The Salary of an Oncology Nurse

Oncology nurses are medical professionals that work with patients who have cancer. These nurses are in high demand at the moment, but they have to go through extra training to be able to work specifically in the cancer ward. If you have a passion for this kind of work, you may want to look into a degree in oncology nursing for the future. This may take a little extra time to get, but it could lead to a well-paying profession in the end. Let's take a look at the salary levels for oncology nurses so you can see just how well off you could be in the future.

Salary by Position

• Clinical Nurse Manager: $86,248 per year
• Family Nurse Practitioner: $85,533 per year
• Nurse Educator: $67,500 per year
• Nurse Oncology: $69,405 per year
• Nurse Practitioner: $75,000 per year
• Nursing Director: $89,000 per year
• Registered Nurse: $64,591 per year

Salary by Years of Experience

• Less than 1 year: $72,696 per year
• 1-4 years: $64,414 per year
• 5-9 years: $70,833 per year
• 10-19 years: $75,135 per year
• 20 years or more: $75,809 per year

Salary by Industry

• Acute Care Hospital: $71,604 per year
• Health Care Services: $78,148 per year
• Healthcare: $72,743 per year
• Hospital: $67,961 per year
• Medical Office: $67,407 per year
• Medical Services: $66,129 per year
• Physician's Office: $52,404 per year

Salary by State

• California: $82,032 per year
• Illinois: $74,800 per year
• Indiana: $70,733 per year
• New York: $71,899 per year
• North Carolina: $60,000 per year
• Ohio: $73,319 per year
• Texas: $64,742 per year

Salary by Company Size

• 1-9: $71,259 per year
• 10-49: $77,882 per year
• 50-199: $73,000 per year
• 200-599: $66,249 per year
• 600-1999: $84,975 per year
• 2000-4999: $84,058 per year
• 5000-19999: $71,601 per year
• 20000-49999: $75,000 per year

Salary by Specialty

• Acute Care: $78,344 per year
• Case Management: $68,261 per year
• Clinical Research: $72,640 per year
• Family Practice: $72,500 per year
• Geriatrics: $72,000 per year
• Hospice: $78,471 per year
• Intensive Care Unit: $78,987 per year
• Oncology: $69,652 per year
• Quality Improvement: $69,496 per year
• Surgery: $72,058 per year

Salary by Employer Type

• College or University: $61,042 per year
• Company: $75,497 per year
• Contract: $64,800 per year
• Federal Government: $67,323 per year
• State and Local Government: $61,938 per year
• Hospital: $73,656 per year
• Non-Profit Organization: $79,000 per year
• Other Organization: $71,000 per year
• Private Practice: $68,046 per year

As a whole oncology nurse practitioners make a lot more than registered nurses because of how much training they have to go through. They have to understand how to respond to cancer-related issues and how to administer medications that a cancer patient may need. This is not a career field for everyone, and it can be a very stressful one to be in. Nevertheless, it does have a decent salary to accompany it, making the stress worth the money in the end. If you have been trying to figure out which sector of nursing you want to work in, oncology may be a good option for you. Take a look at the educational program you may have to work through and start preparing for the future.

Pay Rates for Pediatric Nurses

Pediatric nursing is an exciting and rewarding career, especially for people who enjoy working with children. If you have a passion for kids and an interest in the medical field, you may do well as a pediatric nurse. Most people assume that working with kids would lead to a child-like salary, but that is far from the case. The truth is that pediatric nurses make very good money because they have to go through more training than registered nurses do. Here is a look at the pediatric nurse salary you can expect to make if you decide to go into this sector of nursing. You might be surprised by what you find.

