Working as a Doctor without Being a Doctor

Did you know that it is possible to do most of the same things that a doctor does without actually being a doctor? Indeed, it's true. You can actually work as a nurse practitioner and do much of the same work that doctors do. You won't be able to do quite as much of it as an actual doctor would, but you can do more than a registered nurse gets to do. Before you go through an entire degree program to become a doctor, you may want to look at the opportunities that will come from being an NP. Here is an overview of the career so you can decide if it fits your plans for the future.

Nurse Practitioner Industries

Nurse practitioners can work in many different industries, and they can take on different roles within each of those industries. Before you get involved with this career, you need to make sure you know where you want to work. There are so many options to choose from, and you may have to adjust your training to fit the one that interests you. Possibilities include:

• Family Medicine
• Geriatrics
• Healthcare
• Hospitalization
• Oncology
• Pediatrics
• Trauma

Select the one that is the most interesting for you, and you can adjust your college degree program to suit that decision.

Nurse Practitioner Job Benefits

You can get a lot of benefits as a nurse practitioner if you find the right employer to work under. Some of these are standard with any nursing job, but others are only reserved for upper-level employees like NPs. Listed below are some of the many job benefits you may look forward to in this profession.

• 401(k)
• 403(b)
• Education Reimbursement
• Life Insurance and Disability
• Malpractice and Liability Insurance
• Paid Holidays and Vacation
• Paid Sick Leave

Nurse Practitioner Degrees

In order to become a nurse practitioner, you really need a master's degree or higher. There are a few employers that will accept a bachelor's degree, but most of them want to see grad school training or higher in your background. Here are some of the degree programs you may look forward to on your way to being an NP:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Master of Science in Nursing
• Doctor of Nursing Practice

Nurse Practitioner Certifications

If you decide that you want to become a nurse practitioner, you will need to obtain a certification. This will verify that you are in fact capable of doing this kind of work. You can get one of these after you complete your degree program, and then you will be able to apply for jobs like you would any other time. Here are some of the certifications you may look into when you complete your education:

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
• American Nurses Credentialing Center
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
• Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
• Critical Care
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Family Practice
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support
• Pediatrics

Nurse Practitioner Salary

There are several factors that determine how much money you can make as a nurse practitioner. There is no doubt that you can make good money as an NP, but the specific amount you earn will be entirely up to the circumstances surrounding your life. Here is a look at how your salary may change in a few scenarios:

Salary by Experience

• Less than 1 year of experience: $59,335 - $86,215 per year
• 1-4 years of experience: $59,520 - $91,952 per year
• 5-9 years of experience: $59,969 - $97,079 per year
• 10-19 years of experience: $59,485 - $104,689 per year
• 20+ years of experience: $55,261 - $104,588 per year

Salary by State

• California: $69,317 - $109,467 per year
• Florida: $62,081 - $96,428 per year
• Georgia: $59,826 - $92,940 per year
• Illinois: $60,878 - $98,265 per year
• New York: $59,413 - $101,997 per year
• Tennessee: $51,942 - $89,144 per year
• Texas: $58,426 - $101,661 per year

Think hard about your future and determine if being a paralegal is in line with your goals. If so, you should be able to go through a quick degree program to start working in this profession.

The Truth about Generic Medications

Generic medications are known for being cheaper than traditional medications. That excites some people working with a small budget, but it scares people who assume that the meds won't work as well if they cost less to buy. If you are going to invest your accountant salary on some sort of medication, you want to make sure you're getting your money's worth. There is nothing wrong with that. The truth is that generic medications may not be any less effective than the name brands they mimic. Here are some facts about generic medications that you can think about when trying to select a medical solution for you.

Generic Medications Have to Work Like Name Brand Medications

If a generic medication is going to claim to work like a name brand medication, it has to hold up to that. The FDA is really specific about what generic medication can and cannot go onto the market. If there is a medication claiming to be something it is not, then it will not allow it to go into production. Generics are rigorously tested to ensure that their chemical composition and effectiveness are just like the name brands they are trying to emulate. Thus you don't have to worry about taking medication that isn't actually going to be effective.

The Active Ingredients Remain the Same

In every medication, there is a set of active ingredients and a set of inactive ingredients. The active ingredients are the ones that actually fix whatever problems you have. The inactive ingredients are the ones that make a pill look, taste, or smell the way it does. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is the active ingredient. The rest of the ingredients are just filler. Generic medications always contain the active ingredient from the name brand drugs they are copying. Thus you know that you are getting the same care, even if the ingredients look a little different.

