How to Rehab Your Therapy Résumé

Whether or not you are actively searching for a new therapy job, keeping your résumé current is always smart. Here are some tips to get yours in top shape.

Whether or not you are actively searching for a new therapy job—we have a lot of those, if you are, though—keeping your résumé current just in case is always a good idea. Here are some tips to make sure your therapy résumé is in top shape.

Start with the Basics

Just like your patients, you have to walk before you run. Start with a clean, modern layout that breaks your information into easily identifiable sections, so the hiring manager, recruiter, or other important person whose hands your résumé falls into can easy see your selling points—and this is about selling yourself.

Some great examples of templates we love can be found here, here, and here. Be sure to use clean, easy-to-read fonts (side note: it is never appropriate to use Comic Sans), and always save a copy of your résumé as a .PDF file to retain formatting.

Objective: Ditch the “Objective”

Since you are selling yourself, you need to identify your personal brand, and put that at the top of your résumé in a professional summary, instead of an outdated “objective”. Your objective is to get the job—that’s already clear.

Start with your personal brand statement—a good trick for this is: a few words describing your strengths + who you are + your experience + your unique expertise. For example: An empathetic, tech-savvy Doctor of Physical Therapy, who has served the pediatric population for five years, with a special focus on treating those with Autism spectrum disorder.

Follow your personal brand statement with a professional summary. Highlight your expertise level and education accomplishments, if they are impressive enough to include here—such as a high GPA or special honors, and use strong action words (pioneered, increased, managed, achieved, generated, conceptualized, collaborated, and so on) to further drive your value.

School Them On Your Schooling

Education is a big selling point for therapy professionals—and, obviously, for us, since we’re mentioning it again. Your education, continuing education, and other certifications are your core, and recruiters and hiring companies are interested in them. Any schooling and training you have completed and completed well should be placed in its own section, and, if formatting allows, placed above your clinical experience.

Focus on Your Accomplishments

Don’t just bullet point your responsibilities in your previous roles, focus on what you have accomplished—maybe even brag a little.

List your experience in reverse chronological order, meaning your most recent role at the top, and expand on the points you touched on in your professional summary. This is a good place to get in some keywords (which will help your résumé get through the automated process of screening candidates and into the hands of an actual human, mind you) and talk about populations you’ve treated, modalities you’ve used, EHR you’re familiar with, and so on.

You can even include volunteer experience here, if it bolsters your brand.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

U.S. Medical Students Less Likely To Choose Primary Care Path

The primary care physician shortage has long been predicted, and as less and less American med students choose that path, it is sure to become a reality.

By Victoria Knight

Despite hospital systems and health officials calling out the need for more primary care doctors, graduates of U.S. medical schools are becoming less likely to choose to specialize in one of those fields.

A record-high number of primary care positions was offered in the 2019 National Resident Matching Program — known to doctors as “the Match.” It determines where a medical student will study in their chosen specialty after graduation. But this year, the percentage of primary care positions filled by fourth-year medical students was the lowest on record.

“I think part of it has to do with income,” said Mona Signer, the CEO of the Match. “Primary care specialties are not the highest paying.” She suggested that where a student gets a degree also influences the choice. “Many medical schools are part of academic medical centers where research and specialization is a priority,” she said.

The three key primary care fields are internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics. According to the 2019 Match report, 8,116 internal medicine positions were offered, the highest number on record and the most positions offered within any specialty, but only 41.5% were filled by seniors pursuing their M.D.s from U.S. medical schools. Similar trends were seen this year in family medicine and pediatrics.

In their final year of medical school, students apply and interview for residency programs in their chosen specialty. The Match, a nonprofit group, then assigns them a residency program based on how the applicant and the program ranked each other.

Since 2011, the percentage of U.S.-trained allopathic, or M.D., physicians who have matched into primary care positions has been on the decline, according to an analysis of historical Match data by Kaiser Health News.

But, over the same period, the percentage of U.S.-trained osteopathic and foreign-trained physicians matching into primary care roles has increased. 2019 marks the first year in which the percentage of osteopathic and foreign-trained doctors surpassed the percentage of U.S. trained medical doctors matching into primary care positions.

Medical colleges granting M.D. degrees graduate nearly three-quarters of U.S. students moving on to become doctors. The rest graduate from osteopathic schools, granting D.O. degrees. The five medical schools with the highest percentage of graduates who chose primary care are all osteopathic institutions, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report survey.

