor (Disabilities/Learning Difficulties)

Student Services

£25,134 - £29,139

Working within the Disability Advisory Service, you will provide information, guidance and advice for students with disabilities/learning difficulties and in particular for students with a mental health disability.

With a recognised professional qualification relating to Mental Health (e.g. mental health nursing, community psychiatric nursing), you will have post qualification work experience with mental health service users.

You will have excellent interpersonal, organisational and communication skills and the ability to prioritise your work across a range of functions. You will also be committed to developing your knowledge and application of mental health and disability advice provision in Higher Education. Knowledge of Higher Education provision would be an advantage but training would be available in this area if required.

Reference Number: 34B-25-01

Closing date: 8 February 2008 at 4pm

Please apply by application form only obtained from humanresources@uclan.ac.uk or http://www.uclan.ac.uk/other/hr/jobs/index.htm or by contacting Human Resources on 01772 892324 quoting reference number. CVs will not be considered unless accompanied by a completed application form

Part-Time Research Nurse (50% FTE)

School of Medicine

We are seeking to appoint a part-time research nurse to be part of the clinical research team for the Clinical Research Facility in the Health Sciences Building on the Foresterhill site. As a member of the research team, you will have responsibility for the delivery of direct and indirect care and associated data collection for concurrent research studies undertaken in the Clinical Research Facility, in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonisation Good Clinical Practice Guidelines (ICH-GCP). You will manage a TMRC funded project investigating muscle wasting during the normal ageing process (sarcopenia) and will be responsible for the following tasks: recruitment of suitable subjects; screening of exclusion/inclusion criteria; venous blood sampling; measurement of leg strength.

Applications are invited from First Level registered nurses with a post registration experience equivalent to E grade level or relevant experience demonstrating the appropriate competencies and skills for the job and clinical setting. In addition, you should have significant research experience including awareness of ICH GCP Guidelines, EU Clinical Trials Directive and Research Governance Framework. Effective time management skills and the ability to prioritise workload, IT skills along with effective listening and interpersonal skills are essential. Evidence of further education/continuous professional development is desirable.

This post is funded by the Translational Medicine Research Collaboration. The post is available from 1st March 2008 for 18 months on a 50% of full-time basis.

The salary will be paid at £27,857 per annum pro rata, on the Grade 6 salary scale.

Informal enquiries about the post are welcome and should be directed to Dr Marie Labus (tel: 01224 559261or email m.labus@abdn.ac.uk).

Online application forms and further particulars are available from www.abdn.ac.uk/jobs. Alternatively telephone (01224) 272727 (24-hour answering service) quoting reference number YBM039A for an application pack.

The closing date for the receipt of applications is Thursday 7 February 2008.

Promoting Diversity and Equal Opportunities throughout the University

Lecturer in Nursing (Mental Health)

Division of Pre-Registration Nursing

School of Nursing, Midwifery & Community Health

Two Posts
Post No.: P.13720/P.13694
Full Time - Permanent

Salary Scale: £33,779 - £40,335 per annum

We are seeking to appoint 2 enthusiastic Lecturers to join the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Community Health at Glasgow Caledonian University. You will be part of a team of lecturers who teach on a range of undergraduate and post-graduate programmes but whose primary focus is the DipHE/BN programme

Those with curriculum development experience, knowledge of problem-based learning and wide clinical experience, particularly in acute/forensic or child/adolescence mental health, would find these posts challenging.

Applicants must be Registered Nurses on the part 3 or 13 of the professional register and preferably should hold a teaching qualification recognised by the NMC. It is desirable, though not essential, that candidates should have higher degree in nursing or a related subject. Experience in teaching/mentoring pre-registration students is also essential.

To arrange an informal visit please contact Jean Greig, Programme Organiser, on 0141 331 8336

For further details on this position and to download an application pack, please visit www.caledonian.ac.uk/jobs/ Please note applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online. However, if you do not have access to our website please call 0141 331 8864

‘Glasgow Caledonian University is committed to being an equal opportunities employer'

Closing Date: 8th February 2008

GCU - Socially Enterprising and Inclusive

Senin, 26 Mei 2008

Nursing Jobs

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Veterinary Nurse Grade 5

Intensive Care

Department of Veterinary Clinical Science

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Part Time Veterinary Nurse Grade 5

Surgery

Department of Veterinary Clinical Science

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Diabetes Research Nurse Specialist

Academic Unit of Primary Medical Care (AUPMC), School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

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Nursing Education – The Importance Of Critical Thinking

In the nursing profession, more now than ever, the ability to think critically is essential. The responsibilities of a Registered Nurse have increased over the years. In correlation with this increase in responsibility comes the additional increase in educational prerequisites and core requisites required to achieve a degree in Nursing. The ANA (American Nursing Association) Standards has set forth the framework necessary for critical thinking in the application of the “nursing process". The nursing process is the tool by which all nurses can equally become proficient at critical thinking. The nursing process contains the following criteria:

1. Assessment

2. Diagnosis

3. Planning

4. Implementation

5. Evaluation

It is in the application of each of these processes that the nurse may become proficient at critical thinking. It is important to look at the components that describe critical thinking in nursing, The table below lists components that define the critical thinking process. There is much more that goes into critical thinking than what is listed in the table. The table is a rough draft of the process.

CRITICAL THINKING COMPONENTS

Entails purposeful, informed, outcome focused thinking, that requires careful identification of specific problems and other physiological and psychological factors that affect the clients position on the health and wellness continuum.

The process is driven by the client, the client’s family and other health team members who are also collaborating in ensuring essential client care.

Specific educational knowledge base and level of experience in applying that knowledge in client care. (Nursing School to graduate nurse to experienced nurse) As the level of experience of the nurse increases so will the scientific knowledge base that the nurse applies.

Proficiency in the application of the institutions standards, policies and procedures.

Application of the humanistic standards of caring in conjunction with the nursing process, to holistically treat the clients response to an actual or perceived illness.

Constant evaluation and re-evaluation of the nursing process to determine the clients level of wellness

Nurses learn critical thinking via application with experience. Experience is the best teacher. But it is equally important to know that the process is being applied correctly. Many institutions will ensure that this pathway is followed by enlisting new nurses in a eight to ten week orientation program. During this time the new nurse will learn about the polices and procedures of that institution and what type of documentation is used for charting purposes. Also, the new nurse will have an experienced mentor who they will follow and who will evaluate their performance as well.

Documentation is an essential part of the critical thinking process for the nurse. Every institution places emphasis on documentation. It is said, “that if it is not documented, then it was not done". Since the nursing process is a scientific process. In scientific research, all things are documented. In this documentation, researches can look back to see if the results were due to interventions and whether or not the interventions were successful or have to be altered. The documentation process helps the nurse accomplish the same goals. Many times procedures are used that have unproven efficacy.

In it is this framework of critical thinking and documentation that such procedures can be either continued or eliminated, depending on the efficacy of the research. In other words, does the procedure actually improve, help or otherwise jeopardize the client’s health. An example of the critical thinking process and scientific reasoning is in the efficacy of taking a rectal temperature of new born infants. Currently, this procedure is still widely accepted. However the scientific approach is to ask the following, is the procedure safe, is it necessary, and can an axillary temp be used in place of the rectal temp? In answering these questions, the nurse can better evaluate whether the efficacy of taking a rectal temp on a infant should be continued.

This is just one example of how the critical thinking process is used within the nursing profession. The scientific approach using critical thinking helps the nurse develop evidence based practice. It is through “evidence based practice" that the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) rates the performance of hospitals. Further research is still continuing in delineating the intricacies of the nursing process and the integration of critical thinking. All health care professionals are encouraged to pursue this type of research in their practice to ensure the quality of client care and enhance the validity of their profession.

Learn more about nursing education at The NET Study Guide.

The nursing entrance test study guide provides nurses the assistance they need with the nursing entrance test. The nursing study guide helps nurses. Visit http://www.thenetstudyguide.com for more information.

Registered Nurse Jobs

It sometimes may seem like there are pages in the classified ads every Sunday for registered nurse jobs. In fact, registered nurses now constitute the largest healthcare occupation, as there are over 2.3 million jobs available. If you are looking to get into a growing field where you are in the drivers seat with employment and salary choices, it may be that becoming a registered nurse is a good option for you.

What is a registered nurse and why are there so many registered nurse jobs out there? A registered nurse is one that has a college degree (Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree) from an accredited institution and has passed his or her nursing boards. Required classes to get a degree so that you can qualify for registered nurse jobs include anatomy, physiology, chemistry, nutrition, and behavioral science classes like psychology. Most schools require clinical experience, and this experience will also help you when you are looking for registered nurse jobs.

Education and experience are key components to certain registered nurse jobs. If you are considering registered nurse jobs in administration, you may want to consider getting a Bachelor degree, as many organizations now require it. Sometimes if you are considering registered nurse jobs in more complex areas like surgery or neo-natal intensive care, organizations will want you to gain significant clinical experience. Also, other registered nurse jobs may even require you to have a masters’ degree, like being a nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, or certified nurse anesthetist.

Registered nurse jobs require a lot of patience and dedication, as a registered nurse will be promoting good health, prevent disease, and helping patients through times of illness. Registered nurse jobs also require you to be detail oriented and have decent writing skills. For instance, registered nurse jobs in psychology will require a nurse to document (in detail) behavior, response to medication, and follow doctor directions carefully so that a patient receives the appropriate care.

If you are qualified or looking to be qualified for registered nurse jobs, then you should be pleased that the job outlook for registered nurse jobs is very high. In fact, registered nurse jobs are expected to grow faster than the average growth for all other jobs through the year 2012. Registered nurse jobs in hospitals is expected to remain the same, though registered nurse jobs in nursing care facilities is expected to grow exponentially as the baby boomer generation ages.

Other areas in which registered nurse jobs are expected to increase is home healthcare and outpatient care centers. The growth for these registered nurse jobs may be due to technological advances and pressure from insurance companies to avoid in-patient hospitalization. Many advances in medicine have created registered nurse jobs in which RNs travel to patient homes to provide care or perform procedures in outpatient facilities.

The varying types of registered nurse jobs, and the great need for people to fill those jobs has offered the opportunity for RNs to have more variety in their careers. Many organizations now offer major bonuses and high salaries to lure RNs, as there are more jobs than nurses. Thus, finding registered nurse jobs can be a process of knowing what type of nurse you want to be and seeking out the opportunity to fill that need.

What Does a Paralegal Do?

by: Melissa Steele
Paralegals are assistants specially trained to handle the day-to-day needs of the lawyers they work for. Whether you are the sole assistant to a top lawyer or part of a team of paralegals in a legal department, your job will include the following tasks:

Draft and file documents, Interview clients, Research cases and precedents, Non-legal research

As a paralegals, you will be able to find work anywhere including private law forms, the district attorney's office, government agencies, major corporations, banks, hospitals, or insurance companies.

What training do I need to become a paralegal?

Community colleges, online institutions, and vocational schools all offer certificates, associate's degrees and bachelor's degrees. No matter which program you choose, you will be trained specifically for the position of paralegal.

Your training as a paralegal will give you the tools to make a lawyers job go more smoothly without the ultimate responsibility of the cases. The list of tasks delegated to paralegals grows daily but their scope of practice is very specifically defined especially regarding presenting cases in court, offering legal advice, and setting legal fees.

What will I earn as a paralegal?

Education and experience greatly impact your earning potential as a paralegal. Where you live and who employs you also affects your rate of income.

Large firms and companies in large cities generally pay more than their smaller, more rural counterparts. Many paralegals, however, are often given bonuses in addition to a salary that could land anywhere between $28,000 and $50,000+. Legal secretaries make a bit more with salaries that range from $32,000 to $53,000+. Senior paralegals command salaries of $35,000 to $60,000+.

Do I need to be licensed or certified to be a paralegal?

No. There are some national exams for paralegals but none are required. It is recommended that you enroll in an American Bar Association approved program.

What is the future of the field?

The position of paralegal is expected to grow faster than most professions in the next decade, by more than 30 percent.

Minggu, 25 Mei 2008

Assistant/Nurse: the TIDY project

n collaboration with Imperial College London: Academic Unit of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Salary: £26341 including LW, pro rata

We are seeking a Research Assistant to work on a study of an intervention for adolescent depression in primary care. The project will be led by Dr Steve Iliffe, Lonsdale Medical Centre in collaboration with colleagues at Imperial College.

You will be responsible for the supporting practices with recruitment of adolescents into the study and following up adolescents identified as depressed. You will be required to gather data (from adolescents and primary care practitioners), process and analyse it and to contribute to a report and research papers summarising the results of the study.

