4 Health Breakfasts to Beat the Heat

I eat breakfast every day regardless of the time of year—breakfast provides me with a much-needed morning energy boost and keeps me focused. And research shows that regular breakfast eaters weigh less and have an easier time keeping weight off. (Who doesn’t love that?)

In the cooler months, I almost always eat a hearty, healthy bowl of oatmeal. But in the heat of summer the last thing I want is a steaming-hot breakfast. Luckily, there are plenty of refreshing breakfast options to help me beat the heat and start my day right. Here are my 4 favorite breakfast ideas to stay healthy and cool all summer long.

1. Smoothies
We don’t get into the triple-digit temperatures very often in Vermont, but it definitely gets hot enough to whip up a frozen treat in the morning.

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Tuition Reimbursement Winner for June

Congratulations, Julie! 

Julie is our Tuition Reimbursement Winner for June! 

She will be getting a refund from us soon. You could be next!

"I am a senior at Conway Springs High School and will be working at the Spring View Manor at Conway Springs. When I found out We Care Online was going to reimburse my tuition I was excited, it was very unexpected!"
- Julie W., HR

Students registered for a Nurse Aide course will automatically be placed in a monthly drawing to win reimbursement of their course tuition. The monthly drawings will choose one student to win a reimbursement.

If you want to know how to get in on this Click Here for more information.

Remember, before you can win, you have to register and pay for a Nurse Aide course - See our course catalog Click Here.

Or go to our website Click Here.

The Effects of Nursing Fatigue on Patient Safety

Nurses and nurse aides are responsible for providing their patients the highest quality of care. And to ensure that we offer this level of patient care, we should also take care of ourselves by getting enough rest. But with long work hours, mandatory overtime, and rotating or night shifts, fatigue in nursing is a given. We end up overwhelmed and patient safety is compromised. After all, this tiredness is directly related to an increase in medical errors.

How Does Nursing Fatigue Affect You?
Consider the fact that when we are tired, our ability to solve problems and reach out are hindered. In the arena of clinical practice, we are more likely to commit the error of omission when we forget to do important tasks. Our attention spans may become shorter or we may fail to catch important details.
- See more at: http://www.nursetogether.com/the-effects-of-nursing-fatigue-on-patient-c#sthash.wPAWqODP.dpuf

How Does Nursing Fatigue Affect You?

Consider the fact that when we are tired, our ability to solve problems and reach out are hindered. In the arena of clinical practice, we are more likely to commit the error of omission when we forget to do important tasks. Our attention spans may become shorter or we may fail to catch important details.

For More and Original Article.

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3 Creative Ways to Keep Cool with your Toddler

Beat the heat!

Sizzling summer weather can make for a tired, hot, cranky baby — and mama. But being fussy is no way to spend the summer. Here are three ways to stay cool and have fun doing it.

Mini water table

Here's a creative way to cool off: Move the highchair outside, strip your child down to a diaper, and fill the highchair tray with about a half-inch of water.
It's especially fun to watch your baby's facial expressions during self-inflicted splashing. You can add a squirt toy to play with, or put her to work with a clean sponge.
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Home Care Agency Develops New Model to Decrease Hospital Readmissions

A Florida home health care agency has developed a new business model aimed at reducing hospital readmissions and cutting down on costs to Medicare, according to a Bradenton Herald report.
Infinity Homecare, based in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, is focused on educating older patients about what they can do for themselves, or empowering them through coaching and training to avoid rehospitalizations by remaining at home.

The model involves sending nurses and other professionals into clients’ homes to educate them on their own care after they experience major health episodes. This might include heart attacks, pneumonia or heart failure and setting achievable goals to overcome rehabilitation milestones while remaining at home.

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National Nursing Assistants Day: June 12, 2014

It’s wonderful to read inspiring articles about direct care workers…and this article by Lori Porter certainly fits the bill!  Lori is a former nursing assistant herself who went on to serve more than 30 years as a nursing home administrator.  She is also  the co-founder and CEO of the National Association of Health Care Assistants.

