Health Career Connect Mission

Bridging Allied Health Career Education with the Health Care Industry

Health Career Connect is the definitive authority in the Allied Health Career Education Industry. Developed by the National Healthcareer Association, NHA is committed to providing a magazine that is the bridge connecting the allied healthcare educator and the industry. Each issue will feature up-to-date topics relevant to healthcare training in the rapidly growing allied healthcare sector. Health Career Connect’s high quality of standards and commitment to excellence will be instilled throughout the magazine.

Health Career Connect Vision

Health Career Connect is the leading publication bringing together health career education and the health care industry. Through this publication, the healthcare educator will find guidance to develop and inspire the many students preparing to enter into the growing allied healthcare field. Connects goal is to be the ultimate resource for allied healthcare training providers.

From the Editors Desk

"Going Green"

Going Green”seems to be the trend, and in this issue you will find that topic addressed from varied viewpoints. While I am a huge supporter of the “green initiative,” I began to wonder the other day in the supermarket if my parents ever thought about recycling or going green. Did they do their part in saving the earth?

As a kid with seven older brothers and sisters, I guess my parents’ idea of recycling meant passing whatever didn’t fit the prior kid to the next in line; actually, this was a given. Everything was recycled; from winter coats and boots to bicycles, we reused it. Although I truly don’t think my parents saw it as recycling, but more like cost effectiveness. At this point, it doesn’t matter; I survived a childhood of recycling. Oh, there were definitely complaints, especially when my brother’s winter coat was handed to me. According to today’s fashions I’d be in style, but back then I was just plain embarrassed. My mother eventually took pity on me and a new coat was purchased. Believe me, I made that coat last.

I am sure many of our readers can commiserate with my tale of hand-medowns, but if you think about it, we were doing our part to think green. In this issue, Roy Ramsey’s article on page 24 takes a different spin on going green. He focuses on the classroom and using a variety of methods to help our learners learn. Personal digital devices have taken the place of the typical pad and pen. It certainly does put a whole new spin on note taking. He also addresses teaching with technology as an additional way to reach out to students with different learning styles. No more using handouts to reinforce the topic being studied; instead use YouTube or Hulu to get your point across. Sandra Dino from Environetics, a company that designs green environments that work, is all too familiar with green initiatives as she talks about how our schools can improve their curb appeal. You can catch her article on page 8.

The NHA is also contributing to our green earth by launching a brand-new certification. Electronic Health Record Specialist was launched in September and is riding the green wave, so to speak. We are excited about this new program and are looking forward to its success. If any of our readers need more information, you can email co@NHANOW.com for details.

I often think about our “future earth” and what it will look like in 100 years. Will we have done enough to save our trees, forests, and dolphins, and slow down global warming? I can’t really say, but what I do know is that every small amount each one of us contributes to going green is adding up. I will continue to reuse and recycle and be mindful of protecting our natural resources.

Enjoy the issue! My hope for this issue is that you recycle it by passing it along to a colleague or a friend in the allied healthcare field, and that each one of you takes something away fromreading it to use in or out of the classroom.

Cynthia Orr, M.A. EdAdmin.

Editor-in-Chief of Health Career Connect, and is currently the Human Resource Director at NHA. If you have written an article and you would like it to be considered for our next issue, please contact Cindy. Email her at co@nhanow.com.

From the desk of Jon S. Brandt

The Long and Winding Road

On September 18th 2008, I knew my world would never be the same. It of course started out like any other day. I was at the office in a conference when I was summoned to speak to my wife for an emergency.

One of my favorite quotes by M. Scott Peck, the author of The Road Less Traveled is,“life is difficult, however once we truly embrace this fact, life in a sense becomes easier.” I have tried my best to live life that way… delaying gratification, getting the tough things over first and saving the easy stuff for the end and being able to enjoy it. Feeling the pain and then the pleasure.

Right now the economy is giving all of us pain. The job market, the financial market, the price of anything and everything is all a painful reality we are experiencing both personally and professionally. I firmly believe that it all comes back to hard work and knowing that life gives back to us what we put into it. I know eventually that the pleasure of working in a solid economy and a stable job market is coming soon and we have to persevere through this painful part to get to that pleasure.

As President of NHA for 14 years, my team takes my lead. They know that if we all continue to work hard, the reward will be that much greater; we have proved this over and over again. I keep a positive outlook with regard to the economy and the current state the country is in; I have to as my employees are looking to me for wisdom and insight during such a difficult time. I continue to push forward in offering a product that will open doors for job applicants. Our new certification, Certified Electronic Health Record Specialist, (CEHRS) is doing just that. It can be offered as an add-on or as a stand-alone program to any existing administrative or clinical allied healthcare program. Having this certification is making your students that much more marketable in our “going green” workforce.

As a school director/administrator, it is great idea to let your students know that hard work does pay off. Stay consistent, keep chopping the wood (so to speak) and the rest will fall into place. There will be job opportunities and room for advancement as long as your students remain focused and positive.

Be sure to catch Jim Foti’s article on page 50 as he discusses the green initiative and what effect it may have on your school. Also, Roy Ramsey and Rebecca Busacca both discuss learning styles and how they have progressed. You can find their articles on pages 24 and 36. This type of information could be extremely helpful to those instructing in the classroom.

Finally, I encourage all of you reading this issue to take the long and winding road, even travel uphill if you have to. While you are moving forward, think about life. It is an adventure and once the hard work is complete, sit back and enjoy what you have accomplished.

Jon S. Brandt

Recently recognized by Career College Central as one of the top 25 most influential people in the Career College Sector