Generics Wait Seven Years to Go on the Market

It takes a long time for a name brand drug to get on the market, and then the drug has seven years to exist on its own without competition. Once that time runs out, generic medication manufacturers are able to release their versions of the drugs at a much lower price. This seven year process gives name brand manufacturers a chance to make a ton of money without competition, and it also gives the generic manufacturers a chance to test their products against the others. That way, you know that you are getting the help you need every time you take a generic medication

Generics Cost Less Money Because…

The main reason why generic medications cost less money is because they aren't heavily advertised. The manufacturers basically have to charge a little more than the active ingredient is worth, and then they can make the money they need to make. These medications aren't priced less because they are made of lower quality ingredients. They are cheaper because they don't have all the bells and whistles on the bottle and ads. When you start thinking about that, you may not have as much of a problem with generic medications.

There is nothing to be embarrassed about if you buy generic medications. As long as you get better, that should be all that matters. I try to find the generic version for anything that I take, and I can confidently say that I have saved a ton of money over the years. Do the same in your life, and see the results for yourself.

What It Takes to Get in Shape

If you want to get the buff bod you know you are capable of, you have to first determine what the right workout will be for you. Making a plan will save you a ton of time in trial and error attempts at the gym, and it will also give you a set of goals to strive toward. Whether you're traiuning to become a police officer or you just want to lose a few pounds, you can get in shape with the right plan in the beginning. The more motivated you can be, the better you will be able to gain weight and muscle. Listed below are a few tips that may help you create the perfect plan for gaining muscle weight.

Rest vs. Work

One of the first things you need to do for your muscle gaining workout is determine which days you want to work out and which days you want to rest. Your body actually forms muscles on the days that you are not working out, which is why it is so important for you to allot time for resting and alternative workouts. Perhaps you will try weight lifting one day and doing cardio the next. If you want a couple days between your workouts, that is fine too. Only you know what you are capable of, so make your plans around what you know your body can do.

Short Term vs. Long Term

Set short term and long term goals for yourself. If you just want weight and muscle gain, then commit to putting on a certain number of pounds by the end of the month, the end of three months, the end of six months, and the end of the year. This will keep you motivated to modify your muscle gaining workout according to your goals. You should always be willing to make adjustments to your workouts if you see something is not working for you. That will be what you need to take your body to the next level.

Complements vs. Battle

If you are combining your muscle gaining workout with a weight loss routine, make sure they complement each other well. Sometimes you have to lose weight before you can gain muscle, and other times the muscle will build while the pounds come off. Focus on a balanced amount of cardio workouts and weight lifting so you can get the best results possible. Also adjust your diet so you still have the amount of calories you need to energize your body. Extreme dieting can ruin both aspects of your workout routine. Only push yourself as far as you can logically go.

Speed vs. Results

Gaining muscle weight is a challenge for anyone who does not have the boost of steroids working for them. The frustration is enough to make most people question how to gain muscle fast, just so they can be done with the grueling workouts and depressing looks in the mirror. While most of us would love to think that there is a miracle product out there that can give you muscles overnight, the fact is that any weight and muscle gain you try is going to take some time to work. You cannot rush good results.

This is not saying that you cannot gain muscles quickly. You just cannot gain them instantaneously. You have to develop a routine that will safely build your muscles, and then you have to stay with that over time. Your muscles need time to rest if they are actually going to build themselves back to where they need to be. Thus you have to be patient during your workouts to make sure you allot time for the muscles to grow back. Learning how to gain muscles fast is partially about learning how to gain muscles safely. You do not want to do something that will damage your body later on.

Even if you gain muscles quickly, you need to realize that you will have to work at maintaining them for your whole life. Over time, your muscles will go right back into their week state if you do not keep up with your workouts and exercise. The older you get, the harder it will be for you to build muscles quickly. Focus on getting in shape when you are still in your prime, and you will see much faster results. Anyone at any age can build up their muscles. You just have to figure out what it will take to build yours.

How Can I Tell If I Have A Thyroid Problem?

Thyroid disorders have some of the most significant impacts on a person's body, but most of them go unnoticed for years before someone gets tested. The main reason for this is because thyroid disorders have the same symptoms as a lot of other disorders. A woman could think she's going through menopause were suffering from depression when in reality she just has an underactive thyroid. At the same time, another woman can think that she has anxiety or insomnia when in reality all she has is an overactive thyroid. If you think you may have a thyroid problem, the only way to know for sure is to get tested. Here is a look at how that process works so you can be better prepared for it in the future.

The Test

The easiest way to diagnose a thyroid disorder is to go through a thyroid blood test. There are several available, and each one indicates a different type of thyroid disorder. However, most will diagnose hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. These are disorders were the women have overactive and underactive thyroid glands. These disorders can put a severe damper on a person's life, including their emotional state, physical state, and overall well-being.

