The House of Delegates of the American Physical Therapy Association determined the Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant. These standards are meant to help PTAs understand the ethical obligations they face on the job.

The eight standards laid out should provide a foundation for conduct that all PTAs should follow while practicing. The main goal is still to help patients achieve more independence, health and wellness, and an enhanced quality of life.

The standards are as follows:

1. Physical therapist assistants should respect the inherent dignity, and rights, of all individuals.
2. Physical therapist assistants should be trustworthy and compassionate in addressing the rights and needs of patients.
3. Physical therapist assistants should make sound decisions in collaboration with the physical therapist and within the boundaries established by laws and regulations.
4. Physical therapist assistants should demonstrate integrity in their relationships with patients, families, colleagues, students, other healthcare providers, employers, payers, and the public.
5. Physical therapist assistants should fulfill their legal and ethical obligations.
6. Physical therapist assistants should enhance their competence through the lifelong acquisition and refinement of knowledge, skills, and abilities.
7. Physical therapist assistants should support organizational behaviors and business practices that benefit patients and society.
8. Physical therapist assistants should participate in efforts to meet the health needs of people locally, nationally, or globally.

The School of Allied Health at Florida Career College is launching an associate’s degree program in Health Services Administration. The two-year program will teach students how to work in administrative positions at hospitals, physicians’ offices, and other healthcare facilities.

“This valued addition to our comprehensive School of Allied Health curriculum allows us to offer even more extensive training to those who seek allied health careers,” Ilia Martin, vice president of academic operations at Florida Career College, said in a statement.

The new degree program will include courses in:

• Health Information Technology & Management
• Healthcare Delivery in the U.S.
• Issues and Transitions
• Global Healthcare Management
• Organization Design & Behavior
• Healthcare Customer Relations & Outcomes
• Essentials of Healthcare Compliance
• Healthcare Management & Administration
• Several general education courses

FCC students currently pursuing degrees as a Medical Assistant Technician, Patient Care Technician, or Medical Coding and Billing will easily be able to transfer into the Health Services Administration program and earn an associate’s degree.

The Health Services Administration program will be offered at FCC’s campuses in Brandon, Boynton Beach, Jacksonville, Hialeah, Lauderdale Lakes, Margate, Miami, Pembroke Pines, and West Palm Beach.

FCC also offers programs in business administration, cosmetology and clinical skin care, information technology, and nursing (Learn more here).

If you’re studying for other healthcare-related positions in Florida, but don’t want to focus on health services administration, you may want to look into family therapy jobs. Visit http://jobs.kidsindistress.org to learn more.

Although radiology careers are often associated with nurses and physicians, there also are radiology careers for dentists. These employees – often called dental radiologists, oral radiologists, or oral and maxillofacial radiologists – use a variety of radiographic and digital images to diagnose and treat patients.

On a daily basis, dental radiologists use diagnostic tools – including X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and PET scans – to identify head, neck, and jaw problems. They often work alongside dentists to conduct clinical exams, treat patients injured in accidents, and refer patients to oral surgeons.

In order to become a dental radiologist, students should first complete a four-year dental school program accredited by the American Dental Association. Once they earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine degree, students can then take the proper exam and become licensed.

After earning their basic dentistry degree, students wanting to become dental radiologists should take further education in oral and maxillofacial radiology. This can be done as part of a two-year certificate program or as part of a three or four-year graduate degree program, according to Education-Portal.com.

During this time, students can expect to take classes in diagnostic techniques, special procedures, radiation biology, and the latest treatment methods. Most students also will be required to complete a clinical residency.

Once students have their basic dentistry degree and have completed specialized training to become a dental radiologist, they can then take an exam through the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology to become certified.

Many states require you to have the proper license and certification before you can begin practicing. Potential employers also may conduct a background check to make sure you’re fit to work for them.

For other jobs similar to healthcare, such as family therapist jobs, check out http://jobs.kidsindistress.org. You can learn more about a variety of healthcare jobs with this medical job description list.

