Monthly Archives: December 2017

Enforcing Your Civil Rights

It’s possible for people to be denied a loan, job, promotion and more for other than stated reasons. These could be situations where individuals are being denied access to education, credit or unfairly treated when in police custody and more. Their civil rights have been violated. It’s important people realize what is necessary to enforce their civil rights.

Civil Rights Laws

These laws are in place to make certain an individual’s do receive equal treatment as well as a way to prevent any form discrimination. This includes everything from housing to voting, to lending as well as employment, education and more. In addition to state and federal laws, there are many municipalities around the United States that also have legal ordinances in place that protect an individual’s civil rights. “It’s important for everyone to be able to enforce their civil rights. People should not be afraid to do what is right. We are there for people in this situation every step of the way,” says attorney Jose Bautista.

Complaint Information

A civil rights complaint can be filed by email, fax, mail or using online forms with the appropriate government website. These forms will require an individual identify the person or organization responsible for the civil right violation. A person will also be required to provide a brief description of the incident, and the alleged civil rights violation. All relevant information should be provided within the agency’s complaint form. A person filing a claim will also be required to provide contact information including name, address, telephone number as well as Email address and more.

State or Federal Case

If an individual’s complaint is best handled at the state or federal level will be determined by a number of different factors. The specific laws violated and more will need to be clearly identified. It is also important an individual have their complaint filed with the correct agency. They will determine how the case should be handled and begin an investigation.

Filing A Lawsuit

Filing a complaint is always the first step. This must always be done prior to any type of lawsuit being filed. It’s important for people to realize the strict time limits associated with when a claim must be filed. This could be vary depending on the agency. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a government agency covering the employment violations. It requires any complaint alleging employment discrimination be filed within 180 days after the discrimination occurred. Many state agencies also have similar requirements.

Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

This federal agency is responsible for enforcing civil right law violations is the OCR. The laws they enforce are designed to protect people from discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age, color, national origin or disability. The OCR is responsible for enforcing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as the Federal Healthcare Conscience Protection (FHCP) statutes and more.

Violation Of A Protected Right

It is important when someone is considering filing a civil rights claim they are able to show a protected right was violated. This includes everything from race discrimination as well as fair housing rights, sexual harassment and more. Only specifically identified rights are protected under the civil rights laws. It’s important for individuals to understand situations that may seem as a violation of their rights could be legal and not cause for a civil rights case. An African American could fill out an application for an apartment lease and state they have pets. When the landlord learns the African American has pets, he refuses to approve the lease because he does not want pets in his building. In this case, the landlord has not committed a civil rights violation. They may be within their rights to reject a lease applicant who owns pets.

If someone believes their civil rights have been violated, they do have a way to protect them. If a person has been denied service, aid or provided inferior as well as discriminatory service and more; they may have a case. This is a time to speak with an experienced attorney. They will know if a person’s claim is legally valid and how best to proceed with their claim.

What To Go Over When Getting a Loan

Personal loans are an option when you have an expense that is above what you normally spend money on. Everyday expenses include rent, mortgage payments, insurance payments, food shopping, entertainment and savings. When you have a special expense, such as moving out of town, taking a trip overseas or purchasing a wardrobe for a new job, a personal loan can help make it affordable.

But is taking out a personal loan the right choice for you? Before you rush out and fill out a bunch of applications, take a moment to consider the personal loan pros and cons.

How’s Your Credit?

Nerd Wallet recommends checking your credit as your first step to considering a personal loan. The state of your credit will have a huge impact on whether you get approved or not, and if you do, what your interest rate will be. If your credit score is 720 or above, you’re golden. The lower your score dips, the more trouble you’ll experience getting a loan.

Correct What You Can

Take a look at your credit report. Is everything accurate? There may be credit card accounts and loans on there that don’t actually belong to you. One of your creditors may have accidentally reported you as being late when you’ve been consistently on-time. You may even have a negative mark linger on your report long after the seven-year cut-off mark. Address each of these issues before applying for a personal loan.

If everything on your report is accurate, do what you can to increase your credit score to the good or excellent range before borrowing money. Make several on-time payments. Lower your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. Experian points out that most creditors look for a DTI of less than 43%. You can find your DTI by adding up all of your monthly payments and dividing that total by your gross monthly income. Lower your personal DTI by paying your credit cards down, paying off loans and increasing your credit lines without using that available credit.