Salary by Specialty

You can specialize in certain areas of pediatrics if you want to earn more money as a pediatric nurse. Possible salaries by specialty include:

• Pediatrics: $24,613 - $75,532
• Nursery: $19,329 - $99,329
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: $31,676 - $70,907
• Labor and Delivery: $24,161 - $99,329
• Intensive Care Unit (ICU): $36,438 - $61,983
• Emergency Room (ER): $23,583 - $59,762

Salary by Years of Experience

As you gain experience in the field of pediatric nursing, you will see a change in the amount of money that you get paid. Here is a look at how those numbers may fluctuate throughout your career:

• Less than 1 year: $32,000 - $60,000
• 1-4 years: $19,794 - $64,564
• 5-9 years: $20,426 - $117,446
• 10+ years: $38,527 - $67,813

Salary by State

Some states have higher standards of living than others, which will influence the amount of money you can make in a certain area. Listed below are some common salary levels for different states in the US.

• Texas: $30,521 - $70,053
• Georgia: $40,000 - $80,000
• Florida: $44,000 - $67,959
• California: $19,866 - $117,446

Salary by Industry

The industry you choose to work in will determine the kind of work that you do, and that could become important in approximating your earnings. Average salary levels by industry include:

• Pediatrics: $10,304 - $96,958
• Hospital: $27,617 - $61,825
• Healthcare: $26,349 - $82,500

Salary by Certification

The certifications you choose to get may be more important in calculating your earnings than you think. You can see that with some of the statistics below.

• Registered Nurse: $22,000 - $76,471
• Critical Care: $14,895 - $119,195
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: $33,040 - $76,025
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support: $35,608 - $59,499

Salary by Employer Type

Some employers have more money to offer their staff than others. The information below highlights how your pediatric nurse salary may change with the type of employer you work under.

• Hospital: $27,583 - $79,067
• Private Practice/Firm: $28,000 - $57,391

As you can see, there is a lot of money to be made in pediatric nursing. The more experience you have in your job and the better degree you have, the more money you will potentially make. In order to ensure that you have the highest salary possible, you need to think about looking for high paying employers in high paying areas. Factor in the cost of living for an area before you decide where you want to work, and then you should be able to find the most profitable option out there. With the right eye for opportunities, you'll be on your way to a financially and morally rewarding profession in no time.

Nurse Practitioner Job Description

The medical field is fueled by caregivers and nurses, and this is the kind of work that just about anyone can get into. It only takes a couple years of education to become a registered nurse, and that is the position that most people start in when they decide to enter the nursing profession. If you want to work in a more advanced position in nursing, you may consider working as a nurse practitioner. Let's take a look at what this job entails so you can determine if it is right for you.

What Is a Nurse Practitioner?

A nurse practitioner is an advanced nursing professional that takes on many of the job duties of doctors in the work place. Nurse practitioners can diagnose patients, prescribe medications, examine medical issues, and even perform surgeries in some cases. To do this though, they have to go through training beyond that of an RN. Common job duties of nurse practitioners include:

• Reviewing patient charts to assess medical conditions
• Managing other nurses in a health care facility
• Deciding what kind of medication patients should be put on to get better
• Consulting with doctors to determine the prognosis for a patient

There are many different kinds of nurse practitioners out there, including family nurse practitioners, pediatric nurse practitioners, adult nurse practitioners, psychiatric nurse practitioners, oncology nurse practitioners, and geriatric nurse practitioners. The job duties you experience in this career will be dependent on the position you choose to work in, so keep your options open when you enter this profession.

How Much Does a Nurse Practitioner Make?

As a whole, nurse practitioners make pretty good money. They have more responsibilities than other nurses, so they get have higher salaries to look forward to. Here is a look at how nurse practitioner salaries will change based on certifications and years of experience:

Salary by Certification

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support: $63,060 - $99,837
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse-Board Certified: $55,624 - $102,413
• American Nurses Credentialing Center: $61,955 - $97,995
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: $60,494 - $98,013
• Certified Family Nurse Practitioner: $63,275 - $101,984
• Critical Care: $59,555 - $111,789
• Family Nurse Practitioner: $62,489 - $97,655
• Family Practice: $58,723 - $96,352
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support: $61,514 - $100,191
• Pediatrics: $57,657 - $101,942

