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How Can Students Benefit From Dual Certifications in Healthcare

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Healthcare is a diverse field with a multitude of career options for anyone interested in professional growth. Plus, you don’t need much to get your foot in the door. If you’re eager to get started, you can take an EKG or a Phlebotomy Technician course and will be working in less than a year.

But why settle for a single path when you can navigate multiple career options at once? Some courses pack two specialties in one educational package, so by the time you graduate, you have double the skills under your belt. 

Students who pursue a dual certification path often find themselves better prepared for real-world challenges. They walk away with broader expertise and a competitive edge over others. After all, the benefits of dual certifications are clear: more opportunities, skills, and job prospects. 

In today’s article, we will have a more in-depth look at what it means to follow a dual certification path in healthcare and whether it’s worth it.

What Does it Mean to Pursue a Dual Certification?

In most cases, simultaneously pursuing two different healthcare certifications is a herculean task. There’s double the information and time commitment, and you may have to pay for two different lines of education.

But that’s not always the case. For instance, if you’re interested in becoming a Phlebotomist, you will be able to apply for EKG Certification as well. Some courses combine these two educational paths under one curriculum to give their students a better chance of getting hired for better salaries.

In this case, you gain double the skills without enrolling in separate courses. This will boost your expertise and make you more flexible in different healthcare roles. Also, employers value versatile candidates who can perform multiple tasks, so a dual certification makes your resume stand out.

Programs designed for dual certification offer cohesive instruction that links related subjects seamlessly, enriching understanding and practical application. Also, mastering more than one discipline builds confidence in handling complex situations encountered during clinical practice or patient care scenarios.

Diverse Career Paths with Healthcare Double Credentials

We’ve already mentioned that double credentials in healthcare open up diverse career paths, so let’s have a look at a student’s options after graduating from a Phlebotomy and EKG Technician class.

Here are some of the most common workplaces that will welcome you with open arms:

  • Hospitals: Many hospitals need versatile technicians to assist with patient care, performing both blood draws and heart monitoring.
  • Diagnostic Laboratories: Labs often seek professionals skilled in both phlebotomy and EKGs to efficiently process patient samples and data.
  • Cardiology Clinics: Working in cardiology settings, you might conduct EKG tests while also managing routine blood work for cardiac patients.
  • Emergency Departments: Fast-paced environments value dual-skilled individuals who can handle urgent diagnostic procedures.
  • Mobile Health Units: These services offer on-site healthcare where your combined skills meet multiple needs simultaneously – ideal for community health initiatives or corporate wellness programs.
  • Research Facilities: Research projects frequently require participants’ biometric data; being adept at both certifications streamlines this collection process effectively.
  • Private Practice Support Staff: Smaller clinics benefit from staff members capable of multitasking across various technical roles within the practice’s operations.

And, if you want to move up the career ladder, you can always get another certification, like Health Management and Policy, to make the jump to administrative staff. As we already stated, healthcare has many possibilities as long as you’re interested in learning and growing. 

The Job Market Advantage of Dual Qualifications

Besides better chances of getting employed and the chance of getting a better salary, dual qualifications also make you more versatile since you can fill different roles within a team. Being proficient in more than one area also provides greater job stability since employers are more interested in retaining versatile employees during workforce reductions or restructuring.

Since you qualify for positions across multiple departments or facilities, you can choose which healthcare organization to apply to. Changing employers, moving cities, or getting accepted into international programs is also easier.

Also, as technology evolves and the demand for multi-skilled healthcare workers rises, you’re well-positioned for future advancements or specialization opportunities.

Wrap Up

Pursuing dual certifications is the best strategy if you’re looking to start your healthcare career with a bang. You can use them to explore varied roles, adapt to changes, and continue lifelong learning. 

Maintain relationships with mentors and peers from your program; they offer valuable support as you navigate professional growth and capitalize on opportunities within the dynamic healthcare landscape.

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Business

The Key to a Thriving Business

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As the internet continues to become more and more widespread, we find ourselves growing increasingly dependent on it for even the simplest of tasks. Today, all it takes is a few short steps to get food ordered, payments made, messages delivered, and so much more. This is possible thanks to the massive technological breakthroughs that have taken place in the past couple of decades and have completely revolutionized the tech industry.

In the business world, the internet is a massive game-changer that has redefined the way businesses operate. For some, it presents a treasure trove of marketing opportunities. For others, it helps coordinate workflows and allows more seamless interaction with customers. According to modern standards, maintaining a decent online presence is essential for running a successful business. The demand for web page builders has reached an all-time high which is unsurprising considering that every company wants to leverage the wide range of benefits that comes with owning a website.