The Conditions

An underactive gland (hypothyroidism) will make a person feel sluggish and sad. A lot of women develop hypothyroidism after they give birth and in the taking of thyroid hormone for the rest of their lives to maintain the balance. Any thyroid disorder is treatable. It's just a matter of how severe it is and how drastic the treatment has to be. Some women might be willing to suffer their whole lives with their thyroid problems, but the most seek medical treatment beforehand.

A woman with hyperthyroidism will feel the exact opposite--constantly alert and overly anxious about life and the world at large. These people will often have trouble sleeping through the night and may feel some muscle loss and weakness in their body. Again, there are treatments out there for people with hyperthyroidism, but they have to be diagnosed first to receive such treatment. The blood tests are crucial if a person wants to get better, and the only way to get them is by consulting with the doctor.

The Concern

Any type of thyroid disorder can lead to even more drastic diseases, so catching it from an early start is very important. You don't want to get stuck with more problems than you have to. The next time you get to the doctor and tell them all your symptoms, you might want to mention a thyroid disorder to see if that sparks something in his or her mind. If so, you may want to go through a test to check everything out.

Many people who get misdiagnosed can simply go back and asked for a thyroid blood test to determine if they have some type of thyroid disorder. The tests aren't difficult and the results can certainly ease a lot of worry in a person's mind. You can even take the tests at home and send them in for the results. This can save a bit of time and money.

Conclusion

Finding out that you have disorder in general isn't necessarily good news, but at least indicates what's wrong and how you can fix it. You'd be amazed by how much a little bit of treatment can impact your life if you do have a thyroid disorder. Talk to your doctor about your options and see if he or she has any suggestions for you. You could be on your way to a healthier body in no time.

How to Heal Sore Guitar Fingers

If you are new to playing the guitar or are picking it up after a long time, then you will be familiar with the pain in your fingertips. It's usually impossible to practice for longer than an hour at a go without feeling like you're stabbing your fingers. Thus you have to learn how to get past the pain so you can continue playing in the future. Here are some tips that will allow you extended practice hours and eventually a painless guitar playing experience.

Ow vs. OWWWWW!!

Learn to distinguish between slight discomfort and genuine pain. Guitar playing isn't about pushing yourself like there is no tomorrow. Regardless of whatever folklore you may have heard about Bryan Adams keeping it at it till his fingers bled, keep from over doing things yourself. If you notice grooves in the ends of your fingers from sliding and fretting the strings, and it gets painful to have a go at pressing against strings after half an hour of practice. This is quite normal, and the thing to do is to stop. Take a break and come back to it once the fingers are less sensitive. However, persistent pain (that doesn't go away) or unbearable discomfort that is immediate from when you pick up the instrument for practice is unusual, and you should probably seek medical advice before moving on.

Suck It Up

The most popular and widely-accepted strategy for dealing with sore fingers is to just face it for a while. If you manage to avoid both extremes of foolish bravery and unnecessary paranoia, what will typically happen is that your fingers will start forming callouses because of repeated friction against the strings. The soft, sensitive skin will, in time, develop to becoming rough and hard, and that is when they stop hurting. This stage, however, arrives only with considerable practice.

The problem with over-enthusiastic practice is that your skin may just give in to serious injury, and then practice becomes out of question for a good number weeks. You wouldn't want that! On the other hand, the callouses will not form unless you go through some initial discomfort, and you'll have to be both patient and persistent. It takes regular practice for up to a couple of months (usually a couple of weeks if you are at it daily) for the callouses to form.

Also remember that if you give up on practice for any elongated period of time, the skin regains its original texture and you are back to square one. Talk about motivation for continuous practice! Prepare to get your fingers soreness-free all over again if you are going to take a break.

Other Solutions

While recommendations of adding super glue to your finger tips or the more realistic idea of using Band-Aids during the early days float around, you are really best advised to grit your teeth and go through it. Not only that it is worth it, it is also the only way to go if you intend to be a regular player. Any of the other tricks are at best temporary and at worst more harmful than helpful. That said, do seek professional medical help if your fingers show unusual symptoms of pain or injury. Under normal circumstances, once the initial period of forming callouses is out of the way, the fingers shouldn't hurt any more at all, and you should try to minimize the discomfort even in the early days by taking frequent breaks and, generally, not killing yourself. Put forth as much effort to learn this as you would to start a tattoo artist career, and you should be all set.

Can Work out Supplements Eliminate the Need to Work out?

