Drinking Water Can Keep You Healthy

Staying healthy, to a certain extent, takes work. With today’s environment filled with processed foods and soft drinks full of coloring and other toxins, it’s hard to stick to the basics. Although the trend was once on drinking water on a regular basis, new reports say you don’t need eight glasses a day anymore. Even if you don’t, there’s no substitute for the benefits you receive when drinking water. Let’s look at a few:

• Fluid Level
We are all about 60% water, which helps us in a number of ways. Every function your body has needs water to work properly. It’s easy to become dehydrated, which leads to other problems. Drinking water will help maintain those fluid levels to ensure every function is working together.

• Weight
Foods with a high content of water can help you feel full faster, which regulates the amount you eat. Water is a better substitute for drinking than something high in calories, which adds to weight gain. Water doesn’t have calories, is plentiful, and has an overall benefit of helping you feel cool inside.

• Muscular
Every muscle needs the proper amount of fluids to remain at top performance. This helps, especially when exercising or participating in any strenuous activity. When you sweat, you lose water, which in turn makes you feel weak. Water quickly rejuvenates the cells to give you that extra energy you need to continue.

• Skin
Water can keep your skin looking healthy and fresh. Drinking water keeps the skin hydrated, and when using a moisturizer in conjunction with your water intake, you will keep moisture locked in, which keeps the skin clear.

• Kidneys
Fluids are needed to flush your kidneys of the toxins that are in your body. Keeping your body hydrated will help your kidneys in functioning properly.

• Digestion
Water keeps things regulated and moving the way they should in your body. Without proper hydration, your bowels will not move properly, which leads to constipation. This can cause additional problems with your digestive system, which then affects other parts of the body.

Even if you don’t drink eight glasses a day, eating foods that have a high water content can help you get the fluid and nutrients you need for proper hydration. A few tips:

• Fruits and vegetables are great for getting water into your system. Have a few every day and you can add to your fluid intake.
• Keep water with you wherever you go. Having a bottle of water throughout the day will keep you energized while giving you the fluid intake you need.

Staying healthy should always be a priority. Putting water at the top of the list will have multiple benefits you’ll notice over time.

Source: It is sourced by Hipaa Exams.HIPAA Exams also provides HIPAA training and HIPAA compliance to registered nurses, health care facilities, private practitioners, health care industry representatives, health care networks, the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Job Corps, and all other health care workers.

The Power of Vegetables

Growing up, your parents may have always told you to eat your vegetables. Although some of those selections weren’t very tasty, vegetables have an added benefit that can keep you in tip-top shape. Why are vegetables so healthy? Here are a few reasons why:

Disease fighting
Vegetables have been known to reduce the chances of stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and other illnesses.

Vitamins
Vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and lots of fiber that all help keep your body regulated, working properly and feeling energized.

Weight Loss
Vegetables can help you lose weight, as they are low in fat, sodium, carbs and calories. They provide nutrition while keeping your weight in check. There are a number of recipes you can invent with vegetables, and they quickly add a new taste to your meal.

Variety
Vegetables come in all sizes and colors. There is a huge selection to choose from, and they can be eaten in all forms – juiced, dried, canned, frozen or fresh with the same benefits.

Taking the time to add a few vegetables to your daily routine can work wonders. When eaten raw, you get even more of the nutritional value they have to offer. Carrots, celery and grape tomatoes are delicious and can be transported wherever you go for a quick snack.

There are a few recommendations on which vegetables to eat the most that will give you the best benefits:

• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Garlic

These four are called super foods, because they deliver over and beyond ordinary benefits. It is recommended to eat at least one to four cups of vegetables each day. Vegetables are probably one of the safest and healthiest food choices you can eat every day and maintain your daily regimen. By eating certain amounts of vegetables, you feel full, obtain the nourishment you need for your body, and learn how to eat a little more healthy.

Take a minute to research vegetables and add a little bit more variety to your diet. You'll be surprised how many there are, and how you can integrate them into your daily food intake.

Source : It is source by HIPAA Training. HIPAA Exams, Inc. has been a leader in health care training and HIPAA compliance since 2002 and is accredited by ANCC to provided continuing nurse education.

