Grief Counseling Training Program Article on Misconceptions of Miscarriage

Miscarriage is loss of a child.  While legal status may not view it, the human heart clearly understands it.   The child loss during pregnancy while never met is still present.  Losing the child is losing a future.  For some couples it can even more agonizing if they are trying to bring a child into the world.

A miscarriage is a traumatic loss for couples. Losing a child at any age even before birth can be traumatic. Please also review our Grief Counseling Training Program

There are many myths about miscarriage and how it affects the couple.  The article, “The 3 Most Destructive Myths about Miscarriage” by Marilyn Mendoza looks at these these myths and addresses why miscarriage is indeed a traumatic loss for parents.  The article states,

“The death of a child can be devastating, regardless of their age. What many do not understand, however, is that losing a child before birth can be equally devastating.”

To read the entire article, please click here

Please also review our Grief Counseling Training Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.

 

Integrative Holistic Healthcare Specialist Program Article on Holistic Care

Holistic medicine is considered by some to be taboo while many others find its benefits to be extraordinary.   There should be a healthy balance in utilizing various  holistic medicines and avoiding others.  Some may be snake oil in disguise while other uses may have true traditional and successful uses.

Please review our Integrative Holistic Healthcare Specialist Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals

Holistic medicine in itself seeks to treat the entirety of the human person.  It looks at mind, body and spirit.   Holistic practitioners believe that optimal health is through balance.  The body has many inter dependent parts.  If one part of the body is imbalanced, then that can cause multiple health issues. (1)

Holistic medicine in many ways is a life style.  It involves eating properly, utilizing herbs and other practices to achieve ultimate balance.  Some of the remedies are long term or preventative while others over time can help cure disease.  Ultimately, Holistic medicine believes all people have innate healing abilities and that over time one can find healing through a variety of treatments that treat the totality of the body.  Holistic medicine does not just look to alleviate symptoms but to also find a cure. (2)

Holistic practitioner look to change the over life style of their patients.  They emphasize patient education, exercise and change of diet.  They also emphasize utilization of complimentary alternative practices such as acupuncture, massage therapy, chiropractic, homeopathy and naturopathy. (3)

In essence, Holistic practitioners look to help their patients by unlocking healing and restoring balance. Optimal health is more than just the absence of sickness but a true search for the best lifestyle at every mental, physical and spiritual level. (4)

This is why holistic lifestyles are a acquired habit.  They are not fads that come and go but are a commitment to health.  It involves a serious understanding of diet and how herbs and various foods affect the body.  Food and healthy eating is so critical to health.  The diets of many Americans exist on fast food.  Bad foods drain the body and lead to sickness.

In addition to better diet, exercise is critical.  Strengthening weaknesses and giving the body the exercise it needs is essential to good health.  Through good diet and exercise, one can begin to find the balance they need.   Sickness, however, can still occur.  This is where understanding proper diet for a particular sickness is essential.

Does this mean, one should abandon more acute methods and symptom relieving medications of the West?  Absolutely not.  In fact, many Holistic practitioners work with other medical providers or are educated in both fields.  They see the importance of complementing alternative and Western procedures and medications together.

Many individuals are diagnosed with life threatening diseases.  It is important to consult Western professionals but to also utilize the guidance of alternative medications.  Many lose hope and turn to only alternative practices, but a wise practitioner will compliment both.   A Holistic Nurse Specialist has the capability to help guide a patient to proper alternative medications.  A Holistic Nurse Specialist understands how alternative medications and practices interact with Western medicine.  They can be an excellent guide in between the doctor visits.

This is not to say one should rebuke the guidance of the primary physician but should keep him informed of any alternative or holistic medications.  This ensures ones overall safety and ensures that the individual may be able to utilize all beneficial practices.  Many doctors and primary physicians are becoming more and more in tune with holistic practices and can offer advice and guidance.

