By Terri Atwell Terri Atwell
Level: Platinum

Terri is a registered nurse with 37+ years in the profession. Her interests include gardening, reading British murder mysteries and historical fiction, and spoiling two …

WOW! Thanksgiving is over and it is less than four weeks until Christmas! I really need to get moving and finish the Christmas shopping, since half of the gifts need to be shipped to another state. Signs of the season are everywhere-at the mall, decorations on private residences, town streets and grocery stores. Archway already has its seasonal cookies out. I really love the pfeffernusse cookies with their anise flavor. I’ve never made them myself, but I did attempt springerle one year-disaster! Springerle are also flavored with anise, and are rolled out with a special rolling pin that has decorations engraved on it. Mine came out hard as a rock-if you hit somebody with one you’d probably kill them, or at least fracture their skull. I haven’t lived that disaster down yet!

Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is a plant related to the common parsley and garden carrot. It is mostly grown in the eastern region of the Mediterranean and southwest Asia. The seed pods are known as anise seed and the flavor is similar to licorice, fennel and tarragon. I never connected the flavors of anise and tarragon but on reflection I realized that there is a similarity there between the two. No wonder tarragon is a favorite herb of mine. Star anise (Illicium verum) is obtained from the star-shaped fruit of a small evergreen tree native to China. This spice’s flavor is similar to anise although the two spices are unrelated. Both spices contain the same ingredient, anethole, in their essential oils, which is what gives the spices their flavor. Anise and star anise are widely used in cooking, baking and liquor production, but since it is less expensive to produce star anise, this spice is gradually replacing anise in a lot of markets.

Both anise and star anise are used for a variety of medicinal purposes. Each spice can be used as a digestive aid: for indigestion, nausea, prevent gas formation or help in getting rid of the gas. They are also helpful for rheumatism and coughs. Since both spices contain anethole, which is classified as a phytoestrogen (foreign substance that has estrogen-like effects), it is recommended that women who are pregnant avoid using them for aromatherapy purposes. Using a small amount of the spices for flavoring foods is not harmful to the pregnant woman. For aromatherapy uses anise and anise star can be taken in teas, in food or by chewing the seeds. They can also be mixed with carrier oils and be applied topically.

Anise is useful in a variety of respiratory diseases, such as asthma, whooping cough, and bronchitis. A topical application is helpful in treating skin disorders such as oiliness, scabies and lice. Chewing the seeds help freshen breath and remedy insomnia. Because anise has an antiseptic quality it was used briefly during the Civil War for this purpose; however it was discovered to cause high levels of toxicity in the blood and was subsequently discontinued. The liquid scent is used by fishermen on lures to attract fish. During the years when steam locomotives dominated the rails, capsules of aniseed oil were placed among the metal bearings so that the railroad worker would be alerted to overheating by its strong distinctive smell.

Star anise contains shikimic acid, a primary component in the anti-influenza drug Tamiflu–star anise is the industrial source for this ingredient. There was actually a temporary shortage of star anise a few years back when the demand for the drug Tamiflu was high. Reports surfaced stating that some people had severe illness after drinking star anise tea. This is thought to be due to the erroneous use of Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum). Japanese star anise is from a similar tree, but is highly toxic. Ingesting this substance causes severe neurological effects (seizures) and also affects renal and digestive systems.

Anise and star anise are two wonderful spices that can be used in your Holiday baking and cooking. Take advantage of their essential oils this cold and flu season; and if you eat too much during the festivities and develop indigestion, just get out the seeds and chew on them for relief. If you are really into baking special treats, try springerle. I haven’t had the courage to try them again!

After being in nursing for many years, I decided to retire from nursing and devote my time to my web business. TLC is so much a part of me, and I am working hard to help people feel better about themselves–body, mind and soul. The business I started is called KKAT VENTURES LLC and the web URL is http://www.peacefulbeing.net/ I am also a grandmother of three adorable children (what grandmother doesn’t say this!!!). I enjoy gardening, reading,especially British murder mysteries and historical fiction, and crosswords and Sudoku. And yes, I have a cat!

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Every two years we as nurses have to renew our licenses with our respective states. And if you’re like most nurses, you have a tendency to wait until the very end to do your continuing education courses required for license renewal. And this is fine, as now there are more free nursing CEUs on the internet than ever before. The internet has made life easier for people in so many ways, so its only natural that it should make the lives of nurses easier too.