Understanding and Prevention of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment comes in many forms, and is one of the top issues in the workplace. In order to effectively prevent sexual harassment, there must be a clear understanding of what sexual harassment is and what it entails. Sexual harassment is prohibited by law, and the laws vary by state. Many employers have suffered tremendously from sexual harassment lawsuits, which diminishes employee morale, inhibits productivity and causes a financial strain on the bottom line.

What is sexual harassment?

A good, working definition of sexual harassment is any sexual advances or unwelcome conduct that may create a hostile, offensive or intimidating work environment. Any conduct or act that makes another employee feel uncomfortable or embarrassed has the potential to be considered sexual harassment. Sexual harassment occurs at all levels within the organization, so each employee’s allegations must be treated with the same degree of concern and respect.

How do you know whether or not the act is considered sexual harassment?

Since sexual harassment comes in many forms, there are many different scenarios that can contribute. Here are a few examples:

• A male worker making sexual innuendos to his fellow female coworkers.

• A manager implying to a subordinate that they can sleep with them for a promotion.

• An employee fondling or pinching another coworker without their permission and against their will.

• Employees willfully posting sexual jokes on the interoffice bulletin board.

• An employee sending explicit emails and jokes to other employees through email.

• Offending a vendor or customer with sexually explicit jokes.

Who can be sexually harassed?

Sexual harassment can occur with anyone, of any gender. Although the majority of sexual harassment claims are filed by women, it is not unheard of for a male to report unwanted advances from a female coworker or superior.

How can sexual harassment be prevented?

Having a sexual harassment policy is the first step in preventing this from taking place in the work environment. This policy should have its own chapter in the employee handbook, with additional materials (posters, flyers, trainings) available and clearly visible throughout the building. The policy should contain the following:

• The definition of sexual harassment.

• A statement of position from the chairman of the company supporting the sexual harassment policy.

• A statement conveying the company’s position regarding sexual harassment, how the company will not tolerate sexual harassment in the workplace, and that any offenders will be disciplined which may or may not include termination.

• A statement and outline of the complaints procedure and process, including who to contact, and where the designated person can be found.

• A statement about the investigative process, alerting all employees that every allegation will be taken seriously and fully investigated.

• A statement on retaliation – what it means and what will happen to those employees who have been accused of sexual harassment and are taking retaliatory actions against the complainant.

Additional steps to be taken:

• Employee Training
Each employee must be thoroughly trained on sexual harassment, what it means to have an environment free of sexual harassment, demonstrations of what sexual harassment is, how to file a claim against someone, and an overview of the entire policy. Sexual harassment training should be conducted at a minimum, once a year to make sure every employee is aware of the policy and unacceptable behavior.

• Supervisory Training
The executive and management team must also be thoroughly trained on the sexual harassment policy. Their session should go in depth on how to deal with an employee who comes to them to report another, how to work with Human Resources, and how to make sure their departments are in compliance.

Final steps to a complete sexual harassment policy

Even with a policy in place, it must be carried out by the Human Resources department. They are ultimately responsible for creating an environment where employees can work safely and free from intimidating or unwanted behavior. Management and Human Resources should:

• Closely monitor the workplace. - Routinely checking on employees and the environment as a whole will make a difference. When employees know you care about preventing sexual harassment, they will be more likely to comply.

• Do not discount any claims. - Take every sexual harassment claim seriously. Investigate all allegations as soon as they are made. This will ensure a quick and prompt resolution.

Every employee needs to feel that they are important. By taking action against offenders, it will set a standard within the workplace that will work effectively in preventing these situations to occur. It is important to treat all employees the same, whether they are managers or subordinates.

Everyone should have a fair and unbiased environment in which to work and contribute to the bottom line for the overall success of the company. A firm, standing policy is the first step in ensuring this takes place.

Keeping your Officers HIPAA Compliant

Your organization is required by law to have a HIPAA security officer on the premises to oversee the compliance efforts, review and revise documentation, and develop policies and procedures if there are none in place. Knowing what your security officer should be doing is an important part of the administration’s task of overseeing their duties. How can you keep your security officer HIPAA compliant? There are a few things you should know. An internal HIPAA security officer:

• Performs any and all assessments and risk analyses.