Shop Around for Personal Loans

When you know where you stand with your credit, it’s time to see what offers are on the table. Before you do this, remember that every hard inquiry results in a loss of points from your credit score. Experian notes that the credit bureaus are more forgiving when they see you’re shopping around and all of your hard inquiries come from similar sources. Keep this shopping period limited to a one- or two-week period to minimize the impact on your score.

Pre-approvals are a good way to see what you qualify for without submitting to a hard inquiry. Creditors will perform a “soft pull” of your credit report, which is the credit inquiry equivalent of peeking around a door instead of barging into the room. When you get several pre-approvals in hand, compare them. See what the interest rates are, examine the loan origination fees and compare the ultimate amount you’ll be paying back.

Have Your Ducks Lined Up

Personal loan applications sometimes involve quite a bit of paperwork. Forbes points out that it saves time if you know what you need to bring before you apply. Call the bank and ask. Lenders typically need the following information to complete your loan application:

  • your photo I.D.

  • your social security card

  • proof of income (bank information, pay stubs)

  • your employment information

  • your monthly expenses

  • proof of your lease/mortgage payments

  • proof of your other monthly expenses (bills, loan agreements)

  • the name of the college you attended and your major

  • contact information

Gathering all of this may take a bit of time. Make copies as you go in case you lose something or wind up applying with more than one bank.

Consider Alternatives

What if your credit history isn’t good enough to get you approved for the personal loan you want? Does it mean it’s time to give up?

No. If what you’re getting the loan for is important, you may have to think outside the box. Most personal loans are unsecured loans, which means they depend solely upon the state of your credit. But you may be able to get a secured loan. If you own your own home, have a vehicle that’s paid off or have some other valuable belonging, like real estate, a boat or jewelry, the bank may consider using that item as collateral. Additionally, consider using a cosigner if you know someone with perfect credit who is willing to vouch for you.

A personal loan can be the answer to the financial problem you’re dealing with. If you make your payments on time, they can also build your credit and boost your score. Be smart about how and when you apply for one, and a personal loan can be a very positive thing.

Cryptocurrency 101

Cryptocurrency depends on mining to exist. Computers known as miners solve formulas that become increasingly more difficult. Completed formulas produced rewards in the form of cryptocurrency. Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies were purposely designed to become more difficult to mine over time. The diminishing supply keeps cryptocurrencies valuable.

Increasing difficulty requires more powerful computer components, so mining in 2017 costs more than it did five years ago, especially for popular currencies like Bitcoin. The higher mining startup costs are just one reason why fewer people are just now starting to get into mining: there are fewer coins available now than there once were. Fortunately, you can buy cryptocurrencies from exchanges and even individual sellers.

If you’ve been paying attention to cryptocurrency news, you may have noticed recently that the Bitcoin price was around $19,000 each. That’s a far cry from the $.06 per coin in the beginning! Someone who invested in Bitcoin in its infancy may have accrued hundreds to millions of dollars in profit.

A closer look at the value of cryptocurrencies over time shows less of a straight climb to the very top. The price would jump to $30 before dropping to $2.05 each. It wasn’t until 2013 that Bitcoin would surge to over $100. Despite briefly doubling, the value dropped back to around $100 before the price surged to $1,000 each at the end of the year.

Throughout 2014 and early 2015, Bitcoin experienced a steady decline, reaching a low of $177. The cryptocurrency didn’t regain its value until the end of 2015, and it took until 2017 for the price to surge back over $1,000 per Bitcoin. The end of the year was frenzied for the cryptocurrency, which reached a price of $5,000 per coin for the first time in October. Bitcoins would be worth nearly $20,000 each just two months later. Prices have since dipped to around $15,000 per coin, but that’s to be expected with any cryptocurrency.

Although we’re focused on Bitcoin because it’s better-known and arguably more successful than other types of cryptocurrencies, it’s certainly not the only one. Litecoin has been around almost as long as Bitcoin and was designed with the intent to be quicker and easier to use. Although Litecoin and Bitcoin peak at similar times, Litecoin has a lower value, and individual growth varies.

Ethereum is a newer kid on the block, originating in 2015. Ethereum is also a programming language and runs on a specific platform, which supports peer-to-peer contracts and apps.

