Hospitals are clean

Theoretically, hospitals should be the cleanest places we step foot into. Treatment, recuperation, prevention, and health in general, all rely heavily on hygiene. For this reason, it is vital that every patient who walks through hospital doors is entering an uncontaminated environment.

However, hundreds, if not thousands, of people walk in and out of a hospital on a daily basis. Whether they are medical professionals, patients or visitors, the turn-over of people is so frequent that germs and bacteria are spread as people stroll in and out of the hospital.

But what does this mean for patients and visitors? Ultimately, it means that you are at high risk of catching an infection during your hospital visit. There is no doubt that hospital housekeeping professionals work really hard (and around the clock) to ensure that every inch of a patient room is cleaned thoroughly multiple times a day. But, like us, housekeepers are human, and can only control so much.

Also, patients and visitors do not realize how important it is to follow all of the hygiene precautions that the staff implements. Perhaps without even realizing it, visitors increase the risk of infection by forgetting to do something as simple as wash their hands. Even if all you did was push the elevator button, you must wash your hands after coming in contact with anything.

The cleanliness of a hospital environment relies on the employees and the visitors alike. While there are designated professionals that are responsible for cleaning the rooms, it is each individual’s responsibility to keep themselves in good shape, and that includes hygiene.

Nurses are not as smart as doctors

This is likely the most long-lived, and most untrue, myth of the medical industry. People tend to consider nurses as “failed doctors,” meaning that they did not have what it takes to make it through medical school.

There is no denying that doctors and nurses have different academic training. A nursing degree is a three or four-year program, one that covers a broad scope of information that allows for the best training possible. Conversely, medical school takes twice the time to complete, if not three times, and requires that students enter a specialization, be it GP practise, surgery, emergency or the like. But does the number years spent in school necessarily represent how smart or qualified one is? Engineers and architects spend roughly the same amount of time in school as nurses do. Are they also not as smart as doctors? That is not to say that nurses and doctors are the same. Of course they are not, but that does not mean that one is better than the other.

What is so troubling about this myth is that it does not accept nursing as a profession in its own right. By understanding nurses as inferior to doctors, their skills and expertise are ultimately undermined. Also, the myth divides nurses and doctors, which again undermines the fact that they work so closely together, and work towards the same goal, namely, the preservation of life. Just by looking through the nursing courses that so many aspiring students enroll in each year, you will understand the level of extreme proficiency, not to mention devotion, that goes into being a nurse. 

The only way this myth will disappear is if people recognize nurses as individual professionals, one’s who are practicing in a field that they actively chose, not one that they settled on.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on various health science programs, including nursing and pharmacy technician programs
 
Nurses are fully aware that a healthy lifestyle is the key to an energized and productive day. But good habits are tough to maintain when you are called on to the night shift. Although surviving the nocturnal work hours really comes down to getting used to the routine and developing your own vibe, there are a few tricks you can keep up your sleeve to make the entire process easier.

Vending Vendetta

Of all the things you despise in the world, make sure that vending machines are one of them.  One of the dangers of working the night shift is the temptation to munch on all of those sweet and salty snacks. That is not to say that snacks are a bad thing. In fact, snacks are ideal when working the night shift. But eating candy and salty chips will definitely bring your energy levels down.

The best alternative (and this goes for everyone, not just nurses who work the night shift) is to come to work equipped with enough healthy snacks to get you through the night. Load up on fruit, veggies, nuts, and even throw in a boiled egg or two into the mix. This will help you maintain a steady energy level, which will help stay on top of your game throughout your entire shift.

Hydration Central

One of the things you will hear repeated the most while studying a nursing program is how important it is to drink sufficient amounts of water each day. Not only does it flush out our organs (including our skin!) but it also quenches our thirst enough that we do not give into cravings for other less healthy beverages, like coffee, some teas, or soft drinks.

Now, let us not even pretend that coffee is not a downright savior in the night-shift world. Any student in nursing school will swear by their morning cup of Joe.  But caffeine is a stimulant like any other, so it is crucial that you keep your caffeine intake to a minimum. Although caffeine can lead you down a slippery slope, the worst culprit of all is the energy drink. Do yourself a favor and avoid energy drinks altogether. If you want something slightly sweet and that will give you a boost, stick to athletic drinks or flavoured vitamin water instead. But regardless of any tricks you may have, nothing works better than water. Your body needs to be properly hydrated in order to be alert and aware, so drink up!