While holistic medication is about long term life health choices and better life styles, it is not a quick fix.  While it can help the body overcome and heal itself, it is not always a guarantee.  Prevention and long term healing are usually the outcomes.  It involves a commitment by the patient to change and alter life styles for a long and healthy life.

When someone is terminal or facing a possible life altering illness, a person utilizing holistic practices needs to understand that his or her long term health is connected with a new life style.  A life style that is committed to certain exercise, diet and types of food.  When this is accepted, possible healing can occur.  Many times it depends on the severity of the illness and how far along one has dealt with it.  Some cases can be reversed through healthy living and working with a primary physician.

The American Institute of Health Care Professionals acknowledges the importance of Holistic alternatives.  It understands that Holistic practices are key to overall health.  This is why the American Institute of Health Care Professionals is committed to so many alternative programs.  Ranging from Hypnotherapy to Emotional Freedom Techniques, the Institute realizes the power of the body to heal itself.  Medication is more than just Western concepts but a totality of human experience.  Alternative as well conventional methods when used under guidance can be effective in treatments.

Nurses and other healthcare professionals are great candidates to become certified Integrative Holistic Healthcare Specialists

The Holistic Nursing Specialist Program offered by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals offers a chance for nurses and other healthcare professionals to earn a certification in Holistic practices.  As a Holistic Specialist, one can help patients explore the many alternative herbs and medications.  A Holistic Healthcare Specialist can ensure that alternative practices are utilized in a safe fashion.

This is important because some practices, herbs or medications may contradict each other.  One should never delve into the medications without professional guidance.  Holistic and alternative medications are no exception.  It is hence critical to consult professional opinion and guidance to any health plan one may embark upon.  Certified Holistic Healthcare Specialists can be that guiding hand.

The certification for Holistic Integrative Nurse Specialist can help professionals earn a certification to help others utilize alternative practices safely.  The program is online and offers core courses within the discipline of Holistic Health.  After completing the core courses, the professional applies for a four year certification.  The certification can be renewed.  The program is independent study and is an excellent format for working professionals to achieve certification.

The certification will give a healthcare professional the needed knowledge and expertise within the field of Holistic practices.  The first three courses deal completely with issues surrounding Holistic medicine and health and the other courses deal with spiritual and emotional wellness.

If you are a nurse or healthcare professional and would like to learn more about AIHCP’s Integrative Holistic Healthcare Specialist Program then please review and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.

 

Substance Abuse Practitioner Program Article on Drugs and Mental Health

Drugs do not only affect one physically but also mentally.  One’s overall mental health is affected in various different ways with different types of drugs.

Drugs cause multiple mental health issues beyond the physical. Please also review our Substance Abuse Practitioner Program

The article, “How alcohol and drugs affect your mental health” lists a variety of drugs and how they differently affect one’s mental health.  Rob Crossan states,

“Most studies of alcohol’s effect on mental health have focused on the most severe addicts, who had almost completely dropped out of society. However, research revealed in the British Medical Journal in 2017 is genuinely game-changing”

To read the entire article, please click here

Please also review our Substance Abuse Practitioner Program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.

Certified Meditation Instructor Article on Meditation and Negative Emotions

Like any prayer or meditation, outside thoughts and emotions can emerge.  These sometimes negative emotions can affect one’s ability to find peace and meditate.  It is important to be able to channel out distractions and noise and emotions in meditation.

Negativity and emotions can follow us into meditation. Please also review our certified Meditation Instructor Program and see if it meets your professional goals

The article, “Negativity Coming Up When You Meditate? Here’s How To Work Through It” by Adreanna Limbach states,

“Meditating when you’re in a good mood is one thing. Meditating when you’re dealing with inner turmoil? That’s where the real work happens.”

To read the entire article, please click here

Meditation is about finding peace.  In finding peace, sometimes we need to learn how to channel out the distractions and negative emotions that will not allow one to meditate.  If you would like to learn more about meditation or would like to become a certified Meditation Instructor then please review the program and see if it matches your professional and academic goals.

