Posts tagged “healthcare jobs”

Mastering the art of contract negotiations is a crucial skill that can significantly contribute to the personal and professional success of any new graduate entering the healthcare field. Whether you’re a new Doctor, Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Anesthetist, Dentist, or Physician Assistant, it’s a common myth that you have no negotiating power to bring to the table due to a lack of work experience. You may have more negotiating power than you think. 

Healthcare is Growing Globally

Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing occupations in the United States. Currently, 14 % of adults in the United States are employed in healthcare. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in healthcare between 2022 and 2032 are projected to grow faster than jobs in any other industry, with an average annual opening of 1.8 million. 

Always Negotiate

Mastering the art of negotiations is the key to success, especially for a new healthcare graduate. If you can negotiate a career package that will help you financially and personally, you’ll be on the path to a healthy and happy career in healthcare.

Top Insights to Consider Before Entering Contract Negotiations

• Know what you want: It’s vital to assess what you desire in a job opportunity: Do you like to work full-time, part-time, or per diem? Do you want to work weekends and holidays? Are you ok with being on ‘call’? What base salary are you willing to accept? Are you willing to travel to different facilities? Do you want a certain amount of training before you are left to work on your own? Do you want an on-the-job mentor? Is the facility you are applying to close to your home, or will you have to commute? Do you use public transportation? Does the facility have access to public transit? Does the facility offer superchargers if you have an EV (electric vehicle)?

• Research is vital: Before entering a contract negotiation, it’s essential to research what other facilities are paying and offering as benefits compared to what you are being presented. Learn about the organization you are applying to: Do they share your values? Do you agree with the organization’s mission statement?

What are you bringing to the table?

• Know your value: Do you have a specific skill set that may benefit the organization? Do you speak different languages? Do you have any professional certifications? What computer programs and EMR (Electronic Medical Record) systems are you proficient in? Do you have any skillset in AI or VR (virtual reality)? Have you researched or published articles helpful to the hospital and or organization? What skills and job sets from previous employers could you use as a skillset in the position you are applying for? What type of internship or residency experience are you bringing with you? Do you have academic achievements that may help you stand out?

• Industry Knowledge: Did you complete your residency or clinical internships in a specific specialty? Are you specialized in one field like pediatrics, geriatrics, or women’s health? Have you done any community outreach work in the area where you are seeking employment? Have you created a product through innovation that could benefit the organization you are applying to?  

What should you expect from the organization?

• Patient population: What type of patient population will you be servicing? How many patients are you mandated to see in one day or care for on one shift? Does the facility have issues with staffing ratios and safe staffing? Have they been in the media for safe staffing issues? Have employees gone on strike recently? What safety precautions does the organization have to keep you and other employees safe? Have there been incidences of random acts of violence at the facility? How have these incidents been handled? Does the facility offer specific training for self-defense?

• What common complaints does the organization have? What keeps the management team up at night? Do you have a specific skill set that you can offer the management team? For example, if you become an expert at organizing grand rounds during your past clinicals or residencies, you could offer to start an educational symposium if one does not already exist. This skill could provide you with greater bargaining power.

Show Me the Money

Of course, the compensation you want to earn is essential when negotiating your first healthcare contract. But you may like to know what other benefits and ‘perks’ the healthcare organization can offer you, like:

• Licensing fee reimbursement

• School loan reimbursement

• CEU’s or CME’s

• Compensation to attend healthcare conferences related to your specialty

• Vacation and or sick time

• Health Insurance benefits, family leave of absence, and maternity leave

• Breastfeeding rooms and allotted time during your workday to pump

• Does the organization offer accessible on-site mental health services during working hours?

• Compensation for professional memberships

• Cellphones and personal laptops

• Transportation reimbursement

• Book subscriptions

• Mileage reimbursement for travel to another clinic

The Secret to Negotiating Your Contract

According to Carolyn Bupert, CRNP, JD, contract  negotiation attorney expert, it’s best to follow the 3 Ps of negotiation:

Prepare: It’s essential to familiarize yourself with how the revenue is generated and brought into the practice or healthcare facility. Ask the practice management for data. Become familiar with CPT codes, dates, and fee schedules. The clinician’s billing regarding salary and overhead costs will determine whether the facility is profitable. A clinician’s salary should come to about one-third of their total billings, and the benefits should equate to about 25% of the base salary.

Nonmonetary contributions to the practice, such as patient satisfaction, increases in repeat customers, and declines in no-show appointments, should be measured. Patient testimonials are a great way to demonstrate value regarding these points.

Probe: During the interview, ask about the clinic or healthcare facility’s financial health. Determine what the expectations are regarding employer profits.

-Threats and opportunities?

-What does the budget look like?

-Strategic goals for the organization?

Propose: After doing your research and showing your value to the company in the interview sessions, don’t be afraid to ask what you want and get what you deserve.

Renegotiation Clause

Typically, after 90 days, 6 months, and a year, you may be reevaluated for your work performance and be reevaluated for a promotion or potential salary increase. This is your chance to show the organization how you have benefitted them and if you’ve made the organization money. Essential questions to ask include:

1. How does the process of performance evaluation work?

2. Ask to see the scoring tools used to evaluate you.

• Who does the performance evaluations?

• Who will be evaluating your EMR charts and patient cases?

• Will you have to submit patient charts?

• Is your credentialing process going to be affected?

What Happens Next?

Silence. After negotiating your contract, you might not hear back from the facility immediately. Don’t panic! Always remember that silence is golden.