You should have a good degree in nursing, psychology or other health-related subject. You should also have previous experience of conducting health or psychology related research.

The post is part-time (2.5 to 3 days a week, by negotiation) for 9 months and will be based at the Lonsdale Medical Centre. (www.lonsdalemedicalcentre.nhs.uk)

For further information about the project send an email to Patricia Labro (p.labro@pcps.ucl.ac.uk)

Closing date: 5pm Friday 8th February

Interview date: Tuesday 19th February, between 0930 & 1200

RN Jobs and Specialty Nursing Jobs

HealthcareRecruitment.com has thousands of nursing jobs in its database, covering a wide variety of specialties, including critical care, operating room, emergency room, labor and delivery, to radiology and more. If you're a job seeker who is looking for registered nursing jobs, LPN jobs or LVN jobs, we have exciting positions available throughout the U.S!

We work with some of the top nurse recruitment agencies in the country, and actively post nursing jobs in per diem, homecare, hospital, practice and travel settings. Let HealthcareRecruitment.com help you find the right opportunity in the exciting field of nursing. To get started on your way towards being hired for registered nurse jobs and more, submit your resume today!

Kamis, 22 Mei 2008

lastest Nursing Job

Updated: 1/25/2008

Hospital Location	License	Specialty	Shifts	Apply Contact Us
Multiple Locations all over the Chicagoland Area	RN	Med Surg/ Tele/ ICU	8/12 hour days/Nights
Elk Grove Village Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Elk Grove Village Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Elk Grove Village Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Elk Grove Village Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Elk Grove Village Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Elk Grove Village Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Downtown Teaching Hospital (Goldcoast Area)	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Downtown Teaching Hospital (Goldcoast Area)	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Downtown Teaching Hospital (Goldcoast Area)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Downtown Teaching Hospital (Goldcoast Area)	Registered Nurse (RN)	MICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Downtown Teaching Hospital (Goldcoast Area)	Registered Nurse (RN)	Neuro-ICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Downtown Teaching Hospital (Goldcoast Area)	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Downtown Teaching Hospital (Goldcoast Area)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Near South Side Teaching Hospital (Hyde Park)	Registered Nurse (RN)	M/S	All Shifts
Chicago Near South Side Teaching Hospital (Hyde Park)	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	All Shifts
Chicago Near South Side Teaching Hospital (Hyde Park)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	12 hour Days/Nights All Shifts
Chicago Near South Side Teaching Hospital (Hyde Park)	Registered Nurse (RN)	NICU	12 hour Days/Nights All Shifts
Chicago Near South Side Teaching Hospital (Hyde Park)	Registered Nurse (RN)	Peds/ER	12 hour Days/Nights All Shifts
Hoffman Estates Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	M/S	All Shifts
Hoffman Estates Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	All Shifts
Hoffman Estates Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	All Shifts
Hoffman Estates Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	All Shifts
Des Plaines Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12H-Shifts
Des Plaines Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	8 H Shifts
Des Plaines Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12H-All shifts
Des Plaines Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	L&D	8/12H-All shifts
Des Plaines Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	8/12H-All shifts
Naperville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12H-All shifts
Naperville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12H-All shifts
Naperville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	M/S	8/12H-All shifts
Naperville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	8/12H-All shifts
Winfield Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	NICU	8/12 Hr Night
Winfield Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12 Hr Night
Winfield Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12 Hr Night
Winfield Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	PICU	8/12 Hr Night
Winfield Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	PACU	8/12 Hr PM's/Night Shifts
Hospital Location	License	Specialty	Shifts	Apply Contact Us
Oak Park Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Mother Baby/ L+D	DAY/PM/NOC
Oak Park Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12H-All shifts
Oak Park Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	8/12H-All shifts
Oak Park Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	8/12H-All shifts
Oak Park Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	M/S	8/12H-All shifts
Oak Park Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12H-All shifts
Chicago Near North West Side (Multiple Hospitals)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12H-All shifts
Chicago Near North West Side (Multiple Hospitals)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12H-All shifts
Chicago Near North West Side (Multiple Hospitals)	Registered Nurse (RN)	M/S	12H Day/Night
Chicago Near North West Side (Multiple Hospitals)	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	8/12H-All shifts
Chicago North Side Hospitals (Mulitiple Locations)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12H-All shifts
Chicago North Side Hospitals (Mulitiple Locations)	Registered Nurse (RN)	M/S	8/12H-All shifts
Chicago North Side Hospitals (Mulitiple Locations)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8H-12H
Chicago North Side Hospitals (Mulitiple Locations)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12H-All shifts
Chicago North Side Hospitals (Mulitiple Locations)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12H-All shifts
Chicago North Side Hospitals (Mulitiple Locations)	Registered Nurse (RN)	Oncology	8/12H-All shifts
Melrose Park Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12H-All shifts
Melrose Park Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	8/12H-All shifts
Melrose Park Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	8/12H-All shifts
Melrose Park Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	8H-12H
Melrose Park Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8H-12H
Libertyville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8H-12H
Libertyville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	12H-Nights
Libertyville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Peds	8H-Days
Libertyville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	8H-All shifts
Libertyville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	All Shifts ASAP
Libertyville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	All Shifts ASAP
Libertyville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	All Shifts ASAP
Libertyville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	All Shifts ASAP
Libertyville Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	All Specialties	All Shifts ASAP
Hospital Location	License	Specialty	Shifts	Apply Contact Us
Winfield Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	All Shifts ASAP
Winfield Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	All Shifts ASAP
Winfield Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	All Shifts ASAP
Winfield Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	All Shifts ASAP
Winfield Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	All Shifts ASAP
Elgin Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Elgin Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12 H Shifts - PM-Night
Elgin Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	8/12 H Shifts - PM-Night
Elgin Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12 H Shifts - PM-Night
Elgin Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	8/12 H Shifts - PM-Night
Blue Island Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	All Shifts ASAP
Blue Island Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	All Shifts ASAP
Blue Island Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	All Shifts ASAP
Blue Island Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	All Shifts ASAP
Blue Island Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	All Shifts ASAP
Chicago Illinois Hospital (Far West Side - Multiple locations)	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	All Shifts ASAP
Chicago Illinois Hospital (Far West Side - Multiple locations)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	All Shifts ASAP
Chicago Illinois Hospital (Far West Side - Multiple locations)	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	All Shifts ASAP
Chicago Illinois Hospital (Far West Side - Multiple locations)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	All Shifts ASAP
Chicago Illinois Hospital (Far West Side - Multiple locations)	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	All Shifts ASAP
Oak Lawn Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	All Shifts
Oak Lawn Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	All Shifts
Oak Lawn Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	All Shifts
Oak Lawn Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	All Shifts
Oak Lawn Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	All Shifts
Downers Grove Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	All Shifts
Downers Grove Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	All Shifts
Downers Grove Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	All Shifts
Downers Grove Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	All Shifts
Downers Grove Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	All Shifts
Barrington Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	All Shifts
Barrington Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	All Shifts
Barrington Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	All Shifts
Barrington Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	All Shifts
Barrington Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg/ NICU/ L+D	All Shifts
Hospital Location	License	Specialty	Shifts	Apply Contact Us
Chicago Near North Side Hosptial (Lakeview Neighborhood)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	All Shifts
Chicago Near North Side Hosptial (Lakeview Neighborhood)	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	All Shifts
Chicago Near North Side Hosptial (Lakeview Neighborhood)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	All Shifts
Chicago Near North Side Hosptial (Lakeview Neighborhood)	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	All Shifts
Chicago Near North Side Hosptial (Lakeview Neighborhood)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Park Ridge Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Park Ridge Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Park Ridge Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Park Ridge Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Park Ridge Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	CCU/ ER	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Hazel Crest Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Hazel Crest Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Hazel Crest Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Hazel Crest Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Hazel Crest Illinois Hospital	Registered Nurse (RN)	CCU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Near North Side Hospital (Lincoln Park Neighborhood)	Registered Nurse (RN)	Med Surg	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Near North Side Hospital (Lincoln Park Neighborhood)	Registered Nurse (RN)	TELE	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Near North Side Hospital (Lincoln Park Neighborhood)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Near North Side Hospital (Lincoln Park Neighborhood)	Registered Nurse (RN)	SICU	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts
Chicago Near North Side Hospital (Lincoln Park Neighborhood)	Registered Nurse (RN)	ER	8/12 H Shifts - All Shifts

Illinois Contract Nursing Agency Jobs

At Healthcare Personnel, we offer local contract assignments. The agency contract assignments vary in length from 4 weeks to 13 weeks. If you are a Registered Nurse and interested in finding a contract nursing assignment in the Chicagoland area please contact us ASAP.

Updated: 1/25/2008

Contract Location	Contract Length	License	Specialty	Shifts	Apply Contact Us
Hospital Downtown Chicago (Call for Details)	4 - 8 weeks with the possibility of an extension	RN	RN L&D	7p-7a 36 hours a week required
Hospital Downtown Chicago (Call for Details)	4 - 8 weeks with the possibility of an extension	RN	RN L&D	7a-7p 36 hours a week required
Chicago Near South Suburbs - Large Teaching Hospital	1-1-08 Start Date 13 week Contract	RN	Specialty - Surgical Heart Unit (ASHU) Registered Nurse - 10 RN's Needed	7pm-7:30am - 3 X 12 hour shifts. 36 hours/Week Required/ Guaranteed
Chicago Near South Suburbs - Large Teaching Hospital	1-1-08 Start Date 13 week Contract	RN	Specialty - Surgical Heart Unit (ASHU) Registered Nurse - 10 RN's Needed	7am-7:30pm - 3 X 12 hour shifts. 36 hours/Week Required/ Guaranteed
Chicago's Far South West Suburbs (Downers Grove Illinois)	13 Weeks	RN	RN - Med/Surg	7pm - 7:30am 36 hours a week
Chicago's Far South West Suburbs (Downers Grove Illinois)	13 Weeks	RN	RN - Med/Surg- Orthopedics	7pm - 7:30am 36 hours a week
Chicago's Far South West Suburbs (Downers Grove Illinois)	13 Weeks	RN	RN - Med/Surg	3pm - 11:30pm 40 hours a week
Chicago's South Suburbs (Oak Lawn Illinois)	13 Weeks	RN	RN - Med/Surg	7pm - 7:30am 36 hours a week
Chicago Near West Side Hospital	13 weeks - Must have a min of 3 years of ER experience	RN	ER	11:00am - 11PM Full Time Required
Chicago Near West Side Hospital	13 weeks - Must have a min of 3 years of ER experience	RN	ER	7PM - 7AM Full time Required
Chicago Near West Side Hospital	13 weeks - Must have a min of 3 years of ER experience	RN	ER	3PM - 3:30AM Full time Required
Chicago Near North Side Hospital	13 Weeks Start ASAP	RN	SICU	12 hour nights 7p-7a
Near South West Suburban Teaching Hospital	12 Weeks - Start ASAP	RN	RN - Med/Surg	12 Hour DAY SHIFT 7am-7:30p 36 hours a week required
Near South West Suburban Teaching Hospital	12 Weeks Start ASAP	RN	RN - Med/Surg	8 Hour PM SHIFT 3pm-11:30pm 40 hours a week required
Near South Suburban Teaching Hospital	12 Weeks Start ASAP	RN	RN - Med/Surg	12 Hour NIGHT SHIFT 7pm-7:30am 36 hours a week required
Chicago Near South Suburban Teaching Hospital	12 Weeks Start ASAP	RN	5 RN's Needed Cardio Thoracic ICU	Nights 7p-7a
Chicago Near South Suburban Teaching Hospital	12 Weeks Start ASAP	RN	5 RN's Needed SICU	Days 7a-7p
Chicago Near South Suburban Teaching Hospital	12 Weeks Start ASAP	RN	1 RN Needed CCU
Hospital South Suburbs of Chicago	13 Weeks	RN	ER	PM 2 8hour shifts per week 3p-11p 2 12 hour shifts per week 11am-11pm and every other weekend.
Hospital South Suburbs of Chicago	13 Weeks	RN	ICU	12 hour Nights
Hospital South Suburbs of Chicago	13 Weeks	RN	ICU	12 hour Days
Hospital South Suburbs of Chicago	8 Weeks	RN	ICU	8 Hour Nights
Hospital Oak Park Illinois	13 Weeks	RN	ICU	12 Hour Days
Chicago Near North Side Hospital	13 Weeks	RN	TELE	Days
Chicago Near North Side Hospital	13 Weeks	RN	TELE	Nights
Hospital Downers Grove Illinois	4 Weeks	RN	ER	Days
Hospital Downers Grove Illinois	4 Weeks	RN	ER	Nights
Hospital Downers Grove Illinois	4 Weeks	RN	TELE	Days
Hospital Chicago Far North West Side	13 Weeks	RN	TELE	2 x 8's & 2 x 12's Days
Oak Park Illinois Hospital	4 Weeks	RN	L&D	Nights
Hospital Chicago Near North Side	4 Weeks	RN	ICU	Days
Chicago Downtown Teaching Hospital	8 Weeks	RN	ER Level 1	3:30p-4a
Chicago Near West Side Hospital	8 Week Contract	RN	CCU	7a-7p Day Shift
Hospital - Northwest Suburbs	Start ASAP 12 week contract	RN X 4	Med/Surg	3pm-11pm 40 hours/Week Required/ Guaranteed
Hospital - West Suburbs	4 week contract	RN X 4	Mother/Baby	7pm-7am + 11pm-7am
Chicago Far North East Side Hospital	Start ASAP 4, 8, or 12 week Contracts	RN X 2	Med/Surg	7pm-7am 36 hours/Week Required/ Guaranteed
Hospital - Northwest Suburbs	Start ASAP 12 week Contracts	RN X 2	ER	3pm-11pm 40 hours/Week Required/ Guaranteed
Hospital - Northwest Suburbs	Start ASAP 12 week Contracts	RN X 1	ER	11pm-7am 40 hours/Week Required/ Guaranteed
Oark Park Area Hospital	Start ASAP 13 week contract	RN	TELE	7pm-7am 36 hours/Week Required/ Guaranteed

