Friday, December 30, 2011

Continuing Education Is Very Important

We learn as long as we live. We learn from each others, we learn from books, we learn from nature, but most of all we learn from our experiences. Education is the experience which forms the mind and the body. Without it we would not be competent or we would not be able to face all the challenges that life presents.

Education is a process through which we accumulate knowledge, skills and competencies. Continuing education means improvement, capability, performance, competence. It represents a way of permanently being up to date, that is to keep up with new developments, new challenges, and new technologies.

Generally, continuing education is intended for adults, being a process of acquiring new skills, competencies and knowledge, in addition to those assimilated during school, in order to improve the quality of life, for personal fulfillment or for employment. Adults choose various forms of continuing education either for personal or professional development, obtaining certificates or licenses which are extremely useful for the employment or for practicing a particular profession. Continuous education is compulsory in most of the careers, companies and organizations paying for the continuing education of their employees.

There are various types of continuing education such as training, workshops, conferences, seminars, coaching, job-shadowing, mentoring, online courses. It can be traditional or extremely interactive, orientating the participants to problem solving and making them actively participate and find solutions. The programs of continuing education can last for few days, week-ends, weeks or months.

Considering the fact that continuing education is important for both each and every individual and organization, it can occur in every field and sphere of knowledge. We can take courses on organizational communication, leadership, human resources, personal and personnel development, management, finance, health and safety, industry, information technology, sales, marketing, public relations, linguistics, business etc. All these and more others being characterized by the acquisition of extremely useful knowledge, skills, competencies and by the issuance of various certificates which are extremely important in our careers.

Taking the example of the information technology, which presents itself with daily challenges, adults can follow courses on computer literacy, IT products and services, and IT services management which is vital in business. ITIL, for instance, offers solutions regarding the improvement of IT services, in order to increase the customer' satisfaction, the productivity and to develop skills and performances. Such certifications are the keys for every individual and organization which invests in its personnel in order to gain performance and be successful.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Insurance Continuing Education - Building Elevation Information

BUILDING ELEVATION INFORMATION (SURVEY REQUIRED)

The responsibility of providing a number of elevations based on the building type selected is that of the surveyor, engineer, or architect.  From these elevations gathered, the agent is required to determine the lowest floor for rating flood insurance.


The surveyor, engineer or architect should complete Section C, but if it is left blank, the agent should contact the responsible person who completed the form and the insurance company underwriter with any questions.


Elevations of machinery and equipment servicing the building (water heater, furnace, air conditioner, etc) must be provided, regardless of its location, whether inside or outside of the building, elevated on platform or not elevated.


Where the surveyor, engineer or architect cannot access the crawl space, an estimate on item C2 may be left blank and the estimated measurements entered on the comments section (Section D).


Elevations in Section E are based on feet, except in Puerto Rico, where it is metric and the agent must convert any readings to feet.


SURVEYOR, ENGINEER OR ARCHITECT CERTIFICATION

Section D is the certification of the surveyor, engineer or architect that the information provided by them is correct and their signature and identification number are required—in some states, a seal may be required.


 


BUILDING ELEVATION INFORMATION, ZONE AO AND ZONE A (WITHOUT BFE)

Section E - The difference between the highest and lowest elevation grade are required.  For the designated Zones, the property owner or his representative may completed Sections A, B & E.


PROPERTY OWNER OR REPRESENTATIVE CERTIFICATION

Address and other contact information about the property owner are requested in Section F.  The party completing Sections A, B, C and E must complete this section also.


COMMUNITY INFORMATION

The local official authorized to administer the community's floodplain management ordinance may transfer elevation information found on existing documentation—such as from an older elevation certification form or surveyor letterhead—to Section C, and then certify this information by completing Section G.  A statement advising FEMA of this transfer of information must be made in the comment section of the EC.  Section G may also be used to certify Item E4.