After receiving an offer, it’s always best to take time process the offer and give it at least 1 to 2 days. Don’t just jump in when you hear back from the facility with an acceptance or a declination. Ensure the offer you get is right and you are satisfied before accepting.

Are you curious about locum tenens? MedCare Staffing has you covered! Click the link to speak to a recruiter today.

Pain. That’s usually the first thought that pops into your mind when you think about going to see a Dentist. The second thing you might be thinking about is the shrill noise a drill makes right before it enters your mouth. And of course, the thought of needles comes next!

Dentists get a bad rap based on what typically happens during a normal dental checkup.

Unfortunately, a recent study conducted by New York University discovered that more than half of all the dentists surveyed stated they had experienced physical and or verbal abuse in their careers from patients. The study from the NYU college of Dentistry concluded that 55 percent of dentists were victims of verbal aggression from their patients in the last year. One in four of those dentists surveyed, experienced physical aggression from an irate patient.

“Workplace violence toward healthcare professionals is both widespread and widely overlooked,” said Kimberly Rhoades, a research scientist in the Family Translational Research Group at NYU College of Dentistry and the study’s lead author. “The purpose of this study was to provide an initial estimate of rates of patient aggression in dental practices in the United States.”

Rhoades and her colleagues surveyed 98 dentists practicing in the New York City metropolitan area; the dentists had been working an average of 17 years. Participants completed a confidential online survey assessing whether they had experienced any of 21 specific types of aggressive behaviors from their patients, including types of physical (e.g. being pushed or kicked), verbal (e.g. being insulted or sworn at), and reputational (e.g. threats of lawsuits or posting nasty comments on social media) aggression.

The study further discovered that the increased rates of aggression found in the study results did not differ by sex, race, ethnicity, specialty, age, years in practice or average number of patients seen and treated on a daily basis. Although, researchers did note that there was less aggression towards a trained dentist than towards dental students. Experienced professional received significantly less verbal abuse 55percent compared to 86 percent.

Violence in the healthcare workplace is a serious problem.

As a healthcare provider, you would never think your patient would want to harm you, but it happens. Workplace violence in healthcare is a growing problem. In 2018, workplace violence due to intentional injuries by other persons accounted for 2 percent of the 900,380 total nonfatal occupational injuries or illnesses in which required a leave of absence from their place of employment. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics states that 73 percent of all nonfatal workplace injuries due to violence were experienced by healthcare workers in 2018.

Homicide is the most extreme form of healthcare workplace violence. It’s the third leading cause of an. Occupational injury that is fatal. In 2000, there were 11 percent of the total 5,915 fatal work injuries in the United States. The cause of these homicides is attributed to the environmental conditions experienced in these locations. 

The United States Occupational and Safety Administration (OSHA) has identified the following risk factors that increase a healthcare workers risk for assault as identified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) which include:

• Regular contact with the public
• Money exchange
• Delivery of goods and services
• Mobile workplace such as an ambulance
• Working alone or in small numbers
• Working late night
• Working with unstable or volatile patients
• Working in areas with a high crime rate
• Working in a community setting
• Guarding valuable possessions and or property

It’s true, people are afraid to go see a dentist

A recent survey found that 62% of adults stated that they were too scared to even walk into a dentist’s office. The survey also stated that millennials were more likely to come up with excuses to avoid going to see a dentist for a regular checkup than people over the age of 55.

Anxiety experienced by patients

Understanding that aggression can be experienced by dentists on a normal dental visit with a patient is the first step in developing interventions to prevent aggressive behavior in a dental practice.

5 tips to keep Dentists and Healthcare workers safe when dealing with anxious patients

1. Identify dental phobic patients: having the patient express to the dentist that they have anxiety is beneficial. The dentist should keep in mind both subjective and objective evaluations in order to work with the patient to establish a more relaxed mood. Having a calm and uninterrupted interview before any dental procedures could prove to be beneficial to both dentists and patient.

• Anxiety questionnaires: Based on these questionnaires, patients can be categorized as mildly anxious, moderately anxious, and extremely anxious or dental-phobic. This can help both the dentists and patient identify how to combat feelings of anxiety in order to have a less stressful experience as well as a positive outcome.

• Dental office environment: A patient can experience anxiety by just walking into a denial office. Receptionists, dental nurses, and dental hygienists are crucial personnel in creating an atmosphere in the dental office. Kind and courteous staff can decrease anxiety and provide a nurturing environment. Introducing pleasant ambient odors in the dental environment can reduce anxiety. Smells trigger emotions and can negatively condition a patient toward going to have a dental procedure done. Inhalation of pleasant scents like essential oils improves mood.

Shapiro et al adapted a “Snoezelen” dental environment for pediatric patients comprised of dimmed lighting, soothing music, and a special Velcro butterfly vest that hugs the child, providing a calming, deep-pressure sensation. Typical children and those with developmental disabilities have been shown to benefit by this SDE, as behavioral and psychophysiological measures of relaxation improved significantly in the SDE compared with a conventional dental environment.

• Behavioral contracts: Contractual agreements signed by the dentists and patient can set specific guidelines regarding how the patient will be treated or continue to receive treatment may help set up standards to protect both patient and dentist. Contracts should be specific in order to allow for action taken by the practice and staff to be sufficiently supported.

• Refusal or discontinuation of treatment: It’s ok to “fire” your patient and refuse to see them due to noncompliant, poor and aggressive behavior. If you have tried all of the above tips in order to ensure a safe environment for you, and your staff, and still your patient decides to behave badly, then it’s time to let them go.