Salary by Experience

• <1 year: $59,335 - $86,215
• 1-4 years: $59,520 - $91,952
• 5-9 years: $59,969 - $97,079
• 10-19 years: $59,485 - $104,689
• 20+ years: $55,261 - $104,588

As you can see, there is a pretty wide range of salaries you could earn in this career. Many professionals make well over $100,000 a year, and most start with at least $60,000 in earnings through this career. If you have been looking for a nursing job that can pay the bills, this is definitely a contender. How to Become a Nurse Practitioner
To become a nurse practitioner, you will need to obtain a master of science in nursing. This is a two year degree program that occurs after you complete a four year bachelor of science in nursing program. Most nurse practitioners spend at least one year working as an RN before entering the career of a nurse practitioner. You may want to spend more than that before taking on the responsibilities of this profession. You will have to take an examination to become a certified nurse practitioner, but that will not be difficult if you pay attention in school. With a little dedication, you could be a full-fledged nurse practitioner in no time.

Is Medical Assisting Right for You?

A medical administrative assistant is a person that takes care of all of the clerical work for a health care facility. This person is not necessarily a nurse, but he or she does need to work with nurses and other medical staff members to ensure that a hospital or clinic runs effectively. If you are thinking about working in a medical career in the near future, you may want to start off as a medical assistant to see if this is a good path for you. Let's take a look at the work of a medical assistant so you can determine if you want to be a part of this career.

What Does a Medical Assistant Do?

Medical assistant job duties vary from one place to the next. Thus it is hard to say exactly what you will be doing in this career in the near future. Possible responsibilities include:

• Scheduling patients to visit a doctor
• Organizing charts and files in a facility
• Checking insurance information for patients
• Answering phone calls for a health care office
• Reminding patients about upcoming appointments
• Answering basic questions for a clinic
• Creating an organization system for an office
• Aiding a doctor in whatever it is that he needs help with at the time

Your job duties as a medical assistant may span well beyond that, but that should give you a rough idea of what you might be doing in this career. If that sounds like something you would be interested in, you may want to look for an open position in your area.

Where Can a Medical Assistant Work?

Medical assistants can work anywhere that medical personnel are needed. Common places of employment include:

• Doctor's offices
• Hospitals
• Heath clinics
• Dentistry offices
• Nursing homes
• Schools

You can find work under doctors and nurses of all specialties and locations. Medical assistants are in high demand at the moment, so there should be several career options available to you. If you check with local health care facilities, you can almost always find some kind of opening to fulfill.

How Much Money Do Medical Assistants Make?

The amount of money that you make as a medical assistant will be based on your employer, location, experience, and time on the job. Medical assistants usually make pretty decent money, but that all depends on your standard of living. Here is a look at the salary levels you may make based on a few different factors related to your job as a medical assistant:

Salary by Years of Experience

• <1 year: $15,470 - $35,665
• 1-4 years: $16,396 - $38,090
• 5-9 years: $19,685 - $38,371
• 10-19 years: $22,523 - $45,147
• 20+ years: $24,694 - $51,521

Salary by Certification

• ASCP Certified Phlebotomy Technician: $34,100 - $40,689
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: $12,699 - $37,525
• Certified Medical Assistant: $19,428 - $39,996
• Certified Nursing Assistant: $20,600 - $35,782
• Emergency Medical Technician: $18,201 - $41,256

As you can see, there is a lot of money to be made in this industry. You just have to put forth an effort to earn it. With the information above in mind, you can now figure out if you want to work in this career or not. If so, you could start looking for an open medical assistant position in your area right away.

