Why is there so much job growth in healthcare?Written by Max Stein
A recent article in Slate’s online magazine discusses anemic effects on American’s attitudes towards economy, despite creation of 1.4 million jobs in last ten months. The article’s author theorizes, “Productivity growth, globalization, outsourcing, and widespread excess capacity probably have something to do with it.” I’ll take it a step further – technology and globalization are merely symptoms of a fundamental shift in American economy. The reason increased job creation hasn’t made an impact is American economy has moved from being one based on manufacturing to one being based on services and information. American workers have simply not adapted to this change. Nowhere is this more evident than in healthcare industry. Jobs available in healthcare lead nation in creation and wages through 2012. Yet, there is a severe shortage of nurses (RNs & LPNs), medical assistants, medical coders, x-ray technicians and many more. Reasons for increased healthcare burden. The aging of largest segment of U.S. population (“baby boomers”) has done two things –decrease number of workers…due to retirement…and increase number of people who need healthcare. Baby boomers comprise 76 million members of America’s 290 million population. Additionally, healthcare advances have increased overall lifespan. Due to medical breakthroughs, people stricken with terminal diseases like cancer and AIDS are living longer with their ailment. These three factors in combination point to a continued strong demand on American healthcare system. Reasons for healthcare worker shortage. Some healthcare work, particularly specialties dealing directly with patient care, can be very draining physically and emotionally. Though hours tend to be flexible, they also tend to be long and inconvenient (12 hour shifts, nights, weekends and holidays). Medical professionals in specialties like nursing or medical assisting will advance their careers through education and moving to different employers. The end result is many healthcare workers tend to move out of patient care. Our nation’s education system has been slow to train replacements. Many high school students believe only way to a well paying career is through a four-year college. State colleges and community colleges don’t have enough teaching resources to produce more students. In many parts of country, waiting lists for entering nursing school are common.
| | Some food allergies and how to avoid them: Almonds to CoconutWritten by Thomas Ogren
Some food allergies and how to avoid them: Almonds to Coconut: Thomas Leo OgrenIn following list I’ll outline some of more common food allergies. Just because some food isn’t in this list doesn’t mean that it couldn’t cause an allergy. Remember, almost any food that you eat too often and too much of over an extended period of time can trigger a food allergy. It is always smart to eat a wide variety of food and not to rely on eating same kind of food over and over again. Almonds: Allergy to pollen from peach, plum, nectarine, and apricot trees is rare, but allergy to pollen from their relatives, almond and cherry is not. People who are already allergic to tree pollens are more likely to develop an allergy to eating almonds. If you’re allergic to pollen, go easy on almonds, especially during spring pollen season. Apples: Allergy from eating apples is surprisingly common, especially among people who are already allergic to tree pollens. Apple allergy may have any number of different symptoms. Those allergic to birch pollen are especially at risk for apple allergy. Avocado: Allergy to eating avocadoes isn’t especially common but it isn’t rare either. Some birds that eat avocadoes, parrots for example, can die from eating them. People with an existing allergy to eating kiwi fruits have a greater chance of becoming allergic to avocado. If you do become allergic to eating avocadoes, you may well also become allergic to non-food items such as sun tan lotions with avocado oils. Bamboo shoots: People already allergic to grass pollen are at increased risk of allergy from eating bamboo shoots. The reaction may be either immediate or delayed. Brazil nuts: For reasons I am not certain of, people who are already allergic to cashews and pistachios, are at increased risk of becoming allergic to Brazil nuts. They do however both contain some of same chemicals, linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, samarium, and scandium. Allergic reaction to these nuts can include anaphylaxis, so it is potentially dangerous.
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