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Friday, December 23, 2011

Why You Need Nursing Continuing Education Courses and Certification

Nursing education courses could land you a job that is as recession proof as any job could be in today's economy. That's because the healthcare industry is the largest industry in the United States and it's still growing faster than any other industry, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). BLS, the government agency that collects and analyzes employment statistics for the country, expects that healthcare will be the biggest job creator through at least 2016. Among all healthcare occupations registered nurses will be in most demand.

Because these jobs require specialized training you will need to take courses to qualify for the career you want. You will probably need some type of license or certification. To get a job as an R.N., for example, you will need a diploma, an associate's degree, a bachelor's degree, or a master's degree in nursing. Diploma programs take two or three years to complete. Numerous colleges, universities, nursing schools, and private schools offer associate degree programs, which also take two or three years to complete.

You can become an R.N. without having a bachelor's degree. Graduates of diploma and associate's degree programs often go on to study for their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), however, because many jobs, including teaching, research, and administration, require at least a BSN. R.N.s with associate's degrees may earn their BSN through RN-to-BSN completion programs, an increasing number of which are offered online. Nurses typically take continuing education courses while they work. In fact, many hospitals reimburse tuition for their employees who are studying for their BSN.

To gain a license a student must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a licensing exam. Registered nurses must also become licensed in the state in which they work. Licensing requirements vary by state. License renewal requires nursing continuing education courses, which help nurses learn new skills and keep up-to-date in their profession.

Several important nursing specialties require registered nurses to gain national certification and/or state or national approval, which requires study beyond the BSN. These include clinical nursing, forensic nursing, nursing case management, legal nursing consulting, stress management, nurse-midwifery, and nurse practitioner.

As with most professions, higher nursing education usually translates into higher salaries. According to BLS the median starting salary for registered nurses with their BSN is over $50,000. With ten or more years of experience, the median salary is over $65,000. Salaries vary considerably by location (highest in California) and specialization (highest for nurse anesthetists with master's degrees).

In addition to rising salaries and job security, nurses can expect good benefit packages that typically include paid vacations and sick leave, tuition reimbursement, and pension plans. Because of the ongoing shortage of nurses, many hospitals offer recruitment incentives such as signing bonuses, relocation and housing assistance, and day care.

Due to medical advances and an aging population the demand for skilled nurses will continue to increase over the foreseeable future, providing nurses with opportunities for well-paid, rewarding, and secure careers.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Continuous Medical Development through Continuing Medical Education

Medical research is the basic research, applied research, or researches conducted to aid and support the body of knowledge in the field of medicine. Medical research can be divided into two general categories: the evaluation of new treatments for both safety and efficacy in what are termed clinical trials, and all other research that contributes to the development of new treatments. There is a growing demand for medical education in and among today's generation. The need for innovative medical strategies has not been higher.

Thanks to Continuing Medical Education (CME) this is possible. CME refers to a specific form of continuing education (CE) that helps those in the medical field maintain competence and learn about new and developing areas of their field. These activities may take place as live events, written publications, online programs, audio, video, or other electronic media.

Content for these programs is developed, reviewed, and delivered by faculty who are experts in their individual clinical areas. Similar to the process used in academic journals, any potentially conflicting financial relationships for faculty members must be both disclosed and resolved in a meaningful way.

With limited information on actual return on investment for expenditures toward support of activities, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are anxious to understand the value of CME support and strategies for ensuring investments provide appropriate impact on healthcare practitioner behaviors and patient outcomes.

How does the medical research community understand the value of CMEs? Through reports and studies compiled using benchmark metrics and executive insights to assess current trends and future directions of CME in countries to map a path to future success in support of CME.

Certain organizations compile reports that cover important questions such as what is the current landscape of CME in North America and Europe, structural forms that are used to deploy CME, optimize budgets & best deliver content, pace at which is E-CME advancing, preferred CME delivery channels and the current trends and future directions of CME.

The answer to these questions are a result of research based on benchmark survey data and executive interviews of 30 participants from 26 pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical education companies. The reports contains uncovered findings on medical education such as decentralized management structures are most common across the global CME landscape and that the internet delivers on average between 10-25 percent of global CME content.