Beyond the standard medical curriculum, osteopathic students receive training in manipulative medicine, a hands-on technique focused on muscles and joints that can be used to diagnose and treat conditions. They are licensed by states and work side by side with M.D.s in physician practices and health systems.

Although the osteopathic graduates have been able to join the main residency match or go through a separate osteopathic match through this year, in 2020 the two matches will be combined.

Physicians who are trained at foreign medical schools, including both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens, also take unfilled primary care residency positions. In the 2019 match, 68.9% of foreign-trained physicians went into internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics.

But, despite osteopathic graduates and foreign-trained medical doctors taking up these primary care spots, a looming primary care physician shortage is still expected.

The Association of American Medical Colleges predicts a shortage of between 21,100 and 55,200 primary care physicians by 2032. More doctors will be needed in the coming years to care for aging baby boomers, many of whom have multiple chronic conditions. The obesity rate is also increasing, which portends more people with chronic health problems.

Studies have shown that states with a higher ratio of primary care physicians have better health and lower rates of mortality. Patients who regularly see a primary care physician also have lower health costs than those without one.

But choosing a specialty other than primary care often means a higher paycheck.

According to a recently published survey of physicians conducted by Medscape, internal medicine doctors’ salaries average $243,000 annually. That’s a little over half of what the highest earners, orthopedic physicians, make with an average annual salary of $482,000. Family medicine and pediatrics earn even less than internal medicine, at $231,000 and $225,000 per year, respectively.

Dr. Eric Hsieh, the internal medicine residency program director at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, said another deterrent is the amount of time primary care doctors spend filling out patients’ electronic medical records.

“I don’t think people realize how involved electronic medical records are,” said Hsieh. “You have to synthesize everything and coordinate all of the care. And something that I see with the residents in our program is that the time spent on electronic medical records rather than caring for patients frustrates them.”

The Medscape survey confirms this. Internists appear to be more burdened with paperwork than other specialties, and 80% of internists report spending 10 or more hours a week on administrative tasks.

The result: Only 62% of internal medicine doctors said they would choose to go into their specialty again — the lowest percentage on record for all physician specialties surveyed.

Elsa Pearson, a health policy analyst at Boston University, said one way to keep and attract primary care doctors might be to shift some tasks to health care providers who aren’t doctors, such as nurse practitioners or physician assistants.

“The primary care that they provide compared to a physician is just as effective,” said Pearson. They wouldn’t replace physicians but could help lift the burden and free up doctors for more complicated care issues.

Pearson said more medical scribes, individuals who take notes for doctors while they are seeing patients, could also help to ease the doctors’ burden of electronic health record documentation.

Another solution is spreading the word about the loan forgiveness programs available to those who choose to pursue primary care, usually in an underserved area of the country, said Dr. Tyree Winters, the associate director of the pediatric residency program at Goryeb Children’s Hospital in New Jersey.

“The trend has been more so thinking about the amount of debt that a student has, compared to potential income in primary care,” said Winters. “But that’s not considering things like medical debt forgiveness through state or federal programs, which really can help individuals who want to choose primary care.”

KHN data correspondent Sydney Lupkin contributed to this report.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Transgender Patients Still Need Quality Care after Pride Month

June has rolled over to July—the rainbow-tinted marches have halted and the pride flags have been folded up and tucked away. But transgender patients still need care, quality care, which, in many cases, they are not receiving.

June has rolled over to July—the rainbow-tinted marches have halted and the pride flags have been folded up and tucked away. But transgender patients still need care, quality care, which, in many cases, they are not receiving.

An estimated 1.4 million adults in the United States identify as transgender, with more and more people identifying as such year after year. Yet, the medical community has been slow to educate practitioners on interacting with the transgender population. For instance, just this week the American College of Physicians issued its very first guidelines on caring for transgender patients. Atop that, there is no shortage of evidence that transgender patients experience significant barriers to care as a whole, not just quality care. As recently as October of 2018, there were still 36 states where it is legal for health insurance plans to exclude coverage of gender affirming services. And, of course, let us not forget the Trump administration’s proposed rule, in which discrimination on the basis of “sex” would no longer include protections specifically for transgender and gender non-conforming patients.

We had a candid conversation with Julian Van Horne, pictured above, to shed light on some of the issues he has experienced in the healthcare arena as a transgender individual living with a chronic illness. Van Horne, also known as The Disabled Hippie, is a transgender advocate, as well as a life coach for LGBTQ+ and chronic illness individuals, who has experienced no shortage of discrimination while seeking care, and not just gender affirming care; Van Horne has been diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and has spoken out about the “medical trauma” he has faced while attempting to receive care in the wake of his diagnosis.