What’s the best part of free nursing CEUs? They’re free! And by doing them on the internet means you can take these courses from the comfort of your home. I will list some sites for free nursing CEUs shortly, but rest assured you can take courses in any area of nursing you can imagine.

Most nurses have to look up information related to a new procedure or drug periodically anyway, so why not get a CEU out of the deal? There are free nursing CEUs on some many different topics that you are bound to find what you are looking for.

Think about it, if you need to look up something anyway, why not spend a little more time and get free nursing CEUs while doing it? If you take this approach you will find that your CEUs will be done before you know it.

Many state boards of nursing now allow their members to get the full complement of CEUs required for license renewal online, instead of having to attend ‘live’ classes. This is great news for most of us that detest having to go attend a seminar or class in person to get our CEUs. Now we can get free nursing CEUs from the net.

Here are some of the better online resources for free nursing CEUs. This list isn’t exhaustive by any means, I just wanted to help keep you from having to do a lot of research on your own by bringing you some of the best. For the trauma junkies go to www.Traumaed.com. For all a large selection of CEUs in many genres you can visit Procareone.com, Powerpak.com, Nursingworld.org, and Cemedicus.com. You can also search for more sources for free nursing CEUs but these sites will have all you will ever need.

Littman Cardiology Where To Get Free Nursing CEUs There are free nursing CEUs on some many different topics that you are bound to find what you are looking for. I did this too for a long time.

Why would you want to become a registered nurse? One reason is because RN’s make up the largest segment of healthcare professionals in the US. In today’s healthcare industry, its never been a better time to become a registered nurse due to the emphasis on preventative care, an exploding elderly population, and advances in technology. Which all combine to make an environment that is starved of qualified nurses.

Those wishing to enter this demanding but satisfying profession should first take a little time to become familiar with what registered nurses do and also with the steps a person needs to take in order to become a registered nurse.

As a registered nurse you can specialize in certain diseases and ailments, and work in areas as diverse as pediatric clinics, outpatient clinics, community health centers, and of course hospitals.

Those specializing in a particular disease, ailment, or health condition can work in virtually any type of setting, including physicians’ offices, outpatient treatment facilities, home health care agencies, and hospitals. Do you want to become a registered nurse yet?

Also, as you become a registered nurse you may decide to specialize in a certain organ, and find yourself working in research or in an intensive care unit. The sky is the limit when you become a registered nurse because you can work for a surgeon, for example, and your ‘office’ would be a surgical suite in a hospital or outpatient surgery center. Love older people? Then specialize in geriatrics and reward yourself emotionally by helping this unique patient population.

Some registered nurse go on to become nurse practitioners. These are nurses who have advance master’s degrees who can not only prescribe medications, but in some states open their own clinics. They are considered primary care givers doing a lot of what a physician would do as a primary care giver.

This could include ordering tests, x-rays, physical exams, and diagnosing illness in order to prescribe a course of care for the patient.

Per the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual earnings of the registered nurse was $62,450, this was for 2008. If you work in education when you become a registered nurse the earnings decline by about $10,000 a year.

Those working in education (often as school nurses) earn about $10,000 less than their counterparts working in hospitals, but may have the advantage of more vacation and daytime work hours. Become a registered nurse to enjoy these benefits!

Nurse Employment Love older people? Then specialize in geriatrics and reward yourself emotionally by helping this unique patient population. These specialized nurses can write prescriptions in most states. Usually find themselves working in hospital critical care units, specialty clinics, or outpatient care facilities.

Most oils are obtained by the process of distillation. In this process the flowers, leaves, bark, roots, seeds, wood, and peel of the plant are put in a distilling apparatus then placed over water. The water is heated and the steam goes through the raw plant matter, vaporizing the volatile compounds. The resulting vapors then pass through a cooling coil which turns them back into a liquid (water) and collected in a separate container. This water is called a hydrosol or plant distillate and may be sold as another fragrance product, such as rose water. Lavender, rose, clary sage, lemon balm, and orange blossoms are common hydrosols.

Another method of obtaining these oils is by mechanical expression (cold pressed). Most of the citrus scented oils are extracted by this method. Lemon and sweet orange essential oils are made this way. This method was the way all essential oils were produced before the advent of distillation.

