How Nurse Assistant Training is like Jedi Training

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With all the hullabaloo about the upcoming release of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens, we thought it would be fun to draw some parallels between the tenets of Jedi Knight training and those of Certified Nurse Assistant training.  After all, both Jedi Knights and Certified Nurse Assistants are heroes in this galaxy and galaxies far, far away.  So in less time than it takes to make the Millennium Falcon to make the Kessel run, let’s run down the similarities. Motivation to Take Both Jedi and Nurse Assistant Training According to Wookiepedia, Jedi are an order mostly consisting of teachers, philosophers, scientists, physicians, diplomats and warriors, who value knowledge and wisdom above nationality. By serving others, the Jedi give of themselves through acts of charity, citizenship, volunteerism, and good deeds. Similarly, nurse assistant trainees are an order consisting of people from many walks of life who value knowledge and wisdom; who seek to increase their knowledge such that they may give of themselves through acts of citizenship, care-giving, healing and good deeds. The Creed of the Jedi and the Nurse Assistant Grand Master Skywalker re-wrote the Jedi Creed (excerpted): “Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy. Jedi use their powers to defend and protect, never to attack others. Jedi respect all life, in any form.  Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training.” Wouldn’t you know it, nurse assistant training also produces professionals who use their powers to protect and defend life.  These students are most certainly people who are seeking to improve themselves through knowledge and training.  Thus being prepared to embark on a lifetime of service to the well being of others. If you’re considering taking nurse assistant training and question whether or not to try something new by way of a career change, heed the wisdom of Jedi Master Yoda who admonishes young Jedi Padawans (trainees), “Do or do not – there is no try!”  Use the force (or maybe just the phone) to get started today on an honorable career in service to good in the galaxy!

Top 10 Techie Gifts for the Medical Billing Online Student

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Yes, we know that our medical billing online students are by their very nature, tech-savvy people.  After all, in order to study medical billing online, one needs to harbor an innate love of computing and telephony.  Yes, the medical billing online lifestyle is one made possible by modern advancements like wireless computing, the growing ubiquity of WiFi hotspots, and a host of cool tech gadgets that allow a motivated, career-minded person to study medical billing online, from wherever they are, whenever it is convenient for them. So with the Holiday season in full swing, parents, children, spouses and friends of Allen School Online students may be seeking cool gift ideas for their favorite soon-to-be medical billing and coding professionals.  We’ve had a look around at some of the coolest tech-savvy gift ideas available at your favorite retailers this year and, for our money, the best list came by way of Metro.co.uk.  And although that site originates in England, all of the boffo tech tools, gadgets, goo-gaws and doo-dads they’ve listed there are most definitely available here in the states.  So have a look at their list of space-aged awesomeness and pick out something nice for your medical billing online friends or loved ones. Of course, this blogger would also be happy to receive any of these nifty items so, if you’re feeling generous, drop me a comment and I will share my mailing address.  I especially dig #9 on the list.  Thanks in advance for your generosity!  Have a Happy Holiday season!

Wear Orange, Red, Brown and Your Job Prospects go Down

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So says career coach, Janet Scarborough Civitelli in an article posted at CheatSheet.com a, money and career themed website. There is a decent amount of science behind how human beings react to different shades and colors during negotiations.  Of course, the findings of color preferences tend to be highly subjective, but when applying for your first job after completing your nurse assistant training with the Allen School, it pays to take no chances. To distill the point of the article, Civitelli urges job seekers to avoid wearing bright colors like red or orange which, it is easy enough to intuit, can be distracting.  They may also give the impression that the candidate isn’t serious or that they are attention seekers.   The graphic above lays down one interpretation of the feelings and impressions generated in the human mind by different colors.  Absent from the graphic is the color brown which as Civitelli notes, is often associated with reliability and comfort.  However, she suggests hiring managers don’t like brown because they intuit it mean a candidate is resistant to change. The data shows that the colors most typically associated with business, navy/blue, black, grey and white are the best bet for your outfit when you go out to interview for a job.  Whether you’re completing your nurse assistant training or any of the study tracks offered by the Allen School, it’s smart to put your best foot forward and save that spicy red dress for the club on Saturday night instead!  Happy job hunting!