A Website Acts as Free Marketing

Before the era of personal computing, advertising was mostly limited to newspapers and billboards. These advertising methods were not very effective since they made it impossible to target a specific group of people. Today, it is a completely different story. Thanks to the internet and the intricate algorithms put into action, it is now easy to know who’s interested in your products so you can target them with ads. In fact, targeted advertising has rapidly become one of the modern world’s most widespread marketing strategies given its great effectiveness and affordability.

On the internet, a web page acts as a great representation of your business and plays an indispensable role in attracting new customers. This is because owning a simple web page is enough to make your business seem more legitimate and trustable for customers. For this reason, it is of great importance to pay attention to your website’s aesthetics and make sure it employs proper search engine optimization to make it more popular and widely viewed. 

A New Way to Interact with Customers

Because the internet never sleeps, a website acts as a 24/7 information desk for your business. By listing basic information like opening hours, phone numbers, and photos of your products, customers will be able to get a general idea about your business by simply looking it up. Including a FAQs page is also a great idea, as it eliminates the need to manually assist customers with their most frequent questions, which saves both time and money.

As e-commerce continues to grow at an unprecedented rate and as online shopping becomes the new normal over traditional shopping, most businesses are now enabling their users to place orders directly from their websites. This not only makes buying things easier for users, but it also helps in automating orders and processing them more efficiently. By automating tasks, your business will require a fewer number of employees, effectively cutting costs and eliminating human error.

Accepting online payments has never been easier. Countless options exist that enable customers to make instant and secure payments on the go. Most websites nowadays accept payments through internet-enabled credit or debit cards, but some choose to take a step further and enable more options like PayPal, Apple Pay, Venmo, and even cryptocurrency.

Access to Advanced Insights

It is easy to gather information about who visits your website. Through the use of embedded trackers and web cookies, you’ll be able to learn more about who is interested in your business so that you can continue to refine and improve it. Analytics as simple as users’ general geographic location, age, and interests are essential to building a brand that takes customer satisfaction seriously.

How to Get Started?

Coding a website manually is not easy. Hiring a web development team to build a website on your behalf usually gets the job done, but it gives little room for customization and creativity. After all, nobody knows your business better than you.

Thankfully, a new and widely adopted method for building websites is using “no-code” web page designers. These allow businesses to build professional-looking websites using a drag-and-drop interface without having to spend months learning web development. Invest some of your time upfront, researching the best website builder to suits your needs, and you’ll good to go. In no time, you’ll have a website live and will be able to see the benefits accruing, that will leave you wondering why you didn’t do your business this favor long ago.

Conclusion

In an internet-first world, having a strong online presence is crucial for the success of any brand. Fortunately, new services and platforms make it easier than ever to run an online business. As the world of commerce continues shifting to an increasingly online-centric state, we can expect to see more companies and brands operating fully online without any physical headquarters. 

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General

For Veterans Thinking About Going Back to School

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As the workforce continues to move towards remote employment, many Americans find themselves unable or unprepared for the transition. For some, it is simply a matter of figuring out what they can do. For many, however, it is a question of retraining. A great number of Americans feel like they need to acquire new skills or update their training. That is the reason for the increase in adult enrollment in the past decade.

Veterans are no exception. In fact, many veterans are adapting to the changing needs of the workforce by going back to school. With numerous programs and scholarships available, it has never been a more favorable time to earn a degree, learn a new skill, or acquire a certification.

Newly-discharged and retired veterans alike can benefit from going back to school. Whether they are looking for a career change, aiming for a promotion, or simply accomplishing a goal, veterans know that extra training is always useful.

Here are a few short steps for veterans that could move them forward in their education. So brush up on your military alphabet, and read on to learn what kind of training can benefit your career.

Plan Your Outcome 

Not every person needs a Master’s Degree. Similarly, not everyone could benefit from an Associate’s Degree. The outcome of your educational journey should be centered around what your current situation requires. It might even be prudent to speak with your employer, as they often have the inside track on what can earn promotions.

If your current situation is a blank slate, ask yourself what your motivations are. Some people want to graduate from college for the feeling of achievement. Others want to train for a new career path. Once you begin your courses, you will find that this part of your life requires much of your time. Make sure what you are doing has an outcome, even if it is simply for a shiny plaque on your wall.

Similarly, map out your path by doing the proper research about what your field will require. Many students have encountered problems in their second or third year of college when they encounter a class they cannot pass. Understand the requirements of your program of study, but also be sure to understand what the work entails.

Finally, understand the costs associated with going back to school. Even if you are receiving tuition money, not all costs involved with higher education are always implicitly stated. For example, if you are quitting your job to go to school full-time, make sure you will not be hurt in the long run by a lack of income. Also, keep in mind that some of the programs offered are reimbursement-based.

Check for VA Programs

Many veterans are only slightly aware of the benefits that are open to them following their release from military service. However, millions of dollars in benefits have gone unclaimed since World War I. A local Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) office is where to begin when you want to discover your options for education. Most offices have an on-site education counselor that is familiar not only with the VA programs, but may also be in contact with colleges in the area. 