These days the healthcare industry has left many healthcare professionals contemplating their careers. Locum tenens work offers healthcare providers tremendous career alternatives. Whether you are seeking to transition into early retirement, moonlighting to test the waters in a new organization, or just exploring new healthcare opportunities, Locum Tenen’s work can breathe fresh air into your healthcare practice.

What Is Locum Tenens?

Locum tenems in Latin means place holder. A locum tenen’s healthcare provider is a person who temporarily fulfills the space of another. Many organizations like hospitals, Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers (FQHC), Dental clinics, and Urgent Care Centers employ locum tenem’s healthcare professionals.

Doctors, Dentists, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Anesthetists, Nurses and Physician assistants can all be employed by locum tenens agencies.

Perks of Working Locum Tenems

Locum Tenens companies offer healthcare professionals many benefits. Some of these include:

• Travel: Who doesn’t love a work-vacay? The best part about working for a locums company for most healthcare professionals is the opportunity to travel. Locum tenens companies have assignments in various locations across the country. A change of scenery can work wonders for your career and perhaps help you breathe new life into your practice.
• Better Flexibility: Healthcare professionals have more control over their workload assignments. They have the autonomy controlling their work schedules and tailoring it to their personal needs.
• Trying out new workplaces: It’s kind of like dipping your toe in the pool to test the waters temperature without the full-time commitment. The organization can also see if your personality fits their culture.
• Greater compensation: Healthcare professionals may have a greater earning potential working through a locum tenens agencies. Though agency rates and salary compensations may vary from state to state.
• Less administrative responsibilities: Locums work is temporary and for many this means less administrative responsibilities like teaching, taking call time, and paperwork.

. Locum tenens can be a great way to slowly ease into retirement for many healthcare providers without the fulltime work responsibilities.

NALTO: National Association Of Locum Tenems Organization

Although many locum tenem businesses are independtly owned and operated, NALTO, National Association Of Locum Tenems Organization was created in 2001 to enforce strong industry standards and practices for the locum tenens healthcare professionals. NALTO’s main goal is to set clear and effective parameters of behavior for all individuals affected by the industry, including both healthcare professionals and clients.

Locum Tenens agencies, who are affilitated with NALTO will strive to protect the integrity of their relationships with phycians by completly disclosing information relevant to the healthcare provider, requesting permission before distributing a CV, and striving to maintain strong relationships with a large network of clients.

Choosing A Locum Tenems Firm

In today’s healthcare landscape, there are thousands of locum tenens companies to choose from. So, how do you pick the right company without getting overwhelmed? NALTO has these suggestions that can be helpfull when picking a locum tenens company that provides the right fit. These include:

1. NALTO affiliation? Due to all members having to follow and ethical code, you can rest assured that these companies follow the highest standards of service.
2. Malpractice insurance coverage? Does the company cover the healthcare professional and are they concerned if you carry your own coverage?
3. Can the company pay their employees on a regular basis? Does the company have the financial resources to do so?
4. How accessible is your recruitment representative? Are they available to answer your questions and help you through the locum tenes process?
5. Will the locum tenems company be taking care of all your sign on details which include: licensure, credentialing, hospital privileges, proper travel and housing arrangements? 

Best Practices

NALTO enforces ‘best practices’ for all their affiliated Locum Tenen’s organizations which include:

• Obtaining signed contracts and fee agreements before CV’s are submitted for considerations.
• Healthcare workers permission must be requested before submission of CV
• Seek to resolve disputes between companies with minimal involvement from healthcare workers.
• Honor all contract agreements with clients and maintain communication
• Represent all client agreements and opportunities accurately and completely.

Furthermore NALTO offers standards of practice for both clients and healthcare providers to ensure the best possible business relationship. Clients and physicians should:

• Agreements and contracts with locum tenem companies should be honored and other forms of communication from companies where no formal working agreement exists should be rejected.
• Keep good records of all communication
• Communicate to the locum tenems company any changes in intention and or search criteria
• Respond promptly to communications from the locum tenens company
• Report any violation or infraction of the NALTO code of ethics.

COVID-19 has exasperated the healthcare workforce at many healthcare organizations. Locum tenens offers a fresh alternative for healthcare organizations to replenish their workforce. Healthcare professionals can also explore locum tenems work as a way to take break from their regular healthcare employment or as an alternative to extra income

COVID-19 took everyone by surprise in 2020. The global pandemic exposed many cracks in the healthcare foundation and shattered the healthcare system. Will 2021 be more of the same? What trends can healthcare providers expect and prepare for?

Here are 5 healthcare forecasts all healthcare providers can anticipate in 2021

1. The Telehealth Boom Will Continue With An Emphasis On Telemonitoring

Telehealth made its debut in 2020 in the midst of a global pandemic. Patients receive greater access to healthcare through telehealth service, especially those patients living in underserved communities. Mental health services in telehealth will increase and be more accessible to patients. According to a WHO survey, the demand for mental health services for multiple conditions such as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, or drug disorders, are expected to increase. From January to September 2020, the amount of people looking for assistance with anxiety increased by 93%. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, youth ages 11-17 have been more likely than any other age group to report moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety and depression. Mental healthcare demands will be a sizable driving force in this healthcare forecast supporting virtual patient-healthcare provider consultations in 2021.

Telemonitoring will continue to be a useful tool for both healthcare providers and patients. For patients with chronic illnesses, such as heart disease or diabetes, devices and apps have been developed to allow healthcare providers to “check in” on things like blood pressure, blood oxygenation, or blood sugar levels from a distance. These at-home technologies make room for potentially life-saving interventions while isolation restrictions persist.