These are just a few of over 1,000 cryptocurrencies available to trade. You can choose which to invest in.

Cryptocurrency has no physical format. Think of them a bit more like stocks. Your proof isn’t a certificate but a digital wallet that enables you to use Bitcoin for purchases (everyone from Reddit to Subway to Microsoft accepts Bitcoins) or to trade them with others. You can access your wallet with an app (Coinbase is a popular app that is compatible with several cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum), and you must sign transactions with a private key that is saved in your wallet.

On your phone, a QR code facilitates the exchange of cryptocurrencies. This generates an address (and you should use a new address for every transaction) Every transaction is recorded in a blockchain, a shared public ledger, which is how wallets determine how much Bitcoin you own.

You must keep your wallet secure to protect that private key. You can also consider keeping two wallets: one that contains a small amount of cryptocurrency for trading and another offline wallet that contains the bulk of your cryptocurrency.

While you can spend your cryptocurrency, there are some key differences from regular card transactions. First, exchanges with currencies such as Bitcoin cannot be reversed. Secondly, consumers using cryptocurrencies lack the sort of protections that banks and credit card companies offer their customers.

Finally, it’s up to you to pay the appropriate taxes on your cryptocurrency because these currencies are not officially recognized by governments. Think of it similar to making a purchase online or in another state where sales tax does not apply. You are still expected to report those purchases on your taxes; although, not everyone does.

How to eliminate annoying robocalls

Have you ever received a call from an unfamiliar number and when you answer it you hear a recorded voice? That kind of a call is known as a robocall. Even if you do not pick up, you will probably receive the call again. These phone calls are illegal. Therefore, to prevent these annoying calls, this is what you should do:

1. Keep your number to yourself.

Some businesses ask for your number for no reason. If you feel like you do not have a reason for giving it to them, don’t. Some of these companies end up using your number for the wrong purpose, or sell it to a third party. Most people give out their contacts without their knowledge. You need to be careful when you give out your phone number.

2. Do not pick up.

A simple tip you should apply is not picking up your phone unless you recognize the number calling you. If you happen to answer and discover that it is a robocall, hang up immediately. Once you respond to the auto-dialer by pressing the numbers, you are sending the message that your number is active. As a result, this will lead to more robocalls.

3. Set the “anonymous call rejection” option on your phone.

If you use this feature, your phone screens out calls from unknown caller IDs. Most marketers use this strategy. Contact your telephone service provider and find out if they offer this feature. If they do, get the information you need to enable it. When you receive a call from an unknown number, you can also use reverse phone lookup. By doing this, you can search for the details of that number, and get the name, address and photos of the owner.

4. Get on the Do Not Call Registry.

Add all your phone numbers to the National Do Not Call list. It is free to sign-up. The advantage is that it will protect you from the solicitors. It supports both landlines and mobile phones.

5. Make a point of filing a complaint.

If you have been on the Do Not Call Registry for more than a month and still get the robocalls, you need to file a complaint with the FTC. To some people, this seems like a complete waste of time, but it is not. It helps.

6. Do not press numbers.

You will find people telling you to key in some numbers on your phone to remove yourself from the robocall registry. Does it work? No, it does not. What it does is that it makes the situation worse. The reason is that when you press the numbers, you are indicating that someone is responding to that call. Therefore, you will receive more robocalls.

7. Tell the companies who serve you to keep off.

If you are a client of a specific business, they can call you to market their products. Once you have bought a product, read the terms and conditions carefully. In case you forget to read the agreement and the company keeps calling you, you can request them to stop it. If they do not, you have every right to report them to the FTC.

Nowadays, robocalling is affordable and straightforward. Due to this, these calls are everywhere. Do not allow robocalls to give you sleepless nights, or stressful days. Read this article keenly and follow the tips, you will be safe.

Tips when car shopping for the family

Buying a new family car is a necessity from time to time, but it can be a frustrating, time-consuming and even stressful experience. After all, there are numerous models to choose from, and each seemingly has its pros and cons. More than that, the vehicle that you select has far-reaching effects that touch your lives for years to come. If you are preparing to buy a new vehicle for your family to ride around in regularly, put these tips into action to make a better buying decision.

