LPN to RN Blog

Archive for October, 2009

In early 2010, Congress passed a law called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that drastically changed the landscape of health care in the United States. The law created many new provisions and statues relating to medical coverage, insurance, and Medicaid, and levied several new taxes in order to pay for them. It aimed to cover the nearly 46 million Americans that do not have health insurance and to mend the seemingly broken health care delivery system. These provisions will begin to take shape over the next four years, becoming fully integrated into the health care system by 2014.

One of the greatest provisions of the PPAC Act is related to expanding Medicaid coverage. Effective Jan. 1, 2014, individuals that earn an income of up to 133 percent of the poverty line can qualify for Medicaid coverage. This also includes adults without dependent children. Effective Sept. 23, 2010, Medicare coverage will be expanded to include small, rural hospitals and medical facilities. The Act also prohibits health insurance companies from dropping patients once they become ill, or have preexisting conditions. In the past, the discrimination against patients with preexisting conditions led insurance companies to deny roughly 132 million Americans suffering from chronic illnesses. Also, with such provisions as providing incentive to business to provide health care benefits for employees and subsidizing insurance premiums, the estimated number of insured Americans will increase by 32 million by 2014. This increase will likely create a major demand for medical professionals and nurses, especially those trained in primary care. The law does, however, exclude illegal immigrants from reaping the benefits of subsidy programs.

The health care provisions laid out in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will be paid for with various taxes, fees, and cost-savings techniques. This includes a new tax on indoor tanning, Medicare taxes for high-income brackets and additional fees for medical equipment and pharmaceutical companies. Also, the law mandates that those citizens who do not receive or purchase medical coverage will be subjected to a penalty of $695 per year. These money making and saving tactics are estimated to reduce the national deficit by over $100 billion in the first decade.

Many Americans are divided on the issues of health care coverage and reform. While medical care for the masses is a noble ideal, some critics believe these issues should be handled by the states or should be decided upon by individuals.

Many people get online to search for answers regarding their health care concerns, including injuries, diseases, treatments and preventions. But with so many website on the Internet, consumers should be cautious about which sites are trustworthy and provide accurate medical information and which are not. Taking medical advice from a source that is unreliable can have dangerous consequences. The most well respected medical sites have been listed below to help consumer find the information they need from professional and reliable sources.

The largest provider of online medical information is a site called WebMD. This site is an award winning portal for consumers to find facts and data regarding a variety of medical conditions and injuries, as well as relevant news articles, expert blogs, forums and newsletters. WebMD provides users with specific sections relating to drugs and supplements, healthy living, eating and dieting, parenting and pregnancy, mental health, and even pet health, as well as a symptom checker to review various body parts and ailments, which then lists possible maladies and solutions. This site is continuously reviewed for accuracy and timelessness by a medical board of four physicians. It is estimated that over 17 million people visit WebMD each month in search of answers for their medical questions.

Another highly trusted site belongs to the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit organization, medical practice and group of research facilities. Specializing in hard to treat illnesses, Mayo Clinic has been ranked as one of the best hospitals in the US for many years. It is known for a high standard of care, as well as for putting the patients’ needs above all else. The Mayo Clinic website provides users with important medical information concerning diagnoses, treatment plans, health management and over 30 more health and lifestyle categories. As one of the most trusted medical providers in the country, users can be certain the information provided via mayoclinic.com is accurate and dependable.

Other widely used sites include Wrong Diagnosis, Health A to Z, CNN Health, Discovery Health and the National Institute of Health. Choosing a medical information site is almost as important as choosing a physician. The information provided over these web sites should be easy to understand, trustworthy, up to date and from a highly reliable source. Receiving medical information or advice from a web site that is questionable in nature could lead to disastrous medical consequences.

From acupuncture to Yoga, alternative medicines have been around for hundreds of years and many people still use it. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 38 percent of adults in the United States use some form of complementary and alternative medicine, which NCCAM defines as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems that are not considered part of conventional medicine." While conventional medicine is exactly what health professionals have always based their practice on, more and more nurses are choosing to take a holistic approach in the care of their patients and use integrative medicine that combines both conventional and alternative medicine.

Recognizing it as a growing specialization, the American Nurses Association granted holistic nursing specialty status in 2006. It is an approach to the practice of nursing which involves the idea that to treat a patient’s medical condition their physical, mental, emotional, and social conditions must also be taken into consideration. It operates on the idea that in order to reach an optimum level of health all areas of one’s life must be in balance. Holistic nurses combine their nursing knowledge and traditional medical treatments, with holistic theories and alternative therapies to care for patient’s physical, mental, and spiritual states. Complementary and alternative medicines often considered in clinical practice include acupuncture, massage, aroma therapy, biofeedback, osteopathic manipulation, diet, and nutrition. Holistic nurses also strive to have a unique relationship with their patients and are interested in bonding with them on a deeper level. This is because they believe that by creating a more personal and supportive environment they are able to give their patients more individualized attention and provide them with better care.