The third way to obtain essential oils is by a process known as solvent extraction. A large number of floral scents are produced by this method because the flowers do not have a lot of volatile oil to be extracted and their chemical components are very fragile and easily broken down by the high heat used in steam distillation. Rather, a solvent is used to extract the oils. These extracts are called concretes, which are a mixture of essential oil, waxes, resins, and other oil soluble plant material. Although the concretes are highly fragrant, they contain material (resins, waxes, etc.) that are not fragrant and not needed. A second, different solvent (ethanol) is then used on the concretes which extracts only the fragrant molecules; when the ethanol evaporates an oil called the absolute remains. Absolutes are more fragrant than essential oils and a truer fragrance that is closer to the original plant is usually obtained. Trace amounts of the solvents are left in the absolute; therefore it is not considered appropriate for use in aromatherapy. The perfume industry, however, can and does use these absolutes to produce a fresher smell. Some examples of oils that are extracted by this third process are neroli, jasmine, mimosa and tuberose.

Producing the oils can be a simple or a more complex process. The variation in price of different essential oils depends on the extraction method used and the amount of the original plant material needed to make a significant amount of the essential oil. Precautions must be used when dealing with both essential oils and absolutes. Both are very concentrated and should be mixed with another carrier oil before being placed on the skin. (See 7 Important Facts You Absolutely Need To Know When Buying Essential Oils). More and more people are turning to the essential oils and absolutes for their fragrance needs. There are so many different fragrances from which to choose-surely there is something for everyone!

Terri is a registered nurse. Her interests include gardening, reading British murder mysteries and historical fiction. She also operates a web site called PeacefulBeing: the site is geared to natural and organic products for aromatherapy, bath and body products, soy candles, incense, potpourri and more. Visit her site @ cellSpacing=”0″ cellPadding=”4″ width=”40″ align=”right” border=”0″>

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After a routine visit for an injection to the buttocks of polymethylmethacrylate, a top model and former Miss Argentina from Buenos Aires dies in 2009. It was found that the office she visited was improperly equipped to perform surgical procedures, in an autopsy following her death it was found that silicone was also present.

Due to her celebrity status this case was promoted globally within the media, however even after such a horrific event we are still seeing companies offering injections to the buttocks that contain polymethylmethacrylate and silicone to physicians who are improperly trained in aesthetic medicine to perform this treatment.

There are many non invasive procedures been offered by weekend trained nurses or doctors so it is likely that these injections are just the tip of the iceberg.

A nurse went into a Manhattan spa to remove fat from her abdomen and thighs through a minimal invasive liposuction treatment earlier this year. She never regained consciousness after suffering from a seizure whilst having the treatment. The spa in question was licensed for electrolysis and not as a medical facility. After her death the family lawyer reported that she was given Lidocaine and propofol, a drug that was believed to have contributed to the death of Michael Jackson and was given to induce sedation.

These so called minimally invasive procedures performed by practitioners need to legislated much tighter and extra training needs to be provided for these practitioners. For anyone considering having any treatment you must look at the what ifs. Does the practise have a license to perform the procedure, if not their insurance will be invalid. If there are any complications on the treatment table, can the doctor or nurse deal with and rectification them.

You should check that the surgeon or facility are covered by complications insurance like those provided by companies like Surgery Shield. A majority of a surgeons clients around 90% come from clients who first visited for non invasive treatments first, therefore it would be recommended to go to a qualified surgeon for all patients even those only considering having fillers. You should not pay more with a surgeon as they will want to retain you as a future client.

Qualified surgeons who are registered with a society are required to visit conferences where they are kept up-to-date with new techniques and products available on the market. These conferences provide the surgeon with credits needed to keep their society membership. This is important when you consider the amount of fillers available on the market that are unregulated and the fact that many people receiving fillers and Botox are unaware of the product that the doctor or nurse has injected into them. You have to consider that many of these spa’s receive a financial incentive to stock and use a companies products rather than using a product that should be right for the patient.

Want to find out more about Cosmetic Surgery, then visit Mike Mazza’s site on how to choose the best Surgeon for your needs.

All of us have at some time in our lives required the services of a nurse. However, nurses sometimes do not get the credit they so highly deserve. While most people will talk about their physician, for some reason the nurse is often ignored. However, they are the key to good health care in and out of a hospital setting.

Persons in this profession work long hours. Their pay is getting better, but only because of supply and demand. There is such a shortage of them at the present time, that doctors and hospitals have no choice but to give them incentives to stay or to come work for them. This is good; it is one way they are finally getting some of the recognition they deserve.