Research Vehicles Carefully

From the Ford Edge and other SUVs to numerous minivans and other large vehicle styles, there are many models to choose from. You can eliminate many options from contention by reading online reviews and safety test data. You may also be able to scratch others off of your list by analyzing features that your family may need or want. Through your detailed online research, you may be able to reduce your in-person shopping time dramatically. Remember that many buyers feel stressed at the dealership, so doing as much homework as possible before you visit a dealership is helpful. This may also help you to avoid making a hasty, impulsive decision that may not be quite right for your family.

Focus on Your Budget

You can further eliminate options from consideration by reviewing your budget. Determine what your total vehicle budget is each month. This should include insurance, gas, maintenance and car loan expenses. For each vehicle that you are thinking about buying, estimate each of these figures. It is helpful to request an insurance quote from your auto coverage provider for the top two to three vehicles that you are seriously considering. You may also get prequalified for an auto loan so that you can have a firm interest rate in mind when estimating the loan payments. Before you visit a dealership for a test drive, you should have a good idea about how each of your top contenders will affect your budget.

Choose an Optimal Shopping Time

When shopping for a new car, you can easily feel stressed or even pressured, and this is most common when the dealership is hopping with activity. A better time to shop for a new vehicle is during the middle of the week and even during morning hours on a weekday. You will get personalized attention, and you typically will feel less stressed when you visit a dealership when very few other buyers are there. Plan to take a day off of work for your buying experience to ensure that you have ample time to compare the options during non-peak hours and to sign the paperwork after you decide.

Test Drive With the Whole Family

Because you are buying a family vehicle, it makes sense to test drive the car with the whole family. This will simulate your actual driving experience in the SUV, minivan or car. Consider how much room each person has to sit comfortably. Think about the car being loaded with backpacks, a baby stroller, a car seat and other items that are typically in your family car. Ask each member of your family for their feedback and insight. While you should make an adult decision based on numerous factors, it can be helpful to take everyone’s input into consideration. After all, the last thing you want is to have your children feel cramped in a vehicle that you intend to drive for at least the next few years. Furthermore, remember that your children will grow rapidly over the years. If they are currently cramped, they will likely become even more cramped as they grow.

Shopping for a new family car requires you to make important decisions that ultimately affect your family’s convenience and overall comfort level on the road, their safety, your family budget and more. While it is understandable why you would feel pressured to make a smart decision, you can see that some of the stress that you may be feeling could be mitigated when you approach car buying with a smart strategy. Regardless of where you currently are in the family car buying process, spend time walking through these important steps to improve your experience and to make a smart buying decision.

How to easily create a website for your business

About 4 out of 5 people will go online and search before they ever patronize a business. Having a great storefront and ads don’t cut it anymore. Not having a presence on the web means missing out on the majority of potential customers. Frankly, businesses can’t afford not to have a website. The good news is that you don’t have to spend thousands to have a solid site. In fact, it’s easier than ever to do it yourself! Here’s how to easily create a website for your business…

Prepare your content

There are some core basics like hours, location, a description of your products and/or services, and contact info that should be included on any website. Next, think about the most common questions you get in emails and calls and include that on your site as well. By putting that information on your website you can save yourself the time of repeating the same answers over and over, so you can get back to running your business.

Coordinate your branding

Customers are more sophisticated than ever before, and they do not respond well to sloppy or cluttered content. Even basic branding (like a logo, color scheme, and overall content appearance) can help customers recognize you and convey that your business is consistent and reliable when executed well. Your website should coordinate with every aspect of your business. For example, if you have a certain color uniforms, or your business is decorated in a specific way. Also, if you have any business cards or stationery already in use for the businesss, match up with that. Keep it simple and strategic, and stick to the brand identity that rings true for your business.

Register a domain name

Visit a domain registrar like GoDaddy or Blue Host to register your domain name. The domain name is your website address (for example, Google’s domain name is “google.com”). Owning your own domain name is important. For example, let’s say you own Frankie’s Burgers, and your customers affectionately refer to your burger joint as just “Frankie’s”. If another person or company owns the domain name frankies.com or frankiesburgers.com then people may go to their site and business instead of yours. Think of this like your online real estate. The closer your domain name is to your business name, the better. If that’s already taken, choose a domain name that’s memorable and related to your business.