To support those interested in holistic nursing, the American Holistic Nurses’ Certification Corporation endorses holistic nursing programs at 13 schools and is the only national credentialing corporation that offers holistic nurse certification. Those with an RN license and at least a Baccalaureate degree in any field may be eligible to take the certification examination after completing 48 contact hours in holistic nursing theory, practice, research or ethics, within the last two years, and spending a year practicing full time in holistic nursing or at least 2000 hours in the last five years. The exam includes a quantitative part, which assesses ones knowledge and skills essential to the practice of holistic nursing, and a qualitative part, which assesses one’s ability to integrate holistic nursing concepts into their professional and personal lives.

Outside the nursing world, many of us are not aware that there is a drastic difference between registered nurses, and licensed practioner nurses.  We are only aware of the Florence Nightingale nurse who weighs us at the clinic and takes our blood pressure as we wait for the doctor.  However, the nursing world itself is full of different certification programs, different residency requirements, and different levels of nurses entirely.  However, the differences between LPNs, RNs, and nursing assistants (or aides) has become so highly sensitized in the nursing world that it has triggered several lawsuits on the intricacies of each department, as well as reaffirmed the fact that RNs have the highest workload and salaries.

LPNs have similar duties as RNs, but their salaries are usually lower – however, they are in charge of medical charts, assist in surgery, and give medication.  RNs have heightened responsibilities compared to LPNs and thus have even more duties.  However, nursing assistants are vastly different from LPNs or RNs and make a considerably lower salary because of the amount of work they do. One major lawsuit in Arkansas accused a community college of falsly advertising that their nursing assistant program would train students to become an LPN, alleging that LPNs were being phased out of nursing.  However, most of the training the students were taught was in fact training to become a nursing aide or assistant, in which the student was only learning how to make beds, empty bed pans, and take vital signs.  This is drastically different from the amount of responsibility most LPNs and RNs hold.  Nursing assistants typically do the bare minimum in health care in order to help out the nurses and keep clinics and hospitals running on schedule.

While in that case, the community college was responsible for falsely advertising their courses, it has become a national issue as to the difference between these tiers of nurses, especially when so many of us are not aware of any difference at all.  There are now many LPN to RN nursing programs so that students can begin their foray into health care by become a licensed practioner nurse, instead of a registered nurse at first.  This has many benefits because you are able to quickly finish your program and begin working in clinics, and are able to see whether you like this type of work.  After working several years, you can take additional courses to earn your registered nurse title, a transition many schools are now offering through their LPN to RN bridge programs.  This saves time, money, and helps many nurses build their confidence.  Nurses all have different roles to play, but knowing for sure what role you are learning (without any deceit) can make all the difference in creating an enjoyable experience in health care. 
 

Within the field of nursing, there are countless opportunities for making a difference. From research to health advocacy programs to team leadership to administration and education partnerships, nurses will never stop developing the skills they need to manage effective, compassionate patient care systems. And with the assistance of these networks, nurses and nursing students will be able to find even more support for achieving their goals.

Professional Organizations

Join these professional organizations to learn about the latest in research, certification and more.

1. International Council of Nurses: This group is over 100 years old and unites nurses from all over the world.
2. American Academy of Nursing: This top nursing organization is all over social media, too, making them easy to follow.
3. American Nurses Association: Join this community for optimum networking potential, certification information, advocacy projects, and more.
4. Minority Nurse: Nurses of minority backgrounds can find scholarships, jobs, learning resources and other networking features here.
5. American Assembly for Men in Nursing: Male nurses can use this organization for find jobs, support and more.
6. National Association Directors of Nursing Administration/Long Term Care: The NADONALTC offers support and networking opportunities through conferences, forums, education and more.
7. Service Employees International Union: SEIU promotes accountability and progress for hospitals and patient care.
8. Western Institute of Nursing: Nurses who study and work in the American West can find out about research conferences and more.
9. National Organization for Associate Degree Nursing: Nurses with associate degrees can join this network for specific career counseling, certification information and professional support.
10. National Council of State Boards Nursing: This group is comprised of groups and boards devoted to upholding the quality and integrity of state nursing boards.
11. American Organization of Nurse Executives: Ambitious nurses have a chance to share their ideas for the future of nursing through this networking portal.
12. National Nurses in Business Association: Learn about legal nurse consulting, self-employment and emergency nursing here.
13. National Institute of Nursing Research: Get information on training, funding and national research studies through the National Institute of Nursing Research.

Social Media and Online Networking

Network online to learn about jobs, discover new specialties, make friends and get involved in ways you never thought you could.