The most commonly known VA educational program is the Montgomery GI Bill, but there are many more programs besides this one. The Post-911 GI Bill and Vocational Rehabilitation program are also available to qualified veterans. In certain situations, one or more benefits can even be combined.

Other programs are available for veterans who may not be seeking a degree. Reimbursment programs are available for a myriad of certifications and licenses. Many of these programs also provide a stipend for materials.

Begin by checking the VA education benefits page, then set up an account on eBenefits to find out the programs that apply to your service.

Check for School Programs

Many colleges and universities offer scholarships and grants just for veterans. Many private organizations offer scholarships for both veterans and their spouses. If you qualify, then you should try to get a piece of that money. Anything outside of tuition and fees goes into the veteran’s pocket. This can help cover the cost of living while you are in school or simply pay for the extra equipment that your education may require. 

The online service Best Colleges even has a list of the most military-friendly colleges in America. Find out where your school ranks on this scale, and also discover many of the other scholarships and programs available.

If you are a veteran, there is at least one education or training program available. Some veterans have been able to achieve a Master’s Degree and beyond by strategically combining scholarship programs. Similarly, every year veterans gain the training they need to draw a better salary.

Education is not just for bookworms. With remote working becoming the new trend, make yourself more marketable by staying current with the knowledge and skills needed for the evolving workforce.

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Business

What to Know About Becoming an Insurance Agent

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Working as an insurance agent can be an effective way to earn a living wage while helping people. In essence, you’re helping customers protect what is most important to them. However, there are many steps that you must take before you can start working in this field. Let’s take a closer look at the process of becoming a licensed agent and how long it will likely take to complete.

What Are the Requirements to Become an Insurance Agent?

In most states, you’ll need to be at least 18 years of age to start the process of obtaining your insurance agent license. You’ll also need to consent to a background check as well as have your fingerprints entered into a national database. If you pass the license exam, you will then need to apply for your license before seeking employment in your chosen line of authority.

Should You Obtain a College Degree?

In most states, you don’t need a college degree to obtain a property and casualty license. However, it can be a good idea to pursue a degree in finance or business if you want to become an actuary or to enter other fields that typically require you to have a formal college education.

You’ll Need to Meet Classroom Requirements Before Taking Your Licensing Exam

Although you won’t need a college degree to become an insurance agent, you will likely need to complete a prelicensing course. This course can take up to 90 hours to complete depending on the state where you’d like to obtain your license and the line of authority that you wish to receive. For your convenience, it may be possible to complete such a course online.

After you complete your pre-license class, you will receive a certificate of completion. You will need to bring this certificate to your test site. In addition, you’ll need to present valid identification to sit for your chosen exam. If you fail to bring either of these documents to the test site, you’ll need to reschedule your appointment. However, you will not receive a refund for any test fees paid prior to your missed appointment.

What Should You Know About the License Exam?

The license exam primarily tests your knowledge about state rules and regulations. For instance, you’ll generally need to be familiar with concepts such as risk, indemnity or renewals. You will also need to be familiar with contractual terms such as declarations, conditions and appraisals. Finally, the test will also assess your knowledge regarding your role as an agent and the responsibilities that you have to your clients.

What Is Considered a Passing Score?

Each state has different rules it uses when determining if you have passed a specific license exam. However, 60% is often considered to be a passing score regardless of where you take the test. In some cases, your test will be graded on a scale, which means that you might be able to pass even if you don’t get 60% of the questions right. It’s not uncommon to fail an insurance agent test on your first try, and anxiety on test day is one of the most common reasons cited as to why this occurs.

How Should You Get Ready for Your Exam?

It may be in your best interest to take an exam prep course prior to actually taking the test. A prep course can help you anticipate any tricks that the exam provider may use to confuse or frustrate you into giving the wrong answer. You may also learn valuable skills that can help to calm your nerves or otherwise help you stay in control while taking the test.

Where Can You Work After Obtaining Your License?

After receiving your insurance agent license, you can work at most brokerages and independent insurance agencies in the state where you passed the exam. If you find work in another state, your license can typically be transferred to that state with relative ease. In many states, obtaining the proper credentials means that you can start your own private insurance company. Taking this step may allow you to gain greater control over your career and make significantly more money than you might working for someone else.

You May Be Subject to Ongoing Training Requirements

State and federal laws change on a regular basis, and as an insurance agent, it is your responsibility to keep up with these changes. The best way to do this is to take continuing education courses after you obtain your license. In some cases, your employer may be willing to pay for the costs associated with your continuing education.

Obtaining an insurance agent license may provide you with an opportunity to embark on a lucrative and unpredictable career path. Ideally, you’ll take test prep courses, hire a private tutor or take any other steps needed to pass the exam on your first try.