Choose a platform

There are many user-friendly website builders out there for novices such as Weebly, Drupal, Wix, Joomla, and WordPress (we know, the names are ridiculous). These tools provide you with a basic framework or a “template” that you use to fill in with your business information to create your website. This is called a “CMS” or “content management system”. You’ll have a username and password to be able to access the “back end” of your site, where you can edit the content and then publish it to the web when you’re ready. Review the pros and cons of each CMS to determine which is best for you.

Sign up for hosting services

A website host is a service that stores your website files on a server, and then delivers that content to the World Wide Web so that customers can view your site from their phones, computers, and tablets. A good hosting provider will load your website quickly – which is more important than you may think! Not only are today’s fast-paced customers expecting instant content when they visit your website, search engines like Google and Yahoo will penalize your site if it’s slow, pushing you down in search results and making you less visible to customers. Don’t cut costs here, choose your hosting provider wisely!

Depending on your CMS, an independent hosting provider may or may not be necessary. For example, some CMS systems like Wix “host” your site for you. Sites running on platforms like WordPress, however, need a separate host so that you can send your site out to the web. Let’s look a little closer at WordPress, because its is far and away the most widely used CMS in the world. When it comes to WordPress, there are two options. Pretty much any standard hosting provider can host your WordPress site, but there is another category called managed WordPress hosting that actually specializes in hosting WordPress sites. WordPress is an ever-changing platform, and these specialty hosting providers keep up with all the latest features and nuances of WordPress so its easier to manage and you have fewer glitches. Definitely worth your consideration if you’re going with WordPress.

Proofread

This may sound silly, but seriously. Proofread. If you have a basic 1-3 page website, customers WILL NOTICE if you have typos and formatting issues. Have a trusted colleague or friend look over the content and give you honest feedback, then refine it a little before publishing.

Remember, every business is a global business with the internet. People will see you online and determine whether to give you their dollars based upon their first impression. That first impression could be a lack of a website, or a site that looks thrown together. Or it could give the customer the convenience of everything they need to know about your business at a glance. Do it right and make it count, and your business will be better for it.

Foods That Keep Your Body and Mind Strong

When it comes to overall physical and mental health, diet is perhaps the most important factor in keeping your body and mind strong. Our bodies need the right balance of nutrients to keep us in optimal shape, and an unhealthy diet can negatively impact your mental health as well as your physical fitness. There are a variety of healthy diets, and different people often have different nutritional requirements, but there are some foods that provide mental and physical health benefits to everyone. Here are a few of the best foods for keeping your body and your mind strong:

Seeds:

Not all seeds are equally nutritious, but many varieties of sides provide balanced nutrition that benefits both your physical and mental health. Essential fatty acids found in many seeds (and some nuts) help keep your mind sharp, and many seeds (especially flaxseeds) also contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which help to reduce your risk of heart disease. In addition, the protein found in seeds and nuts helps boost muscle growth.

Avocados:

Avocados have a variety of health benefits thanks to the high concentration of healthy monounsaturated fat found in the fruit. Monounsaturated fats contribute to increased, healthy blood flow, and they are also good for your brain’s health. In addition, these fats have been shown to help decrease blood pressure, which can help prevent or slow cognitive decline as you age.

Kale:

Kale, as well as many similar dark, leafy green vegetables, contains Vitamin E and folate, both of which are proven to benefit your memory and overall cognitive health. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that is thought to help protect neurons and nerve cells, especially in people with Alzheimer’s or other conditions that cause neurons to die. Folate may be key in lowering the levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the blood, as folic acid helps to break down these amino acids, which have been linked to both nerve cell death and heart disease.

Cauliflower:

Keeping your kidneys healthy is crucial to maintaining good overall health, and cauliflower is one of the best kidney-supporting superfoods. The vegetable acts as a natural kidney aiding supplement by helping to force waste materials out of the body through the urinary tract. Because of this powerful benefit, doctors treating kidney patients often recommend that their patients eat cauliflower at least once per day.

Fish:

Many kinds of fish, particularly salmon, mackerel and tuna, have high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for both mental and physical health. Specifically, these fish contain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which promotes the healthy functioning of neurons, and omega-3s like DHA are also good for heart health. Besides, eating more fish in place of red meat will help you cut down on your intake of saturated fats, which clog the arteries and are strongly linked to heart disease.

