How Does a Stethoscope Work?

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One of the main pieces of equipment most healthcare workers use is a stethoscope and most people understand that this device let’s a healthcare provider listen to a patient’s heart, breathing, and many other things. But have you ever wondered how a stethoscope actually works? The stethoscope uses multiple reflection of sound waves to amplify the sound of the patient’s heartbeat or whatever it is the healthcare provider is listening for. You can experience this on your own when you hold your hand up to your ear to hear something better, or when you hold a seashell up to hear the ocean sound. The tubing of the stethoscope is what specifically enhances the sound. The basic pieces of the stethoscope are:
  • Diaphragm – This is the larger metal disc at the end of the device, its good for hear high pitched sounds like heartbeats and regular breaths
  • Bell – this is the opposite side to the diaphragm and is good for picking up lower pitched sounds like heart murmurs
  • Tubing – this is the flexible piece that runs from the diaphragm to the headset.
  • Headset – The headset consists of the brace piece to give the stethoscope structure, the Binuarals which are the metal tubes that run from the tubing and finally the ear pieces that make the stethoscope comfortable to wear as well as helping to block out outside noises.
For over 200 years the stethoscope has been the go to medical device to help diagnose and monitor any number of illnesses and issues. It will be one of your most important pieces of equipment as you start on the path to your new career. If you are ready to begin your new healthcare career today please visit our website at www.allenschool.edu.

8 Important Characteristics Of Adult Learners

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More and more adults are deciding to head back to the classroom, to learn new skills to advance their current careers or to begin new ones. With this increase in older students comes the question: How can adult learners make the most of their unique experiences? Here are eight characteristics of adult learners that make going back to school successful:

1) Self Starters

Adult students tend to be better self-starters than their younger counterparts. Years or decades of independent living and decision making means that older students can complete tasks without as much guidance as students coming straight from regimented high school and their parent’s homes.

2) Highly Motivated

Younger students may simply have the goal of “finding oneself” or “getting a degree,” while many adult students go back to school with a specific goal in mind. With a concrete goal to reach, they are better equipped to complete their goal, whatever challenges may arise.

3) Practicality

With age comes wisdom and with wisdom a more practical mindset. Adult learners know their limitations more than younger students and learn to work around them to complete their education. The Allen School is here to help students manage that delicate balance between classroom and life.

4) High Expectations

Going back to school is no easy feat. Taking on the extra financial, mental and physical toll of continuing education means that older students may have more at stake, and thus expect more from their education. The Allen School knows this, and its nationally accredited programs and rigorous coursework lives up to the higher expectation of its students.

5) Goal Oriented

Adult learners know there is no time to waste with vague notions of what they want from their education. They have a concrete goal: whether to achieve a higher degree for a promotion or to go down an entirely new career path and attain the training needed. Adult learners know that goals define are goals achieved.

6) Personal Experience

Adult learners come back to the classroom with years of life experience that they bring into each lesson. With varied perspectives and concrete experience, having adult learners in the classroom helps to enrich everyone’s educational experience.

7) Priorities

Many adult learners are juggling school with families, full-time jobs, and financial obligations. With so many plates spinning, they can pinpoint what is important and cut out the rest. The Allen School offers financial aid and financial counseling to students who may need help in making education their top priority.

8) Community Needs

Above all, adult learners are better equipped to see the “big picture.” Many are drawn to careers which help the greater good and are willing to help their fellow students achieve goals which benefit the entire community. It’s never too late to kickstart your education and begin a career that is perfect for you. Contact The Allen School today to set up a free consultation and find out how you can get back to learning.

Image: ESB Professional / shutterstock

Institution For Hope – Pediatrics

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The Allen School of Health Sciences prides ourselves on taking the learning experience beyond the classroom and into the real word. Every month we support a special cause through our Institution For HOPE Campaign. We choose a special cause every month and educate our students and staff on that cause and then go out into the real world and help that cause in any way that we can. We do many different things through the year to support our causes whether it is fund raising, community events or even blood drives, but one of our very favorite events takes place in the month of December. Every holiday season the students and staff of the Allen School come together to support a very special patient population by donating toys, books, and games to the local pediatric populations in hospitals and clinics. This year we are proud to partner with Brooklyn Hospital, Jamaica Hospital, and Maricopa Integrated Health Systems to make the holidays just a little bit brighter for the children staying there. From now through the rest of December please bring in an unwrapped toy, book, or game. We will need items for very young children through teenage years. If there are any special needs from an organization your student services department will know. Teenagers in particular seem to be left out when it comes to holiday toy drives, so please keep them in mind when making your purchases. If you have any questions on how you can make a difference to a Pediatric patient this year please reach out to your student services department and they will be happy to help you out.

Diabetes Facts and Myths

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Every month the Allen School of Health Sciences is proud to support a healthcare cause that is important to our students, their future patients, and the community through our institution for HOPE campaign. In the month of November we are proud to support Diabetes awareness. This month we’d like to take a look at some facts and myths about diabetes.

Diabetes Myths vs. Facts

Myth

If you are overweight you will always get diabetes.

Fact

While being overweight is a contributing factor to possibly contracting diabetes, it’s not the only risk factor.