• PPE Modernization And Shortages

As COVID-19 hit in 2020, many healthcare organizations experienced shortages with PPE’s (Personal Protective Equipment). Officials from healthcare and manufacturing industries have predicted shortages of PPE’s could persist for years without strategic government intervention. It’s up to healthcare providers and healthcare organizations to ensure personal safety in the workplace and demand for appropriate PPE’s to be provided.

Technological advances and modernization in the hands or free technology will cause more hospitals and healthcare organizations to rethink how PPE’s are used. Hands free technology can save time and valuable resources. Much PPE is wasted. Every time a healthcare provider leaves a room to communicate with a colleague or get more supplies, he or she must leave isolation, remove PPE and put on a new set to re-enter the patients room. Voice-controlled devices worn under PPE will ensure healthcare providers can communicate without interruption in care.

• Physician Shortages = More NP’s Taking The Lead

In many communities, there is a decrease in physicians and healthcare providers. Only 8 percent of physicians enter a primary-care residency, according to AANP’s (American Academy Of Nurse Practitioners) findings published in 2019.The PCP shortage can especially be seen in rural areas. At the same time, Baby Boomers are aging, and the number of those 65 and older is estimated to reach 55 million in 2021, according to AARP. 

The number of NPs in the US topped 27,000 —nearly double the number in 2010. Annually, NPs complete more than 1 billion patient visits. Currently 28 states offer nurse practitioners full practice authority. More and more states are following this healthcare forecast. The UCA predicts that staffing models relying on NPs and PAs will “predominate as the primary care physician deficit continues and more states legislate enhanced scope of practices for these advanced practice clinicians.”

• Walk In Retail Clinics And Urgent Care Centers

CVS reported a 600% surge in the use of its retail health clinics via telehealth and a big jump in home prescriptions delivery in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. CVS operates more than 1,100 Minute Clinic Locations inside it’s CVS pharmacies and Target stores in 33 states and the District of Columbia, were big contributors to the company’s performance in the first quarter caseses of COVID-19 spread through the U.S.

In 2019, the total number of Urgent Care centers grew by 6%. According to the Urgent Care Association (UCA) there are roughly 89 million patient visits urgent care centers each year. In 2020 urgent care centers became COVID-19 testing sites as well as vaccine distribution centers and is projected to continue in 2021.

• Demand For Temporary Nurses Will Continue To Surge

There’s no doubt that the pandemic supercharged the existing nurse shortage in the United States. Nurses are always in short supply. With more cases of COVID-19 erupting and more frontline workers getting sick, the need for temporary nurses will continue to grow. Registry and Locum Tenens companies are sure to see a surge in nursing needs from healthcare facilities nationwide.

Who are we? MedCare Staffing is a small, veteran-owned, family-oriented team. We start every day with gratitude because we LOVE what we do! We are a team on a mission to make a positive difference in the lives of our clients and providers.

What we do: We place Physicians, Dentists & Advanced Practitioners in Locum Tenens, Contract Positions and Permanent Jobs

To contact MedCare Staffing, call 888.474.3380 or visit or website by clicking here

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/22/949309322/demand-for-temporary-nurses-surges-during-pandemic

https://www.aanp.org

https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/blog/8-urgent-care-marketing-trends-to-follow-in-2021/

Managing a healthcare team while on a locum tenens assignment can be a challenge. You may be new to the organization. You’re not familiar with your staff or their skill level. Furthermore, the patient population and community demographics can make your practice even more demanding.

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” Henry Ford

It’s always best to employ patient centered teamwork and communicate this with your team so that everyone is aware of what the common goal is. An effective teamwork can immediately and positively affect patient safety and outcome. The need for effective teams is increasing due to increasing co-morbidities and increasing complexity of specialization of care. 

Team-based health care is the provision of health services to individuals, families, and/or their communities by at least two health providers who work collaboratively with patients and their caregivers—to the extent preferred by each patient – to accomplish shared goals within and across settings to achieve coordinated, high-quality care.

Organizations Core Values And Mission Statement

When you’re working a new locums gig, it’s best to educate yourself on the organizations core values and mission statement. Some clinics may have you go through an orientation process where the facilities mission statement will be discussed. In order for you to succeed and be in alignment with the organization, it’s best to incorporate these values into your daily practice.

Know Who Is Playing On Your Team

The players on your patient centered team can vary from clinic to clinic. Knowing who will be working with you and what their skillset is, will be the key to efficient patient care. Medical assistants, mental health care workers or social workers, lab services, front office staff, child life specialists, IT, security, custodial and cleaning staff are some examples of who can be playing on your team.

Some Important Questions To Ask About Your Patient Centered Team Are:

Will you be working with one medical assistant or two? Do they speak multiple languages? Are they also phlebotomists, or will you have to send patients to the lab for blood draws? It’s important to know what skills your medical assistants and what their scope of practice is in their clinic. You may have complete patient tasks that they are not permitted to do by their clinic. Mental health care workers or social workers, lab services, front office staff, child life specialists,

Fostering Patient Centered Team Dynamics

Healthcare Team dynamics are those psychological forces influencing the direction of your team’s performance and behavior. Those dynamics are created by the personalities involved and how they interact. Understanding a team’s dynamics can alert you to how successful it might be.

A healthcare team with positive group dynamics tend to have team members who trust each other. They work towards a collective decision and are held responsible for their actions. A team with good group dynamics may be constructive and productive, and it may demonstrate mutual understanding and self-corrective behavior.