Sunrise Snooze

Some night-shift nurses have an easier time than others when it comes to getting settled into a solid sleep schedule. But what is more important than clocking in eight consecutive hours of sleep is playing around with different patterns until you find one that suits you best. Some people function better if they have a few naps rather than one long sleep. Others find it easier to wait a few hours after they get home before sleeping instead of knocking out the second they step in the house. Either way, test yourself out and see what your body responds to. Just make sure you do get enough sleep, and those tired eyes see as little sun as possible.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on how to enroll in a school of nursing.

 
For those of us practicing a different profession, Accounting can definitely appear to be a calm, quiet, uneventful industry. When we see accountants depicted in the media, what we typically get are middle aged balding men in untailored suits that speak in monotone voices.

But, true to the nature of the unassuming, there is a lot of excitement buried under all those spreadsheets and balance books. Perhaps the most exciting factor within the industry are the multi-million dollar (and upwards) scandals that are put in the public eye by accountants who unravel the scheme. Those responsible for investigating corporations that are suspect of fraud are often referred to as forensic accountants. Together with auditors, forensic accountants are called on to discover the practice of any fraudulent activity done on the part of corporations big and small.

The Madoff Investment Scandal

 

There have been dozens of investment and accounting scandals over the past hundred years. The most recent high-profile case is most likely the Madoff Investment Scandal. In short, the founder of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC cunningly orchestrated an elaborate investment scheme that carried over across a number of decades. In 2008, Madoff’s scheme came to an end when he confessed to his two sons, who later turned their father in to the authorities. In the end, Madoff coordinated and maintained the largest Ponzi scheme to date, punching in at an estimated 50-65 billion dollars, and implicating thousands of people, from individuals and non-profit organizations to global banks and international corporations. Of those implicated, there were instance where entire corporate bodies had to be dissolved due to the investment funds they had allocated to make-believe foundations created by Madoff Investment Securities. In 2009, Bernard Madoff pleaded guilty to eleven federal crimes and was subsequently sentenced to serve a prison term of 150 years.

In-Depth Curriculum

Don’t be fooled into thinking that accounting is 24-7 private investigation kind of job. Admittedly, scandals do occur, and do require the most attentive and talented accountants to help reveal the hidden secrets behind the scam. Nonetheless, this is more of a rarity. Still, the job itself is intriguing, even on a daily basis. To get a sense of what a typical work day for almost any accountant, take a look at the sorts of courses that are required in most accounting training programs.  

- Business Career Strategies

- Computer Applications for Business

- Marketing

- Communications

- Business Law

- Organizational Behaviour

- Researching & Reporting

- Microeconomics and Macroeconomics

- Cost & Managerial Accounting

- Taxation

- Business Finance

Visit Mohawk College for more information on accounting courses.

 
If you have not been a student for a significant amount of time, the idea of going back to school can be quite unsettling. The best thing you can do for yourself is be prepared. Here is how: 

The Reason

Before actually sending out your applications, you need to sit down and figure out the real reason behind your desire to go back to school. Is it to open up your career options? Is it to impress someone? Or is it strictly to gain new knowledge? Whatever your reason, be sure that your decision to go back to school is for you and not anyone else. If you wind up sitting in class for the betterment of someone else, odds are you are going to resent school, your prospective degree, and the person who you are presumably doing it all for.

Preliminaries

Before sending out your application, you may want to first verify that you meet all of the requirements necessary to be considered an eligible candidate. Some college and universities require a high-school degree, while most allow people to apply to certain programs as mature students. Regardless of which category you fall under, it is a good idea to check to make sure that you meet all the admission requirements. If it happens that you do not, consult an academic advisor at the institution you hope to attend in order to discuss what you would need to do in order to become eligible to apply.

The Options

 

There is wide range of academic courses and programs that you can choose from. What you choose to study depends entirely on what you hope to get from your degree. If you want to work with cars, then an automotive apprenticeship is likely what you are looking for. But if you are not sure if you actually want to work in the automotive industry just yet, then perhaps taking a few independent courses might be a better idea.  Ultimately, you need to look at a degree or diploma in one of two ways: as a means to an end, or as an end in itself.

If you look at knowledge as an end in itself, then you will be more than happy to go to school for the sake of learning.  But if you consider academic certification as a means to an end, then what you really want is for your degree to help you gain something more than knowledge itself. This is not a bad thing, and as we know, the intention most people have when they go to school is to increase their career opportunities.

If a career boost is what you are after, then you may want to give some extra thought to co-op programs and apprenticeship programs because of the hands-on work experience that is integrated into the curriculum.

