The health care industry has been one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S. for almost two decades, and there is no sign of a slowdown. When you consider demographic factors such as the baby boomer generation continuing to age, and the Affordable Care Act is projected to give nearly 20 million Americans access to the health care system, together with the fact that pharmaceutical industry is constantly developing new and more effective medications, continued growth in the health care industry is a given.Positions for pharmacy technicians are expected to increase by 32 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This means that around 100,000 new jobs will be added by 2020 to the 350,000 already employed as pharmacy techs in 2012.Pharmacy Technician TrainingA high school diploma is generally required to become a pharmacy technician, and employers typically prefer candidates with some post-secondary education, ideally a pharmacy technician certificate. A few employers will hire inexperienced persons and train on the job, but most pharmacists prefer to hire pharmacy techs who have already been through a formal training program.The training programs can be found at vocational schools and community colleges, many with online education options. These programs typically take six to 12 months and include classes in the math used in pharmacies, recordkeeping and bookkeeping, dispensing medications, sanitation and safety, as well as pharmacy law. The technicians are required to learn the names, actions, uses and doses of common medications.Certification and LicensingCertification is attestation to your skills and knowledge in pharmacy technology by an independent third party organization. Two national organizations offer pharmacy tech certification: The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board and the National Healthcareer Association. Both certifications require graduating from an accredited training program and passing a comprehensive exam covering all aspects of pharmacy technology.Nearly all states require some form of licensing or registration for pharmacy technicians. A few states just require a high school diploma and a background check for registration; other states require graduation from a formal training program, a background check and passing a comprehensive exam to become licensed as a pharmacy tech.Pharmacy Tech Pay and ProspectsThe BLS reports that pharmacy technicians earned a median salary of $29,320 in 2012. Those employed at outpatient care centers earned the most, taking home an average salary of $38,750 in 2012. Those, who work in doctor’s offices and at college and university health centers are also on the high end of the pay scale, both averaging around $37,000. Techs working for department stores are at the lower end of the salary scale, only averaging $27,750 in 2012.The sky is the limit in terms of career advancement for pharmacy techs. Given the great demand for pharmacy techs, pharmacists are going to be looking out for up-and-comers to promote to more responsible position. Some technicians enjoy working in the industry so much they decide to go back to school to become a pharmacist. Earning your Pharm.D.would likely requires at least an additional five to six years of education, but your reward is a tripling of your earning power (pharmacist median salary of $116,670 in 2012).
What Are The Greatest Changes In Shopping In Your Lifetime
What are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime? So asked my 9 year old grandson.
As I thought of the question the local Green Grocer came to mind. Because that is what the greatest change in shopping in my lifetime is.
That was the first place to start with the question of what are the greatest changes in shopping in your lifetime.
Our local green grocer was the most important change in shopping in my lifetime. Beside him was our butcher, a hairdresser and a chemist.
Looking back, we were well catered for as we had quite a few in our suburb. And yes, the greatest changes in shopping in my lifetime were with the small family owned businesses.
Entertainment While Shopping Has Changed
Buying butter was an entertainment in itself.
My sister and I often had to go to a favourite family grocer close by. We were always polite as we asked for a pound or two of butter and other small items.
Out came a big block of wet butter wrapped in grease-proof paper. Brought from the back of the shop, placed on a huge counter top and included two grooved pates.
That was a big change in our shopping in my lifetime… you don’t come across butter bashing nowadays.
Our old friendly Mr. Mahon with the moustache, would cut a square of butter. Lift it to another piece of greaseproof paper with his pates. On it went to the weighing scales, a bit sliced off or added here and there.
Our old grocer would then bash it with gusto, turning it over and over. Upside down and sideways it went, so that it had grooves from the pates, splashes going everywhere, including our faces.
My sister and I thought this was great fun and it always cracked us up. We loved it, as we loved Mahon’s, on the corner, our very favourite grocery shop.
Grocery Shopping
Further afield, we often had to go to another of my mother’s favourite, not so local, green grocer’s. Mr. McKessie, ( spelt phonetically) would take our list, gather the groceries and put them all in a big cardboard box.
And because we were good customers he always delivered them to our house free of charge. But he wasn’t nearly as much fun as old Mr. Mahon. Even so, he was a nice man.
All Things Fresh
So there were very many common services such as home deliveries like:
• Farm eggs
• Fresh vegetables
• Cow’s milk
• Freshly baked bread
• Coal for our open fires
Delivery Services
A man used to come to our house a couple of times a week with farm fresh eggs.
Another used to come every day with fresh vegetables, although my father loved growing his own.
Our milk, topped with beautiful cream, was delivered to our doorstep every single morning.
Unbelievably, come think of it now, our bread came to us in a huge van driven by our “bread-man” named Jerry who became a family friend.
My parents always invited Jerry and his wife to their parties, and there were many during the summer months. Kids and adults all thoroughly enjoyed these times. Alcohol was never included, my parents were teetotallers. Lemonade was a treat, with home made sandwiches and cakes.
The coal-man was another who delivered bags of coal for our open fires. I can still see his sooty face under his tweed cap but I can’t remember his name. We knew them all by name but most of them escape me now.
Mr. Higgins, a service man from the Hoover Company always came to our house to replace our old vacuum cleaner with an updated model.
Our insurance company even sent a man to collect the weekly premium.