The Root Cause of Depression

There are many sufferers of depression, stress and anxiety, numbering over 20 billion each year. Antidepressant drugs are normally prescribed to cure the condition, commonly believed to be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. However, the American Psychiatric Association states that clinical lab tests proving the chemical imbalances as the root cause are not reliable resources. In fact, the imbalances are actually a symptom of depression, not the root cause. The antidepressants do help to correct chemical imbalances, so sufferers should not quick taking the medication unless instructed by their health professional. Since the medications only treat the symptoms of depression, there is a seventy percent chance of relapsing when they are discontinued.

Everyone that suffers mental trauma, such as the death of a loved one, will experience some stress. However, one person may go into a deep depression while another will not, having suffered the same experience. This is due to way each person assigns meaning to the event. The root cause of depression is the flawed patterns of thinking experienced by the depressed person. With these patterns, chemical imbalances in the brain occur causing the depression. Antidepressant drugs do provide some relief for the condition, but they do not provide a cure. Once a course of medications is done and discontinued, the depression comes back. The medications are prescribed again, and so on. This creates a constant circle of pain and frustration for the depressed person, possible worsening the condition.

The only way the cycle for the sufferer of depression is to treat the root cause. Getting treatment with a qualified health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist will assist in correcting the flawed thinking patterns. Over time, the depressed person will begin to feel relief. During this treatment, the person should remain on the prescribed medications. When the treatments are completed, the health professional can advise the person if the medications should be discontinued. With some people, treatments can continue for years if the depression has become chronic, and not responding well to the treatments. Others may need only minimal treatment for stress conditions that cause only a mild depression.

With a diagnosis of mild depression, antidepressant medication may not be necessary to assist in treatment. Creating more effective modes of thinking may be all that is needed to relieve the symptoms and get rid of the condition. In addition, this prevents the depressed person from having to take medications unnecessarily. Most antidepressant medications do have side effects that can put physical health at risk or worsen the depression. Some people that take antidepressants could have thoughts of suicide or react to medication with violent behavior or mental catatonia, becoming unresponsive to their surroundings. Any person having symptoms of depression, anxiety or elevated levels of stress should consult a qualified health professional to discuss options for treatment.

Depression is becoming more popular with each passing year, but scientists are doing all they can to develop medications to counteract it. Stresses related to raising a family or paying the bills can become overwhelming for some people, as can the sudden loss of a beloved relative. With the variety of triggers that can lead to depression, it may be nearly impossible for doctors to come up with an exact remedy to the problem. Nevertheless, scientists will continue to search for the root cause of depression to ensure the best treatment possible for those who suffer with this disorder. If you choose to go into a medical career in the future, you may very well become a part of this research.

What Is the CA 125 Blood Test?

Ovarian cancer is a life threatening disease that has claimed the lives of numerous women over the years. Nowadays though, there is a renewed hope that the disease can be discovered before reaching its advanced stages of development. The CA 125 blood test has transformed the way medical assisting jobs and other careers in the medical field detect ovarian cancer, and it is something you may come across in your work in the future. The information below provides an overview of this test to give you a better understanding of how it works and what it can do.

How the CA 125 Blood Test Works

Testing for the CA 125 protein can help doctors determine whether or not someone has ovarian cancer much earlier on than alternative tests that have been performed in the past. This is a test that was developed in 1996, but in recent years has been significantly improved. Researchers say that the CA 125 protein is found in a number of various cancer cells, particularly ovarian cancer, so the presence of this protein is often a reliable indicator that a form of cancer exists. By taking fluid from the abdominal or chest cavity and testing it for this protein doctors can sometimes diagnose ovarian as well as other cancers before they reach advanced stages of development.

Another common use of the CA 125 protein blood test is the supervising of patients with pre-existing conditions. Monitoring of this protein can help doctors to determine whether or not certain therapies, such as chemotherapy, are working as they should be. If CA 125 blood testing indicates that levels of the protein are decreasing this can be a sure indicator that such medical therapies are effective.

Possible Problems with CA 125 Blood Tests

It is possible for other conditions other than cancer to cause elevated levels of the CA 125 protein but because doctors are aware of such conditions they can easily be ruled out once testing is conducted. Simple, everyday conditions such as menstruation, non-cancerous tumors, and pregnancy may all cause this protein level to rise in the body. When visiting a physician they should be made aware of any conditions that may cause these levels to rise.

