Category — Health Workers

On Thursday, February 14, 2008 shortly after 3pm a gunmen entered a crowded classroom at Northern Illinois University. The gunmen opened fire, killing five students injuring 18 others and eventually taking his own life. In the early morning hours of April 16, 2007, a gunman attacked the campus of Virginia Tech killing 32 people. Unfortunately, stories like these are becoming all too common. For students of health care, the danger is increased due to the vulnerability of hospitals and health care workers. According to Keith Kelly, Director of Security at Ingham Regional Medical Center in Lansing, Michigan, violence in the workplace is on the rise. Most vulnerable are those who work alone, those who work with money and valuables (including drugs), healthcare workers, and women.

While tips such as locking your personal belongings in your car or locker while at class and/or work, never walking alone and staying off your cell phone while walking so you are not distracted, may keep you safe in a personal safety situation, would you know what to do if your school or place of employment fell victim to an attack like those seen last week in Illinois or last April at Virginia Tech?

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Did you know there is a school, started in 1972, that offers one of the best educations in the world? It is the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine and Graduate School of Nursing; which is part of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.

It serves all four branches of the military and Public Health Service. Uniformed students receive their usual pay and benefits. Medical students have a seven year obligation to serve after graduation. Only military nurses are accepted in the post-graduate nursing programs for Master’s degree or PhD completion. Some civilians who are employed by the federal government may be eligible for admission and receive their full salary while attending.

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With the promise (or curse) of tax day up ahead, finances can be weighing heavily on our minds. When finances start to become a distraction to work, family time and your health and wellness it’s time to sort it all out. Follow these tips to help find your financial freedom.

• Pay down your debt – Set a goal of zero debt excluding your home mortgage. Generally you should work on paying the debt that carries the highest percentage of interest first – paying a smaller bill at lower interest may feel good as you pay it off sooner but you need to weigh that with the fact that it is costing you money in interest. When deciding how much you can afford to pay on your debt, be careful to budget enough each month to allow for expenses. Paying extra on your credit cards each month only to run short and end up racking up more charges isn’t getting you any further ahead. Learning to decipher between “wants” and “needs” will also help those bills from accumulating. Calculate your debt to income ratio here – MSN Debt to Income Calculator.
• Emergency Fund – Based on your risk aim to accumulate six to nine months worth of expenses. This money would be used to cover daily living expenses if disability, illness or unemployment leaves you with an unexpected loss of your income. This important step can eliminate or decrease the need to rack up new debt. [Read more →]

When the residents of Seattle Grace need to reduce their stress, they’re often found with their coworkers at Joe’s Bar pouring down a few pints and a couple tequila shots to boot. While the method of stress reduction used by Grey’s Anatomy’s finest is questionable, the need to keep the life and death, hope and loss, work of a hospital at bay is real. One-fourth to one-third of U.S. workers report high levels of stress at work. Work related stress can negatively affect the lives and health and safety of workers. Follow these tips toward helping you handle work related stress. [Read more →]