Healthcare Case Management Program Article on Patient Care Beyond Service Rendered

Service of care should not be the main contributor of reimbursement but quality of that service.  Overall population health, patient experience and patient care that reduces unnecessary stay and services are all critical elements.

Please also review our Healthcare Case Management Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals

The article, “Improve patient care – aim for the Triple” by Phillip Gratzel von Gratz looks at the triple aim of patient experience and health.  He states,

“There is a broad consensus around the world that healthcare reimbursement should at least partly be based on performance and outcomes and not exclusively on service provision. This is mostly a theoretical consensus though”

To read the entire article, please click here

Please also review our Healthcare Case Management Program and see if it meets your academic and professional needs.  Healthcare Case Managers need to understand the value of patient care in regards to quality and also cost effective ways to treat patients.

 

Certified Grief Counselor Article on the Complexity of Grief

Grief while universal is definitely also unique and very complex.  The complexity of grief leads to a variety of reactions to loss due to multiple different origins.

Learn more about becoming a certified grief counselor and how to help others overcome the complexity of grief

The article, “The Grief Experience: Survey Shows It’s Complicated” by Koenig takes a closer look at the complexity of grief.  She states,

“Many of us have the misperception that there’s a right way to grieve, and most people think they’re doing it wrong,” says Donna Schuurman, a family therapist and senior director of advocacy and training and at the Dougy Center, a Portland, OR, nonprofit that helps people deal with the death of a loved one. “We live in a society that wants us to get over it and move on.”

To read the entire article, please click here

Grief will always be a complicated emotion to fully understand but we can help others grieve in a healthy way.  We can understand the reasons behind each case and help those individuals cope with their grief in effective ways.  Please also review our Grief Counseling Courses and see if you would like to become a certified Grief Counselor.

Grief Counseling Certification Article on Negative Effects of Grief on Body

Grief is a reaction to loss.  It is natural but overtime grief can become toxic to the body.  Long term and pathological grief can weaken the body and affect it negatively.  This is why it is important to ensure you are grieving in a healthy fashion.  If not, one should seek help and counseling.

Man comforting a woman
Long term and pathological grief can negative effects on health. Please also review our Grief Counseling Certification

The article, “How Grief Shows Up In Your Body” by Stephanie Hairston looks at the negative effects of adverse grief in one’s life.  She states,

“What causes these physical symptoms? A range of studies reveal the powerful effects grief can have on the body. Grief increases inflammation, which can worsen health problems you already have and cause new ones. It batters the immune system, leaving you depleted and vulnerable to infection. The heartbreak of grief can increase blood pressure and the risk of blood clots.”

To continue reading, please read the entire article by clicking here

Please also review our Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your professional and academic goals.

Christian Counseling Training Certification Article on Stewardship of Gifts

Spiritual gifts are given to everyone.  Each person has their own unique gifts for their particular calling.  Together, persons share their gifts for the building of the mystical Body of Christ.  This is why the Holy Spirit shares unique talents with everyone.  These talents are essential for the building of the faith.

Christians need to cultivate their spiritual gifts. Please also review our Christian Counseling Training Certification and see if it meets your needs.

The article, “Stewarding spiritual gifts” by Diana Myers reviews how important it is to steward our spiritual gifts and share them with the church and for own spiritual salvation.  She states,

“FCA believes that every believer has a calling. And in order to fulfill our calling to the utmost, God has provided each of us with a unique set of spiritual gifts. Knowing and leveraging our spiritual gifts enables us to be more effective members of the body of Christ.”

To read the entire article, please click here

With such importance, it is critical we all cultivate our own spiritual gifts and help utilize them for the greater honor and glory to God.  Please also review our Christian Counseling Training Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.