“I have had more incidents happen to me than I have the time to tell them. And that hurts. That feels awful to say or type out loud. But I’ll stick with the most recent. Last time I was at my regular ER for GI/feeding tube complications, I had the displeasure of seeing a doctor I’ve never come across before. He asked me, “What parts do you have?” This question is completely uncalled for, for a couple of reasons: 1. He could just read my chart and see. 2. I’m having a feeding tube complication so what does this even matter? He didn’t like my answers so the situation escalated to him deciding he could put his hands on me to “find out” for himself,” Van Horne detailed in an Instagram post in June, going on to say, “I wish I could tell you that scenario is rare. But it’s not. A lot of medical professionals truly don’t know how to engage with a trans patient appropriately.”

Not all of Van Horne’s experiences have been as outright damaging as the one he illustrated in his Instagram post, but even one experience like that is too many.

“Most of it is just a lack of understanding,” Van Horne explained during our interview. “Blaming the hormones, or not knowing how to address someone—they don’t know how to appropriately speak with trans patients or non-binary patients.”

The medical community needs to, and can, do better.

“There needs to be a protocol, because as far as I know, it’s pretty non-existent—I’ve never experienced it,” Van Horne began when asked just how the medical community can better serve the transgender and non-binary population.

Asking for a patient’s preferred pronouns right up front and actually reading charts—whether they are being seen for a trans-related healthcare issue or not—were two starting points recommended by Van Horne, in addition to addressing transgender patients, as well as the process of asking for their preferred pronouns, sensitively and from a place of medical necessity, not morbid curiosity.

“Some non-binary patients might react defensively if they’re asked for preferred pronouns, or what they have down below, even if it is pertinent. It’s important to understand why they might be defensive, and it could be because they’ve experienced medical trauma previously.” He went on to say, “There needs to be a de-escalation strategy of, “No, we’re not trying to upset you. This is important to your health. We want to identify you correctly. We want to make sure we treat you with respect.” It’s all about treating the trans patient with respect, and making them feel comfortable, and that you’re there to help them and not harm them like they’ve previously been harmed.”

It’s more than just the protocols that need to change, though. Van Horne would eventually like to see the laws changed, so that LGBTQ+ patients cannot be denied care based on a facility’s religious or ethical beliefs.

“I know the law [in my state] says you can’t deny emergency room trans patients, but it still does happen. People have died that way,” Van Horne told us, highlighting an even bigger problem than just not receiving quality care—not receiving care at all. ”You don’t know how long it took me to find an endocrinologist that would treat me—I called so many that said, “I won’t take trans patients. I won’t put trans patients on hormones.” It’s hard.”

“I think it’s ridiculous that they can deny healthcare to human beings,” Van Horne said, and if nothing else, that is the point that should be heard.

Transgender people are people, and all people, in their time of need, deserve to be treated with care.

For more information on and helpful resources for interacting with transgender patients, we urge you to visit the Transgender Law Center, National LGBT Health Education Center, and Rad Remedy.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Here Comes the 4th—and the Fireworks Injuries

The Fourth of July is upon us (happy birthday, America!) and, with it, no shortage fireworks—and the injuries that come with them.

The Fourth of July is upon us and, with it, no shortage fireworks—and the injuries that come with them. If you work in emergency care, you have likely already seen quite a few patients with burns, loss of fingers, or worse.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an estimated 9,100 Americans were treated in U.S. emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries in 2018. Of these injuries, which most commonly included burns to the hands, fingers, and arms, about 62% of them occurred around the Fourth of July. That is roughly 190 injuries per day between June 22 and July 22.

Of these injuries, most occurred among children aged 10 to 14, and for children under 5 years of age, sparklers accounted for more than half of the total estimated injuries.

“Each year, too many emergency room doctors see too many fireworks-related injuries. Don’t make the emergency room part of your holiday; don’t let children play with fireworks,” Dr. Sarah Combs, an emergency room doctor from Children’s National Medical Center, said in a statement released by the CPSC.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

PTs Say Admin Burdens Impact Clinical Outcomes, Cause Burnout

A recent survey of physical therapists has found time consuming administrative tasks negatively impact outcomes, and contribute to clinician burnout.

