Thursday, February 28, 2008

Considering Masters in Nursing or Masters in Public Health

Considering Masters in Nursing or Masters in Public Health?
I can't believe I'm considering my next degree, I feel like I've been in school forever. I am a fairly new nurse, my interest is maternal child health, ob/gyn surgeries, babies, possibly NICU, L&D. I picture myself helping women and children, would love to work in a clinic setting also, really enjoy teenagers, std clinics, planned parenthood, WIC, that sort of thing. I had considered the CNM (Nurse Midwife) but lately was pondering just the Masters in Nursing (MSN) or even Masters in Public Health (MPH). Given what I've said about my interests, does anyone in the medical field have any recommendations for me? Not sure which way to go, or which degree goes the farthest.? Edited to add: Also have my Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) to augment my current job as a postpartum nurse and would like to be a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) as well when I've gotten enough hours and taken the test, so that's definitely an interest as well. Also - not really interest in being one of the "chiefs" at the hospital. Enjoy working odd hours and three days a week, not thrilled about the traditional 9-5 job. Nursing instructor (esp clinicals in OB) is a possibility but I hear the pay isn't very good.
Higher Education (University +) - 5 Answers

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1 :
I have a BS in Biochem, an MBA and an MHA (Masters in Health Administration) and I have taken several public health courses. Given your interests, I would definitely go for the MSN over the MPH. An MPH deals more with health policy and research, and less with clinical aspects of healthcare. Hope that helps!
2 :
Become a lactation consultant to promote breastfeeding. My wife works for WIC as their Breastfeeding Coordinator and deals quite a bit with lots of women that need support in breastfeeding. Med and nursing schools don't discuss breastfeeding too much and unfortunately don't promote it as much as they should.
3 :
A masters in Nursing will only help you if you want to be a nursing instructor. There is no reason to get it other than that. I used to be an admissions counselor for the University of Phoenix's nursing program. You should get at least 3-5 years of work experience as an RN before you even consider your MSN. It will not help you at all until then. You could complete an online MSN while you work as an RN if you are able to do this much work. A masters in Public Health might allow you to work in hospital administation, but you will need 5-7 years of work experience before you will be able to get that job.
4 :
You might also look into schools with a dual degree MSN/MPH. It is a great combination and in some schools, such as Emory University, many of the courses you take in one program can count as electives in the other. This allows you to complete the joint degree in a shorter period of time. It's a versatile combination that will allow you much flexibility in the future. Good luck to you!
5 :
I like The Professor's answer. Getting a dual degree would be a pretty sweet deal. But if you *must* choose between the MSN and the MPH, well, I'm biased. I have a MPH, and I like it. Public health is not all about health care admin or policy. We have a lot of nurses where at my office who have MPH degrees and work as supervisors. On the health care end of it, the BSN, MPH folks do a lot of epidemiology and disease surveillance. At many hospitals, either a nurse practitioner or RN MPH works as the infection control practitioner. I don't know what more you can do with a MSN besides earn a little more pay or teach. But I know with a MPH, you can have access to a lot of other kinds of nursing work.

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Sunday, February 24, 2008

Steroids in children and health consequences

Steroids in children and health consequences?
My daughter is 6 years old, she has asthma and is on daily inhaler Pulmicort. Could anyone tell me if the prolonged use of steroids will affect her health? my daughter seems to be quite hyperactive lately and has a short temper, is it to do with Steroids?. I have also heard that prolonged use of steroids may cause polyps in her airways which later may lead to cancer. My GP says there are no consequences because the Pulmicort inhaler go straight into her lungs but I am not sure. Sometimes I think that I am pumping my daughter's body with all these steroids and I maybe actually being doing some harm to her, but what other alternatives are?. Thanks for answer.
Respiratory Diseases - 4 Answers
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1 :
i would check out this web site and do a search on google.
2 :
your GP sounds a bit off the wall, how does he think this ventilator gets to her lungs? Via the internet. It has to pass through her windpipe as you called it to get to the lungs where the alviolii absorb it into her body, and that is not a good thing either as the lungs eventually get immune to all these steroidal sprays. Have you asked another oppinion from a specialist or ever asked for a pill called coactifed that opens the airways and enhances the lungs absorption of air.
3 :
Well I could start by telling you about me. I have been trained as a pharmacy technician and have completed my first years of nursing school. Additionally, I have undergone steroid treatment and have had an extensive history of health problems. Therefore I feel I can help you with this. First you may like to hear that medications such as Pulmicort are essential to maintaining your daughter's life and therefore, safety. In other words, "she can't live with asthma, unless she has a medication like Pulmicort." There are other medications similar to Pulmicort but with different risk potentials. You may want to ask your physician about other options, and why he thought "Pulmicort" was the best choice for your daughter. Often times you will find that certain patients with similar body types will benefit from the same medication. So maybe your physician has based his decision upon that critieria. Having said that, your concerns on Pulmicort are warranted. She's your daughter, you have a license to worry/fret. Corticosteroids like Pulmicort can cause problems. However the dose is so low that problems are unlikely. There might be a tendancy for a hypersensitivity to the drug to cause your daughter some problems. That might be good reason to mention your concerns to your physician. However, I have many a friends' children who seem to become hyperactive and get a temper, while not on any drugs. That's when we as parents(I have 2 sons), just shrug our shoulders and say, "kids...". You can email me if I have not answered all your questions. Thanks dj
4 :
My 8 year old has asthma as well and she use to be on advair diskus and cingulair but when she started having behavior issues the pediatrician took he off the advair. Then we discovered that it was the allergy med causing the problem.So she switched to Zyrtec same problem.We have also tried an over the counter Clariton and it made her worse. I was at the dollar store just yesterday and found an off brand liquid allergy med.Came home gave it to her an 30 minutes after taking it her allergys cleared up and no bad behavior yay! When it comes to your kids always get a second maybe even a third opinon on things.

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Which is best health insurance policy for Income Tax saving in India

Which is best health insurance policy for Income Tax saving in India?
I am 29 years old . I want to take health insurance policy for my self & for my husband & child. The age of my husband is 30 & my Child is 3 years old. I want to buy Health Insurance policy which assist me to save my Income Tax. Is there any policy avilable which matches with my requirement?
Insurance - 2 Answers

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1 :
Link : www.insurancemall.in ICICI Health Advantage Plan is best policy for your requirement . To Know more Details about the policy with claim Procedure Click here Link : http://www.newsandreviews.in/index.php?p=407&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
2 :
I think there is two aspects in your question. Now there is two types of health related insurance policies are available in India. one offered by general insurance companies and the other offered by life insurance companies. about the general insurance company policies i suggest the reliance heathwise gold policy is more feature rich and competitively priced. the price is what you pay for it and also what you can deduct under medical insurance policy premium. so u have to decide to pay more as premium expenses and to save a percentage of the same as income tax savings. now we can look the life insurance companies. recently LIC and reliance have come up with new health insurance products which are unit linked insurance policies. here the charges for the health insurance cover can be treated as deduction under medical insurance premium and the balance amount as usual investment premium which can be counted along with other eligible investments. if you have any Ayurveda treatment plan in future then only iffco tokio provides for this in their medical policy. so the option is this if you want a real health policy study what is best and buy and if u want the tax savings and no health policy it is better to pay the tax.

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