Communication Is Key To A Cohesive And Successful Team

Encourage open discussions, enhancing a team culture and enthusiasm will help you to have a better day. Addressing any problems that may occur quickly as well as keeping team members alerted to any changes can avoid miscommunication. Always remember to speak to team members directly and invite them to reflect on their behavior is also a good practice to employ.

Who are we? MedCare Staffing is a small, veteran-owned, family-oriented team. We start every day with gratitude because we LOVE what we do! We are a team on a mission to make a positive difference in the lives of our clients and providers.What we do: We place Physicians, Dentists & Advanced Practitioners in Locum Tenens, Contract Positions and Permanent Jobs

To contact MedCare Staffing call 888.474.3380 or visit or website by clicking here!

https://www.deakinco.com/media-centre/news/6-strategies-for-managing-and-improving-team-dynamics

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4949805/

Are You a Locums Newbie? Checkout These 5 Tricks For Guaranteed Success On Your Next Assignment!

If you’re a “Newbie” in the locum tenens game, you’re first day on the job can feel like that awkward first day in middle school. You don’t know anyone, you don’t know what to expect, and you probably forgot your lunch! The locums landscape of forever changing assignments can sometimes skyrocket your anxiety through the roof.

You may be working in a new city, embarking on a new commute, entering into an unfamiliar office space with new coworkers and administrative staff. Science says people are “hard-wired” to feel anxious in pretty much any new situation. However, moderate levels of anxiety can facilitate and drive performance. The stress of wanting to make a good impression on your first day of your new Locum Assignment can also add to your anxiety. 

Health care professionals with higher levels of anxiety and frustration were more than twice as likely to report workplace burnout, compared with those with lower levels of anxiety and frustration, according to a study of primary care professionals published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. Moreover, primary care physicians reported burnout at double the rate of other health care professionals in their practice settings.

Fear not newbie! All is not lost, and your anxiety can be controlled with these 5 tips:

1. Be Aware Of Your Stress Level And Anxiety Triggers

            Caffeine, skipping meals, bills and taxes can all be triggers too anxiety. Try and limit         these as best as possible before your first assignment. Perhaps pay your bills or write         out checks and be confident that they will be taken care of to decrease your anxiety. Prescriptions like birth control pills and OTC cough and congestion medications may            create sensations that become anxiety triggers for you. 

• Be Confident And Smile

            If you have too much anxiety it can derail your performance. Confidence in your clinical skills is key to success. Trusting your own judgement and abilities along with valuing   yourself worth can curb your anxiety. Body language can help boost confidence. Practice an open body posture. Don’t put your hands of your hips or slouch. Smiling and         practicing open communication will project an energy of confidence.

• Get Informed

            Before your assignment, try and get informed about what is expected from you as           much as possible. Does the clinic you are going to work at require you to have a health      physical, urine drug screen, TB, and COVID test? Having these done before starting your           first day on your locum assignment will create less stress. Ask your recruiter as many           questions as possible in order to get informed on what to expect. For example, what             type of charting will you be doing? Paper or electronic? Do you have the option to work      telehealth? Where will you be parking and is it secure? Who is the person you will be             reporting to at the clinic?  How many patients will you be seeing? The more you know,    the better.

• Brush Up On Your Skills

Brushing up on your skills before starting your first day in clinic can help boost your confidence level and decrease your anxiety. Classes for skills like CPR, PALS, ACLS, suturing techniques, and several others can be obtained online easily. You may even want to check out YouTube for videos that will help you refresh your skills like adult physical exams, pediatric physicals, new baby exams, sports physicals, and pap exams.

• Network And Connect With Your Support Staff

            Getting to know the clinic staff and communicating your needs can help minimize your    anxiety. Introduce yourself, smile and be cordiale. Find out if you will be working with       the same medical assistants on a daily basis or if you will have a new person with you.          Ask them what the standard routine is of the clinic and how they usually work with         healthcare practitioners. Communicate what your needs are and don’t be afraid to let       them know your weaknesses.

Following these tips will help to decrease your “Newbie” Locum Tenen jitters and quantum leap you forward to success. The more confident you feel with yourself, the better your assignment will be. Anxiety can be overcome ensuring you a happy and productive assignment.

“Experience is not what happens to a man, it is what a man does with what happens to him.”- Aldous Huxley

Who are we? MedCare Staffing is a small, veteran-owned, family-oriented team. We start every day with gratitude because we LOVE what we do! We are a team on a mission to make a positive difference in the lives of our clients and providers.

What we do: We place Physicians, Dentists & Advanced Practitioners in Locum Tenens, Contract Positions and Permanent Jobs

To contact MedCare Staffing, call 888.474.3380 or visit or website by clicking here!

Wanting to stay healthy during COVID-19? Airborne particles, bacteria, and miscellaneous germs are nothing new for Healthcare Providers. COVID-19 has brought personal health, mental health and wellness practices into the limelight. The increased stress of the pandemic has unfortunately cost various healthcare providers to take their lives. Now more than ever, it’s important for all healthcare providers to make both their physical health and mental health a top priority.

Mental Health Concerns Among Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare providers have been bombarded with many mental health issues during the COVID -19 crisis. Some of these include social isolation, acute stress disorder, depression, alcohol abuse and the fear of death. These mental health concerns all add an enormous stress on the body further decreasing it’s immune response.