• Reviews and drafts all compliance documents for employees and the entire organization.

• Identifies and resolves any areas currently in noncompliance.

• Schedules and conducts all training at the employee and administrative levels.

Drafting and coordinating a compliance plan is one of the most important tasks of the security officer. This plan must be reviewed and updated on a continuous basis to maintain the internal protocols and infrastructure in place, and to reinforce any changes and improvements that have taken place. The security officer is responsible for communicating with government officials and keeping track of any changes to the HIPAA laws that would directly impact the current protocols in place.

If the security officer finds any situations of noncompliance, they are responsible for launching an internal investigation and disseminating any data breaches to the governing entity. The security officer is responsible for the budget needed to carry out the directives and needs of the organization, and in the maintenance of all files, documentation of training, documentation of any components that have been changed within the plan, and any corrective action taken against any employee who may have exposed the company to a data breach. In HIPAA training, an organization or entity will need to understand the risk and the benefits involved to handle PHI.

There should be a reporting hierarchy in place to ensure all employees are following the policies and procedures, with the administration overseeing the work of the security officer to make sure they are not only following the plans, but consistently redeveloping them to meet higher standards.

Knowing what is expected of your security officer will give everyone clear objectives and tasks to complete to keep the organization in accordance under the law.

Improving Clinical Documentation for HIPAA Compliance

Staying HIPAA compliant is one of the most important aspects of maintaining your healthcare facility. With so many data breaches and violations surrounding the protection of PHI, taking a look at how facilities are using EHRs to document patient information is a major concern. Using technology to enhance patient care has made great strides in the healthcare environment, but these advancements can also increase the chances of fraudulent or inappropriate documentation, especially if the system being used is subpar.

How can clinical documentation be improved within an EHR? Here are a few suggestions:

•    Outline the primary focus of the software - Many facilities use software that they do not understand, or do not have specific objectives for its use. By placing improvement of clinical outcomes and patient care support as the primary focus, the level of clinical documentation can improve.

•    Have defined standards - A clearly outlined set of professional standards for clinical documentation and its practices should be present in each organization. This should include giving patients access to their medical records to increase engagement, and capturing structured data only when it is useful or necessary in the care and delivery of quality assessment and reporting

•    Identify best practices - Organizations should perform comprehensive research to identify and develop best practices for clinical documentation to assist in determining the creation and use of professional standards within their organization.

As many organizations continue to move toward customized EHR design, there are a few things to consider:

•    Optimization of the system for care delivery over a period of time, including patient care that involves collaborative teams of patients and clinicians;

•    Making clinical documentation within the EHR system an intuitive design;

•    Creating EHRs that support the use of embedded tags for identification, and a “write once, reuse again” approach for ease-of-use, flexibility and expediency.

•    Interpretation of the data to conclude whether or not an action has been taken to alleviate extra steps by the clinician; and

•    Integration of patient-generated data to further reinforce patient/clinician collaboration.

Visit here for more information of OR Protocols because These protocols and steps can help in the development of improved clinical documentation and the use of EHRs within the facility to help alleviate data breaches and expand the levels of protection for PHI.

The Importance of Being Stress and Worry Free

Stress is a distraction in a healthy living environment and has many negative effects, from lack of sleep, to a negative attitude. There are a number of things you can do to keep the stress and worries away, giving yourself a change of pace. Although there may be some instances where worrying can work to your benefit to produce positive results, the goal is to create the best environment to successfully handle any stress and worries to promote your goal of healthy living. Here are a few tips on how you can worry (or not) with ease:

•    Have a positive purpose


If you have a situation that you cannot stop thinking about, add some positivity to the situation. Instead of mulling over the worst thing that could happen, start thinking about what would happen if the outcome was good. Make a list and write down the good, the bad and how you will deal with each scenario. Once you know how you are going to deal with any outcome, you will realize that you don’t have to worry any longer because the problem has already been solved, positive or negative.

•    Always imagine the best

If you don’t believe in the power of positive thinking, now is the time to start. Think about the situation you are concerned about and imagine you’ve solved the problem. Keep finding solutions in your head that reflect positive outcomes so that you’ll be able to positively work your way through any problem that may arise.

•    Don’t procrastinate.