Helping Patients Who Suffer from Both Addiction and Psychiatric Disorders

BY: Lizzie Weakley 

Often, mental illness and drug addiction go hand in hand. This is because when people use drugs, it is typically due to an underlying mental issue, such as depression and anxiety. Also, using drugs can trigger various types of mental disorders. Therefore, it is important to take a comprehensive approach when treating patients in order to determine if they have a mental disorder that needs to be addressed along with their treatment for addiction. The following information will provide a closer look at ways you can help patients who are suffering from both conditions in order to ensure a full and lasting recovery:

Develop an Integrated Treatment Plan

An integrated treatment plan will help to effectively address both the mental illness and the addiction. Examples of helpful methods include starting off with a medical detox when necessary. This will allow the patient to come off of the drugs or alcohol in a safe way. Once this is completed, the patient should be thoroughly evaluated in order to determine a proper diagnosis as well as a proper recovery plan. From here, it can be helpful to provide the patient with various types of therapy, such as one-on-one sessions and group sessions. This will allow them to work through their underlying issues that lead to addiction in the first place and can also give them the opportunity to relate to and empathize with others in a similar situation, which will show them that they are not alone and that they can work through their problems with others, which can help to achieve more meaningful and lasting results. Overall, a dual diagnosis treatment program can allow the patient to focus on healing from both their mental illness as well as their addiction and develop effective coping mechanisms for both issues.

Create an Aftercare Plan

Both mental illness and addiction can be an ongoing issue. Therefore, you will need to ensure that you provide patients with the proper tools they need to succeed beyond just the recovery phase. It can be helpful to encourage patients to continue attending therapy sessions during their transition back into normal life. It can also be beneficial to ensure that the patient is able to build a strong support system and is able to successfully navigate conflict. By building a support system, this will ensure that they have people who are there to help them during difficult times, and learning to effectively navigate conflict will ensure that they don’t become too overwhelmed when things go wrong, which will ensure they are able to fight the temptation to use again.

Overall, dealing with both addiction and mental illness can be a difficult process. There are likely many underlying issues that will need to be addressed and worked through. The aforementioned information makes a great starting point in order to ensure that patients are able to fully recover and go on to live normal healthy lives. Reintegrating back into society can often be difficult. So, it is important that you take the proper steps to ensure that patients are well-prepared to return to independent living and that they have the proper tools and knowledge needed to be successful.

 

 

Please also review AIHCP’s Substance Abuse Practitioner Program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.  The program in online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking.

Healthcare Manager Certification Article on Healthcare Management

Hospitals and other health care facilities depend heavily on proper direction and management.   It goes well beyond just excellent physical care but also leadership and guidance.  This guidance comes from the various heads of the departments within the healthcare facility.  In the healthcare setting, a hospital can have multiple departments.  The lab, the ER, the maternity ward, and critical care are but a small sample of essential departments within a hospital or healthcare facility.

Healthcare Managers play a pivotal role in the organizational hierarchy of a hospital and the implementation of its policies and procedures

Healthcare Managers are essential to the function of all of these departments.  They play a critical role in ensuring that proper procedure and care are administered, as well as dealing with a host of other departmental issues, from personal to supplies and oversight.  The demands require not only a training in nursing and healthcare but also human resource skills and management leadership.

Healthcare Managers do not necessarily have to be healthcare professionals, although many hospitals internally hire nurses and other trained staff.  Overall, the healthcare manager works in conjuncture with the doctors and nurses in ensuring quality care.  They also ensure that the department is financially sound.  Healthcare managers also deal with personal, disputes, and discipline of employees within his or her department.  (1)

In addition to this, healthcare managers need to exhibit various skills.  They need to display leadership and the ability to communicate.  They need to be good strategic planners, as well as proficient at planning budgets.  Education wise, they can be healthcare professionals, but this is not necessarily required.  Many possess degrees in human resources, information technology, marketing, as well as nursing.  (ibid)

