Tag Archives: healthcare

Health & Fitness

What is a nurse practitioner and what are their responsibilities?

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There is no doubt how important healthcare is in today’s world. It is an indispensable pillar of every society, ensuring that citizens are healthy enough to contribute to its productivity. For this reason, countries spend a lot on delivering quality healthcare services to their people and creating awareness of how crucial holistic healthcare can be.

Aside from the health budget delivered by the government, individuals are also needed to serve in different capacities as healthcare professionals. The field of medicine is extensive and incorporates a lot of professions. Contemporary medicine, for instance, covers disciplines in biomedical science and research, genetics and medical technology to cure and prevent diseases.

One predominant aspect of medicine, however, is clinical practice. These professionals work closely with patients in a hospital. The term ‘clinical practice’ always brings one profession to mind: medical doctors. However, not all clinicians are physicians. Other career paths in this field of medicine are specialists, psychotherapists and nurse clinicians.

What does a nurse practitioner do?

A nurse practitioner is a professional nurse with a graduate degree in advanced practice nursing. These clinical practitioners are also called advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) or advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNP).

The responsibilities and privileges of nurse practitioners differ based on the state in which they practice. For instance, some professionals are allowed to practice independently in healthcare institutions. In some states, nurses must work as part of a healthcare team comprising doctors and other specialists.

While nurse practitioners are recognized as advanced clinical professionals worldwide, they are licensed in different ways depending on the laws governing the jurisdiction in which they practice. Nevertheless, there is a level of consistency in licensing, and nurse practitioners can conveniently practice in different locations. To become a licensed nurse practitioner, an individual must obtain a doctorate in nursing. Alternatively, a master’s degree and national certification are sufficient for a license.

National certifications are obtained through different nursing institutions. To take a nursing certification program, a professional is required to complete either a doctorate or master’s degree program. Nurses looking to become practitioners can specialize in the following fields:

  • Family health
  • Adult health
  • Acute care
  • Women’s health
  • Geriatric health
  • Pediatric health
  • Psychiatric health
  • Neonatal health
  • Orthopedics
  • Oncology
  • Nurse midwifery

Difference between nurse practitioners and doctors

Both nurse practitioners and doctors are responsible for offering top-quality healthcare services to improve patients’ conditions. Unsurprisingly, there are similarities in how both professionals go on with their responsibilities. However, they both represent different career paths in the field of medicine.

One vital difference between both aspects lies in specific responsibilities. Nurse practitioners’ duties are closely associated with providing primary care, as opposed to doctors, who could also engage in complex diagnoses, treatment and care. Practicing nurses are more concerned with the fundamental source of wellness, including eating habits, exercising and controlling substance addictions.

Nurse practitioners’ flexible and encompassing careers make them valuable in the healthcare industry. Aside from delivering primary care, nurses are also qualified to engage in industry research and take on administrative or educational responsibilities. Here are some other key differences between a nurse practitioner and a doctor.

Educational requirements

To thrive in either career, an individual must obtain an advanced degree. A license is also indispensable to pursuing a career as a doctor or nurse practitioner. However, the educational requirements for both professions are hugely dissimilar.

The path to becoming a doctor is relatively well-known. It starts with an undergraduate degree, followed by medical school and several years of residency programs to build experience. Graduate degrees and licenses can then come in. Altogether, it could take about 10 to 15 years to become a licensed doctor, depending on the specialization.

Becoming a nurse practitioner is a lot easier and more straightforward – so much so that the most advanced nursing degree, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), can be attained without having a master’s degree. The only prerequisite for a DNP degree is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). In summary, the highest educational qualification for a nurse practitioner is not as comprehensive as that required for a doctor.

Skillset

Like other professionals, nurse practitioners and doctors require special, perfectly tailored skills to ensure success. Some competencies are similar in both professions, such as the ability to think fast and critically, communicate effectively and show empathy.

While they possess similar transferable skills, other unique skill sets are peculiar to both professions. Firstly, nurse practitioners can engage in administrative roles. This makes it essential for them to develop management and leadership skills. Another critical competency that’s peculiar to nurse practitioners is the ability to promote a trusting environment with patients.

Career opportunities

Unsurprisingly, the most evident dissimilarity between both professionals lies in the different career opportunities they qualify for. A career in nursing is very flexible, and this is apparent in its predicted growth. According to 2016 research by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of nurse practitioners is projected to grow by 45% in 2030, as opposed to the 3% growth predicted for the doctor field.

There are different reasons for an increase in career opportunities in nursing. One key determinant is the sheer number of specializations on offer. On average, doctors earn more than nurses, with a median pay of about $210,000 annually, compared to a nurse’s $111,000. However, administrative-level nurses do make quite a lot. Additionally, nurse practitioners also have the opportunity to impact healthcare on a personal level.

Obtain an advanced nursing degree from Walsh University

Walsh University offers quality online nursing, business and counseling programs for professionals looking to reach the top of their careers. As a nurse practitioner, Walsh University’s online DNP programs give you advanced knowledge to engage in nurse practitioner specializations, as well as management skills required to impact the healthcare industry positively.