People then only paid for their shopping with cash. This in itself has been a huge change in shopping in my lifetime.
In some department stores there was a system whereby the money from the cash registers was transported in a small cylinder on a moving wire track to the central office.
Some Of The Bigger Changes
Some of the bigger changes in shopping were the opening of supermarkets.
• Supermarkets replaced many individual smaller grocery shops. Cash and bank cheques have given way to credit and key cards.
• Internet shopping… the latest trend, but in many minds, doing more harm, to book shops.
• Not many written shopping lists, because mobile phones have taken over.
On a more optimistic note, I hear that book shops are popular again after a decline.
Personal Service Has Most Definitely Changed
So, no one really has to leave home, to purchase almost anything, technology makes it so easy to do online.
And we have a much bigger range of products now, to choose from, and credit cards have given us the greatest ease of payment.
We have longer shopping hours, and weekend shopping. But we have lost the personal service that we oldies had taken for granted and also appreciated.
Because of their frenetic lifestyles, I have heard people say they find shopping very stressful, that is grocery shopping. I’m sure it is when you have to dash home and cook dinner after a days work. I often think there has to be a better, less stressful way.
My mother had the best of both worlds, in the services she had at her disposal. With a full time job looking after 9 people, 7 children plus her and my dad, she was very lucky. Lucky too that she did not have 2 jobs.
8 Keys to Proper Diet and Nutrition
There are a few misconceptions about diet and nutrition. I don’t typically like the word diet since many associate it with specific eating habits that are followed for a period of time and then you get off the diet. Nutrition on the other hand is something that we all know is important, but it just seems a fancy word that takes itself too seriously. In the end nutrition seemed to be a better description of what I wanted to explore, so here are some basic guidelines for any general diet and nutrition plan.A healthy body is similar to a finely-tuned car. And there is nothing better than keeping the body tuned than following a balanced diet and nutrition program. This does not have to be restrictive; it should just follow some basic guidelines. The body needs food as its fuel and lifestyle, exercise and mental attitude as its regular maintenance for it to achieve its health potential. This explains the relation between health, diet and nutrition. Putting in the wrong fuel or forsaking the right fuel will prevent your body from delivering its power and best performance. Nothing is more important than proper diet and nutrition because without it, the body engine will splutter, cough and eventually stall. However, when following a balanced diet and nutrition, you can benefit from:
Added vitality and energy
Obtaining the weight that’s ideal for you
Stronger and more powerful immune system
Improved overall body performance
Delayed effects of aging
Being fit and active
Lessened fatigue and tiredness
Healthy teeth and gums
Enhanced ability for concentration
Total health which means less risks for diseases
How can you achieve proper diet and nutrition?Basically, proper diet and nutrition can be achieved from following the simple guidelines outlined below. A well-balanced diet and nutrition program includes:1. Low fat
Almost all nutritionists and health experts agree that cutting down on fats from butter, cream, fried foods, oils and margarine is the best way to reduce weight and make your modern diet and nutrition healthier. This is also particularly important for a healthy heart.2. Moderate Carbohydrates
Because many people have gone weight-conscious, they have forgotten the importance of rice, potatoes, pasta, cereals and bread to their health. Carbohydrates are important for vitality and energy so if you want to energize your body, take in foods that are rich in good quality carbohydrates.3. High Fiber
Fiber is the large indigestible part of the food that you take in everyday. It doesn’t only get you chewing, it also keeps the inner part of your body moving smoothly, helps prevent bowel cancer and gallstones, helps lower cholesterol, and keeps your weight in check. Grain breads and whole wheat are good sources of fiber.4. Vitamins and Minerals
Fruits, vegetables and grains are abundant with vitamins and minerals as well as with other natural substances that functions as antioxidants. These foods help the body fight the free radicals that you get from bad foods and pollutants that could damage membranes, and cells.5. Eat Variety of Foods
Eating a variety of foods will help you get all the nutrients your body needs. Try having a meal with foods rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and you get all the good nutrients your body deserves. Each meal should contain food from all 3 macro nutrient groups.6. Limit Consumption of Sugar and Sweets
Sugar can help you stay active and on the go however, when taken excessively, adds unwanted kilojoules in your body and can displace and dispose other important foods especially in kids. Excessive intake of sugar and sweets may also cause tooth decay and other dental problems.7. Limit Consumption of Salt
The usual diet and nutrition program is laden with salt. While most people think that salt is a good flavoring for all foods, it actually masks the real flavor of the food you are eating. Not only that! Many packaged and prepared meals have high levels of sodium that is bad for your health so it is very important that you buy fresh produce. When buying packaged food, look for labels with no-added-salts or foods with reduced amount of sodium. One other alternative is to switch to sea salt for food preparation.8. Increase Intake of Fluid
Two liters or eight glasses of water is needed to keep your body hydrated as well as to keep your kidneys and other organs working efficiently. Don’t be fooled by fruit juices, energy drinks, or alcohol! Many of these drinks add calories that people ignore in their daily consumption and drinks like coffee and alcohol actually dehydrate the body. They are not considered helpful fluid because they act as diuretics that force your kidneys to excrete more fluid. Water is your best choice, so stick to it.Summary
Proper diet and nutrition is rather easy to achieve. Just incorporate the above mentioned foods in your daily diet and nutrition program. Enjoy the food you eat and take your time to appreciate them and for sure, you’ll be healthier than ever!