Myth

Eating a lot of sugar causes diabetes.

Fact

While sugary treats and beverages do raise blood glucose levels, diabetes is caused by genetics and life style choices.

Myth

Diabetes isn’t a serious disease.

Fact

Actually, diabetes causes more deaths in the USA than breast cancer and AIDS combined every year. Diabetes can nearly double your risk of heart attack.

Myth

People with diabetes cannot have chocolate or sweets.

Fact

This is thankfully a myth. They just need to be consumed in very small portions and only on occasion.

Myth

People with diabetes are more likely to catch other illnesses.

Fact

Diabetic patients are encouraged to receive their flu shot yearly as flu symptoms can be more difficult to control in this population and this may lead to further complications down the road.

If you want to read more myths and facts about diabetes, please visit the American Diabetes Association website here.

If you are ready to start working towards a career that can help you take on a role in healthcare contact us today. Education is the first step to a potentially life changing career. Call us today to get started. Call 877-591-8753 or visit our website at www.allenschool.edu.

How to Prevent Infectious Diseases

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As the cold, rainy, and snowy weather approaches our area, the number of infections also tends to increase.  There are some very simple ways to protect you from picking up common bacterial and viral conditions.  Washing your hands will help to remove the bad germs.  When we touch objects like door knobs and subway hand rails, we pick up the germs left on them.  They can be transferred into the body by rubbing your eye or touching food that we eat.

How to Wash Your Hands to Protect from Germs & Diseases

  1. Wet your hands with clean warm or cold running water and apply soap.
  2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
  4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
  5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Clean Your Hands with Hand Sanitizer

If you do not have access to a sink to wash your hands then hand sanitizer can also help to reduce the number of germs on your hands.

Other Ways to Prevent the Spread of Infectious Diseases

If you are working or living with someone who is sick, remember:
  1. Avoid close contact.
  2. Stay home when you are sick to help prevent spreading your illness to others.
  3. Cover your mouth and nose.
  4. Clean your hands.
  5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
  6. Practice other good health habits such as cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, drinking plenty of fluids, and managing your stress.
The winter can be a magical time of the year so practice healthy habits so you can enjoy the changing of the seasons!

High Tech Toys For Pediatric Patients

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From simple doctor’s visits to extended hospital stays pediatric patients can present their own unique set of needs and challenges. Often times they don’t understand what is going on and this can cause them to have major fears of medical procedures and testing.  Unlike their adult counterparts they may have trouble expressing their feelings, and let’s face it, when it comes to long hospital stays they can get really bored.

So today we look at some new high-tech toys that help children have a more positive experience in the healthcare setting.

Vaccines Are No Fun

So a Brazil based company developed a virtual reality game called VR Vaccine that makes the kids a hero in a game battling a villain. The kids wear armor and get to fight bad guys while the person giving the vaccine follows the story and coordinate motions like swabbing the skin and administering the injection to the story line.

It’s Hard to Say How You Feel

So US based Company Sproutel has created a robot duck companion for children undergoing cancer treatment with an emotion chip that allows the children to have the duck show how they are feeling. Children are also able to administer “chemotherapy” to their ducks through a special port. Insurance company Aflec is providing these ducks to pediatric cancer patients at no cost at this time.

Understanding What will Happen can be Challenging

So Canadian company RxRobots has created a robot called MEDi that helps kids understand a procedure and helps them learn how to relax and cope with procedures that may be uncomfortable or painful. Children can also perform procedures on the robot and it assures them they are doing a good job and reinforces that healthcare professionals are always trying to help their patient even when it seems like they are not in a child’s eyes.

These are just a few of the awesome high tech gadgets being developed to help children have a more positive experience in a healthcare setting to read more about these toys and others please click here and read the entire article recently published on BBC Health.

3 Benefits of Working in Healthcare for the Elderly

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Updated August 17, 2021

The healthcare industry offers a variety of highly rewarding career paths, each one specializing in a unique set of intellectual and physical skills. However, the one skill set spanning all healthcare professions is emotional in nature. ― The ability to show empathy and kindness to the patients and families for whom you are caring. While everyone in need of medical aid can benefit from a compassionate caregiver, it is particularly beneficial to your geriatric patient.

Continue reading for three reasons why working with the elderly is an emotionally gratifying and professionally wise focus for your healthcare career.

1. Job Satisfaction

Geriatric patients are men and women blessed with long lives but have seen their physical primes come and go. The need for medical assistance can highlight that fact, and a patient’s response to your aid can understandably fall anywhere on a wide spectrum. While one patient might be grateful and helpful, another could be irritable and uncooperative. It is your job as the medical professional to handle each scenario with poise and skill, and your privilege as a human being to do so with a gentle, non-judgmental touch to preserve both their dignity and health. 

There is great emotional reward to be found in the process of caring for elderly patients. The National Center for Biotechnology reports that the emotional attachment healthcare workers have with their elderly patients is often considered the greatest reward of their jobs ― and, one of the many reasons they stay.

This concept suggests the rewards of specializing in geriatric patient care often transcend mere job satisfaction; A sense of fulfillment that is not easy to top!