A recent survey conducted by the American Physical Therapy Association has revealed that nearly 3 out of 4 physical therapists believe that administrative requirements and documentation demands negatively impact clinical outcomes.

The survey also found that these administrative mandates, such as the time consuming process of obtaining prior authorization, can delay access to medically necessary care by up to 25%–72.5% of survey respondents wait an average of 3 days or more to obtain a prior authorization decision.

These demands do not only negatively impact patients; 85.2% of those surveyed agree or strongly agree that administrative burdens contribute to clinician burnout.

The survey did more than point fingers, though. As it was performed by the APTA in an effort to take the temperature of physical to aid the association’s legislative and policy changes, it also asked respondents how these burdens could be alleviated. The top five items that PTs feel would create positive change in this area are as follows: standardization of documentation across all stakeholders (51.5%), elimination of requirement for Medicare plan of care signature and recertification (38.8%), standardization of coverage policies across payers (38.1%), unrestricted direct access per payer policies (36.1%), and standardization of prior authorization process (36%).

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

AMA Lawsuit Puts Doctors In the Middle of Abortion Debate

The American Medical Association is suing over two abortion-related laws, because they force physicians to lie to patients, “to commit an ethical violation.”

Julie Rovner, Kaiser Health News

The American Medical Association is suing North Dakota to block two abortion-related laws, the latest signal the doctors’ group is shifting to a more aggressive stance as the Trump administration and state conservatives ratchet up efforts to eliminate legal abortion.

The group, which represents all types of physicians, has tended to stay on the sidelines of many controversial political issues, and until recently has done so concerning abortion and contraception. Instead, it has focused on legislation that affects the practice and finances of large swaths of its membership.

But, said AMA President Patrice Harris in an interview, the organization felt it had to take a stand because new laws forced the small number of doctors who perform abortions to lie to patients, putting “physicians in a place where we are required by law to commit an ethical violation.”

One of the laws, set to take effect Aug. 1, requires physicians to tell patients that medication abortions — a procedure involving two drugs taken at different times — can be reversed. The AMA said that is “a patently false and unproven claim unsupported by scientific evidence.” North Dakota is one of several states to pass such a measure.

The AMA, along with the last remaining abortion clinic in the state, is also challenging an existing North Dakota law that requires doctors to tell pregnant women that an abortion terminates “the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being.” The AMA said that law “unconstitutionally forces physicians to act as the mouthpiece of the state.”

It’s the second time this year the AMA has taken legal action on an abortion-related issue. In March, the group filed a lawsuit in Oregon in response to the Trump administration’s new rules for the federal family planning program. Those rules would, among other things, ban doctors and other health professionals from referring pregnant patients for abortions.

“The Administration is putting physicians in an untenable situation, prohibiting us from having open, frank conversations with our patients about all their health care options — a violation of patients’ rights under the [AMA] Code of Medical Ethics,” wrote then-AMA President Barbara McAneny.

It’s an unusually assertive stance for a group that has taken multiple positions on abortion-related issues over the years.

Mary Ziegler, a law professor at Florida State University who has written several books about abortion, said that the AMA’s history on abortion is complicated. In general, she said, the AMA “didn’t want to get into the [abortion] issue because of the political fallout and because historically there have been doctors in the AMA on both sides of the issue.”

In recent years, the AMA has taken mostly a back seat on abortion issues, even ones that directly addressed physician autonomy, leaving the policy lead to specialty groups like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which has consistently defended doctors’ rights to practice medicine as they see fit when it comes to abortion issues.

Ziegler said it is not entirely clear why the AMA has suddenly become more outspoken on women’s reproductive issues. One reason could be that the organization’s membership is skewing younger and less conservative. Also, this year, for the first time, the AMA’s top elected officials are all women.

In its earliest days, the AMA led the fight to outlaw abortion in the late 1800s, as doctors wanted to assert their professionalism and clear the field of “untrained” practitioners like midwives.

Abortion was not an issue for the group in the first half of the 20th century. The AMA became best known for successful fights to fend off a national health insurance system.

Leading up to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide, the AMA softened its opposition. In 1970, the AMA board called for abortion decisions to be between “a woman and her doctor.” But the organization declined to submit a friend-of-the-court brief to the high court during its consideration of Roe.

In 1997, the AMA, in a surprise move, endorsed a GOP-backed measure to ban what opponents called “partial-birth abortions,” a little-used procedure that anti-abortion forces likened to infanticide. A year later, however, an audit of the AMA’s leadership found its trustees had “blundered” in endorsing the bill and had contradicted long-standing AMA policy.