If widening your career options is what you are aiming for, then try to give your career some thought. What do you want to do? Is there an industry demand where you live? Of the prospective employers in your area, which can you see yourself working with in the future? Thinking about these factors will really help you narrow down your choices.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on apprenticeships in Ontario.

 
The healthcare industry is increasingly becoming more digitalized. Rather than hopping from room to room with a clipboard, nurses and physicians are making their rounds with their trusty tablets. Instead of face-to-face consultations, healthcare professionals are extending their expertise over video chats. Let’s take a closer look at what changes are being made and what this means for the future of the healthcare industry in general.

 

Telehealth

Telehealth technologies allow healthcare professionals to communicate with each other and with patients by way of videoconferencing. This type of communication is best suited for situations where distance prevents medical professionals from providing the best healthcare possible. Through telehealth, a nurse can present visual findings to a practitioner who is across the country, or for an urban-based caregiver to attend to rural-based patients via videoconferencing. In short, caregiving and nursing can be done remotely. Of course, this would not apply to situations that require direct contact, such as administering medication or tending to a wound.

Healthcare Tablets

Tablets are increasingly being used by healthcare professionals. One principal way that tablets are being used is as a portal to patient data and medical records. If any of you have ever worked in a hospital, you will know that getting your hands on hardcopy medical records is like landing courtside seats at a basketball game. Because hardcopies are never printed in duplicate, a healthcare worker needs to reserve a medical record before taking it out, and more often than not, will have a limited amount of time before having to return it. It is not uncommon that more than one healthcare professional will need access to a patient’s data at the same time, making the paper format quite problematic. It is obvious, then, why digital medical records are being welcomed with open arms.

Tablets also allow access to medical imaging. The pressing criticism regarding this application speaks to how the use of this new technology will inevitably affect the performance of healthcare providers. Having direct access to patient data 24-7 means physicians can review data in real time, which may leave them compelled to access files in less than ideal situations, like when they are at dinner or on their way home. The advantage of the restrictions that come with paper files is that doctors actually have to seek out the file, sit down and review it, which puts them in a more present state of mind. How effective is someone’s review of data at the dinner table, or in the middle of a conversation? Aspiring healthcare professionals can definitely expect to confront these concerns in health courses on medical imaging and the like.

These changes in medical practices can be unnerving at first. Do we really want to have a diagnosis revealed to us through our computer screen? Is the digital archive of patient medical records safe from being hacked into? These questions are important ones to ask, especially since the people who produce all the applications and those who use them still do not know all of the answers.

As is the case with all digital behaviour, what we need to aim for is moderation. What we hope for from  medical professionals is that they honour their healthcare training to the fullest, and slowly incorporate digital advancements so that the quality of their professionalism is never undermined.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on Health and Technology.

 
If you are thinking of pursuing a career that allows you to funnel your best skills and qualities straight into the community, you may want to consider  earning certification in one of the following areas of specialization:

Instructor for Blind and Visually Impaired

Working with the blind is both challenging and rewarding. With extreme patience and specialized techniques, instructors teach both children and adults who are visually impaired how to move around safely and confidently. Blindness can be a very difficult impediment to live with, and instructors for the blind are a major support system for people who are visually impaired and their families. Areas if expertise include:

- The Eye and Low Vision

- Un-contracted Braille

- Orientation and Mobility

- Sensory Development

 - Living Skills

The Autism and Behavioural Science

Autism is a realm of psychology and health studies that is controversial both in the treatments and studies that have been developed. Specialists in the field play a crucial role in guiding parents and other professionals through treatment options, educational activities and social exercises. Areas if expertise include:

- Non-violent Crisis Intervention

- Ethics and Professionalism

- Working with Families and Teams

- Behaviour Skill Building

- Parent and Staff Training

- Planning and Implementation

 Social Services Worker

Social Services professional can choose to work with different populations and demographics, including youth and seniors. Working directly with people that are in need of support is a serious and demanding endeavour, and requires you to approach each individual’s issue with a broad scope of knowledge and proficiency. The community courses pertaining to this domain will typically focus on the following areas if expertise:

 

- History and Ethics of Social Work

- Privilege and Oppression

- Working with Children and Adolescence

- Psychology of Adjustment

- SSW Community Change

- Issues Related to Family

- Practice in Organizations

- Social Policy and Law

Personal Support Worker

 

PSWs assist with providing attentive care to the elderly and to patients who suffer from mental and/or physical disabilities, and chronic illness. The presence of PSWs is crucial to the healthcare system because of the assistance they provide to patients on a daily basis. Students enrolled in a personal support worker program quickly realize that their skill set extends into various areas of expertise, including:

- Developmental Psychology 

- Communications 

- Health and Illness

- Dementia and Mental Health

- Palliative Care

There are several other community-based careers, including agriculture, early childhood education, and non-profit leadership. More important than deciding which specialization you want to go into is your resolve to dedicate your time and skills to various communities in need.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on early childhood education college.