Eggs:

Eggs are another food that pack a double punch of brain and body-boosting nutrients. Egg yolks are full of antioxidants that that help keep your eyes healthy and reduce your risk of developing macular degeneration.. Eggs also contain choline, a nutrient that boosts both memory and general brain development.

Quinoa:

Quinoa is arguably the best grain to include in your diet thanks to its balanced health benefits. Quinoa contains large amounts of protein for a grain, which promotes muscle growth, as well as fiber to help you maintain a healthy weight and keep your digestive system strong. The grain also contains iron, which is one of the best minerals for overall health.

How to Appeal Audit Results

How to Appeal Audit Results

Inspections and audits are a normal part of working in healthcare. The industry deals with what is most precious to most of us — health. It’s also the fourth largest industry in the United States, amounting to as much as 8% of the nation’s GDP. Inspections and audits that help industry professionals stay on top of their game, and keep processes as streamlined and efficient as possible are an important part of keeping the whole system working.

That being said, they can be the most unpleasant and disruptive things that can happen to service providers. When Zone Program Integrity Contractor auditors, or ZPICs, put your institution under an audit, they can request documents that date as far back as they see fit. They can request as many documents as they need. They can come to your facility and perform interviews. And they can use statistical sampling and extrapolation that don’t necessarily give a clear picture of the institution’s coding and billing practices. Why are they doing this? To prevent Medicare fraud. In fiscal 2016, the government recovered more than $3.3 billion from healthcare fraud-related judgments and settlements.

What to Do When Investigated?

There are two pieces of advice that are usually given to providers who are being audited by a ZPIC auditor for suspected fraud. The first one is to cooperate fully, promptly, and honestly. No messing with records or back-changing things. Give them whatever they want and make it as organized as you possibly can. If you need to hire help, hire it.

The second is — if you can find grounds for appeal, appeal against the unfavorable results of the audit. An audit can be devastating for a service provider — it can lead to large payments for settlements and penalties. Providers can lose the ability to charge Medicare. People can end up in jail.

The First Step of Appealing

The very first thing you should do when launching an appeal is hire a lawyer or a legal consultant who has experience in the field. In-house lawyers who specialize in healthcare law can be useful, but you need someone who specializes in Medicare and insurance audits.

Finding grounds for appeal should be on the top of your list of priorities. Possible grounds include a misapplication of Medicare billing regulations, improper review of information, or inaccurate conclusions. It might also be possible to appeal on the grounds that the sampling and statistical methods used weren’t proper.

Understand the Appealing Process — Stages One and Two

The appeal process has five stages, although service providers often stay within the first three stages.

The first stage is redetermination. You file it with the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) who sent you the demand letter after you received the results of the audit from ZPIC. You shouldn’t expect to achieve much at this stage because MACs and ZPICs work very closely together.

The second stage is reconsideration. You file it with a Qualified Independent Contractor or QIS. By this point, you should have all of your documentation ready for filing, as the QIS will need to examine the claim, as well sampling procedures. Still, you don’t get a hearing at this stage.

Stage Three — ALJ Appeal

If stage two doesn’t work, you move on to stage three — the most important stage in the process, and the stage where you can actually get some results. The appeal is filed with the Office of Medicaid Hearing and Appeals, and the provider gets to appear before an Administrative Law Judge or ALJ.

As a provider, you will get the opportunity to present and explain documentation to the ALJ. An Administrative Law Judge is an independent instance with no vested interest. ALJ is also the instance where appeals have the highest success rates, and where you can actually defeat extrapolation. This stage should be the focus of your appeal process.

If the results of stage three are unfavorable, you have two more options. You can appeal to the Medicare Appeals Council if there were legal errors in stage three, or if the ALJ’s decision wasn’t based on the weight of the evidence. This appeal is risky because you don’t have an opportunity to be heard, and even the parts of ALJ’s decision can be overturned. The second option is going to the Federal District Court. It’s a very formal setting with witnesses and testimony and can be very expensive. So the bottom line is: get help, get it early, and start preparing for the ALJ appeal right away.

5 ways to advance your nursing career

Nursing is a rewarding and exciting career choice that provides you with a vast number of opportunities for advancement, as long as you have obtained the credentials to match your passion. Nurses who obtain specialization credentials are always in high demand. If you are a nurse who is looking to obtain a promotion or change careers within the field of nursing, here are a few methods that will help further your career in nursing.