One reason the organization may be moving on the issue now could be the shifting parameters of the abortion debate itself. In 1997, the abortion procedure ban that the AMA endorsed “polled well and allowed abortion opponents to paint the other side as extremist,” Ziegler said.

Exactly the opposite is true today, she said, as states pass abortion bans more sweeping than those seen at any time since Roe v. Wade. Yet most public opinion polls show a majority of Americans want abortion to remain legal in many or most cases.

“As abortion opponents take more extreme positions, the AMA is probably a little more comfortable intervening” Ziegler added.

Molly Duane, a lawyer from the Center for Reproductive Rights who is arguing the case for the AMA and North Dakota’s sole remaining abortion clinic, said the laws being challenged are “something all doctors should be alarmed by. … This is an unprecedented act of invading the physician-patient relationship and forcing words into the mouths of physicians.”

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

15 Companies Hiring in Healthcare Right Now

Looking for a job in healthcare? Don’t believe the hype about the summertime slump. Here’s 50,000 jobs available right now.

The jobs market typically sees a summertime slump. Through the months of June, July, and August, it is almost as if hiring takes a vacation, and the available opportunities slow to a trickle, picking back up in September and continuing through until the holiday season. However, there are still plenty of companies hiring in healthcare right now. If you’re looking for employment, or just thinking about weighing your options, these 15 companies have a strong selection of opportunities, totaling nearly 50,000 jobs between them.

  1. trustaff
    Jobs Available: 8,366
    Top Positions: Physical Therapists, Respiratory Therapists, Case Managers
  2. CoreMedical Group
    Jobs Available: 6,334
    Top Positions: Registered Nurses, Physical Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists
  3. Supplemental Health Care
    Jobs Available: 5,492
    Top Positions: Registered Nurses, Physical Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists
  4. Therapia Staffing
    Jobs Available: 5,034
    Top Positions: Speech Language Pathologists, Physical Therapists, Analysts
  5. Aureus Medical Group
    Jobs Available: 4,276
    Top Positions: Registered Nurses, Physical Therapists, Medical Technologists
  6. NP Network
    Jobs Available: 3,606
    Top Positions: Nurse Practitioners, Physicians, Physician Assistants
  7. UnitedHealth Group
    Jobs Available: 2,737
    Top Positions: Analysts, Nurse Practitioners, Engineers
  8. Club Staffing
    Jobs Available: 2,140
    Top Positions: Physical Therapists, Respiratory Therapists, Occupational Therapists
  9. Med Travelers
    Jobs Available: 2,136
    Top Positions: Physical Therapists, Respiratory Therapists, Occupational Therapists
  10. RehabCare
    Jobs Available: 2,121
    Top Positions: Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists
  11. IQVIA
    Jobs Available: 1,871
    Top Positions: Analysts, Engineers, Scientists
  12. HealthPro – Heritage Rehabilitation
    Jobs Available: 1,500
    Top Positions: Physical Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists
  13. MAS Medical Staffing, Inc.
    Jobs Available: 1,250
    Top Positions: Physical Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists
  14. LocumTenens.com
    Jobs Available: 1,114
    Top Positions: Psychiatrists, Physicians, Nurse Practitioners
  15. Staff Care
    Jobs Available: 1,113
    Top Positions: Physicians, Dentists, Registered Nurses

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

89% of Patients Consult “Dr. Google” First

Dr. Google is in. 89% of patients queue up Google and search for their symptoms before going to see a medical provider. But this isn’t exactly a good thing.

No matter what symptoms you Google, it seems as though the search engine ends up painting a bleak picture, returning worst-case-scenarios like that you are having a heart attack, or that you have cancer, or any number of complex diseases or conditions. Or maybe even worse, it downplays more serious conditions. Yet, for some reason, 89% of patients queue up Google and search for their symptoms before going to see a medical provider.

The reason? According to a recent survey conducted by eligibility.com, where the staggering number came from, it is because patients wanted to see just how serious their symptoms were before seeking a professional diagnosis and treatment.

This practice comes with its own problems, of course, since Dr. Google is not an actual doctor and neither are the people who are Googling their symptoms. For instance, Googling “nasal congestion,” which is the most popular symptom Googled in Texas, Georgia, and Florida, returns the following possibly related, mildly problematic health conditions: seasonal allergies, common cold, sinusitis, upper respiratory infection, and animal allergy. However, it can also be a symptom of something more serious that should not go ignored, such as thyroid disorders, the flu, or even pregnancy, and Google has absolutely no way of saying for certain. Meanwhile, on the other side of it, patients who Google their symptoms can be susceptible to “cyberchondria,” a sort of adjunct hypochondria, in which they experience unreasonably high anxiety regarding common symptoms due to their search behavior.