Illinois Long Term Care / Nursing Home Agency Jobs

Updated: 1/25/2008

Facility Location	License	Specialty	Shifts	Apply Contact Us
Lindenhurst Illinois (Click for Map)	RN - LPN	LTC - Geriatric	8 / 16 H Shifts
Aurora Illinois (Click for Map)	RN - LPN	LTC - Geriatric	8 / 16 H Shifts
Libertyville Illinois (Click for Map)	RN - LPN	LTC - Geriatric	8 / 16 H Shifts
Arlington Heights Illinois (Click for Map)	RN - LPN	LTC - Geriatric	8 / 16 H Shifts
Gurnee Illinois (Click for Map)	RN - LPN	LTC - Geriatric	8 / 16 H Shifts
Lake Zurich Illinois (Click for Map)	RN - LPN	LTC - Geriatric	8 / 16 H Shifts
Waukegan Illinois (Click for Map)	RN - LPN	LTC - Geriatric	8 / 16 H Shifts
Wauconda Illinois	RN - LPN	LTC Geriatric	8 / 16 H Shifts

If you’re a Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical nursing in Chicago looking for a nursing job in Chicago Healthcare Personnel is the local nursing agency to call.

Latest Nursing Jobs

Date Added	Job Details	Date Expires
25 Jan 08	Dean Faculty of Medicine — The Chinese University of Hong Kong	25 Mar 08
25 Jan 08	Research Technician Faculty of Medicine Infection, Immunity and Inflammation — University of Leicester	15 Feb 08
25 Jan 08	Overseas Research Students (ORS) Award Scheme City Community and Health Sciences — City University	14 Mar 08
25 Jan 08	PhD Studentships School of Human and Health Sciences — University of Huddersfield	21 Feb 08
25 Jan 08	Director of Biomarker Discovery Translational Medicine Research Collaboration (TMRC) — University of Dundee	12 Feb 08
25 Jan 08	Lecturer in Nursing (Mental Health) Division of Pre-Registration Nursing School of Nursing, Midwifery & Community Health — Glasgow Caledonian University	08 Feb 08
25 Jan 08	Part-Time Research Nurse (50% FTE) School of Medicine — University of Aberdeen	07 Feb 08
25 Jan 08	Advisor (Disabilities/Learning Difficulties) Student Services — University of Central Lancashire	08 Feb 08
24 Jan 08	Research Nurse Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology Unit — King's College London	06 Feb 08
24 Jan 08	Allied Health Professionals Training Fellowships — Arthritis Research Campaign	04 Feb 08

Nursing Jobs

RN Jobs and Specialty Nursing Jobs

Nursing Hot Jobs

Title

Location

Recruiter

Clinical Nurse Primary Health, North West	Australia	Department of Health & Human Services (Tasmania)
Clinical Nurse Educator Hunter Valley	Cessnock, Australia	Calvary Retirement Community Cessnock
Assistant in Nursing North Sydney	North Sydney, Australia	Mater Hospital
DIABETES NURSE EDUCATOR Port Pirie Regional Health Service	Port Pirie, Australia	Government Of South Australia
Clinical Nurse Manager Child Health and Parenting Services	Australia	Department of Health & Human Services (Tasmania)
Registered Nurse - Midwife Women's & Childrens' Services - Maternity Unit	Hobart, Australia	Department of Health & Human Services (Tasmania)
Critical Care Nurse - Dubai	Dubai, United_Arab_Emirates	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
U.S. Health Care Opportunities.	Various Locations, United_States	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Registered Nurses, Mental Health Nurses & Midwives Relocate to Australia!	Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Registered Nurses - Oncology Relocate to Australia!	Melbourne, Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Would you like to be part of Australia’s second largest private hospital provider? Specialty Nurses Needed QLD & NSW	Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Short-Term Contracts in Sunny Queensland – Beautiful One Day, Perfect The Next!	Townsville, Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
RN’s – Short Term Contracts – Remote, Rural and Regional!	Various Locations, Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Registered Nurses needed for Moree	Moree, Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Registered Nurses needed immediately for odd shifts, long term locum and short contracts.	Various Locations, Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Midwives!	Ipswich, Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Theatre Staff - We want you! Registered Nurses - Theatre – all areas	Launceston, Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Registered Midwives ! Short-Term Contracts in Sunny Queensland	Townsville, Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Midwifery, Orthopaedics and Theatre Staff!	Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Paediatric Registered Nurses	Brisbane, Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Backpackers - Looking for casual nursing positions?	Sydney, Australia	Beresford Blake Thomas Ltd (BBT)
Registered Nurses for South Australia!....... Call Us!	Various Locations, Australia	All Recruitment Solutions
Sydney, NSW Multiple Opportunities for Casual Employment	Sydney, Australia	All Recruitment Solutions
Newcastle, NSW Multiple Opportunities for Casual Employment	NEWCASTLE, Australia	All Recruitment Solutions
Central Coast of NSW Multiple Opportunities for Casual Employment	Central Coast, Australia	All Recruitment Solutions
In Alice, you won’t just save lives, you’ll improve your own! RNs - Intensive Care Unit	Alice Springs, Australia	Alice Springs Hospital
AGED CARE FACILITY MANAGER - BANKSTOWN	Sydney, Australia	UnitingCare Ageing
Clinical Nurse Educator - OT - P/T	North Sydney, Australia	Mater Hospital
Baby BC - Birthing, Babies and New Beginnings Canada	Canada	Baby BC
Clinical Nurse Specialist - Opthamology	Wellington, New_Zealand	Capital & Coast District Health Board
Intensive Care Nurses	Sydney, Australia	The Employment Office
Associate/Assistant Professor - Nursing Program. The University of Northern British Columbia	Prince George, Canada	The University of Northern British Columbia
Registered Nurse Denman, Permanent Part time - 28 Hpw & creation of eligibility list	Denman, Australia	Hunter New England Health
Enrolled Nurse Denman Health Service	Denman, Australia	Hunter New England Health
Assistant in Nursing Denman Health Service	Denman, Australia	Hunter New England Health
CLINICAL NURSE - Women's & Childrens' Services (Outpatients Clinic)	Hobart, Australia	Department of Health & Human Services (Tasmania)
CLINICAL NURSE - Community Primary Health	Rosebery, Australia	Department of Health & Human Services (Tasmania)
REGISTERED NURSES (2 Vacancies) - Paediatrics/Surgical West	Burnie, Australia	Department of Health & Human Services (Tasmania)
Do something different! - Child and Family Health Nurse	ST. HELENS, Australia	Department of Health & Human Services (Tasmania)
Come and Live the Dream – Sponsorship Available Australia	Australia	Recruit Right
CLINICAL NURSES (2 Vacancies) - CARDIOLOGY WARD	Hobart, Australia	Department of Health & Human Services (Tasmania)
Come and Live the Dream – Sponsorship Available Australia	Australia	Recruit Right

Nursing Jobs Help

Introduction

Across the United States there is a need for thousands of nurses. However, you must carefully consider all of your options when going for the nursing job that is right for you.

When applying for your first nursing job be flexible and persistent in the hiring process. If you have your sights set on a specific nursing position within a hospital, you may have to take an alternative position and maneuver yourself into your dream nursing job. It may take a little networking to really find the job you love. If you are looking for a job in education as a nurse, you will have to have some work experience.

Always have some type of long term plan. Generally speaking nurses that end up in hospital management and supervisory positions have a career plan. The nursing job you are currently in or working towards, will allow you to meet the key contact people in your field and location. Always take inventory of your skill level and experience. If your skill level has improved and your compensation has not, consider going for the nursing job you have always wanted. Some nurses end up going from job to job without any long term goals. Don't fall into this trap.

If you have taken and passed the NCLEX exam and are in good standing with your state boards, you are a valuable resource. Always join your local professional associations to network with other skilled nurses. These individuals will be able to tell you about the local trends in the job market.

Stay connected with graduates of your nursing program and recent alums. Many of the best nursing job tips come from classmates who know the hospitals and facilities in your job target region.

Always exhibit a positive attitude even though a recruiter or hospital may not need your services at a given time. In the flow of business a nurse may quit that day, and a position may open up at any time. If you become rude or belligerent after receiving the bad news, remember that information travels.

Minggu, 18 Mei 2008

Peritoneal Dialysis Nurse (R.N.)

Job Information

Post Date:

Today

Type:

Full time

Start Date:

2008-01-15 05:10:07 PM

Salary:

From Competitive to Competitive

Location:

AK - ANCHORAGE

Job Reference:

- n/a -

Facility:

Fresenius Medical Care

Job Details

Description
Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) has been a global leader in dialysis for over 25 years. With over 2,000 clinics located in communities all across North America, servicing over 161,000 patients, we have a singular focus on dialysis and a determination to help our patients live their lives to the fullest. If you are passionate about your profession and are looking to begin or continue a successful career that will truly make a difference then FMCNA is the place for you.

Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing (R.N.).
Current appropriate state licensure.
American Nephrology Nurses Association certification preferred. Minimum of one-year medical-surgical nursing experience preferred.
ICU and/or Hemodialysis experience preferred but not required.
Successful completion of CPR Certification.
Successful completion of a training course in the theory and practice of peritoneal dialysis.

Responsible for ongoing assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of nursing care and education of patients with ESRD who have elected the Home Dialysis Program. Responsible for educating the patient on all aspects of home dialysis, including end stage renal disease, diet, medications, dialysis concepts, how to perform procedures, expected results, and any complications which may occur. Asses that patient has learned the above by proper demonstration and/or verbal response before release from formal training. Function as a Modality Selection Consultant as directed by the PD Supervisor. Responsible for making adjustments and modifications to the dialysis treatment as indicated or prescribed by the physician. Order training supplies for the patient’s training and dialysis supplies to be delivered to the patient’s home.

BENEFITS:
We offer a generous compensation and benefits package that includes medical and dental, 401K match, profit sharing, short and long term disability, tuition reimbursement, and 5 weeks paid time off!

Fresenius Medical Care North America is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Contact Details / Apply for this Job

How Long Does It Take To Graduate With A Degree In Criminal Justice?

Online criminal justice programs usually lead to associate level degrees, bachelor level degrees or master level degrees. At most schools you will need to complete on average 60 semester credit hours for an associate level degree or a master level degree and about 120-128 semester credit hours for a bachelor level degree.

Each course comprising on average 4 semester credit hours will take anywhere between six to twelve weeks to be completed and you will have to spend a minimum of 12-15 hours a week to keep up with the coursework. Of course, this will mainly depend on the program you sign up for and the institution you choose to do your criminal justice degree from, whether you are a full time student or a part-time one and your own pace of work.

But an online program of a properly accredited college or university will roughly take more or less the same time to complete as a similar degree from a traditional college or university – about two years for an associate or master’s degree and about 4 years for a bachelor’s degree.

Some institutions offer students the option of accelerating the course if they so wish. You will need to find out if your institute offers this option before enrolling for the program of your choice. If you are someone who can find some spare time beyond the class schedule, this would be a good choice since online study material and class assignments are all accessible 24 hours a day in case of those programs that are fully online.