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Health

Monitoring and Maintaining Your Health During Graduation

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It’s easy to overlook your health when you are going through college. Not only will classes, assignments, and looming deadlines keep you busy and preoccupied throughout most of the year, but the majority of students are also quite young. And if you’re in your 20s or even your late teens and have never been seriously ill in your life, it’s easy not to worry about your health beyond looking up where you land on a BMI calculator.

However, being able to keep tabs on your health is a skill worth having during your college years. Not only so you can spot when something is going wrong, but so you can get ahead of potential future problems.

Health and future risks

It’s much easier to permanently damage your health in your 20s than most people realize. Obvious candidates like drinking, smoking, and drug abuse can all cause lasting damage, but it goes beyond that. Chronic stress and lack of sleep can both have long-term consequences to your mental and physical health. And even something as simple as brushing your teeth can affect you for all your life.

It’s often easy to get caught up thinking that if you pay the dentist they’ll make problems disappear. But dental work doesn’t last as well as your own dental structure, which means you’ll need more dental work down the line in order to maintain the repairs made today.

Finally, there are a plethora of medical problems that can be uncovered and treated much earlier when students a) pay attention to their own health and b) don’t skip on those regular appointments we should all be getting every year. And encouraging students to do both is an effort that both university staff and the student body can undertake together.

Staying on top of your health

The crux of the issue lies in one of the most boring facets of medicine: maintenance and regular check-ups. It’s important to get your bloodwork done, your eyes checked, and your teeth properly inspected and cleaned at least once a year, if not more.

There are also a variety of ways you can check for health problems and take better care of yourself. We already mentioned proper oral hygiene, but there is also a lot to be gained from spotting and treating caries early, so regularly inspecting your teeth is a good idea.

Keep an eye for other signs of health problems, such as trouble sleeping, recurrent headaches, unexplained pains, and more. It’s too easy to focus on your studies and hopes that minor symptoms go away, but recurring issues can be a sign of a deeper underlying condition.

The consequences of poor health

Exercising and healthy dieting, of course, also count as maintenance and self-care, and they can offer a variety of benefits for students in particular. Chief among them is their benefit to mental health, given that dietary changes and an active lifestyle can help mitigate the negative effects of stress, anxiety, depression, and more. It’s not a cure necessarily, but it does often help.

Staying healthy can also improve your energy levels and help improve the quality of your sleep, both of which can have a positive impact on your academic performance and overall quality of life.

On top of that, there are other benefits to becoming active in your younger years. It’s generally easier to achieve and maintain great cardiovascular health if you start exercising when you’re young, even if you stop doing it for several years before starting up again. Muscle memory is a real thing, and it can benefit you for the rest of your life. 

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Life

Could My Child Have ADHD?

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In a daycare room full of children, some kids may prefer to sit and read quietly while others run around and play tag. Because children have varying personalities and different dispositions, it can be difficult at first glance to determine if any of them suffer from ADHD. ADHD was first described in 1902 by Sir George Still, a British pediatrician. The disorder was defined as ‘an abnormal defect of moral control in children.’ Sir George Still noted that affected children, although intelligent, could not control their behavior as effectively as their neurotypical counterparts. Throughout the years, our understanding of ADHD has changed, affecting the way it is diagnosed and the treatments available.

What is ADHD?

In 1937, medical director Charles Bradley discovered that children hospitalized for impaired behavior and learning abilities improved dramatically after being treated with Benzedrine. The seemingly paradoxical discovery of stimulants helping to improve inhibition control in hyperactive children would prove to be revolutionary. Nonetheless, thirty years passed before the National Institute of Mental Health funded its first study into the effects of stimulants on children with hyperactivity. In 1980, the name of the disorder was changed from hyperkinetic impulse disorder to attention deficit disorder (ADD). Seven years later, that was replaced with the current term: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Today, stimulants such as Adderall are frequently used to treat the symptoms of ADHD.

Because it can be challenging for laypeople to differentiate between ADHD symptoms and willful or post-traumatic behavior, there are sometimes dismissals of its manifestations as a mere matter of temperament. Fortunately, there is a growing mountain of research and publications that support the science. In fact, studies have shown that ADHD is coded in the genes, with evidence that it is highly heritable. The latest research has further shown that people with ADHD have minor brain executive function impairments and different neurological communication patterns compared to neurotypical people.

Currently, there are three accepted forms of ADHD. The first form is inattentive ADHD where people struggle to sustain attention, get easily distracted by environmental stimuli, and have a poor memory. This type of ADHD is more often observed in girls and adults. The second form is hyperactive-impulsive ADHD where people need to continuously be in motion, for example fidgeting or talking constantly. This type of ADHD is more often diagnosed in children and men. The third form of ADHD is a combined type whereby people demonstrate some symptoms from each of the two aforementioned forms. By using self-help resources such as a child ADHD quiz, parents can determine if their child is displaying symptoms of the disorder, and decide whether to seek a professional assessment.