As part of National Preparedness Month, the Broward Emergency Management Division will host a training class for SKYWARN Storm Spotters on September 25th at the Broward County Emergency Operations Center in Plantation.

SKYWARN Storm Spotters is a nationwide network of volunteers who report observations of significant weather and weather-related damage to the National Weather Service. The NWS then uses that information to send alerts to the public through television, radio, marine and weather radios, and public safety agencies.

There has been a significant decrease in tornado and other severe weather related deaths since the SKYWARN program was instituted. Classes are great for amateur radio operations, American Red Cross volunteers, firefighters, students, and anyone else interested in volunteering.

In order to be a SKYWARN Storm Spotter, you must be at least 14-years old, capable of observing the weather, and have access to a telephone, e-mail or amateur radio network in order to report weather-related observations.

Those wishing to attend the class must register by phone or e-mail by September 20th. There are only 60 spots available and they are given away on a first-come, first-served basis. To register call (954) 249-5343 or e-mail n4hhp@comcast.net.

Employees with paramedic jobs work on the scene or in an ambulance to treat sick or injured patients. They may be responsible for everything from assessing injuries and providing medical care to moving patients and providing necessary medication. Check out this list of medical job description.

As paramedics are the highest level of emergency medical technicians, they also require the most training and education. Applicants must first undergo training to become an EMT-Basic, then further training to become an EMT-Intermediate, and finally training to become a paramedic.

All states also require EMTs and paramedics to become licensed before they can work with the public. In Texas, candidates must be at least 18-years old, have a valid driver’s license, undergo the proper training, and pass a physical and exam from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 210,700 EMTs and paramedics throughout the country during 2008, and that number is expected to grow by 9 percent by 2018.

In South Texas, where San Antonio is located, employment is anticipated to increase from 200 workers during 2006 to 250 workers by 2016. This means there will be 50 additional jobs and the occupation will grow by 25 percent.

Employment across Texas should grow from 12,100 workers during 2006 to 15,450 workers by 2016, accounting for 3,350 additional jobs and an overall increase of 27.7 percent.

According to the Texas Workforce Commission, the top industries that employ EMTs and paramedics include:

• Other ambulatory healthcare services – 43.03 percent
• Local government, except education – 24.18 percent
• General medical and surgical hospitals – 21.57 percent
• Employment services – 3.97 percent
• School and employee bus transportation – 2.45 percent

During 2008, the average wage for paramedics and EMTs in South Texas was $13.37 per hour, while the average wage during 2009 in Texas was $14.74 per hour and the average wage throughout the U.S. was $15.88 per hour.

The American Red Cross Mile High Chapter recently launched Save A Life Denver, a program that will allow members of the public to access automatic external defibrillators in an effort to increase the number of people who survive sudden cardiac arrest.

The three-year program, which is among the largest of its kind in the country, is part of an overall preparedness project launching this fall. It is a collaborative effort among the American Red Cross Mile High Chapter, Denver Health, and Philips Healthcare.

The Mile High Chapter is using a grant it received to place 1,000 AED units in public facilities throughout Denver at no cost to eligible businesses. The program also will train 10,000 people in Red Cross CPR and AED skills each year and will offer AEDs for purchase at a discounted rate.

“Save A Life Denver is a unique and worthwhile effort that aims to make AEDs as accessible as fire extinguishers in high use public buildings,” Charley Shimanski, regional CEO of the American Red Cross, said. “We expect Save A Life Denver to become a benchmark for future public access defibrillation programs.”

Sudden cardiac arrest claims more than 300,000 lives each year and is one of the leading causes of death in America. It has been estimated that more than 40,000 lives could be saved each year if AEDs are more widely available.

Philips HeartStart FRx Defibrillators will be used for the program. The machines offer voice commands that tell the responder what steps they should take in order to administer a life-saving shock. The defibrillators then automatically analyze the victim’s heart rhythm and detect whether a shock is needed.

The National EMS Advisory Council has selected 23 people to serve as members. Hundreds of people applied for the available positions and those who were chosen represent all aspects of the emergency medical services sector.