The time taken to complete a degree may be less if the institution you are enrolled in allows you to get credit for your job experience or any on-the-job training that you may have undergone. Not all online colleges or universities offer this option but there are some who do.

In case you are a working adult and have considerable job experience and on-the-job training, you can often complete an online degree in almost half the time compared to non-working adults wishing to complete the same degree or the time that will be required in traditional colleges or universities for the same degree.

This is one of the biggest advantages of online degrees for working adults with considerable professional experience and on-the-job training.

Nursing Recruitment Agencies: Take The Hard Work Out Of Finding Work

It seems it’s a universal problem. You want to get a new job because you’re desperate to get away from the old one—whether it’s because you want better pay, better conditions or just a change of scene. The trouble is that your present job keeps you so busy you don’t have time to look for a new one.

This is true in all types of career, but especially so in the field of nursing. With the dedication that many nurses carry out their jobs, especially when the work involves night work and weekend work, using those few precious hours of time off to go trawling through the recruitment newspapers and magazines seems like just too much work.

There is an answer, though, to this seemingly insolvable catch-22 situation. It’s one that is used by many of those looking for a change to their professional career, and it is now making more and more of a mark in the field of nursing—the use of a recruitment agency.

Here’s why:

A nursing recruitment agency usually has a wide range of jobs from which a prospective nursing candidate can choose. This means that there is far more chance that the nurse will be able to find exactly the right type of job to suit his or her skill set

Recruitment agencies can analyze the nurses skill set to make sure that the nurse is not applying for a job for which she is under-qualified—or even over-qualified for that matter. This means that the nurse has much more chance of being successful with the job application and finding a position which dovetails nicely with her skill set. It also means the new position is much more likely to give the nurse a chance of advancing her career.

Nursing recruitment agencies can often carry out initial interviews with the candidate, which means the nurse doesn’t have to waste time going for interviews, perhaps even traveling hundreds of miles only to then not be chosen for the second round of interviews. If the recruitment agency does the initial interview then it means the nurse can travel to a secondary interview in the knowledge that she has already got over the first hurdle.

Agencies can identify gaps in the skill set and give advice on what training should be undertaken. This can be a great help. Sometimes a candidate can be applying for jobs and being rejected without knowing why. Identifying the gaps in the skill set means remedial action—training—can be taken before wasting time on applying for positions for which the nurse is not qualified.

Agencies will contact the nurse when a new suitable vacancy becomes available, which means in effect the job offer is coming to the nurse. The agency will only put forward those jobs which fit the nurses skill profile, and so the nurse knows it is a job worth looking at. Try getting a magazine to do that!

As you can see, there are many benefits to using a recruitment agency when looking for your next nursing job. They can advise on training, cut down on the need to travel to initial interviews, and most of all, using a nursing recruitment agency cuts down on the amount of hard work needed to find a new position—and that’s something that any hard-working nurse should be glad of.

Travel Nursing Career - A Dream Come True?

Deciding what job to pursue after college entails more brain cells that most activities. Unlike deciding on what car to buy or what clothes to wear, one must give the decision its due because it will effect your happiness and quality of life for the next three to four decades.

Most people believe that a career in travel nursing is stuff that dreams are made of. For those currently following this career path… most of those who have experienced this lifestyle agree that it is a great way to make a living but there are a few who argue and refute this. But all agree that it's entirely up to you whether your career in travel nursing becomes to a dream come true.

How do you start on a career in travel nursing?

Let's divide the answer into two parts: travel and nursing. We'll tackle the latter first. To be able to pursue a career in travel nursing, you must of course be equipped with a creditable nursing degree. Now some may possess one-year-diplomas and call themselves professionals but unfortunately for them, not all hospital or healthcare employers accept that as enough credentials. If you only have a vocational degree tucked under your belt, then perhaps you'd rather pursue a career in care giving rather than travel nursing. Caregivers, after all, still get to travel across the globe. It all comes down to the skills.

The second half of a Travel Nursing career is the traveling. So you're the proud holder of a nursing degree and you're duly licensed to practice nursing. The next step to tackle then is learning how to go about your travels. Most people prefer to seek recruitment agencies for help in this matter. These agencies are ably experienced in assisting people interested in making a fortune in travel nursing. But you must beware! There are several recruitment agencies that may just be a scam to whisk your money away. And remember, using their services means paying some fees and if in some instances the fees are high so be careful and be wary. Ask questions and don't go with any agency that you don't feel is being 100% honest with you and if there fees are out of line then find another agency or you can always go it alone.

A few things to consider when traveling are the need of a passport. First, check with the embassy in your country of choice and see if they require a visa. Second, make sure that all your nursing documents, proof that you have graduated from a reputable school and have passed the necessary examinations, are all duly authenticated. A career in travel nursing may mean jumping from one country after another so it would definitely reduce your stress level if all your papers, even your resume, are supported with valid reference documents.

How do you adjust or embark on a life of travel nursing?

Experienced travel nurses provide us with plenty of advice and tips to make sure that first time nurses in this particular career will have an easier transition into the field.

Double-Check Everything

At least three to five days prior to your departure make sure that you haven't forgotten anything. Make a checklist of all essentials and cross them off the list as you pack them. From documents to the clothes you've packed, make sure that everything in your list is accounted for. A career in travel nursing is a demanding job and leaves little room for error so it's best to start on the right foot.

Research Your Destination(s)

A travel nursing career requires that you to go to different countries meet different people and adjust to different cultures. Researching destinations beforehand will help avoid miscommunication, reduce the possible culture shock and basically just make your experience a whole lot more enjoyable and less stressful.

Ask For An Early Move-in

An early move is suggested by experienced travel nurses because it enables you to relax and breathe a little before embarking on your new travel nursing job. Familiarize yourself with the place and the people. And best of all, enjoy the new sights because one of the major perks of having a career in travel nursing is of course... the travel.

While the compensation and perks are quite exceptional because the Travel Nursing Career is such a high demand, highly sought after position it's a bit more difficult to secure than most other nursing positions. As a result, most employers are very picky so make sure that you have what it takes. And if you don't, then improve your skills (education and / or experience) or find another sector of the nursing profession to make your career.

A great place to begin researching your Travel Nursing career is at http://www.eyeonnursing.com. A website dedicated to being a complete resource on Nursing.

Sabtu, 17 Mei 2008

Nurse work vacancy

Wanted nurse d3. Min pass th2005 to work at rs saudi arabia. Salary begins 700$/bln almt jl. Kranggan no 6 bekasi. Email ìda_yaser@yahoo. Com

Kamis, 15 Mei 2008

DOCTOR AND NURSE in Johns Hopkins Hospital

THERE are individuals—doctors and nurses, for ex— ample—whose very existence is a constant reminder of our frailties; and considering the notoriously irritating character of such people, I often wonder that the world deals so gently with them. The presence of the parson suggests dim possibilities, not the grim realities conjured up by the names of the persons just mentioned; the lawyer never worries us—in this way, and we can imagine in the future a social condition in which neither divinity nor law shall have a place—when all shall be friends and each one a priest, when the meek shall possess the earth; but we cannot picture a time when Birth and Life and Death shall be separated from that "grizzly troop" which we dread so much and which is ever associated in our minds with " physician and nurse."

Dread! Yes, but mercifully for us in a vague and misty way. Like schoolboys we play among the shadows cast by the turrets of the temple of oblivion, towards which we travel, regardless of what awaits us in the vale of years beneath. Suffering and disease are ever before us, but life is very pleasant; and the motto of the world, when well, is "forward with the dance." Fondly imagin-

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing

Established in 1975, the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing program is designed to prepare researchers and scholars to provide leadership to the profession and discipline of nursing. The program emphasizes the development of the student’s capacity to make significant, original contributions to nursing knowledge.

The understanding that nursing provides services that help individuals, families, and communities achieve health, health-directed self-care, and effective caregiving behaviors conceptually drives the doctoral program. These services are based on systematic knowledge about human health and human-environment relationships. Particular attention is given to the kinds of human-environment relationships that are optimal for health, self-care, and caregiving. This systematic knowledge base is the foundation of nursing science.

The purposes of the doctoral program are:

To prepare scientists capable of generating rigorously tested knowledge that contributes to the positive development of individuals, families, communities, society and the discipline of nursing.

To prepare nursing scholars who will test, generate and extend knowledge related to individuals’, families’, and communities’ self-care and caregiving behaviors; and to extend knowledge of urban environments that influence and alter health, and reduce health disparities.

To prepare leaders for the discipline and profession of nursing.

Our PhD program attracts students from throughout the world, including the Philippines, the Caribbean, Thailand, Mexico, Colombia, Jordan, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Canada, as well as the United States. Our graduates make a difference! Our alumni are prominent deans, professors, researchers, and nurse leaders throughout the world. They epitomize excellence, leadership and commitment to the nursing profession.

Students can enter the PhD program as a post-BSN student or as a student who has attained the master's of science in nursing (MSN) degree. Post-BSN students may choose to complete only a PhD in nursing or complete both the MSN and PhD degrees. More information about our three paths to a doctoral degree can be obtained here.

Nursing Research at WSU

Consistent with Wayne State’s mission as a national research institution, faculty research is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), foundations and other sources. The opportunities for collaborative research at facilities such as the Detroit Medical Center, an extensive network of hospitals and community health centers; the Wayne State University School of Medicine, the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Allied Health, the Institute of Gerontology, the Center for Urban and African American Health, and other schools enhance faculty research. Faculty research interest areas are found here.

Wayne State University

Wayne State University, located in the heart of Detroit's Cultural Center, offers students unrivaled connectivity to resources enabling them to achieve success in their chosen fields of study. The Carnegie Foundation classifies Wayne State University as a doctoral-extensive research university - ranking Wayne State in the top 2.5 percent of all institutions. The National Science Foundation ranks Wayne State as among the top 50 public research universities. WSU offers baccalaureate and graduate education at 12 colleges and schools located on a sprawling 203-acre campus.

Doctoral Program in Nursing

Applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Program must have a bachelor or master’s degree in nursing and a current Registered Nurse (RN) license to be eligible for admission. Students in Path 2 are required to have a Michigan RN licensure. Application is a two part process requiring application to the College of Nursing, as well as application to Wayne State University. After an application has been received, the applicant will be sent a username and password to view the status of their application online.

Applications will be reviewed after all required materials have been received and an interview has been conducted. The interview will be scheduled after the college application, goals statement and curriculum vita have been received. Special arrangements can be made for the interview if distance is an issue. After completion of the application process, the Doctoral Program Committee will make an admission decision.

The College’s priority application deadline date is four months prior to the term of desired admission (six months for international applicants). Applications received after the priority deadline date will be considered if space and resources are available.

The Wayne State University Graduate Admissions Office Application Deadlines are listed here.

Application Checklist

Wayne State University Application for Graduate Admission
Application fee, payable to Wayne State University, submitted with the University application
College of Nursing Application for the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions sent directly from the institution to Wayne State University and the College of Nursing
Resume or Curriculum Vita (Include education, work and/or research experience, publications, certifications, licenses, grants, professional affiliations, awards, honors, presentations, and/or courses taught.)
Statement of Goals, on form provided, indicating potential mentors
Official Graduate Record Examination score report (General Test) taken within last five years
Three references from doctorally-prepared individuals, on forms provided
Copy of current RN license

Applicants to Path 2 must have RN licensure in Michigan. The Michigan Board of Nursing requires international students without Michigan licensure to be evaluated or certified by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS), in order to take the licensure examination (NCLEX-RN). Exam instructions are here.

All application materials should be sent to:

Wayne State University College of Nursing		Contact Information:
Office of Student Affairs, Room 10		nursinginfo@wayne.edu
5557 Cass Avenue		Phone: 313 577-4082
Detroit, MI 48202		Toll Free: 888 837-0847
		Fax: 313 577-6949

Nursing Home Doctors

Benefits

Find A Nursing Home Physician

Resources

Many people are surprised to learn that their family physician may not be available to see them when they enter a nursing home. Matrix Medical Network is a physician group started to help patients and families receive the best possible medical care when the are in a nursing home--whether they are entering a nursing home for a short stay for rehabilitation or for a long stay as a resident. Matrix physicians do not have traditional offices, but spend their days in the nursing homes supporting patients and families.

To learn how Matrix can help you, please call us at 1-877-5NH-DOCs.

Careers in Nursing

Adventure, life-and-death challenges, independence, good pay, and the flexibility to choose from thousands of career options. That's "Today's Nurse."