How Could ADHD Affect My Family?

While most people are familiar with the major symptoms of ADHD—inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness—these are only a part of the possible manifestations that can impact the daily lives of children. Children with ADHD often struggle in school because the disorder can additionally cause learning disabilities, disorganization, and forgetfulness. This can translate to problems with understanding math, keeping track of homework, or studying for tests. The hyperactivity and inattention can also be misinterpreted as acting out towards their teachers, resulting in students being punished for actions that are out of their control.

Although children with ADHD can be just as creative and intelligent as their peers, many of them suffer from low self-esteem, causing them to feel unable to make friends and new connections. At the same time, other children with ADHD can be overly extroverted and energetic, sometimes unable to control their aggressive or emotional outbursts. Either way, both types of impulses can lead to children with ADHD feeling alienated and isolated, particularly if they are ostracized by their classmates.

At home, caregivers of children with ADHD are under additional pressure because they need to be actively involved in monitoring numerous aspects of their child’s day—from schoolwork to sibling interaction. Due to parents giving extra attention to the child with ADHD, siblings can feel neglected and resentful, more so if they must deal with disruption as well. As a result, parents can feel increasingly stressed and powerless about managing their child’s ADHD symptoms while the child with ADHD can develop long-lasting feelings of inadequacy.

A recent study has found that only 10 percent of children grow out of ADHD, which continues to manifest itself in adulthood, albeit in various ways and degrees. With this in mind, we need to further educate the public and expand the limited understanding of ADHD. We now know that ADHD not just affects children in the classroom but countless adults throughout their lives as well. Thankfully, there are more and more treatment options being developed to help people with ADHD. From medication to cognitive behavioral therapy and brain training, specialists can now tailor multimodal treatment strategies to maximize the quality of life for people with ADHD.

Parents are naturally invested in the contentment of their children. While ADHD cannot yet be cured, it can definitely be managed. By taking measures to address ADHD early and educating the people around them about the disorder, parents can provide their children with the support and encouragement they need to become healthy and happy individuals. 

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Business

Basics of Effective Branding

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Effective branding can make all the difference in the world for a new business. In fact, it can be one of the key differentiators between a successful and an unsuccessful company. Your brand is what sets your company apart from others, and it’s what people will identify you with. It’s about a lot more than a logo or a company name — it’s about the words you use, the images you choose, and how it all ties together. The goal of branding is to create a truly unique identity for your business that reflects its values, its personality, and, above all else, its customers. 

Your brand is the face of your business. It’s often the first thing that potential customers encounter when they are trying to decide whether or not to use your services or buy your products. A strong brand presence is therefore essential to competitiveness in a world of expanding consumer options. 

But creating a successful brand for a business requires more than quick thinking. It is an art form, and it requires you to be thoughtful and deliberate about your company’s image. If you’re having trouble establishing a brand for your product or service, here are some tips to help you out.

Find your identity

Creating a brand for your business is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Branding plays a huge part in getting potential customers to trust your product or service and ultimately buy it. The best brands have clear messages and a strong sense of identity. They offer a distinct value proposition that is communicated through powerful branding. But, with so many businesses out there, it can be difficult to make your brand stand out. The key is to find a unique concept for your business that will draw in potential customers. 

The world is a noisy place. Purchasing behavior is more impulsive than ever. In order to stay ahead of your competitors, you have to make sure that your brand message cuts through the clutter and lands in a meaningful way. That means establishing a company identity that’s acknowledged by all stakeholders, including your employees and customers.

Branding is an important but tricky aspect of marketing, so it’s essential to get it right if you want to succeed. The stronger your brand identity is, the easier it will be for people to recognize your business and your value proposition. Remember, your business is more than just an item sold for money. It’s a story that will be relived over and over again every time a customer or client uses your product. 

Make Your Identity Shine

Now that you’ve figured out what your business stands for, the first step is to select a name that captures the essence of what you do and provokes interest among potential customers. When choosing a business name, write down every idea you can think of, use a business name generator, and then pick the one that is the shortest, easiest to pronounce, and most memorable.

The next step is to choose a slogan or a catchphrase that will serve as the beacon for developing brand recognition. Your slogan is your company’s first impression, and it needs to be an accurate one. To capture the attention of prospective customers online, you need a slogan that encapsulates the spirit of your brand image in a way that’s eye-catching and memorable. It’s time to enhance design aspects to make your brand pop.

Once you have chosen your brand’s name and tagline, take the time to think about its overall look and feel. From logos to app icons, your company’s design is how people identify you. The right design can draw people in while the wrong one can turn them away. Your brand is the direct reflection of your business and its attitude – the face behind it and the voices speaking for it. That’s why it is so important to determine a design aesthetic that both reflects and supports your brand.