Make an educated decision on the future of medical education and medical research by looking at these unbiased benchmark reports.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Continuing Education for Fashion Designers

There is no underestimating the importance of continuing education for fashion designers. In order to stay competitive in this field, one must always be on the cutting edge of the latest fashion trends, but knowing what's in style this season is just the beginning. Fashion designers must also be on the cutting edge of the latest methods, techniques, industry standards, materials, tools and tricks. If you're a fashion designer, you should definitely expect to refresh your training every few years or so; otherwise, you might find yourself being left behind.

Creative Options for Creative Minds
There are many different continuing education options for fashion designers. If you are a self-trained designer, you could benefit from any level of training. Even if you're already working in the fashion field with a reasonable level of success, you could still benefit from a professional certificate program, associate's degree or even a bachelor's degree in fashion design.

If you already have a certificate or associate's degree, your previous coursework would probably count towards the next level of education. By increasing your formal training, your skills will become more refined, and you will understand certain techniques much better than you did before.

Even designers that have bachelor's degrees and have done their training with prestigious fashion designers can still benefit from a little continuing education. A refresher course every few years is always helpful to stay on the cutting edge of the latest color palettes, lines, patterns, materials, textures, sewing machines, pressing equipment and other design tools. Art and design courses can also be helpful for fashion designers of any level, because they encourage creativity and help strengthen skills in sketching, color combinations, pattern making and more.

As a fashion designer, you may also want to invest some time in your continuing education if you are thinking of switching to a different career within the fashion field or if you simply want to open up your job options. These are a few of the other jobs in the fashion industry that you might consider training for:
Accessory Draper
Buyer
Clothing Store Manager
Consultant
Costume Maker
Fashion Research Analyst
Image Consultant
Personal Stylist
Production and Development Manager
Retail Merchandiser
Technical Designer

You may think you know it all, and if you're smart enough to build a career on self-taught skills, you probably do. However, formal training is always going to help you take it to the next level.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Understanding Careers That Require Continuing Education

If you are in the process of making a career choice or thinking about a career change, there are a lot of things to consider. You need to find an option that will provide you with enough income to pay your bills and support your family. Ideally, you will choose a career that is fulfilling and brings you some happiness, even if you experience occasional boredom or burn out. Finally, you must find something you are willing to commit to, especially if you opt for something that requires continuing education. Some people work in environments where you have the occasional meeting or consultant came in to give you tips on performing better. But there are other jobs that require a day or more each year of continuing education. These fields require greater commitment because you must continue to learn and grow as your profession changes. Scottsdale jobs in CNA, San Diego jobs in CNA and a variety of other medical careers which require continuing education, as do many other positions.


Teaching is another field in which you will need continuing education.

Typically, states set up requirements and teachers must show proof of their classes or workshops to continue to teach in the classroom. Schools often schedule continuing education so the teachers in their building are able to get their continuing education credit all at once. If you are a parent and notice your child is off for an in-service day, this is probably your child's teachers get continuing education.

Similar to teaching is the childcare field. While childcare providers may not need as much continuing education as teachers, they are still required to turn in a certain number of hours or credits each year.

Again, the state regulations vary from one state to another but most require that childcare providers stay up to date with theories, lessons, safety issues and discipline techniques. Continuing education is also a great way to feel rejuvenated about your work and go back into the classroom or learning environment with a renewed attitude and spirit.

Sometimes, sales positions require continuing education. There are typically no government regulations, but your company may require you stay up to date with sales techniques and information about your product. Your employers will more than likely pay for this continued training because it will help you on the sales floor, ultimately making them more money.


Regardless of your profession and its requirements, continuing education is a good idea. Those who are self-employed should seek out opportunities to continue to grow so their business is more successful. Even those who do not work to earn a living and spend their time caring for their children can benefit from continuing education. If you are employed and you think continuing education may benefit you and your success, consider speaking to your employer about opportunities. Chances are; they will be happy to hear you are eager to grow and learn as an employee. Those who are not employees should look into the benefits of enrolling in continuing education on their own.