Ms. Porter recalls the first hero she ever met working in long-term care, a CNA named Stella Parrish.  She viewed Stella as a hero for many reasons, especially because:

“She gave me an attitude adjustment that saved my career in long-term care — and this was back in the days before all the buzz words of “empowerment” and being positive. Stella schooled me well, explaining that she was tired of hearing me complain about everything. She told me the nursing home meant something to her and she would not allow me to make everyone miserable. She concluded with a request that if I could not stop complaining and inciting negativity among my co-workers that I leave. I did stop complaining and thanks to Stella, I became a better nursing assistant and a better person.”

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National Nursing Assistants Week Coming Up

37th Annual National
Nursing Assistants Week
June 12-19, 2014

Now as never before, attention is being directed to care of our elder and disabled citizens and greater attention also is directed to the workers who provide hands-on-care and caring.

The 37th annual National Nursing Assistants’ Week provides a timely opportunity to foster and showcase the wonderful things that can happen for residents and workers when we join together in planning your special Week, “Nursing Assistants @ the Heart of Care.”

 

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May Tuition Reimbursement Winner for South Dakota

Congratulations, Wheatcrest Hills! 

Wheatcrest Hills is our Tuition Reimbursement Winner for South Dakota! 

They will be getting a refund from us soon. You could be next!

"I am HR for our facility and enjoy Wheatcrest Hills facility.  I think getting the reimbursement from WeCare is terrific.  We use WeCare for all of our CNA training and our Med training, it has always been a great program and the contacts are great to work with."
- Kristin, HR

Students registered for a Nurse Aide course will automatically be placed in a monthly drawing to win reimbursement of their course tuition. The monthly drawings will choose one student to win a reimbursement.

If you want to know how to get in on this Click Here for more information.

Remember, before you can win, you have to register and pay for a Nurse Aide course - See our course catalog Click Here.

Or go to our website Click Here.

Help Your Loved Ones Know the Symptoms of a Stroke

A mini stroke is also known as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). It has the same symptoms as a major stroke, except that it lasts only a few minutes, is usually milder, and sometimes has no apparent residual effects.

About 10 percent of strokes are preceded by TIAs. Someone who's had one or more TIAs is 10 times more likely to have a stroke than someone of the same age and sex who has not. As a result, TIAs are extremely important stroke warning signs. Don't ignore the symptoms of a stroke! Call 911 NOW. Get medical help immediately.

Stroke Symptoms

If you notice one or more of these symptoms of a stroke, don't wait. Call 911 immediately for an ambulance; get the person to a hospital right away!

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Learn what it takes to be a Medication Aide.

The Best Way for Nurses to Thrive

The practice of nursing is ever-changing. There are always new guidelines and regulations that nurses are asked to adhere to, often with little information to accompany it. Nurses sometimes feel like they are just surviving because they are being asked to take on new challenges and aren’t completely sure of themselves. This is because many organizations will give out new job requirements without following up with the nursing staff and providing ongoing feedback.

These actions can be detrimental to the moral of the nursing staff, reduce the level of patient care provided, and increase turnover in staff. In order for nurses to be receive the feedback they need to be successful, it’s important for healthcare organizations to consider the followings:

Feedback is Necessary to Retain Great Nurses

Any nurse who doesn’t love nursing will not last long in the profession.

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Is "Golden Girls" Style the Next Trend in Senior Living?

Having roommates is normal for those in their twenties and early thirties, but older adults aren’t usually looking to share living space with people who are not romantic partners or family members. But with the growing, aging population, there is a new trend of boomer and senior women forming households together. Dubbed “Golden Girls” after the ‘80s TV show, single women in their fifties and older are moving in together and forming a unique household model.

It makes good financial sense to share the expenses of housing with others who are finding it increasingly difficult to afford living alone. Financial concerns aren’t the sole driving factor, though, for many of these Golden Girls. Companionship and social interests play a big part in many older women’s decision to take on a roommate. PBS Newshour recently talked with some boomer women about the benefits of sharing space with other single women.

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Alzheimer's: What You Can Do

Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease can become physically, emotionally and financially challenging on a family. We wanted to take a moment to reflect on the significance of early detection of this disease and more importantly, what you can do to help loved ones.