Those Healthcare providers who have been coming in close contact with COVID-19 patients and are potentially exposed to the virus may exhibit symptoms of PTSD due to the potential for increased illness, death and supply shortages. PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) is a chronic psychiatric illness that develops subsequent to experiencing a significant traumatic event. Studies show that those healthcare providers who have decreased social support are more susceptible to PTSD. People living with PTSD commonly start to manifest a dysregulation in the systems that regulate the stress response. This can lead to somatic inflammatory response and autoimmune diseases.

Healthcare providers tend to be selfless and put all others first. But, COVID-19 has sounded the alarms on personal health. It’s a huge wake up call for everyone to starry healthy.

Focus On Self-Assessment

As healthcare providers, we typically assess our patients before we give them a diagnosis. It’s important to take pause and complete a mini health assessment on yourself and ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you feeling overly fatigued?
2. Has your mood taken a vast shift from the normal?
3. Are you experiencing feelings of guilt, anger or shame?
4. Have you lost interest in pleasurable activities?
5. Are you having trouble sleeping and or experiencing recurrent nightmares?

If your answer was yes to any of the above, then you need to stop and listen to your body and follow these 5 important tips:

1.Improve Your Diet And Boost Your Immune System

The food and supplements you put in your body can make a dramatic difference in your mental health as well as your body’s immune response. Chronic stress will decrease your body’s immune system, further making you susceptible to disease. Decreasing caffeine and alcohol intake will decrease your inflammatory response helping your immune system to function better.

Increase vitamin C through citrus fruits or supplements (75 mg/day for women 90 mg/ day for men). Eat a diet rich with foods like broccoli, bell peppers, garlic, ginger, spinach almonds, papaya, kiwi, poultry and shell fish. Decrease complex carbohydrates as well as limiting refined sugars. Getting enough vitamin D through diet and or sunlight is also important to mental health as low levels can cause depression, problems losing weight and bone loss. Supplementing with Zinc will boost your immune system and help fight of colds.

2. Exercise and Meditate

Another thing we take for granted is exercise. COVID-19 has shut down many gyms and exercise facilities around the country, but simple activities like walking, swimming, dancing and jumping rope can help boost your mood as well as keep the extra weight off. Meditating for 10-15 minutes a day is a great way to decrease stress as well as increasing mental focus.

3. Take Breaks While At Work

Yes, healthcare providers have a tendency of sometimes working straight through their shifts without taking any breaks. Breaks are crucial and, in many states, legally mandated for all healthcare providers. Make yourself a priority during your busy day and take a power nap or go for a walk. Make a point to get off all electronics for at least 10-15 minutes and regroup with yourself and get grounded. You’ll feel more energized and empowered to finish your day.

4. Phone A Friend

Technology has made communicating easy yet complex. Many of us quickly resort to texting when we want to communicate. But hearing someone’s voice and connecting with someone on the phone or through facetime, who will let you just vent while they simply listen can do volumes for your mental health.

When working in high stress environments, designating a friend who understands that sometimes you just need to vent and let the emotions out is key. Perhaps have a couple of designated friends that understand that you need to do this. If they are unavailable, sometimes just going to your local coffee shop, or supermarket and engaging in idle chit chat with another human being will also help. Many apps are available for mental health support as well as in person mental healthcare providers who can help you navigate through difficult situations.

5. Becoming Conscious Of Your World And Environment

It’s always best to be as conscious and aware of your present state as possible. When things get rough and or chaotic it’s a good practice to take stock of how much you have achieved in your life. Take a pause, be conscious of your surroundings, the present moment, and take a deep breath. Finding a creative outlet like painting, coloring, writing, playing music and or dancing can also help uplift your mood and disconnect from your work life.

We as humans have the ability to shift our moods and create our environments. Like Viktor Frankel wrote in ‘Mans Search For Meaning’ “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” You are the master of your universe and in charge of your own health and wellbeing. It’s up to you to focus on what keeps you healthy and able to function at your highest capacity. After all, your health is in your wealth!

If you are someone you love is thinking about committing suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline for help 1-800-273-8255.

Who are we? MedCare Staffing is a small, veteran-owned, family-oriented team. We start every day with gratitude because we LOVE what we do! We are a team on a mission to make a positive difference in the lives of our clients and providers.

What we do: We place Physicians, Dentists & Advanced Practitioners in Locum Tenens, Contract Positions and Permanent Jobs

To contact MedCare Staffing, call 888.474.3380 or visit or website by clicking here!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4992603/

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-Consumer/

The hottest debate these days is not in politics, it’s all about what appropriate face covering to wear to keep Healthcare Providers and the general public healthy and free from COVID-19. Some experts prefer face shields to cloth masks. Others say face shields have no effects. Experts are torn. So, what’s a healthcare provider, working with the patients in an in person setting on a daily basis, to do?

The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) is recommending cloth face coverings for the general public as a simple barrier to protect from droplet spread from traveling in the air and onto other people. COVID-19 spreads among people who are in close contact with each other (within 6 feet). A simple surgical mask can also prevent droplet spread.

Many people in the general public are making DYI face shields (Do It Yourself) from recycled plastic bottles. But do these really work? And should our patients be wearing them?

Plastic face shields in health care are nothing new. Healthcare providers have been wearing them for many years. A study in the journal of Occupational health found that healthcare providers can inhale infectious airborne particles when a patient cough. Face shields can substantially reduce the short-term exposure to healthcare workers to large infectious aerosol particles, but smaller particles can remain airborne and flow around the face shield more easily to be inhaled. The study further recommends that face shields be used in adjunct to proper respiratory protection when needed. Face shields are generally not used alone, but in conjunction with other protective equipment like cap, mask, goggle, and are therefore classified as adjunctive personal protective equipment. 