Many work with consulting firms, rehabilitation centers, hospitals and other healthcare centers, nursing homes and with insurance companies.  The standard pay for such services is around 100, 000 a year.  Nurses should take special attention for the opportunity to lead a department.  With their knowledge of the department and the necessary skills, they can offer their services to their employer. (ibid)

As stated, a career as a Healthcare Manager can be a lucrative and awarding position.  Healthcare managers through their hard work increase the success of their department.  Through their daily work, they are able to work with supervisors in presenting and giving the best patient care possible, while also helping the department run smoothly.   Healthcare Department Managers answer to directors, who then answer to hospital or healthcare executives.   Hence, Healthcare Directors play a pivotal role in the hierarchy ladder. (2)

From medical standpoints, they coordinate with healthcare professionals and from a business standpoint, they budget and work with various vendors, but they also provide another service.  They also are important in supporting innovation and pursuing the best ways to improve patient care and patient follow up.  In this way, they are looking for the best ways to accomplish things.  Through technological innovation as well as procedure, healthcare managers can improve patient experience and also improve patient recovery.  In this way, healthcare managers also work closely with healthcare case managers.

Healthcare Managers play many roles in the success of their department and need excellent communication skills

In working with their staff and team, healthcare case managers need to able to present, summarize and provide staff with information regarding plans.  They need to be able to organize and lead meetings pertaining to their department and also report to the directors above them.  They need to ensure that the procedures and plans are properly carried out.

So we can see that a Healthcare Manager performs at multiple levels.  As sometimes a healthcare provider, they may have nursing experience, or at least a strong knowledge of his or her departments medical procedures.  In this regard, they serve a medical function for quality control.  They are very much involved with proper execution of procedure and patient care and recovery within the department.  From a business aspect, they are responsible for oversight in budgets, as well as contracting with vendors for basic supplies essential to the department.  From a leadership position, they help implement plans and innovative ideas and finally from a human resource perspective, they work with employee issues and discipline.

Nurses, again, as earlier mentioned, can be excellent candidates for healthcare managers.  Their knowledge of the department and procedure and care are essential prerequisites to the position.  Some nurses may wish to enter into leadership positions and seek the opportunity to lead a department.  These nurses may also have training in business, or human resource work.  Nurses, like this, can be a valuable asset to the healthcare facility and offer their services for leadership.

The American Institute of Health Care Professionals gives nurses the opportunity to advance within the field of Healthcare Management through their unique certification in Healthcare Management.  The program is designed to help nurses learn the basics of management within a department.  All issues from a leadership, medical, business and human resource perspective are dealt with in the program.  This gives the student the ultimate confidence that they will be able to enter the position and effectively lead the department with the knowledge necessary for success.

The program offers essential course topics.  The first course deals with organizational behavior which is a key topic in leadership positions.  The second course deals with healthcare delivery systems.  The third course reviews  human resource management.  The fourth course looks into the importance of leadership in healthcare management. The fifth course studies  finances and budgeting.  The final course addresses insurance and reimbursements.

Please review the Healthcare Management Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals

The program itself is completely online.  The courses are self paced and the student can proceed at his or her own speed and need.  There is only a two year deadline to complete, but most courses, since they are online and self paced, can easily be completed within a month.  Each course has an open book exam based on the text book and students have the luxury of unlimited mentor guidance as needed.  One can utilize his or her instructor as much or as a little as needed.

Instead of purchasing the entire program at once, students also have the luxury of paying per course as they proceed through the program.  After completing all of the required six courses, the student can then apply for certification with the American Institute of Health Care Professionals.  The cost for a four year certification is $200.  After the four year period, certified members can re-certify but must possess 50 hours of continuing education and 500 hours of work within the field as a healthcare manager.

If you a nurse and would like to move up the organizational ladder, then this certification can be an excellent tool in advancing your career and giving you the optional certification that others do not possess.   Please review the Healthcare Management Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals and needs.