Microsoft’s Compulsory Holiday Gift for Online Medical Coding Students

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Microsoft’s Windows is probably the operating system running on nearly every online medical coding student’s computer.  Whether it’s a laptop or desktop, Microsoft’s dominance in the market means your computer is likely running some version of Windows.  As we’ve written about here extensively – because it matters for online medical coding students to have computers that work well – Microsoft was getting ready to release Windows 10, the latest version of the OS.  Many users loved Windows version 7 and hated Windows version 8.  So many are looking forward to installing Windows 10, and perhaps you already have since it has become available.  But there are many others who are happy with 7 or 8 and do not wish to change.  The following information is for these users.

Microsoft really really wants us to all upgrade to Windows 10.  So much so, that they’re sneakily pushing the update into your computer’s automatic updates.  Automatic updates typically happen in the background and help Microsoft keep your machine current and protected from security hacks and such.  But you may have noticed lately that your computer keeps urging you to update.  And if you’re a savvy enough user (who wants to keep 7 or 8) you may even have taken steps in the control panel to decline the upgrade.  Yet, it keeps coming back!  There doesn’t seem much one can do to keep Microsoft from forcing you to accept this “gift”.

Look, this blogger has 10 running on one of his laptop and has no fundamental gripes about it.  It is a decent operating system and a better piece of software than Windows 8 which is nearly universally hated.  But no one wants to be forced to upgrade without a say in the matter.  So if you’re an online medical coding student who wants Microsoft to keep its holiday “gift” to itself, you’ll be happy to read this article from Computer World which explains what the story is and how to retain full control over what gets installed on your machine automatically.

Looking to start a career in medical coding? Find all the courses you need at Allen School of Health Sciences – we have three campuses in Queens, Brooklyn, and Phoenix. Contact us below to learn more about the program!

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Medical Assistant: 2016 Job of the Year?

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Every year around this time, I start scouting the predictions for where labor markets are heading in the new year.  For as long as I have been doing this little year-end ritual, healthcare industry jobs have always been high on the lists of fields where job supply and security is forecast to be highest.  This year is no exception.  In fact, 2016 promises to be something of the ‘Year of the Medical Assistant’ with numerous reputable media outlets reporting that medical assistants will be in high demand over the next 12 months. Number 8 on the Boston Globe’s list of 30 fastest growing jobs?  Medical Assistant! Coincidentally also at number 8 on career site CareerOveriew.com’s list of ‘Top and Fastest Growing Jobs for 2016’ list?  Medical Assistant! Forbes magazine has no fewer than 5 healthcare industry jobs on its list of the 10 Toughest Jobs to Fill in 2016.  And although Medical Assistant is not one of them, this fact shows that the growth and expansion of the healthcare field is set to continue unabated next year. So get busy with the medical assistant training if you’re seeking a career in an industry replete with opportunity.

What Does the Allen School Have to be Thankful For?

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This Thanksgiving, the Allen School and its students taking medical billing classes online, those studying to earn nursing assistant certification and those taking  medical office assistant training have much to be thankful for.  We’d like to express our gratitude in this season of thankfulness for the following: Online medical coding class students are thankful for not having to commute as the weather grows colder.  Taking medical billing classes online means they can stay comfortably ensconced in their cozy homes while they work on starting an exciting  new career. Certified nursing assistant trainees are thankful for the US Department of Labor statistics that show ongoing robust growth in the medical field.  This means once they’ve earned their nursing assistant certifications, they won’t have to worry about their jobs being outsourced or being  laid off should the economy turn sour again. Medical office assistants are thankful for an administrative pathway into the medical industry that could be a lifelong career in and of itself; or could be the first step on a journey into a career in medicine. We here at the Allen School blog are thankful for the ongoing opportunity to bring interesting, relevant, sometimes comical information and stories to you, our readers. As we all sit down to Thanksgiving Day feasts with our loved ones and friends, let’s all remember to give thanks for those brave men and women who are serving our country overseas in the US Armed Forces.

Allen School Stands With Paris

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This week’s appalling events remind us all how lucky we are to live in a free society.  As New Yorkers, we too have been faced with the specter of violent extremism in the form of terrorist attacks.  In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the people of France stood by us and sent New York City and all of the United States their love, support and succor.  It is our turn now to return the love and moral support to the people of Paris and France in this, their hour of darkness and loss.  We stand with you, people of France. At the same time, let’s also take a moment to ponder the realities facing those innocents caught in the crossfire of the civil war in Syria and the absolutely heartbreaking humanitarian crisis it has spawned.  As an academy that trains compassionate people to provide medical care and attention to their fellow man, let us take this opportunity to set aside the fear and the anger we’re all feeling at the indiscriminate wasting of lives and remember that by and large, the people most hurt by war and the atrocities it brings are innocents. Love one another and be kind to each other.  This is our only world and we must succeed at learning to peacefully live together.