One of the biggest problems doctors face when it comes to diagnosing cancer is that they often are unable to obtain a diagnosis early on enough in the cancers stages of development to be able to effectively treat such diseases. More and more often researchers are coming up with early detecting testing that gives us hope of being able to cure such diseases. By seeing a doctor regularly, you are giving yourself an increased chance of discovering a disease early on and having many more options regarding treatment possibilities. No ailment should be completely ignored, especially if you have a history of cancer in your family. Early detection is the key to battling this most ruthless disease.

Although the CA 125 blood test for ovarian cancer is not perfect, it definitely aids doctors and scientists in the battle against both ovarian as well as other cancers. Every day this test is used more and more commonly and every day the test is being improved to work even better. While not a cure for cancer nor a singular determinant, the capabilities of the CA 125 blood test for cancer is surely a large step towards the battle against this type of cancer as well as others. This could easily lead to better detection processes in the future if scientists continue to explore their options.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriasis is a skin disease that can be somewhat unbearable to deal with, just because of the unsightly lesions it creates on the skin. Reality TV enthusiasts may remember a recent episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians where Kim discovered that she had psoriasis. This isn't a rare disease per se, but it can be somewhat hard to identify because it looks like several other skin conditions. If you are learning how to become a medical examiner, you may need to know what to look for in this condition. The information below provides an overview of what goes into diagnosing and treating psoriasis, in case you come across it in the future.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, which means the body's immune system attacks its own tissues causing skin plaques or scaling. It manifests itself on many parts of the body, most notably the elbows, knees and ankles. There is no cure for the condition, but early treatment with different skin salves, special tar soaps and ultraviolet light lessen the effects of the condition. Scientists are trying to find a cure at this time.

Along with this skin condition, another complication can result: psoriatic arthritis. The condition affects men and women equally, usually between the ages of 30 to 50 although it could be at any age. Since psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, the manifestation of the psoriatic arthritis is also an autoimmune condition, causing joint pain, stiffening of ligaments and tendons, and even affecting internal organs. The arthritic condition is similar to rheumatoid arthritis and is often mistakenly diagnosed as such. However, making your health professional aware of a history of psoriasis often yields the correct diagnoses.

Sufferers of psoriatic arthritis find themselves requiring treatment for not one condition, but two. Treating the skin condition becomes a secondary concern to alleviating the pain, stiffness and inflammation of the arthritic manifestation. Early detection and treatment can lessen the ill effects of the disease, allowing continued treatment of the skin condition. When the psoriasis sufferer begins to feel the pain and stiffness that is common with arthritis, it is important to consult a qualified health professional for consultation and treatment in order to maintain a lifestyle free of the debilitating effects of psoriatic arthritis.

As with other forms of arthritis, different treatment options are available and suggested on a case by case basis, depending on the severity of symptoms and incapacitation. Active exercise programs for mild effects can give back flexibility and lessened discomfort, and passive exercises (when the therapist does the movements for you) helps to stretch and strengthen weakened muscles, ligaments and tendons, restoring flexibility and allowing more range of motion. Keep in mind that the more a muscle is used, the healthier it is. Circulation is increased, providing nutrients and oxygen to the muscles in order to decrease the effects of psoriatic arthritis. Therapeutic massage and applications of hot and cold packs also help to loosen tighten muscles that result from the condition.

Only your health professional can diagnose psoriatic arthritis, using a combination of testing techniques with knowledge of your medical history. It may take several visits for testing to reach a definitive diagnosis and arrange for the proper treatment, whether it requires medications or simply therapy and teaching in the management of the condition. For prevention, daily exercise, a diet with appropriate nutrition and dietary supplements such as glucosamine may help. Consulting your health professional for advice will provide more information.