 
People who work in a healthcare setting are often confronted with ethical questions pertaining to medical practices. It is true that most healthcare professionals are not required to adopt a particular moral stance on every single ethical issue. But still, it is important for them, and everyone else for that matter, to think about these situations, and to contemplate their own moral positioning from an objective standpoint.

One such issue is that of euthanasia. Readers must note that this article does not claim to provide any answers or suggest any definitive ethical standpoints regarding the issue of euthanasia, but rather; this article aims to provide a brief overview of said issue.     

Euthanasia is a form of terminating a life with the intent of relieving that life from pain or suffering. Also referred to as “mercy killing,” euthanasia is in large part considered illegal in all parts of the world, with the exception of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Although these countries have officially legalized euthanasia, there are many stipulations and conditions that must be adhered to, and the legality of such a practice is determined on a case-by-case basis.

The differing legal status of euthanasia across countries speaks to the inconclusiveness of its moral ranking. Students aspiring for a career in healthcare will likely come across health courses that touch on ethical issues such as this one.  Coming to a conclusion is rarely the goal of such courses, and instead the focus is to have students explore varying perspectives on ethical quandaries.

Voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia are the two main forms of euthanasia that are most commonly subject to debate. Voluntary euthanasia occurs when a person assists someone in ending their life painlessly because continuing to live would involve prolonged suffering.  This form of euthanasia is voluntary because consent was given by the person whose life would end, and that person has actively communicated their wish to die rather than to live. 

Non-voluntary euthanasia occurs someone practices mercy killing on an individual who has not given overt consent to do so because they are physically unable to. For example, terminally ill infants or people in permanent vegetative states are unable to give their consent to having their lives terminated, thus consent is made on their behalf (typically by family members and physicians). The notion is that if in fact these individuals had the ability to give their consent, they would prefer to end their life rather than suffer a life of constant pain.

The ethical debate concerning euthanasia is a complicated and long-lived one. Regardless of whether or not you work in a healthcare setting or have had healthcare training, coming to some sort of definitive ethical position is no easy task, and more often than not people are left hovering somewhere between the pro side and the con side.

 

Visit Mohawk College for more information on health and technology.

 

 
It is no surprise that certain trades are quickly diminishing with the incessant rise of digital technology. If we take audio technology as an example, any development grew to the point of washing out its predecessor. The vinyl was taken over by cassette tapes, which were then taken over by compact discs, which, with the introduction of the MP3, have become nothing more than dusty reminders of our youthful past.

It is true that many analog technologies have enough die-hard aficionados to prevent them from completely vanishing. There are still enough people actively using record players to warrant the production of vinyl records, albeit quiet the small production run.

Nonetheless, our digital preferences have not affected all trades. Sure, audio, instant cameras, and even letter pressing are hovering over their extinction date. But there still remain certain manual trades that, for now, seem to be up and running in the same manner they did way back when.

The vital difference between analog technology and manual crafts is that the latter chiefly relies on human skill, while the former relies merely on passive usage. The disappearance of dark rooms did not occur because no one practiced photography anymore; but rather, because a newer, more convenient way to practice photography was introduced. Instead of photography strictly being a specialized trade, it is open to anyone who can get their hands on a camera. The same does not go for manual trades. We will always need buildings to be built, concrete to be laid, furniture to be designed, and pipes to be assembled, and unlike the analog world, manual craftsmanship has yet to be overshadowed by digital counterparts.

That is not to say that manual trades have not changed with the increase of digital developments. Modern day mechanics, for example, must master all the digital gizmos—GPS, trackers, embedded TV screens, reverse-mode cameras—we have come to love, things their counterparts of fifty years ago didn’t need to know about.

Even still, manual trades seem to be of the few things that are safe from extinction in this digital world of ours. Even more reassuring is that trades-people continue to be trained through intense apprenticeships. Typically offered at a college or university, apprenticeship programs allow aspiring trades-people to learn their craft in a very traditional manner, viz. an intense mentor-protégé curriculum.  As students learn theory in the classroom, they then have to put the theory into practice by working alongside masters of the trade.

A student enrolled in a plumber apprenticeship will learn everything from layout specifics to welding the final touches. Similarly, a student enrolled in a roofer apprenticeship will be learning about various roofing materials one day, and will be actually laying out fiberglass shingles the next. 