The Great Foolers

It can be very easy to dismiss the early signs of Alzheimer’s as just a normal part of aging. Paying a bit more attention to mom or dad’s behaviors and habits, however, can make a world of difference in early detection. Here are some signs you can look for if you think a loved one may be exhibiting signs of Alzheimer’s:

1. Memory loss: It’s not unusual for someone to forget where they parked their car or what they went to get in the pantry. When a person forgets how to use a remote control for the TV or how to use a microwave, however, this can be a warning sign of the disease that has gone undetected.
2. Unfamiliar settings: By taking mom or dad out of their own home and into an unfamiliar setting, it can help reveal things that a familiar setting could mask.

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Bullying: A problem in Healthcare?

Like schoolyard bullying, workplace bullying involves a real or perceived imbalance of power and repetition of negative behavior. The behavior can be overt, such as yelling or threatening, or it can be more insidious and passive, like refusing to cooperate or perform necessary tasks. The American Nurses Association (ANA) reports that between 18 and 31% of nurses have experienced bullying behavior at work (ANA, 2012).

Whatever forms it takes, bullying is a serious, complex and ongoing problem in the health care workplace, which can lead to demoralization and decreased job satisfaction, as well as feelings of isolation, anxiety, sadness and depression.

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How to Use Nursing Humor to Improve Your Workplace

When nursing humor is part of the workplace culture, healthcare facilities can enjoy tremendous success. As George Burns once said, "Do something you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life.”
There a lot of ways to create a positively outrageous work environment—but let’s take a look at humor specifically. There are three primary roles of nursing humor in the healthcare setting that make it an ideal Service Prescription tool.
Psychological
As healthcare professionals become more anxious and their focus becomes narrower, they become less creative and are more easily upset. Stress may not come from the event itself as much as from the nurse’s perception of that event.
Nursing humor provides a perceptual flexibility that can increase one’s sense of control. Learn techniques such as “catastrophizing” the event. It is where one takes the situation at hand and looks for the absurdity by asking, “How could this be worse?” may help the professional put the event into its proper perspective.
- See more at: http://www.nursetogether.com/humor-in-the-healthcare-setting#sthash.2VvWOK3p.dpuf

When nursing humor is part of the workplace culture, healthcare facilities can enjoy tremendous success. As George Burns once said, "Do something you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life.”

There a lot of ways to create a positively outrageous work environment—but let’s take a look at humor specifically. There are three primary roles of nursing humor in the healthcare setting that make it an ideal Service Prescription tool.

As healthcare professionals become more anxious and their focus becomes narrower, they become less creative and are more easily upset. Stress may not come from the event itself as much as from the nurse’s perception of that event.

Nursing humor provides a perceptual flexibility that can increase one’s sense of control. Learn techniques such as “catastrophizing” the event. It is where one takes the situation at hand and looks for the absurdity by asking, “How could this be worse?” may help the professional put the event into its proper perspective.

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Learn how to become a home health aide. Click HERE.

Are you at Risk: Deaths from Alcohol on the Rise

Approximately 3.3 million deaths worldwide in 2012 were the result of alcohol consumption, according to a new report from the World Health Organization. Additionally, 16 percent of people in the world who use alcohol could be categorized as binge drinkers.

The new report, which examined the trends in alcohol use among 194 WHO member states, found Europe topped the list for the region with the highest rate of alcohol consumption per capita, though the rate has remained stable over the past five years. In the last half decade, alcohol use also remained unchanged in Africa and throughout the Americas. However, drinking increased in the South-East Asia and the Western Pacific regions of the world.

The report found alcohol-related mortality was more common for men than women: 7.6 percent of deaths among men versus 4 percent of deaths among women worldwide were linked to excessive drinking. However, the authors of the report say alcohol abuse among women is on the rise. A similar report released in 2011 found 6.2 percent of all male deaths were related to alcohol, compared to 1.1 percent of female deaths at that time.

The overall number of alcohol-related deaths rose from 2.5 million in the 2011 report.

For the original article.

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What should you get your Graduate?

Here are some great gifts for your grad: 

The Heat Is On
For any kid heading off to college in the fall or setting up a starter apartment, a microwave will be a must. The iWavecube is the smallest portable one, measuring less than one cubic foot for heating up food, snacks and drinks.

Game On
With a mini foosball table, your kid's dorm room will be the place to be. This game measures just 20"x12"x4" and is easy to set up.

For More Great Ideas.