“Experts who serve on the National EMS Advisory Council provide invaluable guidance to our National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood said. “We are grateful for the service of our new appointees.”

Check out the list of new appointees here.

The NEMSAC was created in 2007 to advise NHTSA and the Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services on issues surrounding emergency medical services.

During 2008 the council recommended:

• NHTSA should work with FICEMS to assure integration and utilization of surveillance databases throughout federal agencies.
• NHTSA should encourage and develop relationships between federal and non-federal partners who are using existing reporting systems to improve the consistency of terminology and access to data sources on EMS illnesses, injuries and deaths.
• FICEMS should identify opportunities for enhanced federal collaboration in order to expedite the implementation of the EMS Education Agenda for the Future.
• NHTSA should publish a regular report card on the national implementation of the EMS Education Agenda for the Future.
• Efforts to expand, enhance and fund EMS research based on operation, financial and medical outcomes should be supported.
• Key performance indicators for EMS systems to measure and monitor performance should be developed and published.

The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District recently unveiled a free iPhone app that lets users know about emergency activity occurring throughout the community. The FireDepartment.org app is the first of its kind and is helping to redefine iPhone functionality.

The app provides a virtual window into the District’s 911 dispatch center and gives local emergency workers a new way to communicate with the general population during a disaster. Even those who don’t live in the area may learn from the live actions of the district’s dispatchers, firefighters and paramedics.

“Using the iPhone and iPad for field-based command and control operations holds great promise for emergency service providers,” Richard Price, Fire Chief for the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, told EMSResponder.com. “This consumer version of our development effort demonstrates the game-changing nature of these revolutionary handheld devices.”

Anyone who downloads the app will have access to:

• Ongoing incidents in the community
• The current response status of dispatched units
• A log of recent incidents
• A photo gallery of significant events
• Notifications of incidents in certain categories
• Live emergency radio traffic
• Information about disasters

The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District provides fire, rescue and emergency medical services to Alamo, Blackhawk, the Town of Danville, Diablo, the City of San Ramon, the southern area of Morgan Territory, and the Tassajara Valley in Northern California. The District currently serves a population of about 167,500 people.

The City of Detroit announced that as of June 25th it would cut 33 EMS jobs, a move that brought criticism from local leaders and citizens. The layoffs even resulted in a rally of 25 emergency services workers at the Detroit Fire Department.

“The city deserves to hear the sounds of sirens,” Wisam Zeineh, president of the Detroit Emergency Medical Services Association, said at the rally. “You have destroyed the lives of the citizens. The blood of the city is on your hands.”

According to an article by The Detroit News, Zeineh thinks the city should have anywhere from 35 to 45 ambulances in operation, which would cover Detroit’s 900,000 residents. However, there will only be 13 to 15 ambulances available after the layoffs, and police officers may soon be responsible for transporting some injured residents.

Part of the reason for the EMS job cuts is that the city is struggling to balance its $3.1 million budget. In addition, 100 police officers will lose their jobs, 77 parks and two neighborhood city halls will close, and many public services will be reduced.

City officials have not yet announced when the police officer layoffs would take place or whether or not any firefighters will lose their jobs as well.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health recently released a list of 207 EMTs who falsified necessary certifications. That list stems from an investigation that revealed a Lexington firefighter had falsified hundreds of records certifying EMTs who did not complete continuing education requirements.

According to an article by FireFightingNews, most of the EMTs involved in the scandal will have their certifications suspended for 45 days or nine months, depending on whether or not they used the false certifications they received.

Among those involved in the scandal are employees from the Billerica Police Department, Townsend Municipal Ambulance and Trinity EMS. The DPH has referred the investigation to the attorney general’s office for potential prosecution.

State officials have assured the public that no patients have reported receiving inappropriate care from EMTs who were falsely certified and that the companies and municipalities employing the EMTs were not involved in the scandal.

Most of those employers – many who fired the EMTs on their own prior to the release of the list – are not guaranteeing that the EMTs involved will have jobs after their suspensions are up.