When you’re just getting started, it can seem like a lot of fun to experiment with different fonts, colors, and graphics. What you may not realize is that this can be incredibly confusing for your customers. Choosing a logo that represents the company’s core values and personality is a good place to start when building a company’s visual identity. From there, it’s all about picking colors and fonts that complement the logo, while also facilitating a consistent easy-to-read experience across all platforms.

In a world where businesses have less and less time to make an impression, effective branding is imperative. Brands are like people – some have charming personalities that others find unforgettable, some must learn how to dress before going out in public, and some are just plain shabby. You might have great services, but without competent branding, your product might not get the recognition you deserve. Effective branding can spell the difference between an organization’s success and failure. 

Categories
Life

Fostering connection, one meetup at a time: How The Awareness, Courage and Love Global Project is deepening relationship worldwide

In a world that seems more isolated than ever, The Awareness, Courage and Love (ACL) Global Project is working to unite people in meaningful communication that not only brings people together but also promotes self-actualization. More than just having conversations with other people, ACL is guided by scientific research and purposeful discussion that allows for participants to open up in ways they may have never thought possible before.

A nonprofit organization, ACL was created in 2015 in the form of meetups. The organization began with just one group based in Seattle, Washington, and after years of growth, it is now a worldwide phenomenon that consists of chapters in 29 countries and 6 continents cities and continues to grow.

Mavis Tsai, the Founder and Executive Director of the ACL Global Project, is a clinical psychologist who has made it her mission to ameliorate the widespread public health issue of loneliness. Out of research that she was conducting, she developed the idea of an organization that would allow people all across the world to learn more about themselves and strengthen their connections with other people. Thus, ACL was born and began to foster deep communication and listening among people everywhere.

Origins of ACL

ACL originated when Tsai and her spouse started Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP), which led to five books and a following around the world. Tsai wanted to create a way for people across the globe to have access to the powerful principles of FAP, without having to be in therapy, and so ACL came to be.

“ACL’s mission is to grow a worldwide network of open-hearted change seekers who strive to meet life’s challenges through deepening interpersonal connection and rising to live more true to ourselves,” Tsai said. “We’re looking to alleviate the major public health crisis of loneliness and isolation and reach any person who desires richer relationships.”

At its core, ACL works to deepen interpersonal connection and truth for its members. The organization bases its work on the fact that connection with others is absolutely crucial for physical and mental health.

What ACL does and how it works

At ACL, Tsai and her team make a space for people to come together, connect and create more meaningful and passionate lives. This is done through chapter meetups, with each chapter guided by its own leader. During the meetings, participants practice open-hearted presence, deep listening, embrace vulnerability and respond to contemplation questions that focus on different themes. Themes range from unlived lives and dying without regrets to cultivating resilience and living with intention.

“We help people delve into what’s meaningful,” Tsai said. “This can include addressing unfinished business or the courage to face the unknown.”

In addition to exploring these themes, group members also participate in a guided meditation to acknowledge times when the themes were present in their lives, as well as promote being truly present in the moment.

“If you’re not true to yourself, you can’t connect with others from a genuine place,” Tsai said.

During the pandemic, which has brought a heightened sense of isolation, the meetups have been especially important for people. Currently, they’re conducted through video meetings. As far as connection tips in the time of COVID-19, Tsai said it helps to increase eye contact, to ask meaningful questions, to self-disclose with vulnerability and to reflect with warmth and acceptance.

“Loneliness is as rampant as ever but many people aren’t talking about it,” she said.

In these current times of isolation, Tsai said she has seen that social media can have different effects. During the pandemic, some people find it life-saving and a good way to connect with others.

“Interacting on social media for some people can be like making warm contact at the drinking fountain when people were working at the office,” she said. “We need to be researching and harnessing the positive aspects and decreasing the negative effects.”

At ACL, it’s all about awareness, courage and love. There, awareness is defined as taking notice of one’s internal feelings as well as the feelings of others, and not passing judgment while doing so. When it comes to courage, it’s about taking steps outside of one’s comfort zone in order to live more true to one’s self, for instance verbalizing a vulnerable thought or feeling that may otherwise go unexpressed. Finally, love in this sense is defined as treating one’s own and others’ experiences with compassion and being open to receiving that same compassion back.

Taking these principles, chapter leaders facilitate exercises to help participants practice and experience awareness, courage and love in real time, as well as take learning to the real world and implement them in daily life.

Creating a phenomenal effect worldwide

With each meetup, ACL is making a significant difference and impact in the lives of its members with a grassroots approach to spreading the message and practice. This is a different kind of wellness center.

“I see people changing right in front of my eyes,” Tsai said.  “They become bigger versions of themselves.”