There are nursing positions at a variety of levels. Obviously, the higher the level, the more education is needed and ultimately the more responsibility required for the job. You have nursing assistants, the licensed practical nurse, and of course the registered nurse. No matter what level a nurse has reached, they work hard to give their patients the best care possible.

Just as with doctors, a nurse can have a specialty. Some for example, prefer to work exclusively in an emergency room. Others work only for one primary doctor in a private practice. Others may specialize in working in neonatal care, or with heart patients. The areas and need for quality nurse care goes on and on.

However, no matter where a nurse decides to work, his or her main goal is to provide the patient with great health care. If you think about it, when you go to your primary physician, the first person to greet you after your name is called is the nurse. They take your vital signs and find out why you are there. They provide this information to the doctor before he even lays eyes on you. A doctor who has a good nurse on his staff is well on his way to success. The nurse gives the first impression to the patient.

Then, if you have ever been in an emergency room, you know the first one to give you care is the nurse. She tries to get all the important information about your condition, including any medications you are taking. She tries to keep you comfortable while you wait to see a doctor. Once you finally see the doctor, she is the one who makes sure all tests and x-rays are done in a timely matter.

If you are admitted to a hospital, who is there to take all the background information? A nurse, of course. You may see a doctor once a day for maybe five minutes. A nurse is there 24/7 whenever you need her for whatever reason no matter how large or small the problem. If you have surgery, when you wake in recovery, there is a nurse waiting to give you care. She is literally there at your beck and call.

Although nurses provide their patients with excellent services, they seldom get the credit they deserve. However, for most this does not bother them at all. They did not look for nurse practitioner jobs to gain accolades. They became a nurse so that they could help others to become healthy. None the less, the next time you are cared for by a special nurse, tell her what a great job she is doing. It may make her realize just how appreciated her work really is.

Interested in going into the medical field? Then apply for nurse practitioner jobs or travel nurse jobs to get an employment experience you can’t get anywhere else!

While many industries are losing jobs, the health care field continues to grow. As baby boomers age and Americans just are generally living longer than ever before, the demand for health care is high. Those wanting to join the health care field have many choices available to them, from administrative jobs to patient care jobs. There are entry level jobs available as well as medical jobs for those who have or are willing to get advanced schooling and training.

If you have visited your doctors office lately, chances are that you may have seen a physician assistant rather than the doctor. This person will handle much of the same duties of the doctor, but they must be supervised by the doctor. This is a fast growing field. Plan on two to three years to become a physician assistant.

Medical secretaries are also in great demand. They perform administrative duties in health care facilities such as hospitals, clinics, doctors offices and nursing homes. Although formal training above a high school diploma is not always required, employers will look favorable upon medical secretary training or at the very least a strong administrative background.

For hospitalist jobs like medical assistants, they handle some clerical duties like a secretary, but they also perform some basic procedures. The assistant may take a patients temperature, blood pressure and medical history. They may also draw blood for lab testing. It will take approximately ten to eighteen months to become a medical assistant.

As more people need health care, there is a greater need for physicians, surgeons, and nurses. To become a physician or surgeon, you will need to complete four years of college, four years of medical school and another three to eight years for residency training. It will take four years to become a registered nurse. You can become a licensed practical or vocational nurse in twelve months to two years time.

Pharmacy is another job industry that is growing. Since you actually become a doctor of pharmacy it will take approximately eight years of schooling beyond high school to become a pharmacist. Pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants also work in pharmacies. Pharmacy technicians work under the direction of a pharmacist. While certification is not always required, a potential employer will look favorably upon an applicant who is certified. The pharmacy assistant generally works with the public and does not work with medications. This is an entry level job.

Many people are beginning to start a home based business as a medical biller or medical transcriptionist. The medical biller is responsible for sending bills to the insurance company for treatment that the patient received. Billing clerks typically work in hospitals, clinics and doctors offices before becoming an independent contractor working from home. A medical transcriptionist must have a strong understanding of medical terminology as well as good listening skills. You can complete training in a little under eighteen months to become a medical transcriptionist. Just as medical billing clerks do, many medical transcribers will work in an office to build up their skills before beginning to work from home.

As you can see, there are many medical jobs to choose from. Whether you are just entering the job field or looking to make a change, health care offers so many options. It is up to you how much time and money you want to spend to complete training and land your dream job in the health care field.

This dedicated healthcare staffing centre offers the most practical and diverse medical jobs across the country. We have a wide variety of physician jobs available, as well as employment opportunities for hospitalist jobs and RN jobs.