While Google may be a useful tool for a lot of things, one thing is for certain: it is no replacement for a living, breathing medical professional. And even Google will tell you that.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Tips for Surviving the Night Shift

Bucking your biology and working the night shift can take some getting used to. Here are some tips to make transitioning to nights a little easier.

The human body is naturally programmed to be awake during the day and to be asleep at night, so bucking your biology and working the night shift can take some getting used to. Follow these tips to get into a new routine that will make transitioning to nocturnal nursing a little easier.

Set Yourself up for Some Good Sleep

Hang soundproof, blackout curtains to keep as much noise and light out as possible. While the panels won’t completely mask the sound of your jerk of a neighbor cutting their grass early in the morning, or keep out 100% of the blazing midday sun, they will definitely make a marked difference in helping your body adjust to your new nocturnal life. For the remaining sound and light, use ear plugs and an eye mask to completely daytime-proof your sleep. Also, make sure your room is cool—between 60- and 67-degrees Fahrenheit is the recommended temperature for optimal sleep—and before you settle into bed to catch some z’s, pop a Melatonin tablet and put your phone into Do Not Disturb mode, if possible.

Stay Awake After Your Shift

Set up your schedule so you stay awake for a few extra hours after work and awake shortly before your shift to maximize your alertness on the job. Waking up and beginning your shift early in your so-called day will leave you feeling more energized, as opposed to crashing as soon as you get home and trying to pack in activities prior to working. Just as you would get up and go to work for a day job, plan to do the same when working nights, so you won’t be dragging on the tail end of your shift. Use the time after your shift to run errands, get in some exercise, prepare meals, or even go on a breakfast date with your significant other or your friends, if their schedules allow.

Pack Energizing Foods

Night shift nurses typically see a bit more downtime than those working days, when patients are awake and eagerly pressing their call buttons, so you might find that you have more time for meals and snacks than when you worked days. Use this to your advantage and fuel your body to keep you in top shape, mentally and physically, as well as keep your energy up while on the job. Reach for nuts, lean proteins, and dried fruits at the beginning of your shift to get you going, eat small snacks of the same throughout the night to add in bursts of energy, and be sure to avoid carbs until you get home to keep from feeling tired and sluggish.

Avoid Caffeine

This may seem counterintuitive, but reach for water, instead of coffee, to keep your body powered and to avoid sleep disfunction when you’re off the clock. Caffeine may give you a boost in the short-term, but it will eventually lead to a crash. Staying hydrated not only gives you energy, but it helps your brain function, which are both things that will make the night shift easier. If you simply cannot go without caffeine and need to get your fix, make sure you are only consuming it early in your shift to lessen any adverse effects when you clock out.

Stick to Your Routine

Once you find a schedule and a routine that works best for you and leaves you feeling at the top of your game, stick with it—even on your days off. Instead of having to readjust and reset your body clock over and over, keep it on the same schedule, even if you are tempted to flip it back to how it used to be and make use of the daylight in ways you can’t while on the clock. A regular sleep schedule promotes better sleep. Be as consistent as you can be to keep yourself rested and healthy.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Legislation Aims to Remove Home Health Therapy Barriers

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers have reintroduced legislation that would enable occupational therapists to open Medicaid home health cases.

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers have reintroduced legislation in the House and Senate that would enable occupational therapists to open Medicare home health cases, making home health therapy services more accessible.

The two identical bills, H.R. 3127 in the House and S.1725 in the Senate, more commonly known as the Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act of 2019, aim to change the current Medicare rules, which allows nurses, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists to establish eligibility for home health services, but not occupational therapists. The legislation is being hailed as an attempt by lawmakers to reduce delays in care, as well as to make it easier for older adults to access home health care.

“It’s commonsense that the earlier seniors can start needed therapies, the sooner treatments can start having a positive effect,” Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Finance Health Care Subcommittee and Sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. “Home health services are a critical part of our health care system, and I am proud to partner with Senator [Todd] Young on this legislation that will help to streamline the process for initiating Medicare home health therapy services for Maryland seniors and others nationwide who need home care while recovering from injury or illness.”

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.