Now present on six continents, ACL currently has 68 active chapters in 29 countries. While there is no official data, Tsai said she has seen more of a sense of isolation in first-world countries as opposed to other countries that have community-focused cultures.

Tsai said they’ve been able to scale ACL by training people to be deeply present and caring. She emphasized that powerful moments of connection are created through the practice of vulnerable self-disclosure and listening responsively with acceptance.

Some of the plans and goals of ACL are to develop hundreds of groups and have one lead coordinator on each continent, furthering the ultimate vision of reaching tens of thousands of people. As part of this process, ACL is also soon launching an app that will make its reach significantly broader.

Grounded in psychology and science

At its core, ACL is rooted in psychology and scientific research. Tsai said during the meetups, research suggests that when deep connections are made, the brain generates higher levels of oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine. Oxytocin, often referred to as the “love hormone,” can increase due to positive reactions.

During the sessions, serotonin, or the mood stabilizer, can increase, which is a result of being present in the moment. Dopamine, the reward chemical, also sees an uptick in participants as they partake in self-care activities.

“We’re really social creatures,” she said. “Our work is grounded in psychological science, and studies have shown that people who lack social connection suffer from impairment in physical systems, immune systems and cardiovascular systems. It’s more harmful than excessive drinking, obesity or excessive smoking. People’s physical health is actually endangered.”

Tsai said her research team evaluates the effectiveness of ACL interventions and the impact of creating close connections through randomized controlled trials and also survey questions.

“We’re collecting feedback data from leaders and groups and using it to improve the work,” she said.

Reaching more people through an easy-to-use app

Soon, people will be able to extend their connections beyond just the ACL meetups. The organization is planning to launch an app that will offer an array of community and connection features that will be available for both iPhones and Android phones.

Anne Gulyas, Chief Operating Officer at ACL, said members have had such powerful experiences in meetups that they want to experience the feeling more. With the focus on mobile applications in society today, the natural next step was to create an app.

“The app comprises itself of all the core elements of the meetings, with a link to weekly ACL meetings and a meditation area,” she said.

Gulyas, who started as a member herself in meetups five years ago, said the experience was life-changing and spoke to how she believed life was supposed to be.

“It was a breath of fresh air,” she said.

To start, the app will be in English, but they have plans to expand to other languages. There will also be exercises, which will ask users meaningful questions regarding awareness, courage and love.

The app will also include a “Thought Garden,” where people can post to a stylized posting board and see other people’s responses and input. The prompt would ask a closeness-generating question and cut past all the superficial, small-talk style questions.

Gulyas also emphasized that privacy and security are top priorities when it comes to the app.

“We want to make sure the people who use the app are secure, and there’s account-level security but also a deeper level of privacy,” she said. “Because there’s a journal feature in the app, nobody except the user will have access to that content, and their privacy is honored.”

She said the app will be paid but will be a small fee, which will help support the enhanced security features and decrease the number of spam or bot activities. She said their team has insisted on an ethical approach to the app’s build, backend, data and metrics that are examined. She said the only information they’ll look at is feedback from users, popular features, the language and guidance.

“We built this app to answer a commonly asked question about how you can take ACL into the real world as well as provide the ACL experience more often whether there is a live group near you or not.” she said. “Mavis’s dream is to make sure ACL is available to everyone, in every city, so we’re working on making that happen.”