Important Facts To Consider When Using Face Shield’s For Healthcare Providers

–Snug fit: The face shield must be snugly fitting around head without any gaps between forehead and shield. The readymade plastic bands are not tight fitting and may fall off with repeated use. Use of sponge in between forehead and face shield gives good comfort, but such face shields should be used as disposable as sterilization of sponge is incomplete.

Disposable/Reusable: Disposable face masks should be disposed of in the appropriate location. Reusable face shields must be removed carefully and disinfected with the utmost care.

Methods of handling: Never touch the front of the face shield. Remove face shield with gloved hands. Dispose along with gloves.

Methods Of Sterilization:

            1% Sodium Hypochlorite solution for minimum of 10 min.

            Drying in Sun light and cleaning with Sanitizers with gloved hands.

2% Glutaraldehyde for 10 min, wash it with normal saline, again dry it.

Healthcare Providers Who Are Testing Patients for COVID-19

Healthcare providers interacting with ill or suspected to be ill with COVID-19 patients, need professional respirators such as N95 respirators which are designed for medical use. N95 respirators fit snuggly around the face and filter air to further stop transmission of droplets from person to person. Face shields and eye goggles should also be worn.

Guidance on the use of face shields vs. face masks remains unclear. When in doubt, it’s always best to consult the hospital or facilities policies that any healthcare provider may be working at. As a rule of thumb, always err on the side of causation and protect yourself as best as possible.

Who are we? MedCare Staffing is a small, veteran-owned, family-oriented team. We start every day with gratitude because we LOVE what we do! We are a team on a mission to make a positive difference in the lives of our clients and providers.

What we do: We place Physicians, Dentists & Advanced Practitioners in Locum Tenens, Contract Positions and Permanent Jobs

To contact MedCare Staffing, call 888.474.3380 or visit our website by clicking here!

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15459624.2013.877591?cookieSet=1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7191263/

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/testing-overview.html

As COVID 19 struck the United States, healthcare providers faced drastic changes to the healthcare system. One of those changes was the zealous takeover of telehealth. Even though many healthcare organizations were already using some type of telehealth technology prior to COVID 19, it still was quite a surprise for the majority of healthcare providers that brought on a tad bit of a technological learning curve.

Telehealth vs. Telemedicine: What’s The Difference?

One of the earliest uses of telemedicine was in 1950’s and early 1960’s when a closed-circuit television link was established as being established between the Nebraska Psychiatric Institute and Norfolk state hospital for psychiatric consultations. The Health Resources Administration defines telehealth as the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long distance clinical health care, patient and professional health related education, public health and health administration. Technologies include videoconferencing, the internet store-and-forward imaging, streaming media and wireless communications. A healthcare provider in one infrastructure uses telecommunications to deliver healthcare services to a patient typically in a rural location.

So, what’s the difference? Although both telehealth and telemedicine basically fulfill the same goals, telemedical refers specifically to remote clinical services while telehealth can refer to non-clinical services. These non-clinical services include provider training, continuing medical education, or public health education, administrative meetings, and electronic information sharing to facilitate and support assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education and care management.

Better Access To Healthcare

The main promise of telehealth is greater access to healthcare especially in the underserved populations. Currently, the 2 most common forms of technology being utilized in telehealth are telephone communications and video communications.  There is a widespread belief that healthcare costs can be reduced, while improving patient healthcare outcomes. Telehealth allows for better 2-way communication with healthcare providers.

The Real World Of Telehealth

“I’ve seen it all now. Telehealth patient smoked on a visit today and last week a lady sipped a cocktail,” stated a Family Nurse Practitioner in a recent Nurse Practitioner Facebook forum. Many Nurse Practitioners were sharing their telemedicine stories on various forums as telehealth made its COVID-19 debut. Some stories were quite comical while others incredibly insightful.

“I was visiting with a patient who had uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus for years. I noticed a box of cornstarch on an end table in the living room as I was having a tele visit with her,” remarked a nurse practitioner on the Facebook forum. “I assumed she had a rash, so I asked her about the cornstarch. ‘Oh that? That’s my snack!’ she said. I further found out that she has been eating 3-4 boxes of cornstarch a day for more than 25 years.”

Hidden gems that can potentially save a persons life like these may go unseen in a normal day to day clinical setting. Telehealth captures patients in their natural habitat, most likely their home environment where they feel comfortable to be themselves. In a sense it’s like watching a reality TV show, which may lead healthcare practitioners to better understand their patients and detect interesting answers to complex problems.

The Pros And Cons

The benefits to telehealth are many. In the past there were several barriers to telehealth such as licensing and reimbursement.  On March 17, 2020, the Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights stated that no penalties would be imposed for the good faith provision of telemedicine during the COVID‐19 public health emergency, even if the technologies used may not fully comply with HIPAA requirements. The CMS announced on April 30, 2020, it would temporarily increase payments for telephone visits to match in‐person and video visits. Barriers to interstate licensure have largely been lifted. Most states have momentarily waived interstate licensure requirements. Other states have allowed rapid provision of medical licensure during the current public health emergency.

 Some Other Pros Include:

-Lower transportation costs for patients in rural areas

-Reduce worker absences

-Improve access to specialty care

-Decrease office no shows for office providers

-Better patient outcomes

 A few important ‘cons’ to consider:

-Technical training and equipment: Some patients may not have access to telehealth services. Also, there is a technology learning curve to be addressed with both patients and providers.