Medical Coding Online Classes and Relaxation

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We see it everywhere in our busy modern lives.  People working two or three jobs; managing households, raising children, paying mortgages, taking care of elderly parents and the myriad other tasks that comprise the day-to-day for millions of Americans.  It has been getting worse.  Even holidays, traditionally time set aside for quiet reflection and relaxation, have been co-opted by business.  Think for example about Thanksgiving.  In an unhealthy trend, more and more retail stores are trying to outperform the competition by having their “pre-Black Friday” sales on Thanksgiving itself.  This means all the workers who used to have the day off to spend giving thanks with their loved ones, must now work double hard on the former day of rest. While this troubling trend does show some signs of reversing with numerous retailers making good PR hay out of deciding to stay closed this year on Turkey Day, there are still plenty of ways the average American is missing out on critical downtime.  Google the term, “the importance of downtime” and see the amazing list of articles that is returned in the results.  From outlets like Scientific American to Forbes to numerous university studies, the consensus is that downtime is critically important to success in any occupation.  Its just that more and more, folks aren’t making the time to take the time. That’s why we love offering medical coding online classes to busy men and women who may be struggling with all the responsibilities we ticked off at the beginning of this post (and more).  The schedule flexibility one enjoys studying medical coding online classes allows one to more easily carve out some daily downtime.  Even if it is only for 20 minutes each day.  The benefits of a bit of quiet, daily meditation cannot be overstated.  Read any of the articles returned in the Google search linked above for the details on why downtime is so critical in today’s world.  You can thank us later!

Medical Assistant Training Stressful? Try meditation!

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Meditation can be a very positive activity for students – from middle school students to those taking medical assistant training and every kind of student in between.  According to Edutopia, one California middle school first introduced Quiet Time (QT), a stress-reduction program as an optional activity, in the spring of 2007.   Consisting of two periods, 15 minutes each in the morning and afternoon, students are afforded the time and opportunity to sit quietly or meditate.   Since starting the Quiet Time program this middle school has witnessed a 50% reduction in suspensions and a drop in truancy of 65%.  Best of all grade point averages have increased almost a full percent.
For the medical assistant training student taking classes in the midst of already busy adult lives, the act of meditation can also be a transformative one. The myriad benefits of daily meditation for students can include:
  • Improved academic performance
  • Better focus and stronger memory
  • Reduced academic stress
  • Reduction in anxiety
  • Stronger brain efficiency
  • Happier, more confident students
Meditation as an activity is non-denominational and requires no special training.  It is simply the act of quiet mindfulness, quieting of one’s thoughts/internal monologue, a focus on breathing and holding positive thoughts in mind.
Here’s a post from a Columbia University blog on the benefits students stand to capture by adding a daily meditation to their routines.  Be healthy of mind and body as you study to become a medical office assistant!

Medical Billing Online Classes and Telecommuting Careers

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Taking medical billing online classes is an excellent way to leverage technology in pursuit of a new career because the flexibility of online study allows one to fit retraining into an otherwise very busy life/schedule.  You can continue to work in your current field while you’re studying medical billing online classes.  You can also manage a busy home/family scene while studying medical billing online classes, making it easier to find career growth without having to disrupt your family life.  Perhaps the best thing about studying online to become a medical billing pro is that the field of medical billing and coding continues to be one of the fields where telecommuting jobs are in relatively high supply. It should be noted that most medical billing jobs available to recent graduates of medical billing online classes don’t necessarily offer the option to work by remote on day one.  Typically, the work-from-home options for these roles are awarded to those with a decent level of experience working in this field on-site.  But if you’ve put in a few years as a biller in an office environment and you’ve proved your mettle, the work lends itself particularly well to telecommuting and many doctors and hospitals are happy to oblige for workers who’ve shown dependability, attention to detail and a good work ethic. This is something to consider if a telecommute position is something you aspire to.  It should be of some comfort to know that overall, remote work arrangements continue to grow in popularity across many segments of the economy.  Forbes calls telecommuting the “Future of Work” in this recent article.   The New York Times also agrees.   The Society of Human Resource Managers, an organization with a bead on the pulse of workforce trends all over the world, talks about the productivity enhancing benefits of work-from-home arrangements in this article. If this is a lifestyle that you wish to embrace, and you’re looking for a career option with a good record of supporting telecommuting positions, you should consider medical billing online classes with the Allen School.