Every person dreams of that miracle pill that will burn fat and build muscle in one swift blow. While there are work out supplements on the market that will improve your abilities to gain a fit body, these all require work on your part in the end. The point of these supplements is to give you better results from the workouts you do, not to take over the need to work out altogether. Before you develop false expectations for a certain set of supplements, you may want to read on to find out what you could actually get from your power pills.

What Work out Pills Actually Do

Fat burn diets and pills can only improve your blood circulation, energy levels, etc. They give you the foundation for great results. However, they will not do all the work your body needs to look its best. In order to get your muscles toned and your overall body lean, you have to actually move and strain your muscles through exercise. This will actually break parts of the muscles along the way, which is what causes the majority of the pain you feel. Then as you rest the next day, the muscles build back stronger and firmer than before. You have to do the work, but the supplements will help you to burn the stomach fat and other areas you may be targeting.

In some cases, work out supplements are designed to help you lose weight. That does not mean you can sit around and suddenly shed the pounds. You have to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine to actually see the weight come off. You lose a lot of weight through sweating alone, and it is hard to sweat without moving. The supplements could increase circulation enough to make your workouts more effective, but they cannot twitch your muscles for you. You have to do that part on your own.

How to Improve the Results of Work out Supplements

Work out supplements can in fact help you get the body you have always wanted, but only if you use them correctly. Make sure you get a pill that actually works for your body type, as there are different options for different people. Men respond differently to chemicals than women do because of the hormones and body proportions. You have to get the best supplement for your build if you are ever going to see results from your time with work out supplements.

You also need to find a diet and exercise plan that you can stick to for the long term. If you rely on short-term solutions, you are going to get short-term results. No work out supplement in the world is going to be able to overcome your daily habits, so you have to make sure you establish the right ones from the start. If you can do that, you will be able to get the body you want with a little help from a supplement.

Final Thoughts

You don't have to spend your entire tattoo artist salary to get a good work out pill. You just need to find the right one for you. While there may not be any miracle work out supplements on the market today, there are still some that you can look into that will effectively improve your workouts and overall weight loss abilities. You cannot expect total greatness from these pills, but then again, what fun would they be then? The whole point of losing weight is to get to a place where you feel better about yourself. That is much easier to do when you do the work on your own. Research different pills and fat burn exercises you can use, and then stick to the routine that works out for you.

The Advantages of Going to a Fertility Clinic

Many people shy away from the idea of using a fertility clinic because they do not want to admit that they are struggling to have a child on their own. The fact is that not everyone can magically get pregnant without effort. Sometimes it takes a little scientific boost to get the job done. If you and your spouse are having difficulty getting pregnant naturally, visiting a fertility clinic may be the perfect solution for you. Here is a look at some of the solutions you may be able to find through this kind of place in your area.

Understanding the Problem

A fertility clinic can provide you with a consultation to determine what the cause of your current difficulties is and what possible solutions you may be able to look into. A doctor will analyze the fertility of you and your partner to see which one may have a problem. There are almost equal chances of it being either one of you, so you simply have to wait for the results. It is possible that you are simply not timing your intercourse well enough, or that one of you needs a slight stimulation to yield a fertile sperm or egg. All of these matters can be discussed during the consultation.

Getting Facts, Not Guesses

A lot of people will try to analyze their infertility on their own, usually based on information they read on the web. You can't rely on outside resources to explain your situation. You actually have to talk to a doctor that knows what is going on with your body. When you know the facts, you can figure out the solutions for them. Otherwise, you are left wondering what could be going on with your body. Sometimes the comfort of knowing what is actually going on is all you need to improve your situation and your fertility.

Gaining Hope

It is hard to deal with infertility when you feel like you are the only couple in the world going through it. When you visit a fertility clinic, you can gain hope knowing that there are options out there for you. You can talk to doctors that have seen countless success stories, and you can join support groups to help you through the process. There are more successes for fertility in the world than Octomom and Kate Gosselin. If you visit a good clinic, they can help you see just that.

Finding Potential Solutions

Once you have an idea of what your problem and possible solutions are, you can start to figure out what you can do to fix them. One popular option is in-vitro fertilization, where the egg from the mother and the sperm from the father are combined outside of the bodies. Then the embryo is inserted into the woman's body in the hopes that it will form a baby. In some cases, donor sperm or a donor egg is needed to do this because the man or woman in the relationship cannot provide a fertile option.

There are plenty of other fertility treatments available, so you simply have to explore which route may be best for you. There are chances of producing multiples whenever you seek help from a fertility clinic, but most women have a standard pregnancy when they are done with their treatment. Your solution may be as simple as medication and as complex as egg donation. It all depends on your special needs. Seek help from a fertility clinic in your area and see if you can have the baby you have always wanted.