Opportunities for nurses have never been better and the demand for nurses has never been higher!

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger introduced the California Nurse Education Initiative on April 13, 2005. The initiative is a five-point plan to reduce California's critical nursing shortage.

"Nurses are people of compassion and courage," the Governor stated. "Their profession is a labor of love and without them we simply could not deliver quality care for patients."

"With this new initiative we are going to improve the quality of health care everywhere in our state. We are going to provide more classes, more teachers and more resources to expand the ranks of nurses in California," the Governor said.

The Governor announced his initiative after a tour of the Sutter Center for Health Professional's clinical learning lab, surrounded by health care professionals and future nurses.

Visit the links below to learn how you can enter the exciting profession of nursing.

Rabu, 14 Mei 2008

Why Aren't You In Heaven Yet?

by: Mike Fletcher

The only reason we remain on earth is to serve God.

Ever wondered why, once you became a Christian, God has left you here? Why he hasn’t taken you to heaven?

The reason is clear. The Bible tells us we are left here for a reason. Knowing where we are going, knowing of our divine-set appointment in heaven, we are meantime to do God’s work down here.

Consider the story of a Christian woman named Rebecca O’Connor. When she first saw the horrific images of the 2005 Asian tsunami disaster, she was working the night shift at New York Presbyterian hospital, where she is a pediatric nurse. She said she felt compelled to do something.”

And O’Connor did do something. She flew to Sri Lanka, along with eight other medical professionals, for a two-week medical-relief trip.

Arriving in Sri Lanka, they traveled through 150 miles of destruction before arriving in a downtown area that had been completely devastated. Setting up their clinic in a downtown Sri Lankan mosque, they saw 40 to 100 patients every shift. Respiratory problems and foot and leg wounds caused by stepping on debris when wading through water were the most common ailments treated.

O’Connor and the others soon discovered they were less than a mile away from a local hospital and another large clinic. She questioned a Sri Lankan friend, “Why are people coming to us?”

The friend said, “Because at the hospital someone asks, ‘Name? Age? Complaint?’ and then gives them a sheet of paper and tells them to go wait somewhere. You sit them down, ask them what’s wrong and treat them. You listen to them.”

Rebecca O’Connor summed it up: “It seemed that the most valuable therapy we were providing had nothing to do with antibiotics or wound care. By listening to story after heartbreaking story, admiring pictures of families once happy and healthy, and playing soccer with children who lost everything, we were able to say, ‘We care about you, and we share in your grief,’ without speaking a word.”

See how this principle works?

Like Rebecca O’Connor, are you willing to risk everything, to live boldly as one privileged, charged and empowered to represent Jesus Christ… knowing you have a divine-set appointment in heaven?

Is There An Attorney In The House?

Corporate law has a long history in the United States dating back to Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson when the government of our then evolving country was being centralized. With the country growing, it became apparent that decisions were needed pertaining to power within states, citizen involvement, public affairs, and so on. The challenge at that time was that Hamilton strongly believed there should be a central government or industrialized nation. However, Jefferson had a different idea, believing an agrarian nation would work best.

When the Federal Constitution was established in the late 18th century, it had no mention of corporations. During this time, most “corporations” were actually British chartered institutions or those associated with education. However, over the years, financial institutions, colleges, and other new types of corporate entities formed. With no laws in place, states had to fend for themselves, making the best decisions possible, although not consistent among each other. A pivotal moment occurred when a college brought forward a lawsuit to have the right to recognize itself along with the ability to terminate professors. John Marshall, a private lawyer spearheaded the case. This particular case among others helped solidify the need and validity of attorney services.

While a number of other similar lawsuits were filed during the early part of the 19th century, it was during the Industrial Revolution when things really began to change. This era brought with it new ideologies, techniques, and inventions. To protect the rights of these innovations, the need for corporate attorneys rose. Another major change occurred during the Civil War in which manufacturing practices exploded. Again, to protect this massive growth along with the people in power within the corporations, lawyers were kept very busy. The railroad and the significant impact upon transportation and its continuing advances also furthered the need for complex legal support.

In the new and growing world, attorneys enjoyed a position of respect and power. The country was founded by men of law and until the 20th century the profession was honored. Legal professionals were seen as valuable experts.

In today’s world, the nation’s leaders are still by and large men and women of law. However, the public enjoys a love/hate relationship with attorneys viewing them as a necessary evil. What has changed?

In the 18th and 19th century legal disputes were largely confined to business issues. People did not routinely sue one another for personal loss, injury or even divorce. As the law became more accessible to the public at large, the caliber of professionals also changed. Divorce attorneys became reviled for winning large settlements, personal injury lawyers were labeled ambulance chasers and unethical attorneys assisted in black market adoptions. Unfortunately, the entire legal profession suffered from guilt by association.

Billing practices may have also led to the negative perception of attorneys. Hourly billing did not appropriately show clients value but instead set them up to question being on the clock for every phone call and letter written. Being billed by the hour put the client in an adversarial position rather than one of mutual partnership further degrading the view of the legal profession.

Although corporate attorneys do not have as bad of a reputation as trial lawyers do, they too have their battles. In house counsel is often seen as a hindrance to business rather than a partner in the business. Sales teams view the Legal Department as obstructions to closing a deal and even Executives sometimes believe that they must “outsmart” Legal in order to grow the business.

However, Legal does not have to be the enemy! When you consider standard business needs such as negotiations, contracts, pricing structures, and risk management combined with the new challenges brought on by the internet, such as internet fraud, identity theft, and email scams, it is easy to understand the demand and necessity of corporate attorneys. In addition to these business challenges, the law itself continues to change. Bankruptcy is an example. Two years ago, filing for bankruptcy was relatively easy but today, new laws have made this practice difficult. Corporate attorneys must stay abreast of all changes, which can be overwhelming.

Legal counsel does not exist to prevent business but to contribute to growing the business. By making Legal a partner rather than an adversary, you can increase the organization’s opportunities and aggressively drive the business forward. You may even find yourself doing lunch with a lawyer, off the clock of course!

Dean Martin

When singers Dean Martin and Sonny King were first starting out, they had little money. They would go to a restaurant that served 2 donuts, coffee, and orange juice for a nickel.

Sonny stayed outside while Dean ate one donut, half the coffee and juice. Then Sonny would go in and say, 'Hey Dean, you've got an important call.' Dean would say, 'Okay, why don't you finish my breakfast.' which Sonny did.

After doing this several times, the manager caught on and said, 'Hey, you guys don't have to do this. Just come in together and I'll serve you both for a nickel. You can pay me back sometime in the future.

Years later, Dean and Sonny searched for the manager and gave him $25,000 each.

A nice story, with many morals, for the new year.

Traditional Labor Law in a Non-Union Setting

Traditional Labor Law in a Nonunion Setting

I. Introduction

Employers who don’t have union employees amongst their ranks often do not realize a need to even consider the application of the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA” or “the Act”) on their employment decisions. However, despite the absence of a union, an employer may find itself before the National Labor Relations Board (the “Board”), charged with what the Board deems a clear violation of the Act.

The Board and the courts have expanded the view of what, under the Act, constitutes protected behavior in the workplace. NLRA protections traditionally found applicable to union employees have been extended to nonunion employees. Nonunion employers must, therefore, develop a knowledge and understanding of traditional labor law concepts as they apply to employee-relation matters such as investigations, discipline and policies.

II. Defining Section 7 Rights under the NLRA

When discussing the rights and protections of nonunion employers under the federal labor laws one must first understand the source of these protections. Section 7 of the Act, which has historically been the source of nonunion employee protections under the NLRA states in relevant part that –

Employees shall have the right to . . . engage in . . . concerted activities for the purpose of . . . mutual aid or protection . . . .

See 29 U.S.C. § 157. As this section has been interpreted by the Board and the courts, an employee’s right to engage in concerted activity for mutual aid and protection in the workplace goes beyond their right to simply engage in union related activity. Section 7 of the Act guarantees employees the right to engage in concerted activities for the purpose of mutual aid or protection and Section 8(a)(1) of the Act enforces this guarantee by making it unlawful for an employer to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of their Section 7 rights. These guarantees and protections have been afforded equally to nonunion employees and union employees and a collective bargaining agreement need not be in effect for the Act to apply. See NLRB v. McEver Engineering, Inc., 784 F.2d 634 (5th Cir. 1986), citing E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. v. NLRB, 707 F.2d 1076, 1078 (9th Cir. 1983); and NLRB v. Columbia University, 541 F.2d 922, 931 (2nd Cir. 1976). Employees' activities are protected by Section 7 if they might reasonably be expected to affect their terms or conditions of employment. Brown & Root, Inc. v. NLRB, 634 F.2d 816 (5th Cir. 1981). Thus, when an employer disciplines or terminates an employee for exercising his or her Section 7 rights, whether the activity is union related or not, it is deemed an unfair labor practice.

A. Concerted Behavior

In order to be covered by the protections of the Act, an employee’s actions must be both “concerted” and for “mutual aid and protection” as these items have been interpreted by the Board and the courts. Historically, employees covered by collective bargaining agreements, “union employees,” have found greater favor with the Board and the courts in the determination as to whether they have engaged in “concerted” behavior. This is justified primarily because an individual employee’s invocation of a right protected by a collective bargaining agreement is believed an integral part of the process that gave rise to the agreement, and thus, a concerted activity in a very real sense. See Meyers Industries, 281 NLRB 882, 884, 1986 WL 54414 (NLRB Sep 30, 1986). A second rationale is the individual’s assertion of a right under a collective bargaining agreement is assumed to affect the rights of all employees covered by the agreement. Id. at 885; see also Melissa K. Stull, Annotation, Spontaneous or Informal Activities of Employees as “Concerted Activities, Within Meaning of §7 of National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C.A. §157), 107 A.L.R. FED. 244, n.17 (1992).

In a nonunion setting, however, to find an employee’s actions to be “concerted” it is generally required that the employee be engaged in activity “with or on the authority of other employees, and not solely by and on behalf of the employee himself.” Meyers Industries, supra, 281 NLRB 882, 884, 1986 WL 54414 (NLRB Sep 30, 1986). To be protected as a concerted action under the NLRA, however, it is not necessary that an employee be appointed by fellow employees to represent their interests. The relevant inquiry is whether an individual employee acted with the purpose of furthering group goals. See NLRB v. Caval Tool Div., Chromalloy Gas Turbine Corp., 262 F.3d 184 (2nd Cir. 2001). Thus, while the conduct of a single employee can constitute concerted activity and such behavior may include actions by employees who initiate group activity or act as spokespersons for other employees on a matter of common concern, for nonunion employees to act in concert they must generally act as a group or for the benefit of the group. Even if job-related, individual gripes with an employer are not generally protected by Section 7 because this is not “concerted” activity. See Nancy J. King, Labor Law for Managers of Nonunion Employees in Traditional and Cyber Workplaces, 40 Am. Bus. L.J. 827 (2003). It is also important to note that concerted activity may involve organized employee protests, as well as, more spontaneous informal employee conduct. See Stull, supra, 107 A.L.R. FED. 244

B. Mutual Aid and Protection

Regardless of the concerted nature of employee activity, however, in order to find protection under the provisions of Section 7, the activity must be for “mutual aid and protection.” The Supreme Court in Eastex, Inc. v. NLRB concluded that the mutual aid and protection clause of Section 7 extended the Act’s protection beyond activities involving unions and collective bargaining. Eastex, Inc. v. NLRB, 98 S.Ct. 2505 (U.S.Tex. 1978). Thus, even if it is not union-related, Section 7 protects employees who engage in concerted activity for the “mutual aid and protection” of other employees. The court in Eastex went so far as to find that Section 7 extends to employee efforts “to improve terms and conditions of employment or otherwise improve their lot as employees through channels outside the immediate employee-employer relationship.” Thus, protection is even afforded employees who seek to improve their working conditions through “administrative and judicial forums” and through “appeals to legislators to protect their interests as employees.” Id.

C. Limitations on Protections for Certain Conduct

The courts have carved out exceptions to Section 7 protection for certain employee conduct. For instance, employees who falsely and publicly disparage their employer or its products and services will not enjoy the Act’s protections when engaging in such conduct. See St. Luke’s Episcopal-Presbyterian Hospital, Inc. v. NLRB, 268 F.3d 575 (8th Cir. 2001) [The employee, a nurse, appeared on a local television news broadcast and accused the employer hospital of jeopardizing the health of mothers and babies by altering the shift assignments and responsibilities of the registered nurse assistants in labor and delivery]. “[T]here is a point where [an employee’s] methods of engaging in [protected activity] would take them outside the protection of the Act.” Id. at 581, quoting NLRB v. Red Top, Inc., 455 F.2d 721, 726 (8th Cir. 1972). Thus, if an employee is terminated because he or she has made false and disparaging public statements regarding their employer, no refuge will be afforded them under the Act.