Categories
Life

Taking A Load Off Occupational Risk

https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-gray-long-sleeve-shirt-and-black-pants-holding-brown-wooden-cart-4820685/
Work health and safety is sometimes known as occupational health and safety. It involves the prevention of health and safety threats for all members of the workplace, including yourself, your employees, your suppliers, your clients, and anyone else who visits your location of operation. By law, business owners are responsible to provide a safe work environment by maintaining adequate facilities and machinery to allow workers to perform their jobs in a way that will not harm their health. By looking after the safety and welfare of their staff, businesses can ensure smooth, uninterrupted operations and high levels of productivity. We’re On A Roll There is nothing quite as comfortable as lying on a freshly-made bed with crisp, clean sheets. However, the experience may not be the same for housekeeping staff who are changing the linens of several beds that they will not get to rest on. If you consider the pile of pillowcases, sheets, and blankets generated in your household and multiply it by ten or a hundred, then you will have a vague estimate of the huge load of linen that hospitals, hotels, and resorts have to deal with daily. The storage, delivery, and collection of such large amounts of linen present a logistical challenge for housekeeping staff, who already have to strain their backs cleaning rooms and remaking multiple beds. In addition, laundry can present a similar problem, particularly when it is wet and exceptionally heavy. Dedicated trolleys specially designed for laundry and linen—wet or dry—can help your staff to move these loads easily and safely. Laundry & linen trolleys: https://www.advancetrolleys.com.au Just like changing bed sheets, stacking boxes is not that much fun either. Yet, a myriad of industries from grocery warehouses to construction supplies revolve around the neat storage and movement of inventory. Hence, there are a variety of trolleys available that are purpose-built to transport objects in different industrial environments. Some equipment such as strong steel dollies can help to ease the transportation of bulky and hard-to-move pieces. Others such as electric scissor lifts can help employees get hefty items up to high shelves. Industrial trolleys are generally treated with a protective coating to allow them to resist wear and tear and extend their lifespan in harsh weather conditions. Industrial trolleys: https://www.advancetrolleys.com.au/category/industrial Just as industrial trolleys are made to withstand the elements, trolleys made for the healthcare industry are produced with the highest quality stainless steel. Because stainless steel does not corrode or degrade when exposed to high surgical temperatures or harsh sterilization methods, it is the metal of choice for the medical industry. Stainless steel can be found in hospital beds, wheelchairs, and even surgical implants. In demanding medical settings with stringent sanitation and cleanliness requirements, stainless steel trolleys can provide storage and supply movement solutions that expedite the job of medical professionals. From medication trolleys to instrument trolleys designed to hold IVs and oxygen tanks, trolleys can help move essential items while keeping them sterile. Medical trolleys: https://www.advancetrolleys.com.au/category/medical A Win-Win Solution Aside from moving items from A to B, tailored materials handling equipment also assists employers in managing work health and safety risks. Some business owners worry about the costs of implementing safe practices but the hidden costs of workplace injury are a much more pressing concern. When an employee is injured at work, the costs incurred could include coverage of medical fees, paid time off for recovery, and even possible prosecution and fines from government agencies. On top of this, indirect costs such as a reduction in productivity, loss of skill and expertise, poor team morale, and time spent on training replacement staff can negatively impact a business even further. According to the Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2019 report, the cost of work-related injuries and diseases is estimated to be $61.8 billion a year. The report also states that 36 percent of serious claims by employees were related to body stressing, with 41 percent of claimants suffering from traumatic joint and muscle injury. Thus, it is even more imperative that we provide our staff with the appropriate equipment to protect them from having to perform heavy physical lifting or manually carrying stock items. Particularly in this sensitive pandemic era, it is also prudent to minimize employee contact with soiled linen, dirty laundry, or hazardous waste. For those in the healthcare profession, materials handling equipment can prevent the contamination of sterilized medical instruments. With the advancement of innovation and engineering, there are now numerous solutions for specific industry requirements. Just as we have adopted computer systems to accelerate our administrative and cataloging processes, businesses can take advantage of materials handling equipment to streamline and simplify the movement of their supply and waste. By taking a load off the backs of their staff, business owners can have happier and healthier employees, adhere to government guidelines, and achieve better productivity and profit.  
Categories
General

The Plumpy’nut Precedent

Stephanie Weber at the Univeristy of California at Berkeley raises the important issue of precedent. Will we see more patents on humanitarian relief products after Plumpy’nut? Would that be a good/bad/neutral development?

Of particular interest, when does the Plumpy’nut patent expire? I had assumed a standard term of 14 to 20 years. Needs checking.

Herewith Stephanie’s e-mail (published with permission):

I just read your blog posts. Very interesting topic! Coincidentally, a
colleague and I just gave a two hour presentation on Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Foods (Plumpy’Nut) as an approach to treating children with severe acute malnutrition.

After reading your blog, I had a few initial thoughts and questions to share with you.

First – and you might want to triangulate this statement with other people – Plumpy’nut is considered to have revolutionized the way children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) are treated. Now, instead of spending 30+ days in the hospital or nutritional feeding centers, they can be treated at home by their primary caregiver. Additionally, children are recovering more quickly, and there is no preparation necessary to give them the PN (i.e., no need to add water). PN is cheaper than the traditional mode of treatment and it tastes better.

However, there is still more research that needs to be done to measure the relapse rate of children on Plumpy’nut. For example, are children treated with PN less likely to relapse than children treated with F100?

Second – have you talked with Nutriset? It would be interesting to know why they decided to patent the formula. Also, what is it about the formula that requires patenting? The proportions of ingredients?

I believe the patent is due to expire next year, so an interesting question to consider is what has been the effect of this patent for the past five years? Were more children excluded? Was PN more expensive than it otherwise would have been? To what extent did patenting limit production?

It’s possible that the implications for the future will be more interesting than the findings on cost and access. Even with some restricted access and slightly higher cost for PN, using RUTFs to treat SAM is still way more effective and less expensive than hospitalizing kids
and treating with F100.

Ex Christine: F100 is a milk-based therapeutic food for the treatment of severe malnutrition. Also, it would be good to contact Nutriset but I think a little more background research is in order first. Of course, given this highly interconnected world we live in, Nutriset may post on the blog first?