Step up in your career and lead the way as an advanced practicing nurse with Walsh University’s online DNP programs. With this program, professionals can also develop organizational and health systems skills and critical thinking competencies essential for spearheading improvement in any health institution.

Health & Fitness

Why You Should Get Heart Patient Health Insurance?

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Cardiac diseases are two different diseases occurring due to blockage of blood flow to the heart. They are responsible for heart attacks and the common symptom of both these diseases is chest pain or shortness of breath, etc. This is due to low blood pressure, which occurs in the heart vessels. One of the main reasons behind such blockage is due to inflammation. Stroke also called the brain attack, occurs when a blood clot blocks the blood flow to the brain. It occurs due to heart problems. A clot is a rubber-like substance made up of collagen or protein. The main symptom of this disease is fainting and sudden numbness or weakness in the face, neck, arms, or legs. These surgeries can be quite expensive, thus you must consider heart patient health insurance policies.

While talking about the cost of cardiovascular health insurance, it’s one of the most important questions to consider. It is a comprehensive policy where it covers all the major forms of diseases. An average cardiac health insurance policy is not costly, especially if you are a senior citizen. This is the only area where buying a life insurance policy is cheaper as compared to buying another insurance policy. Thus, below are some of the benefits of heart patient health insurance policies.

  • In-patient treatment- The healthcare specialists can treat heart diseases by providing medicines, physical therapy, devices, etc., the cost of which requires a hefty amount. If the cost of treatment is unaffordable, the patient is required to spend a lot of money on medical treatment in private healthcare hospitals. Even if the patient goes through this process of expenditure, the hospital has the right to recover the money from the insurance company. Therefore, the patients must seek a reliable insurance company that will provide the treatment without any need of paying the out-patient charges. People who suffer from heart diseases usually are highly dependent on others, thus, the requirement of heavy treatment is paramount.
  • Cashless hospitalization- It has become very difficult to manage the financial situation of a heart patient for a period that lasts beyond 15 days. Hence, a cardiac patient, suffering from different types of ailments should be given cashless hospitalization. Thus, the patients should be allowed to visit the hospitals without having any outstanding bills. It is also extremely crucial that the patient does not require any cash upfront for the treatment. The patients should be allowed the free use of the ambulance service as it is life-saving equipment. Moreover, the patients should be provided the healthcare facilities on the same scale as an average person in the city, while the additional facilities in the hospitals should be paid for with the pre-paid cards.
  • Doctor/hospital for a second opinion covered– If you have been fighting with a major health issue, then the last thing you want to happen is to go to a hospital, but find your doctor or the hospital completely insensitive and biased. This is why it is vital to get a second opinion from a better doctor. If one is not familiar with the procedure of such visits, then there is always a chance of getting a false diagnosis. As a result, it is also vital to buy health insurance which is not very expensive and provides medical cover up to the second opinion service. Nowadays, many health insurance providerscan bring down the medical insurance premium to a reasonable level. This is essential to fight medical emergencies when one doesn’t have extra income.
  • No room rent restrictions- The topmost reason to have heart patient health insurance is because of no need to provide a hefty rent for your hospital stays. As you opt for cardiac health insurance, you need to ensure you have a policy that allows you to spend your nights in the hospital and pick up your home on daily basis. Even when you are well again, you have the option of continuing the treatment in the hospital. These patients have already lost their day jobs so the rent for the first few days in the hospital is quite costly. However, such patients can choose to opt for heart patient health insurance and spend their nights and days in the hospital, and have easy access to their families and friends in the hospital.

Apart from these major reasons, the number of cardiac ailments is rising owing to the rising number of lifestyle diseases such as obesity and hypertension. People suffering from cardiovascular diseases are exposed to a series of life-threatening events. Therefore, to combat them, it is necessary to have various treatment plans and a reliable cardiac health insurance plan from Care Health Insurance to pay for all expenses. They are the best policy granters when it comes to heart patients. Thus, buy your heart health insurance policies from them only.

Health & Fitness

5 Reasons Why Radiology Proves to Be Beneficial

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Are you looking for effective cancer treatment? Radiology is the most reliable saviour in the medical industry right now. Before we get down to why is it used so frequently and why is it preferred over its substitute methods, let us understand the method of radiology.

Radiology is a treatment that uses high-energy radiation to stop the spread of cancer in a patient. This cancer therapy looks after the fact that those cells do not divide and grow again; it avoids the reoccurrence. These energy beams are targeted on cancerous cells and successfully render them inactive. Radiologists have often claimed that this method has no bad effects on a body’s healthy cells. In very few cases, a patient can experience nausea or indigestion.

According to the Consumers Health Forum Of Australia, this effective treatment costs around $5000. Cancers diagnosed in breast, colon, stomach, melanoma, pancreas, lung, rectum, and gallbladder can be cured with the help of this radiation therapy. 

According to stats, almost 150,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Australia by 2020. This means, most of the cancer cures in Australia are dependent on radiology treatment. So, if you are trying to understand the benefits of radiology, keep reading.