In Carleton College v. NLRB, 230 F.3d 1075, 1080-81 (8th Cir. 2000), the employee, an adjunct professor and organizer of a committee of adjunct professors, became sarcastic and vulgar during a meeting being held with the dean of the college to discuss the school’s professional expectations. The professor expressed a disloyalty to the school and refused to commit to abiding by the school’s professional expectations. As a result, the dean decided not to offer him a contract. While it was determined that the professor was engaged in concerted activity, on appeal the Eighth Circuit held that “misconduct that is ‘flagrant or render[s] the employee unfit for employment’ is unprotected.” Factors to be considered in this regard include “the nature of the misconduct, the nature of the workplace, and the effect of the misconduct on the employer’s authority.” Id. at 1081. Thus, employee conduct, though concerted, may not be protected if it is of such an extreme nature that it renders that employer’s authority to protect its own business interests void.

An additional area of concerted employee activity where an employee may find his conduct unprotected involves employee work stoppages. In cases where a group of employees refuse to work while on the employer’s premises, the Board and the courts will balance the employees’ rights under Section 7 with the employer’s property rights. The court generally will find a violation of Section 7 rights when an employer simply fires employees acting in concert because they will not return to work, however, an employer who fires employees because they will not leave the workplace after refusing to work may not violate Section 7 protections. Molon Motor and Coil Corp. v. NLRB, 965 F.2d 523, 526 (7th Cir. 1992).

In some cases, however, involving employee walk outs, the Board and the courts have considered the nature and specific circumstances of the walk outs to be the determining factors. In Vemco, Inc. v. NLRB, 79 F.3d 526 (6th Cir. 1996), involving a walk out by nonunion employees to protest the chaotic condition of the workplace after remodeling, the Sixth Circuit refused enforcement of a Board decision finding protected activity, emphasizing that the employees were not required to work in the specific location and had made no cognizable demand for any change in working conditions or employment terms. In Magic Finishing Co., 323 NLRB 234 (1997), however, the Board found that three employees engaged in protected concerted activity when they walked out in protest of their unbearably hot working conditions. The Board distinguished the court’s decision in Vemco on the basis that these three employees were required to work under oppressive conditions, which they protested by walking out. Id.; see also Patrick Hardin, The Developing Labor Law, 188 -89 (4th ed.)

III. Specific Areas of Concern

A. Weingarten Rights and the Path to IBM Corp.

In the case of NLRB v. J. Weingarten, 420 U.S. 251, 257 -58 (1975), a well settled rule was established that, pursuant to rights established by Section 7 of the Act, a union employee is entitled to have a union representative present in an investigatory interview with his or her employer when the employee may reasonably believe that the meeting may result in discipline. Seven years later in Materials Research Corp., 262 NLRB 1010 (1982), the Board extended this right to employees in a nonunion setting. In that case, the Board relied on the fact that Weingarten emphasized that the right to assistance of a representative is derived from the Section 7 protection afforded to concerted activity, rather than from a union’s right pursuant to Section 9 of the Act as the employee’s representative for collective bargaining. Thus, the Board in Materials Research Corp. determined that the ability to avail oneself of this protection does not depend on whether the employees are represented by a union. Id. at 677. The ruling in Materials Research Corp was short lived, however, as in Sears, Roebuck & Co., 274 NLRB 230 (1985), the Board overruled Materials Research Corp. and held that Weingarten principles do not apply in circumstances where there is no certified or recognized union. In the Sears case, the Board rejected the prior decisions reliance on the fact that Weingarten rights are based on Section 7, and focused on Section 9 rights pertaining to collective bargaining authority exclusive to unionized settings. The Board stated “[t]he Weingarten rule, in a unionized setting, is wholly consistent with established principles of labor management relations. Thus, pursuant to Section 9 and related provisions of our Act, a duly recognized or certified union is vested with the exclusive authority to represent unit employees and deal with the employer on all matters involving terms and conditions of employment, including wages, hours, benefits, and discipline. Accordingly, if an employer seeks to take an action that affects any of its employees’ terms and conditions of employment, it must recognize the union’s legitimate representational rights and, therefore, it is not free to deal with the employees on an individual basis over the employees’ objections. ... When no union is present, however, the imposition of Weingarten rights upon employee interviews wreak havoc with fundamental provisions of the Act.” Id. at 230-31.

Later in E.I. DuPont & Co., 289 NLRB 627 (1988) the Board maintained the position taken in Sears, but expanded its reasoning and analysis. The Board in DuPont stated that even in a union setting when employees engage in concerted activity for mutual aid and protection, such activity is not without limitations. The Board must balance the employer’s interests in maintaining “discipline in their establishments” against employees’ interests in engaging in the activities covered by the broad language of Section 7.” The Board went on to review the courts considerations in Weingarten when balancing the competing interests in that case. Id. at 629. The Board determined that in a nonunion setting, several of the Weingarten interests favoring recognition of the rights established therein are either not present or less compelling in a nonunion setting. The Board pointed to the following considerations in Weingarten: 1) A union representative present at an investigatory interview might be able to safeguard “not only the particular employee’s interest, but also the interests of the entire bargaining unit. 2) A knowledgeable union representative could assist the employer in eliciting favorable facts that an inarticulate employee lacking experience in such matters might be too fearful or unable to mention. 3) A union representative may save the employer time in the investigatory process and likewise act as a factor conducive to the avoidance of formal grievances through the medium of discussion and persuasion conducted at the threshold of an impending grievance. 4) Permitting a union representative at an investigatory interview is in full harmony with actual industrial practice, noting that such rights are often provided for in collective bargaining agreements. The Board found that these considerations in a nonunion setting are either much less likely to be achieved or are irrelevant. Id. at 629. Thus, the board affirmed the position held in Sears.

The Board’s position in Sears and DuPont lasted for the next 15 years when in the case of In Re Epilepsy Foundation of Northeast Ohio, 331 NLRB 676, 677 (NLRB 2000), the Board again reversed course, rejecting the rationale of Sears and DuPont, and finding renewed favor with the Materials Research analysis. The Board in Epilepsy Foundation stated that “the Board was correct in Materials Research to attach much significance to the fact that the court’s Weingarten decision found that the right was grounded in the language of Section 7 of the Act, specifically the right to engage in ‘concerted activities for the purpose of mutual aid or protection.’” Id. at 678. Epilepsy Foundation found that the rationale of Materials Research is equally applicable in circumstances where employees are not represented by a union, for in these circumstances the right to have a coworker present at an investigatory interview also greatly enhances the employee’s opportunities to act in concert to address their concern ‘that the employer does not initiate or continue a practice of imposing punishment unjustly.’ Thus, affording Weingarten rights to employees in these circumstances effectuates the policy that ‘Section 7 rights are enjoyed by all employees and are in no wise dependant on union representation for their implementation.’” Id. at 678, quoting Glomac Plastics, Inc. 234 NLRB 1309, 1311 (1978). On appeal of Epilepsy Foundation to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, the court agreed with the Board and found that “the presence of a coworker gives an employee a potential witness, advisor, and advocate in an adversarial situation, and ideally, militates against the imposition of unjust punishment by the employer. Epilepsy Foundation v. NLRB, 268 F.3d 1095, 1102 (D.C. Cir. 2001).

The Board’s ruling in Epilepsy Foundation, however, has recently found disfavor with the current Board, falling again to reasoning similar to that expressed in the DuPont case. On June 9, 2004, the Board in IBM Corporation and Kenneth Paul Schult, Robert William Bannon and Steven Parsley, 341 NLRB No. 148 (NLRB 2004), overturned Epilepsy Foundation. Thus, as before, in a nonunion environment, an employee’s request for a co-worker’s presence during an investigatory interview need not be honored regardless of the employee’s belief that disciplinary action may result.

Many would surmise that this latest change in the Board’s position, as hypothesized regarding changes in the past, is more a result of the change in political administrations, than anything else. The Board in IBM, however, predicated its ruling on many of the ideals expressed in DuPont, as well as, some additional concerns that had been raised in and since Epilepsy Foundation. After first finding that the Board’s position in both DuPont and Epilepsy Foundation with regard to Weingarten rights represent permissible interpretations of the Act, the Board stated that it has the discretion and the “duty to choose amongst permissible interpretations of the Act to best effectuate its overarching goals.” IBM, supra, quoting Slaughter v. NLRB, 794 F.2d 120 (1986).

With a rationale based in notions of a changed workplace environment and new security concerns raised by incidents of national and workplace violence, the Board stated that the “features of the contemporary workplace leads us to conclude that an employer must be allowed to conduct its required investigations in a thorough, sensitive, and confidential manner. This can best be accomplished by permitting an employer in a nonunion setting to investigate an employee without the presence of a coworker.” IBM, supra.

For some time, severe criticisms have been raised regarding the practical implications of Epilepsy Foundation’s mandate for representation in nonunion employee interviews. As Section 7 rights under Epilepsy Foundation also prohibited the employer from interfering in the employee’s choice of coworker representative, an employee could take advantage of his right to representation to collude with a coworker on a story to impede the employer’s investigation attempts. While an employer could forego the interview in such situation and give the employee the option of either going forward with the interview alone or not being interviewed at all, such a course of action could cost the employer its ability to conduct a complete investigation. In a sexual harassment context, this could have the effect of subjecting the employer to liability for failure to conduct a thorough investigation. Thus, during Epilepsy Foundation’s reign, an employer had to carefully consider its course of action in this regard. See Epilepsy Foundation, supra, at 695. But see Pacific Gas & Elec. Co., 253 NLRB 1143, 1143-44 (1981) (An employee’s right to choose a representative was limited to the extent that the coworker was willing to be a representative and the coworker must be available. If the coworker was unavailable or unwilling to participate, under Epilepsy Foundation, the employee was required to choose another who was available and/or willing to participate. The employee could not delay the interview while waiting for a desired coworker representative). In IBM, the Board gave voice to these concerns, as well as, concern regarding the need for confidentiality in the investigation process. IBM, supra. The Board, in conclusion, found that, on balance, the right of an employee to a coworker’s presence in the absence of a union is outweighed by an employer’s right to conduct prompt, efficient, thorough, and confidential workplace investigations. Id.

B. Employee Handbooks Prohibitions

An area of Section 7 protection in the nonunion environment often overlooked by employers involves employer policies contained in handbooks and other employee literature which prohibit various types of employee conduct. Policies that prohibit employee conduct considered to be concerted protected activity will be found an unfair labor practice.

In Kinder-Care Learning Centers, Inc., 299 NLRB 1171 (1990), an employer maintained a policy within its employee handbook restricting employee communications to third parties and requiring that employees first bring their work-related complaints to the attention of the employer’s “center director” or process them through the employer provided complaint procedure. The policy also stated that an employee’s failure to follow this policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. The Board determined that although the rule did not on its face prohibit employees from approaching someone other than the employer concerning work-related complaints, it provided that the employee first report such issues to the employer or risk subjection to discipline. Thus, the employer’s rule did not merely state a preference that employees follow its policy, it required compliance and such a rule reasonably tended to inhibit employees from bringing work-related complaints to, and seeking redress from, entities other than the employer, and restrained the employees’ Section 7 rights to engage in concerted activities for collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection. Id. at 1172. the Board found this policy to be unlawful.

1. Confidentiality and Wage Secrecy Policies

In Phoenix Transit System, 337 NLRB No. 78 (2002), the Board held that employees have a Section 7 right to discuss sexual harassment complaints among themselves and that employer policies that restrict such discussions will violate the Act. In this case the rule was originally promulgated during an active investigation which ended in two weeks, but was applied and enforced as a result of separate events that occurred at a later date. The rule prohibited discussion even among the affected employees whom the respondent initially assembled at a meeting to solicit information concerning the complaint. Under these circumstances, the Board found that the employer, having failed to provide a sufficient justification for maintaining the rule, violated the Act.