Register for Continuing Education Courses

Continuing education courses are college level, professional development classes that can help nurses build on their skills and advance their careers. These adult education courses are designed to help nursing professionals become specialists in multiple areas of health and medicine. As a nurse, you are unquestioningly devoted to providing optimal health care services to your patients, so you should be just as proactive about staying informed on the latest specializations and best practices in nursing. Regardless of your nursing degree level or professional aptitude, registering for a continuing education class in a nursing specialization will teach you valuable information and innovative techniques that support the skills and knowledge you have already gained. Staying informed about industry changes will show your employers, your patients, and yourself that you are ready to take your passion for nursing to another level.

Join a Professional Nursing Organization

While school and work provide many resources and contacts that assist you in your career, you can grow your potential for success by joining one or two professional organizations. In general, professional organizations are set up to offer great networking opportunities to their members, as well as enhance their personal and professional development. There are hundreds of professional nursing organizations worldwide to choose from. Many of them give scholarships, compile and distribute career guides, post jobs by state, organize community events, manage blogs, and host conferences. Others offer unique opportunities to members. Whether you are looking to connect with nurses who have the same cultural background, affiliate yourself with other professionals in your field, or attend a conference about medical advances in the last decade, there is a professional nursing organization that meets your need. As you plan the route you will take to progress in your career, add joining a professional nursing organization to your list of accomplishments. This professional investment will bolster your resume and impress your superiors.

Pursue Additional Health Professional Certifications

Obtaining a health professional certification is another admirable way to complement your nursing credentials. Professional nursing certifications are designed to help nurses further their education at an affordable cost and in less time than it takes to finish a continuing education course. Nurses can obtain professional certifications in areas such as nursing informatics, acute/critical care, forensic nursing, advanced oncology, emergency medicine, and more. Professional certification courses are often offered online to accommodate nursing professionals’ busy schedules. Many times, nurses who receive certifications in underserved areas are immediately promoted to leadership positions. For example, nurses who finish their ACLS recertification online qualify for a pay raise and tuition reimbursement for the course. If you are interested in receiving training that makes your skill set invaluable to your team members and patients, consider obtaining a health professional certificate.

Obtain an Advanced Degree

As you grow as a nurse, you may become interested in a specialized area that you are not qualified to apply to because you lack an advanced nursing degree. Once you realize your work ethic and years of on-the-job experience alone are not enough to qualify you for the position you desire, the next best thing to do is to research if an advanced degree is offered in that specialty or a related field. In fact, it is standard protocol in the nursing field for administrative roles, management positions, and teaching positions to be awarded to nurses with masters or doctorate degrees. Earning your master’s or doctorate degree in nursing or a related specialty will qualify you for careers in research, hospital administration, government, media and communications, technology, even law. On average, a nurse with a master’s degree (MSN) earns $20,000 more than a registered nurse (BSN), and a doctor of nursing practitioner (DNP) earns $30,000 more than a registered nurse.

Volunteer at Health or Community Based Organizations

The benefits of volunteering are enormous, and the right organization can provide you with new skills and recommendations that will advance your career. There are countless volunteer opportunities for nurses to show compassion and give back to their communities. Nurses who volunteer are in a unique position to practice important interpersonal skills and learn from other medical experts and related professionals. If you are a nurse who is considering a career or position change, volunteering can help you get the experience you need while you foster connections and restore the health and minds of community members.

10 Tips to Help Entrepreneurs Get Motivated

As soon as entrepreneurs take the position of authority defining goals, offering incentives and setting deadlines, the challenge of staying positive creeps in and inspiration becomes a key to sustaining the business. While the burden of how to remain positive still hangs in the air, the call for discipline to sustain the tempo of personal development begins to echo. Abraham Lincoln said that things come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle. This is a perfect truth in the world of entrepreneurs. It’s either you struggle to stay motivated or motivation arising from the joy of being your own boss eludes you.

Motivational Speaker David Michigan perfectly pictured it with his statement on taking action. He said that either you run the day or the day runs you. In this context, it’s either you device a way to court motivation or motivation eludes you. This places a big challenge on the shoulder of entrepreneurs to, not only stay positive and inspirational but also keep those working with him motivated. Knowing that your most valued asset is your staff, not keeping them motivated and charged is as good as losing the impact they make on your business. But, for you to keep them focused on the goals, you must compel yourself to give everyone a sense of ownership.