Shrinks Early Stage Cancer

Cancer cells are very reactive and sensitive to the radiation, and in many cases, this treatment is given to patients prior to their surgery or chemotherapy to weaken and minimize cancer’s size. Radiology which is also known as radiation therapy, when done right during the early stage, can stop the reoccurrence of cancer. For early-stage cancer, radiology is the preferred type of treatment as it causes lesser damage to the body parts that are infected with cancer. 

Stops Recurrence Of Cancer 

Cancer spreads like fire in the forest, so there are chances that the cancer cells may infect other body parts real quick & to avoid that, radiology can come to aid. At times, cancer reaches out to such areas of the body which can’t be seen through imaging scans like CT scans or MRIs. To cure such organs, you can’t rely entirely on surgery, which is why radiation therapy is more reliable and effective. However, not all radiologists work the same way, and only experts such as Inside Radiology should be consulted for treatments. 

For Symptoms Of Advanced Cancer

When cancer is not taken care of properly at the right time, the chances are that it may spread way too much for it to be cured later. In such advanced stages, there are very steep chances of recovery and survival. However, some cancer infected areas of the body can be treated by radiology even if it is detected too late. It can also help cope with other problems caused by advanced cancer such as bowel blockages or pain, breathing issues, etc.

To Cure Recurring Cancer

If there’s a patient with relapsed cancer, radiology is one effective way to get rid of it properly. Surgery or Chemo may not always be efficient in ruling out the possibility of a return; however, radiation targetted at cancer cells is often too intense for cancer to survive, let alone return. Thus, in patients with a history of cancer retention, radiology ensures there is no comeback.

Although depending upon the spread of cancer, your doctors may recommend other methods too. Radiology has undoubtedly made life easier for all of us. The fear of going through painful surgeries are no more a matter of concern. It will be easier for you to decide if radiology is suitable for you or not after considering the facts that we mentioned above.

Health & Fitness

The Importance of Yearly Physicals

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Why Get A Yearly Physical?

There’s no law that says you have to get a physical every year. There’s no minimum age either. It’s up to you and your doctor. You may be a healthy adult living a healthy lifestyle, but that doesn’t mean you are immune to disease. Preventative physical exams are imperative for adults to find underlying conditions. Cancer is a scary word, but it often starts small. A routine physical exam might be able to find it before it spreads. Problems with muscles or tissue can be found when you have no idea there is an issue. If you don’t check your blood pressure, you might not know it’s high until you get a physical. This exam will also be able to give you cholesterol levels which can show a problem even if you live a healthy lifestyle. For example, as high cholesterol can be an indicator of heart disease, this early warning allows you to seek professional help immediately from experienced doctors like those at Cardiovascular Group, who specialize in treating heart problems and conditions.

Find Issues Early

No one wants to find problems and face them, but it could mean life or death for some patients. A physical might find an issue that is easily solved with medication or surgery. There may be problems found that require minimal surgery even using medical surgery supplies. In many cases, simple problems are found that have gone undetected and could cause issues at a later time. Finding these issues early will help recovery time and could stop a problem before it becomes deadly.

What To Expect

Medical care providers will run different tests during a physical exam. This means vital signs of things like heart rate, blood pressure, and your temperature. They will look over your skin for prominent skin issues. They can check for lumps and your organ size. They will also run a blood test to check your overall levels. Common tests check for the presence of pathogens and check your urinary tract health. An EKG will measure your heart health while imaging studies of an X-ray and an MRI may be done to test for any other issues in the body. Some doctors may even ask you to take a sleep study case to monitor your sleep patterns.

Mental Health Awareness

Besides checking your physical health, you can also speak with your doctor about your mental health. It’s important to keep your mental health in check. Your mind has control over your body, so it’s imperative that you keep in proper alignment. Managing stress puts a toll on the body if not done in the correct way. You can speak with your medical provider about any mental concerns.

Medical Provider Relationship

Physical exams aren’t just for finding undetected medical issues. It’s also a way to bond with your medical provider. Most patients only see doctors once they feel ill which might only be once or twice a year, if at all. Forming a bond with your doctor is hard to do this way. Many patients believe the quality of care is better when they feel closer to their doctor. They’re able to form a connection so they can better share their concerns and the doctor knows how to treat the individual in a more personalized manner. They may know what the patient’s body reacts to so they can better treat them.

Finding Small Issues

The physical exam isn’t just about finding serious issues. Many times it may detect something off in your blood. Your cholesterol or blood pressure may be high, and you have no clue. Your doctor can work with you on lifestyle and diet changes, perhaps suggesting adding a supplement to ensure you have all of the right nutrients that you need, and to promote overall health and well-being. It’s a simple fix that doesn’t require any medical interference. You can improve your overall health by just having the exam and tweaking things in your life.

Most healthy individuals shy away from the exam because they feel it isn’t for them or they’re simply afraid of the doctor. Making the first step to go into the office to have the exam might be difficult, but it could save your life. Make sure you’re on the right track medically so you can mentally and physically attack life at full force.