-Time and Costs: It takes time for providers to learn different forms of technology as well restructuring IT support as well as purchasing equipment.

-Accessibility to patient records, privacy and continuity of care: Patient privacy must be given thoughtful consideration with telehealth.

-Fewer in person visits: The human one to one in person connection may be lost. Also, vulnerable patients with no access to technology may be left behind.

-Healthcare laws, licensing, credentialing and reimbursement: Although many restrictions that were in place before the emergency COVIID19 pandemic cleared much of the red tape that these issues brought into telehealth, all providers need to be aware of them in future as things shift.

It might take some getting used to, but it looks like telehealth is here to stay and the new ‘normal.’ A tip for health care providers using new technology for the first time is to keep an open mind when using telehealth, and not be so hard on yourself. It’s easy to get frustrated with new technology. Remember, with everything new, comes a learning curve. Keep in mind you are experiencing new territories and getting a better picture of your patients natural environment. Those natural environments and the hidden treasures that they hold, can actually help you save their lives and make a you a better healthcare provider.  

Who are we? MedCare Staffing is a small, veteran-owned, family-oriented team. We start every day with gratitude because we LOVE what we do! We are a team on a mission to make a positive difference in the lives of our clients and providers.

What we do: We place Physicians, Dentists & Advanced Practitioners in Locum Tenens, Contract Positions and Permanent Jobs

To contact MedCare Staffing, call 888.474.3380 or visit or website by clicking here!

Ersilia Pompilio RN, MSN, PNP

References

https://aasldpubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cld.971

https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-telehealth-how-telehealth-different-telemedicine

https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/anthologies/anthologies-telehealth.html

https://www.aafp.org/media-center/kits/telemedicine-and-telehealth.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207141/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5041366/

Community health centers exude cultural diversity. They are fun and exciting places to work as a healthcare provider. Most Community health centers can be found in inner cities and rural farmlands which offer opportunities to connect on a more intimate level with diverse populations.

The experience of working at a Community Health Center usually starts on the streets before you enter the clinic. You drive by acres of rural farmlands that offer the sweet scent of manure as migrant workers pick their crops. You may pass many make-shift tents that serve as housing for the homeless population in an inner city. You may walk by street vendors making savory tacos that make your mouth water while small children walk hand in hand with their parents. As they see you, they may start screaming “Doctora, Doctora” and offer a sweet smile and a kind waive with their hands because they remember who you are. This scenic landscape before entering through the community health center’s doors begins to tell a story of what terrain your patient’s may have conquered before presenting themselves to you in your exam room.

“I usually have diarrhea from my mouth, but today it’s coming from my butt!” A quirky 5-year-old Latino American girl sits on my exam table and blurts out the phrase trying to stifle a laugh with her hands pulled immediately to her face. Her mother just rolls her eyes and smiles while her ‘abuela,’ sits back in her chair, eyes bulging, looking mortified. I laughed and ask, “Are you trying to be Sarah Silverman?” “Who’s that?”  she squeals as she proceeds to giggle and spew off several more jokes as I try and examine her. This family of 3 had to take several buses through an overcrowded urban city to show up at the clinic as a walk in. It also saved them a visit to the Emergency Room.

Community health centers are unique and special places. And yes, on many days they can resemble comedy shows which adds to the fun of working at them! One of their main purposes is to serve underprivileged communities, increasing access to timely care and to avoid costly Emergency Department (ED) admissions.

When you are working at a Community Health Center, it’s not just about the patient you are seeing, but about the whole family structure. It’s not uncommon for a mother, father, siblings, grandparents and even great grandparents to be present at a newborn’s first well check. This offers a great opportunity for assessment and teaching on so many levels as a practitioner.

Originally, community health centers were started in 1965. They were launched as a small demonstration program in conjunction with President Johnson’s ‘Office Of Economic Opportunity’ with a main focus on medically underserved communities. Today, clinics can be found in inner suburban cities servicing the homeless population to rural locations servicing migrant farmworkers.

Approximately 1400 community health centers provide healthcare to 28 million people throughout the United States. The main source of funding for these clinics is Medicaid along with other sources of funding which include Federal Community Health Center Program 330 Grants, Ryan White Funding, Title X Funding, and local county funds. The Affordable Care Act also offers additional funding.

Many clinics deliver a broad area of services which include mental health, dental, podiatry, maternal child health, pediatrics, HIV services, and Transgender services. They specialize in diagnosis and management of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, asthma, heart and lung disease, depression, cancer and HIV/AIDS. One of the main goals is to reduce mortality, health disparities and risk of low birth weight with the care they deliver. Services such as transportation, translation, case management, and health education are offered to ensure continuity of care.

Working with a lower socioeconomic population can offer challenges as well as a variety of learning opportunities which may include language barriers, poverty, and compliance to healthcare regimens. Community Health Clinics offer healthcare providers an opportunity to flex their creativity, employ a sense of humor and have an open mind in order to better meet a patient’s needs.

Community health clinics are great places for Physician’s, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses, Dentists, and Psychologists to practice. They offer an abundance of experience that can only be acquired at the rural clinic level and inner city. It’s a rich cultural exposure that can be incredibly humbling. You don’t necessarily have to be a comedian to work at one, but it doesn’t hurt.

Ersilia Pompilio RN, MSN, PNP

References

https://www.chcchronicles.org/stories/community-health-centers-chronicling-their-history-and-broader-meaning

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26153303/

What is a Community Health Center?

What is a Community Health Center?

Can Locum Tenens Be Your Sweetest Gig in Healthcare?