Eyes on the Goals

To remain motivated and focused on the major goals, you need to keep your eyes on the gains of motivation not to you alone as an entrepreneur but to those around you. While we understand that entrepreneurship comes with its ups and downs, it beholds on you to stay positive. If you are losing a sense of value and the mental energy to keep others ready for action, remember the freedom arising from pursuing your vision, the flexibility and control you have to decide things you desire, in the manner you desire it and the wonderful opportunity to learn and enjoy the sense of fulfilment arising from doing your business.

Crushing the Barriers to Self Motivation

As you move from ideation to product development, you must watch the risks that may become triggers for devaluation of your worth. Improper management of personal time and health, challenges of deadlines, trusting your key employee, relying on cash interest, sacrificing personal capital with reliance on cash flow are major barriers to remaining motivated.

10 Tips to Keep Entrepreneurs Motivated

1. Clear Goals

Several things could account for the motivation of entrepreneurs, but Americanexpress.com believed that the top among the factors should be clear project goals. It’s understandable that without clear goals no aspect of a business will progress. Clear, measurable and specific project goals with specific deadlines will keep you accountable and motivated towards meeting your objective.

2. Mission Statement

The things that define entrepreneurial ventures are the culture, core values and vision of the organisation. These help to set the direction of your business. Understanding and abiding by the culture guiding your business, memorising and sharing it will keep you ready for action. Having something to keep reminding you of the purpose of your business will help you stay positive.

3. Stay Close To Your Mentor

To get to your destination quickly, you need the help of someone who has been to the place and back. This is what mentors do – remind you of the hurdles on the way so that you can be prepared and ready to jump. Being aware of your professional problems and with a good guide will help you to stay in your best mental state to drive your business.

4. Plan with a Routine

Just as the development of a mission statement is essential for the survival of your business, coming up with a detailed plan on realising the mission is crucial for staying positive. You need to come up with short and long-term plans for execution of your entrepreneurial objectives. Manifesting the purpose of your business demands a routine with some flexibility. Building a business culture is fast-manifested with a routine as it helps to keep your mind and body focused and prepared to act and adopt new techniques.

5. Equip Yourself

No entrepreneur will grow and succeed without constant nurturing of his ideas through reading and acquisition of fresh knowledge. You can gain lots of insights into the activities of business legends from Forbes and Entrepreneur platforms. You can learn so much about the challenges of entrepreneurs and strength arising from success stories and from studying the business lives of entrepreneurship bigwigs.

6. Set Motivation in Motion

One of the most difficult challenges to overcome is transferring your motivation source to those around you. The natural inspiration that comes from working on your business can often keep you positive, but will it keep others motivated knowing that your employees need the motivation to deliver? Create a healthy culture that inspires and retains your employees especially highfliers and one of such is routine incentives.

7. Make Failures Your Success Foundation

There is no escaping the battling of challenges in your entrepreneurial journey. Some may seem insurmountable while others may be a walkover. Change your perspectives and start seeing your challenges as avenues for success. Make it a point of duty to learn from your mistakes and ensure you use them to find the best opportunity to gain a fresh experience.

8. Get Friends and Volunteers Involved

Could you imagine the kind of genuine ideas and motivation you can get working with friends? Engaging them can open a vista of inspiration as they share their views about your goals. They don’t have to be physically present. There are apps that can aid your ability to engage them.

9. Inspiration in Uncommon Places

Go outside the box to get motivation. You can seek inspirational ideas and insights from talk shows and events. One of the ways could be TED Talk or podcasts. You can also get motivation from inspirational quotes.

10. Create Personal Time

You won’t really get motivation outside which you are. Motivation is a personal choice. You can develop your theories and views about motivation, but the best way is to come up with your mantra of motivation and inspiration. So, stay positive and create personal time to share love with family and friends. Cultivate healthy sleep patterns because it helps you to remain focused on the mission for your business.

Finally, maintaining self-motivation is key to the growth and survival of your business. Nurturing and maintaining positive and motivated spirits is a conscious act. Decide today to face your challenges headlong and become the person you desire.