The very idea of apprenticeships is quite endearing insofar as it emulates a sort of camaraderie between generations. As the masters of today reach their peak, they pass along their expertise to the young professionals that will follow suit. Regardless of what digital developments come next, I don’t think anything can destroy that type of bond. 

Visit Mohawk College for more information on apprenticeships in Ontario.

 
The main difference between an apprenticeship and a traditional degree program is the theory-practice ratio implemented in each. Typically, degree programs are extremely theory-heavy, and aim to introduce students to centuries’ worth of ideas and schools of thought pertaining to a respective area of study. For example, an English Literature major will spend a good portion of their academic career reading and discussing the works of countless authors, from Homer’s The Iliad (1194-1184 BC) to more obscure, lesser known works by modern authors like Michael Turner and Charles de Lint.

An apprentice, on the other hand, will find that their time in school will be dedicated more to practicing their skill set. That is not to say that apprenticeship programs do not focus on theory. Of course they do! However, before apprentices can even think of approaching a mechanism, they must first understand the concepts around it.  In fact, theory is typically taught throughout the entire apprenticeship program, giving students the opportunity to learn new principles as their skills mature.

A focus on practice means that students will be able to get hands-on experience while they are earning their certification. Unlike degree graduates, who more often than not graduate with little to no experience in their field, apprentices leave school having already clocked in a significant number of hours working. What this means is that apprentices overcome their novice stage while they are still in school, giving them a one-up in their respective industry.

An additional benefit to apprenticeship programs is the level of industry exposure students get. While apprentices are put alongside master tradespeople to learn and perfect the required expertise, they are also forming relationships with industry leaders. For example, let us say a student pursuing an automotive apprenticeship is placed at a local garage in order to complete the work experience necessary to gain his certification. The student will invariably develop relationships with colleagues, ones that will likely last years, and which will expose him to other sectors and people of the industry. In short, the nature of apprenticeships place students in an environment that gives them the opportunity to develop bonds with people, to discover different aspects of the industry, and, ultimately, be completely in the know of all things field-related.

Students who aspire to enter a skilled trade profession, such as mechanics, welding, and plumbing, may prefer to opt for an apprenticeship. There are no hard facts to sustain the belief that degree programs are better than apprenticeship programs, or vice versa. The advantages of one over the other completely depend on your own goals, and what you hope to get out of your time as a student.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on apprenticeships in Ontario.

 
Running a non-profit organization is no easy feat. Like any other business venture, non-profit outfits require a lot of time and resources in order to be successful. However, investing all the time and money in the world will do no good if the organization is not coordinated and organized on the inside.

But how exactly do non-profits become successful? Truthfully, there really is no difference between the structure of a non-profit and a for-profit organization. Both are businesses, and need to follow some sort of plan or overall mission in order to achieve their objectives.

Also, the fundamental qualities of a successful business exist in both models. For example, non-profits and for-profits absolutely need to follow a budget in order to be sure that there resources are allocated properly and that nothing is falling between the cracks.

But budget is just one of many tasks that need to be mastered. Truthfully, if you are thinking of starting a non-profit, you may want to look into a continuing education program in order to cover all the topics that you need to know. Below are a few more areas of study that are absolutely essential:

Leadership and Communications

The prosperity of any business endeavour comes down to leadership and communications. When a team is led by an enthusiastic, inspiring, and honest mission, the people within the organization will be propelled to work towards the overall goal every step of the way.

Practical Human Resources Management

If structured well and given the proper significance, Human Resources Management can stand as the foundation of an organization. Human Resources will be responsible for organizing all matter that’s deal with recruitment (interviews, selection, and terminations) and retention (performance feedback and evaluations). HR Management will also be the principal resource of information regarding employee policies and non-profit legislations, which of course must be followed diligently at all times. HR may also promote employee-programs that focus on morale, like setting up the possibility for employees to expand their knowledge by taking courses at a local institution or through distance education.

Board and Staff Responsibilities              

Much like how HR will handle various duties, the other staff and organization members absolutely need designated responsibilities. This may sound obvious, but a project needs to be upheld by a group of people that consist of individuals who know exactly what they bring to the table and how to bring it. Anyone in a leadership role always needs to know what the project needs and how the team will function.

Strategic and Long-Range Planning

Although there are particular features that carry through over to almost any business or organization, each one functions on a specific model catered to its own goals. Details regarding  starting costs, geography, industry, and so much more all go into consideration when planning out how an organization will be structured and how it will grow.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on online learning.