People tend to add stress to their lives because they wait until the last minute to get things done. This causes frustration and a sense of too much going on at one time. It can be overwhelming. Completing tasks within a window of time that will allow you to breathe easy knowing you aren’t under a serious deadline can help you avoid stress. If it’s a major project, the more time you have to break it into a series of tasks, the better.

•    Talk yourself into a positive mindset.


When you don’t have anyone around to give you a pep talk or sign of encouragement, do it yourself. No one knows your thoughts and feelings better than you do – take this time to write down something positive and say it out loud to yourself. Give yourself the same support you would give to someone else and see how great it makes you feel.

•    Find something else to do.


Nothing will get your mind off stress and worry more than finding something to take up that space. Forget the television, where you can mull over the situation during commercials. Get out and do something fun. Go out with friends, roller skate, go dancing or do something positively distracting. You’ll thank yourself for the respite and will have a different outlook when you think about the issue at hand.

•    Sleep
 

You can’t think about your issues if you aren’t coherent enough to keep it on the top of your mind. Taking the time to “sleep on it” may prove to be a positive remedy to your situation. Stress and worry builds anxiety, but sleep counteracts that. Before you go to sleep, write out what your concerns are and leave them on that sheet of paper. Falling asleep with a clear mind will allow you to wake up refreshed, reenergized, and ready to tackle anything that comes your way.

•    Laugh 
It’s true that laughter is the best medicine.

Laugher promotes the production of endorphins and endorphins make you happy. When all else fails, having a serious session in laughter can make even the gloomiest day seem brighter. It’s good to recall memories and events that made you happy and full of laughter. Watching comedy or laughing with friends can help relieve stress and keep you in a good mood for the rest of the day.

•    Breathe
 

Doing a series of breathing exercises can help you relieve the anxiety you may be feeling. Deep breaths and full stretches can help ease your mind and body, allowing you to think about something other than what’s bothering you. Learning a few stress-relieving techniques can be effective whether you are at home or out. Learning to control your emotions and the level of stress you encounter can be controlled with a few breathing techniques.
   
Wanting to live healthy should always be a priority, and taking steps to alleviate those factors that can directly affect your health is key in maintaining a good balance within your internal and external environments. Learning how to put your health first by applying different techniques to preserve your mind, body and soul is the first step in rearranging your priorities to make a positive difference now and in the future.For more information visit here HIPAA Certification Exam.

An Introduction with the Aseptic Techniques and its training

To preventing from spreading infections from the harmful organisms that could be occurred at a wound of a human body, Aseptic technique is used. To get the training of Aseptic technique each healthcare has its techniques to get asepsis which means a germ-free environment. 

In the training of Aseptic technique, you should be able in maintaining and handling the sterile equipment during an invasive procedure which means penetrating the body’s skin.  The sterile equipment is used for and urinary catheters, suturing of a wound, intravenous cannulae, and wound care dressings. It becomes an objective of a health care worker to keep safe their patients from harmful microorganisms and spreading the infections while using equipment or hands. You need to aware in such situation and should not take it easy in such vital situation. 

Objectives: 

The basic objective of the Aseptic technique training is as below: 

1. Understanding the importance of the Aseptic technique.

2. Need to understand essential components for aseptic technique and precautions for it. 

3. Understanding the procedures and uses of required equipment. 

4. Apply principles to clinical procedures. 

5. Should be willing to take prompt actions and save someone’s life from infections.

Requirements of Aseptic technique: 

1. Suturing of wounds.

2. The wound should be dressed during the time of healing as soon as possible before spreading any infection. 

3. Removing Suturing or drains from a wound. 

4. During the time of getting a urine sample from a urinary catheter. 

5. Need to be attentive while using any equipment or hands. 

It is seemed that the harmful microorganisms such as MRSA and meticillin Staphylococcus aureus have been found at wound. So, the health care worker should dress the wound on a clean and dry place. It is also found that the infections could be spread during the bad making or cleaning. So, it becomes necessary to remove all the items or aseptic measures within 30 minutes. 

You just need to spend 1-2 hours for the training and you could get a certification after completing the training from the genuine institution. After completing the certification, you would become an expert and you would be able to make a bright career in the medical care.