Compare Phoenix Transit System, however, to Caesar’s Palace, 336 NLRB No. 19 (2001), where the Board found that the employer did not violate Section 8(a)(1) by maintaining and enforcing a confidentiality rule during an ongoing investigation of alleged illegal drug activity, where the confidentiality directive was given to each employee who was separately interviewed, the investigation involved allegations of a management cover-up and possible management retaliation, as well as threats of violence, and the confidentiality rule was intended to ensure that witnesses were not put in danger, evidence was not destroyed, and testimony was not fabricated. Clearly, upon circumstances where such rules are enforced during the period of an active investigation with sufficient justification, the Board may find the rule unlawful. Here again, the Board is engaging in a balancing of interests, determining whether the exercise of Section 7 rights by employees is outweighed by an employer’s legitimate business interests.

More recently in Double Eagle Hotel & Casino And International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local No. 113, 341 NLRB No. 17 (2004), the employer’s handbook contained, among other things, a rule prohibiting the disclosure of confidential information to other employees. The types of information considered by the policy to be confidential included disciplinary information, grievance/complaint information, performance evaluations, salary information, salary grade, types of pay increases, and termination data for employees who have left the company. The policy further provided that any breach or violation of the policy would lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination. The Board stated that the appropriate inquiry is “whether the rules would reasonably tend to chill employees in the exercise of their Section 7 rights. Where the rules are likely to have a chilling effect on Section 7 rights, the Board may conclude that their maintenance is an unfair labor practice, even absent evidence of enforcement.” Id., quoting Lafayette Park Hotel, 326 NLRB 824, 825 (1998). Considering the unambiguous statement in the policy of what items may not be discussed and the explicit warning of discipline, the Board found the handbook policies plainly infringed upon Section 7 rights and violated Section 8(a)(1). The policy’s plainly stated prohibition against the discussion of wages and work related issues between employees represented a clear violation of the Act of which any employer should be wary.

2. No-Solicitation/Distribution Policies

Employees have long been held to have rights pursuant to Section 7 to engage in union activity in the form of solicitation and distribution of material. See Republic Aviation Corp. v. NLRB, 324 US 793 (1945). This Section 7 right, as with others, will extend to a nonunion workplace when employees engage in concerted activity in the form of solicitation and/or distribution of materials for the purpose of mutual aid and protection. Employees are entitled to engage in solicitation in work and non-work areas when the activity occurs on non-working time. See Republic Aviation Corp., at 803. Employees are entitled to engage in distribution of literature regarding protected concerted activities on non-working time, but only in non-working areas. See Stoddard-Quirk Manufacturing Co. 138 NLRB 615, 616 (1962).

Applying the balancing of interests used by the Board in most Section 7 cases, the Board has generally determined that a no solicitation rule is unlawful if it unduly restricts the Section 7 activities of employees during periods and in places where these activities do not interfere with the employer’s operations. See Our Way, Inc., 268 NLRB 394 (1983), and Laidlaw Transit, Inc., 315 NLRB 79, 82 (1994). For example, rules which prohibit employees’ concerted activities, including solicitation to sign union authorization cards, on break-times or mealtimes are overly restrictive of employees’ Section 7 rights to self-organization, and are unlawful. Rules which require employees to get approval from the employer for solicitations are also overly restrictive of employee rights, and are unlawful. See In Re Adtranz, 331 NLRB 291 (2000), citing Opryland Hotel, 323 NLRB 723, 728 (1997), and Baldor Electric Co., 245 NLRB 614 (1979).

C. Prohibitions Against Electronic Communications

Policies that prohibit employees from accessing the Internet on company computer systems or that restrict the use of various email communications may violate the Act if such actions involve concerted activity for mutual aid and protection. Of course, the Board, here as in other areas of Section 7 protection, engages in a balancing of employee rights against an employer’s valid property rights. Thus, an employer’s implicit property rights, in many cases, will justify “business use only policies.”

In the case of In Re Adtranz, 331 NLRB 291 (2000), the employer’s policy provided that –

Employees may uses hardware/software and electronic corporate mail systems provided by the company for business use only. The company reserves the right to access and inspect file contents within the file storage and messaging systems to insure the systems are not being misused. Where required for business purposes, the company may access and inspect either the file storage systems or the message system and review, copy, or delete any files or messages and disclose the information in both systems to others.

In review of this policy, the Board first considered its prior decisions involving the use of company bulletin boards. “It is well established that there is no statutory right of an employee or union to use an employer’s bulletin board.” Id., citing Honeywell, Inc., 262 NLRB 1402 (1982); Container Corp., 244 NLRB 318 (1979). “An employer has a right to restrict the use of company bulletin boards. However, that right may not be exercised discriminatorily so as to restrict postings of union materials.” Id., citing J.C. Penny, Inc., 322 NLRB 238 (1996); Guardian Industries Corp., 313 NLRB 1275 (1994). Similarly, the Board has determined that there is no statutory right of an employee or a union to use an employer’s telephone for personal or non-business purposes. However, once an employer grants the privilege of occasional personal use of the telephone during work-time, it may not lawfully exclude union activities as a subject of discussion. Id., citing Union Carbide Corp., 259 NLRB 974 (1981); see also Guardian Industries Corp., 313 NLRB 1275 (1994). Considering its history, the Board in Adtranz analogously found that the employer could bar its computers and email system use consistent with the Board’s previous decisions, so long as not barred discriminatorily against Section 7 activity.

While the view expressed in Adtranz is the generally recognized position of the Board, it is not difficult to contemplate a situation in today’s electronically driven workplace environment where even if the policy is enforced in a nondiscriminatory way, if the policy has the effect of prohibiting Section 7 activity, it may still be found to violate the Act. Specifically, if the workplace is such that the only available form of employee communication is via the employer’s computer or email system, an employer’s business use only policy may restrict Section 7 solicitation to such a degree that the Board finds the policy unlawful. See Nancy J. King, Labor Law for Managers of Nonunion Employees in Traditional and Cyber Workplaces, 40 Am. Bus. L.J. 827 (2003).

Breast Feeding or Bottle Feeding Your New Baby

Breastfeeding Is Natural

Babies need to eat often — every 90 minutes to two hours. Feed your baby when she begins to show signs of hunger, such as rooting or sucking on her lips, fingers or fist. Try to feed her before she cries. Feeding your baby often won’t spoil her. It will help you learn to become more aware of your baby’s needs.

Don’t limit feeding times. Babies need different amounts of food at different times of the day, just as grown people do.

Relax! Take your time. The more you nurse your baby, the more milk you will have. Do not give your baby formula or water. If you do, you will make less milk. If you think you do not have enough milk, nurse more often and nurse longer.

To learn more about breastfeeding, you may want to contact your local health department, WIC clinic, hospital, La Leche league or doctor. You can call La Leche league at 1-800-LALECHE, or visit their Web site at www.lalecheleague.org/.

Breastfeeding is natural, but it takes a little time for babies and mothers to learn what works best for them. You may have sore nipples when you first start breastfeeding. The pain can be reduced if your baby is held properly when attached to the breast.

Here are some useful tips:

• Hold your baby’s tummy to your tummy, baby’s chin to your breast. You can do this sitting or lying down. Hold your breast in a “C-hold,” with your thumb on top and fingers underneath. Tickle your baby’s lips with your nipple until her mouth opens wide. Quickly bring her onto the breast. Allow the tip of your baby’s nose and chin to touch the breast.

• Make sure your baby’s mouth covers your entire nipple and much of the darker part around the nipple. Your baby’s upper and lower lips should be rolled out. If the lips are not rolled out, break the suction by slipping your finger between the baby’s gums and your breast. Then latch the baby on again.

• Offer your baby both breasts at each feeding. Your baby will tell you when she is finished by “falling off” the breast.

• After feeding, rub a few drops of breast milk onto your nipples. Let them air dry. Then cover the nipple with nursing pads, a bra or clothing. This will help keep them from getting too dry.

Your nipples may be tender in the first few days of breastfeeding. This is common. By and large, tenderness goes away once the milk begins to flow. If you have a lot of pain, call a breastfeeding counselor or your doctor. Your doctor or counselors can also help if you have cracked or bleeding nipples. If it doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t right.

If you are out with your baby, you can still breastfeed. You may want to take along a receiving blanket or shawl with which to cover up.

If you have to be away from your baby, you can still give her breast milk. You can withdraw or “express” breast milk by hand or with a breast pump into a sterile container. Then someone else can give it to her in a bottle.

It is important for you to have adequate, high-quality nutrition and drink enough water. You should avoid drugs while breastfeeding unless the doctor specifically tells you to take a certain medication even though you are breastfeeding.

Tips on Bottle Feeding

If you bottle-feed your baby, ask your doctor what kind of formula is best for her. There are three ways formula is sold:

• Powdered formula is the cheapest. You have to mix the powder with sterilized water.

• Concentrated formula is a liquid, but it is thick and must be mixed with sterilized water. It costs more than powdered formula.

• Ready-to-feed formula comes already mixed with water. It costs the most but is the easiest to use.

Follow formula-mixing instructions carefully. There is a date on the formula. Don't use the formula after this date. The formula will not be safe to give to your baby after this date.

Wash reusable bottles made of plastic or glass. Also wash all equipment used to prepare formula. Use hot soapy water. Rinse the bottles in clean tap water. Then boil them five minutes in a covered pot or sterilizer.

To prepare formula, boil water for five minutes and cool it before mixing it with powdered or concentrated formula. If you are using bottles with disposable liners, throw away the liner after use. Store prepared formula in the refrigerator and use it within 48 hours.

Heat a bottle of formula by running hot water over it. Never heat formula in the microwave. It can get too hot. Check the temperature by shaking a few drops on your wrist. When it feels warm (not hot) on your wrist, it is cool enough to give to your baby.

When feeding your baby, hold her head a little higher than her tummy. Hold the bottom of the bottle up so that the nipple stays full of formula. This way, your baby doesn't swallow air and spit up. Never prop the bottle, because your baby could choke. Always hold your baby while you feed her. Throw out any formula left in the bottle after a feeding.

Feeding time is more than just satisfying your baby’s hunger. It is also a time to bond with and get to know your infant. Dad, grandparents and other family members can bond too by feeding and cuddling the baby.

The Truth about Childbirth and Labor

by: Suzanne Doyle-Ingram

Labor and childbirth was an amazing, positive experience for me, both times. I am very fortunate, I know. But I do believe that if you prepare yourself through education (reading books, reading websites like this one, taking prenatal classes, etc) and taking good care of yourself while you are pregnant, you will have a far greater chance of a pleasant birth experience.

There are many things you can do to increase your chances of an empowering childbirth experience. These are the things I did:

Pregnancy yoga classes

Regular Chiropractic care

Chose a Midwife instead of a doctor

Hired a doula to be with me through the labor and birth

Took high quality vitamins, folic acid and natural iron supplements (made by Flora, derived from natural sources, not metal)

Took a 18 hour prenatal class from a former midwife (NOT at a hospital)

Lastly, I believed, truly believed that my body knew what it was doing. I was not scared at all. I knew in my heart of hearts that pregnancy is a healthy state of being, and that my body would know exactly what to do when the time came. And it did!

So many people seem to enjoy telling stories of excruciating pain during childbirth. Others will tell you their labor was 87 hours long! I do not know why women do this to each other. Yes, I will grant you, labor is painful. But it is also powerful and incredible what your body can achieve!

One important note: I am Canadian, and our medical system is much different than the United States. BUt I am aware that most visitors to my website are American, so that is why I often try to include American statistics and information. One major difference between our two countries is that midwives in most parts of Canada have hospital privleges, i.e. they are allowed to deliver babies in hospitals. They perform essentially the same procedures as doctors, except they do not perform surgery. Whereas doctors view childbirth in terms of what can go wrong, midwives see childbirth as a natural process and medical intervention is only necessary in the event of an emergency.

I had many questions before I gave birth the first time, and the following onformation is what I leaned about labor and child birth. I am not a doctor, and I have no medical training whatsoever, so please ask your own doctor for clarification or more information.

Am I going to be pregnant forever?

In terms of when the average woman gives birth, a woman's due date is determined to be 40 weeks after her last menstrual period, which is about 280 days. Most women deliver very near their due date, but anywhere from 38 weeks to 42 weeks is normal. You know you are in labor when you have strong (generally more painful than period cramps) contractions, five minutes apart, which last for a full minute. The first stage of labor is the longest and that is when your cervix dilates from 0 to 10 centimetres and becomes thinned out (or "effaced"). The second stage of labor is the pushing stage, which begins after you are fully dilated. The third stage of labor is after your baby is born and you deliver the placenta.