2. Personal and Professional Growth

Specializing in geriatric care is a natural intersection for personal and professional growths. Elderly adults, by nature, are not shallow people – their life experiences run deep, likely having taught them many lessons in the process. They have seen war, economic rises and falls, the lifecycle of a career, love, and loss. While assisting in their medical care, the relationships that can form create opportunities to learn from their stories and encourage personal growth. 

That maturity easily bleeds into professional growth, as caring for an elderly mind and body can drive you to be more gentle than you thought possible, increase your efficiency and skill conducting procedures, inspire greater patience, and create a more profound sense of gratitude for your own life and loved ones. It is this mutually beneficial dynamic that makes working with elderly adults so gratifying, and the Allen School of Health Sciences offers multiple programs to help you break into this respected healthcare professions, among many others.

3. High Job Demand and Security

With the changing demographics in the US, the demand for geriatric healthcare professionals is increasing. According to the National Council on Aging in Washington, D.C., as baby boomers approach retirement age, the number of Americans over age 55 will rise from 60 million (21 percent of the population) to more than 107 million (31 percent) by 2030.

Additionally, there are many healthcare environments to choose from when determining what is right for you. If you do your best work in high-energy settings, you might decide to work in a hospital or rehabilitation facility; if you prefer calm surroundings, consider working in nursing homes or retirement communities; and if you desire the privacy to create those personal relationships, you can do so in the homes of your patients.

Start Working Today

Working with the elderly is a unique, important healthcare path – encouraging personal and professional growth and security. To learn more about our career services and start your journey in healthcare, contact the Allen School of Health Sciences today!


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Things to Bring to an Interview

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Imagine you are at the end of your internship, having just finished your classwork and you are ready to start looking for your new career in healthcare. You’ve got a great resume, and you’ve been practicing your interview skills and you finally get that call you’ve been waiting for to go into a clinic and interview for a job. Below is a list of a few things you should be sure to take with you when you go.
  1. Directions and Contact Info – Be sure you know how to get to the location the interview is at. In fact it’s a good idea to do a drive by beforehand so you can be on time for your interview. Also try to find out who you need to look for when you arrive
  2. Resume – You probably already submitted a copy, but it’s always a good idea to bring a few extra copies along.
  3. Identification – You will probably have this with you anyway, but it’s always good to have this available.
  4. Note Pad and Pen – You can take notes and write down questions as they come up. This will help you cover all your bases as you interview without interrupting the flow of the interview.
  5. Questions – Your interview will likely end with the asking you any questions. Prepare a list beforehand so you know what you want to ask. Even if something was already covered it’s OK to ask for further clarification at the end of the interview.
Follow these simple tips and you will feel more prepared and organized as you head into your interview. And as always if you have any career related questions reach out to your career services department at your campus. They can help you polish the skills you need that may help you start your new career in healthcare.

Feeling SAD: Dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder

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Fall and the Winter seasons are on their way.  The days start to become shorter and shorter.  Some people feel a little sad and tired because of this.  This can be due to the fact that we are adjusting our activity schedule and the after work activities we were engaging in may not be possible anymore.  In others, they be experiencing SAD.  Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is related to the decreased amount of light we are exposed to during the day. People with SAD can experience full depressive symptoms like fatigue, loss of concentration,  and changes in weight/eating/sleep.

This disorder has treatments including medications (that help to increase the “feel good” chemicals in the brain, light therapy (to supplement the missing hours of sunlight), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) a type of psychotherapy.

As with all symptoms, when you’re not feeling well check with your doctor.  There are therapies to help people improve their health and quality of life.

5 Reasons Why Horror Movies Are Healthy

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October is here and with it comes Halloween and television marathons of horror movies and slasher films that can make the season a little frightening and a little fun. While some of us like these films and some of us really don’t as healthcare students it’s our job to find the healthy benefits in any activity. So without further ado…. A few healthy reasons to watch that scary film this month.

  1. You Can Skip the Gym

Because watching a 90 minute horror flick may burn as many as 113 calories without leaving you seat. That’s about the same as eating a chocolate bar.

  1. You May Feel Less Anxious

Well in the real world anyway. See you get so anxious watching the scary movie that your body will produce things like adrenaline, glucose, and cortisol that may actually help you feel more calm and in control when you get back to the real world.

  1. Brain Activity will Increase

Your brain will release neurotransmitters during the film which will increase your brain activity. This may leave you feeling sharper and more aware after the film is over.

  1. Immune System…. Activate!!

That adrenaline rush we mentioned earlier? It will also mobilize your body’s immune system. So if you feel some sniffles coming on, just watch a scary movie

  1. You May Stress Less

The movie itself may raise your stress levels, however afterwards you may feel like your life isn’t as stressful. Unless of course you have a maniac wielding an axe chasing you or something like that…. But that’s a whole other issue. 

So watching a scary film may actually help you feel better overall, no promises though that you won’t have nightmares. One thing though that is scarier than any horror film? The Allen School is enrolling it’s final class of 2018!! If you don’t act soon and secure your seat you won’t be able to start working on your new career today. So use that adrenaline rush and visit our website today to get started www.allenschool.edu.