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Coming Soon: National Nursing Home Week

May 11 - 17 is National Nursing Home Week. Celebrate a Hawaiian Theme for National Nursing Home Week 2014.
 

In Hawaii, the word “aloha” has a deeper cultural significance than a simple greeting or farewell.  In Hawaiian culture it is important to treat yourself and others with aloha, to interact with love and respect and joyfully share life. 

By applying this spirit of aloha to daily life, the people of Hawaii are encouraged to treat others with deep care, respect and humility, leading to individuals creating a better world. Key concepts of aloha spirit include unity, kindness, truthfulness, humility and patience.  

For More

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National Nurses Week 2014

Join ANA in celebrating nurses during National Nurses Week, May 6-12, 2014

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale's birthday. These permanent dates enhance planning and position National Nurses Week as an established recognition event. As of 1998, May 8 was designated as National Student Nurses Day, to be celebrated annually. And as of 2003, National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurses Week (May 6-12) each year.

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April's Reimbursement Winner for Kansas

Congratulations, Linda B.! 

Linda is our April Tuition Reimbursement Winner for Kansas! 

She will be getting a refund from us soon. You could be next!

"I have been a stay at home foster mom and wife. I decided to take a CNA course online and am now working as a CNA. Loved the classes and clinicals. I have worked at my own pace and have learned alot. I am so excited about being a winner and having my tuition reimbursed. I will be going through wecareonline for my next classes also."
- Linda

Students registered for a Nurse Aide course will automatically be placed in a monthly drawing to win reimbursement of their course tuition. The monthly drawings will choose one student to win a reimbursement.

If you want to know how to get in on this Click Here for more information.

Remember, before you can win, you have to register and pay for a Nurse Aide course - See our course catalog Click Here.

Or go to our website Click Here.

Heatlthy Lunch Tips When You are on the Go

As a visiting nurse working Baylor weekends, I am literally “on the go” from 7 am to 7 pm every Saturday and Sunday. I’ve done my share of sitting in fast food drive-thru lines while triaging patients on my cellphone. And yes, I am guilty of eating while driving (thankfully, I no longer drive a stick shift).
As I get older I like to think that I’m becoming more mindful. Certainly becoming certified as a yoga teacher last year has made me much more aware of how important it is to stop the crazy multitasking and feed my body well.
Here is a list of nourishing, quick lunches that travel well, but can also be enjoyed by any nurse in any setting. No matter where we work, we are all still “on the go.”

• Wraps
  I’ve discovered that putting anything in a wrap makes it easy to pack and handle (even while driving).

- See more at: http://www.nursetogether.com/healthy-lunch-tips-for-nurses-on-the-go#sthash.vZB16yx2.dpuf

As a visiting nurse working Baylor weekends, I am literally “on the go” from 7 am to 7 pm every Saturday and Sunday. I’ve done my share of sitting in fast food drive-thru lines while triaging patients on my cellphone. And yes, I am guilty of eating while driving (thankfully, I no longer drive a stick shift).

As I get older I like to think that I’m becoming more mindful. Certainly becoming certified as a yoga teacher last year has made me much more aware of how important it is to stop the crazy multitasking and feed my body well.

Here is a list of nourishing, quick lunches that travel well, but can also be enjoyed by any nurse in any setting. No matter where we work, we are all still “on the go.”

Wraps

I’ve discovered that putting anything in a wrap makes it easy to pack and handle (even while driving).
 

As a visiting nurse working Baylor weekends, I am literally “on the go” from 7 am to 7 pm every Saturday and Sunday. I’ve done my share of sitting in fast food drive-thru lines while triaging patients on my cellphone. And yes, I am guilty of eating while driving (thankfully, I no longer drive a stick shift).
As I get older I like to think that I’m becoming more mindful. Certainly becoming certified as a yoga teacher last year has made me much more aware of how important it is to stop the crazy multitasking and feed my body well.
Here is a list of nourishing, quick lunches that travel well, but can also be enjoyed by any nurse in any setting. No matter where we work, we are all still “on the go.”

• Wraps
  I’ve discovered that putting anything in a wrap makes it easy to pack and handle (even while driving).

- See more at: http://www.nursetogether.com/healthy-lunch-tips-for-nurses-on-the-go#sthash.vZB16yx2.dpuf

For More and Original Article.

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