I was worried that my water would break in the supermarket and I would be mortified. However, the bag of water, (the membrane that surrounds the fetus and protects it during your whole pregnancy), contains amniotic fluid and it only breaks at the beginning of labor (mine did) 10% of the time. It does not hurt. You may not even know it has happened, but you may feel warm water on your legs. You feel a tiny "Pop!" and then a little fluid trickles out. It's not a huge gush - I think this is because the baby's head is acting like a cork. Most commonly, about 90% of the time, your water breaks when your cervix is fully dilated. Sometimes your midwife or doctor may break it. When that happens, prostaglandins are released, and contractions become stronger and more regular, and the progress of labor speeds up.

Many women also wonder when they should go to the hospital. Your doctor or midwife will educate you about what they want you to do. Some may want you to phone the hospital as soon as anything happens. A midwife usually comes to your house, so you don't have to plan so much as you would with a doctor. When you get to the hospital, you will need to register at the Maternity Department. Usually you can do this a few months prior - call the hospital where you will deliver and find out. Depending, again, on whether you have a doctor or midwife, a lot of different scenarios can take place. Also what kind of doctor you have: is he or she someone who believes that your body knows what to do? Or will he or she insist that you are given an IV and hooked up to a monitor constantly? You do NOT have to labor this way, but you need to decide before you choose a doctor what is important to you and how you want your experience to be. (A birth plan would be a good option. If you present your birth plan to your doctor and he or she laughs at you - reconsider using that doctor!)

How long does it take?

Every labor is so different, but generally speaking, first labors take about 12 to 24 hours. My first labor was about 10 hours but my midwife said that I was only in "active" labor for 5 hours, which I disagree with because the first 7 hours were not spent sitting around comfortably!

What about the pain? Is it really that bad?

I am not going to lie about it, it is painful, but your body is an amazing machine. I did not take anything for the pain during my labors, but I was very fortunate to have a wonderful doula and husband who supported me throughout. Studies have shown that continuous support during labor decreases the need for pain relief by 60%. See my article entitled "What would I do without my Doula?" here http://www.pregnancy-leads-to-new-babies.com/doula.html.

What's wrong with having an epidural? Why go through the pain if you don't have to?

This is simply my opinion - I am not a doctor, but I have done the research. For me, I was not trying to be a martyr. I just wanted my baby to have the very best chance of being healthy. Generally, it is true to say that epidurals are a safe and effective method of relieving pain in labor, but safe does not mean risk free. There are risks; I would be lying to say there are none. See Thorp, J.A. & Breedlove, G (1996) Epidural Analgesia in Labour: An evaluation of Risks and Benefits 23(2) 63-83.

In terms of risks for your baby, epidurals can cause maternal fever and this can potentially harm your baby. Newborns sometimes also exhibit poor nursing behavior for up to one month. Many newborns exposed to epidural anaesthesia in labor are very sleepy and they would rather sleep than nurse, which can be problematic because the more you nurse at the beginning, the faster your milk will come in and the better your experience will be. It's shocking to me that most women take such exceptional care of their babies while they are pregnant, i.e. no alcohol, no Tylenol, etc., but they willingly expose their babies to drugs during childbirth without fully educating themselves of the risks.

Here's something you want not want to know: Hospital-employed childbirth educators WANT you to have an epidural. Hospitals make a lot of money from epidurals. The nurse often comes into your room and says, “Are you ready for your epidural now?” In the U.S.A, an epidural costs from $500 to $2500, depending on the hospital. The United States spends more money on birth ($50 Billion a year!) than any other nation in the world, without necessarily getting the best results. The average hospital birth costs $8,000 - $10,000 and that doubles for caesareans, providing very nice profits for obstetricians, anaesthesiologists and drug companies. Hospital policies are routinely set based on financial goals. This is a fact, and if you don’t believe it, you are being duped.

Just hear me out on this one: It makes sense, doesn't it? Since midwifery care and doula care reduces the rates of intervention, they also reduce the profit for doctors and hospitals. Of course, they will try to convince you that midwives are dangerous. They want your money!!! That is why, in Canada, where we have arguably the best government-run medical insurance system in the world, governments realised that by allowing midwives to deliver in hospitlas, they are saving millions of dollars.

Back to epidurals (which I am not completely against, by the way! I do believe they are warranted in some cases)If you have an epidural, you must also have a urinary catheter inserted to empty your bladder. Epidurals can cause your blood pressure to decrease, so a nurse will check your blood pressure very often. The nurse or doctor will also periodically rub your abdomen to make sure there is enough paralysis but not so much that your breathing becomes impaired.

There is also a domino effect that plays into it as well - once you have one intervention, you are more at risk for more and more. For example, a woman who has an epidural is FOUR times as likely to have to have a caesarean section. Sometimes it relaxes the pelvis so much that you cannot push out your baby, so the use of Vacuum and forceps are significantly increased. This means you also have to have an episiotomy (where they cut your skin from your vagina to your rectum) in order to get the forceps into your vagina. Sometimes there are complications from episiotomies, as you can well imagine, such as bowel incontinence and urinary incontinence. Note: According to Childbirth practices researcher Katherine Hartmann, MD, PhD, close to 1 million unnecessary episiotomies are performed in the U.S. each year. She says episiotomies are probably medically warranted in fewer than 10% of cases. Currently 1 in 3 American women get episiotomies. Hartmann is director of the Center for Women's Health Research at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

The biggest risk of epidural is death - if the anaesthesiologist injects the wrong dose, or makes a mistake, you're in trouble. You can also be paralysed (in very rare cases, permanently) due to nerve damage. Let me repeat, MOST epidurals are safe, but these are some of the risks you need to be aware of. The evidence of epidural risks is well documented, but it is not readily available.

Don't you think it is easier for the doctor to be able to "control" their patient if they are lying still and quiet in the bed, paralysed and unable to move around? Ask your doctor what percentage of their patients receive an epidural. Can you go one step further and ask them how much money they make if they give an epidural? Or of it makes their job easier if their patient has an epidural? I think that would be very interesting! If he or she has an alarming rate of epidurals, I would seriously consider changing doctors.

If you are still thinking, "I don't care what anybody says, there is no way I am going to go through that pain like some freaky natural childbirth nut", I am here to say that I thought exactly the same way when I was pregnant - at first. But once I did some reading, I thought, wait a second, maybe I could at least try to do it naturally. In my birth plan I wrote that I wanted to try to do it naturally, but if I ask for an epidural, give me one. (Where we live, Midwives can order epidurals.) I also want to say that I do believe that in some cases, epidurals are a really good idea. For example, if you have been laboring a very long time and you need to rest a few hours so that you can gather your energy to push the baby out. I was present at my friend's birth as her support person, and she was not making any progress after about 10 hours. We tried all sorts of positions and everything, but finally her doctor suggested an epidural and I agreed. She was able to rest, and calm down, and then it wore off and she was able to push out her baby without any problems. It was beautiful. (Note: she did not experience any of the above complications.)

Please educate yourself by reading some of the books I recommend on my website. You will feel much better about yourself knowing that you did your research and made the right decision for you. Finally, please take a GOOD prenatal class (not one offered at a hospital) and read as much as you can so that you are prepared and educated. It's your body and your baby!

What School Nurses Do

The medical care that children receive at school never is included in the public health descriptions of child health care utilization patterns. Researchers in this study note that there are many reasons for school-based health services: higher portions of working parents, increased out-patient management of chronic illness, shorter hospital stays, higher rates of immigration, and larger numbers of children dependent on medical technology who are mainstreamed into regular classrooms. Three years ago, a literature review cited 15 articles that described school nurse-led interventions. These interventions led to positive health outcomes such as: higher rates of immunizations, lower rates of injuries at school, and lower asthma severity. School-based health centers have also been associated with better health outcomes and reduced school absences.

In this study (performed in 2001/2002), individual student encounters with schools nurses at Boston Public Schools were studied. This school district had over 63 thousand children of whom 71% were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. The district’s student population was comprised predominantly of minorities (48% black, 28% Hispanic, and 9% Asian).

Results demonstrated the following: Most encounters were episodic care (58%) and of these, most were illness assessments (34%), first aid (20%), and health education (18%). Other encounters were medication administration (32%). Of these, most were psychotropic agents (71%) and asthma medications (16%). Blood glucose assessments (25%), blood pressure measurement (22%) and peak flow assessment (17%) were the most frequent evaluations. The average student without an individualized health care plan (IHCP) had 7 episodic and screening encounters with a school nurse per year. Almost 4% of the student population had an IHCP and these students averaged 118 encounters per year. On an average month, school nurses provided 12 classroom presentations and 4 support groups. After an encounter, 11% were followed by verbal communication with a parent, 4% with a school staff, and 1% with a physician.

(Schainker E, et al, Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2005; 159:83-87.)

Comment: How comparable is this with your school district? In Boston, 63 thousand students attend 131 schools. There are 93.5 (full-time equivalent) school nurse and an additional 10 of what the district calls ”paraprofessional” nurses. I am sure school nurses perform a different range of activities when they work for districts with less desirable nurse-tostudent ratios. Nevertheless, this is a great first step to documenting how nurse-student ratios affect the level of care that can be provided. —H.T.

Nurse

What is this job like?

Nurses, also called registered nurses or RNs, take care of sick and injured people. They give people medicine. They treat wounds. And they give emotional support to patients and their families.

Nurses ask patients about their symptoms and keep detailed records. They watch for signs that people are sick. Then, nurses help doctors examine and treat patients.

Some nurses help to give tests to find out why people are sick. Some also do lab work to get test results.

Nurses also teach people how to take care of themselves and their families. Some nurses teach people about diet and exercise and how to follow doctors' instructions. Some nurses run clinics and immunization centers.

Nurses can focus on treating one type of patient, such as babies or children. They can also focus on one type of problem. Some focus on helping doctors during surgery, for example. Others work in emergency rooms or intensive care units.

Many nurses work in doctors' offices. They help with medical tests, give medicines, and dress wounds. Some also do lab and office work.

Home health nurses go to people's homes to help them. Flight nurses fly in helicopters to get to sick people in emergencies.

Some nurses have special training and can do more advanced work. Nurse practitioners can prescribe medicine. Nurse midwives can help women give birth.

Helping sick people and dealing with medical emergencies can be stressful. Nurses in hospitals often have to help many patients at once.

Many nurses spend a lot of time walking and standing. Nurses also need to be careful in order to stay safe. Nurses care for people who have diseases that they can catch too. And nurses can get hurt while helping to move patients. Nurses also need to guard against radiation from x-rays and chemicals in medicine.

Because patients need 24-hour care, hospital nurses often work nights, weekends, and holidays. Office nurses are more likely to work regular hours. Many nurses work part time.

How do you get ready?

Nurses must graduate from a nursing program. It takes about 2 years of college to finish an associate degree in nursing. It takes about 4 years to finish a bachelor's degree in nursing. And a nursing diploma program usually takes about 3 years.

Deciding what kind of training to get is important. Some career paths are open only to nurses who have a bachelor's degree.

Nursing education includes taking classes and hands-on learning with experienced nurses in hospitals and other places. This is called clinical training.

Nurses study anatomy, chemistry, nutrition, psychology, and nursing theory.

After graduating, nurses need to pass a test to get a nursing license. They have to take classes every few years to keep their skills current.

Nurses need to be caring and kind. They also need to be good at recognizing problems and remembering details.

Nurses need to work well with doctors and patients. Many nurses also supervise assistants and other workers.

Nurses can become head nurses or directors of nursing. Some nurses move into the business side of health care. Some get jobs in big health care firms planning, marketing, and making sure people get good care.

To get ready for this job, students can take biology and other science classes. They also can become good at reading and writing. Math skills are also important for adding doses of medicine and taking measurements.

How much does this job pay?

The middle half of all registered nurses earned between $43,370 and $63,360 in 2004. The lowest-paid 10 percent earned less than $37,300. The highest-paid 10 percent made more than $74,760.

How many jobs are there?

Registered nurses are in the largest health care occupation. They held about 2.4 million jobs in 2004. About 3 out of 5 worked in hospitals.

What about the future?

Very good job opportunities are expected for registered nurses. BLS expects jobs for registered nurses to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2014. Many new jobs will be available for people who want to be nurses.

New ways of helping people will let nurses treat more problems. And the number of older people, who need more health care, will grow very rapidly. They will need nurses to treat them when they get sick.

Hospitals will need nurses, but many new nurses will also work in home health, clinics, doctors' offices, and nursing homes.

Are there other jobs like this?

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
Occupational therapists
Physical therapists
Physician assistants
Respiratory therapists

Where can you find more information?

More BLS information about registered nurses can be found in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The Handbook also shows where to find out even more about this job.

Nurse

What is this job like?