14. Nurse Zone: This online network is a fantastic resource for nurses wanting to learn about education, advancing their careers, exploring new fields, medical news, the future of nursing, and beyond.
15. Medscape: Register on Medscape to get personalized access to the health information site that best suits your interests and specialty.
16. AllNurses: Here you’ll find blogs, medical news, job posts and plenty of online networking.
17. Nurses Reconnected: Find out what happened to your nursing buddies from the past through this network.
18. NurseCentral: NurseCentral is an Australian-based site for nurse networking and information sharing.
19. NurseLinkUp: This social networking site is just for nurses and offers opportunities for job information sharing, medical news, and a community.
20. SocialRN: SocialRN is a great networking site for nurses who want to create profiles, meet other nurses and catch up on nursing news, projects, conferences, and more.
21. Nurse Connect: Find a growing nursing community on this site, plus resources about travel nursing, finding a job, continuing education and more.
22. Nursing Times: In addition to the latest nursing and medical news, this site features community blogs, debates, forums and networking.
23. Nursing Express: This British and Australian site has information about training and education as well as nurse networking and community links.
24. Clinical Village: Medical professionals chat on the forums, share ideas, learn about research studies and build connections on this site.
25. Healtheva: Doctors and medical researchers join this site for networking, blogging and more.
26. Nurse.com: Nurse.com is a popular resource for getting news, learning about special events in nursing, and networking with other nurses.

Job Placement and Careers

Link up to these career networks for job tools and connections.

27. U.S. Nursing Network: This group finds jobs for travel nurses and more.
28. American Nurses Credentialing Center: This group is affiliated with the ANA and is the world’s largest nursing credentialing organization.
29. All Health Jobs: Look for nursing, medical administration and other health care jobs around the country.

Forums

Chat with other nurses to share your experiences and learn about new avenues for making a difference.

30. Nursing Voices: This "friendly forum" includes threads about nursing, school, medicine, and plenty more.
31. NurseTV: NurseTV’s chat and forum portal features threads about travel nursing, news and more.
32. Ultimate Nurse: You can find posts about jobs and nursing education on Ultimate Nurse.
33. NurseForums.com: NurseForums.com is a site for diabetes nurses, registered dietitians and diabetes educators.
34. The Student Nurse Forum: Here, student nurses can discover all there is to learn about nurse education, specialties, jobs and more.

Education

These networks are for nursing students and alumni with high expectations for success.

35. Sigma Theta Tau International: This honor society for nursing students offers support and resources to members long after they graduate.
36. American Association of Colleges of Nursing: Here you’ll find information about certification specialty fields job hunting and more.
37. Chi Eta Phi: This professional nursing group has over 81 graduate chapters and 38 undergraduate chapters in the U.S.
38. National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service, Inc.: NAPNES includes all kinds of education tools an resources on its website, and membership is open to nurses, students, retired professionals and agencies.
39. National League for Nursing: This group aims to promote excellence in nursing education so that students are well-prepared to enter the health care profession.
40. National Student Nurses Association: This group welcomes around 50,000 members who benefit from scholarship, career placement and general support resources.
41. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties: This group promotes quality education for nurse practitioners.
42. Alpha Tau Delta National Fraternity: Professional nurses and nursing students can join this network to learn about the field and make valuable career contacts.

Specialty Groups

Networking opportunities for pediatric nurses, cancer nurses and other niche specialties can be found in this list.

43. Nurses Christian Fellowship: Christian nurses and nursing students can turn to this network for a Christian perspective on their career choice.
44. Society of Pediatric Nurses: Nurses who work in pediatrics will find resources for scholarships, job placement, conventions, pursuing research, and more.
45. Nurses Organization Veterans Affairs: NOVA is a professional community for nurses who work for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
46. Emergency Nurses Association: ER nurses will find out about medical news, advocacy and outreach programs, special certification and education opportunities, career resources and more benefits from the ENA.
47. Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses: The AWHONN provides all kinds of resources for its members including journals and research studies, information on health policy, career help, continuing education opportunities, and beyond.
48. International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care: This unique network of nurses involved in cancer care offers members the chance to work on research projects, lead workshops, and more.
49. American Forensic Nurses: The AFN is a network for nurses who work in forensics, and membership can grant you access to continuing education opportunities and scholarships, certification and more.
50. Visiting Nurse Associations of America: The VNAA is a network for nurses who make home visits to patients. Their group features an advocacy and education center for continuing education and the opportunity to join causes close to the VNAA.

Registered nurses specialize in many areas that can pertain to specific age groups, diseases, or treatments. But did you know that some nurses even specialize in specific organs? Typically employed in hospital specialty units, hospital critical care units, specialty clinics, and outpatient care facilities, they are specially trained in the treatment of particular organs like the heart, skin, and eyes.

Cardiovascular nurses care for patients with heart problems, such as coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, congenital heart disease, and heart attacks. They treat acutely ill patients and watch their progress by monitoring stress test evaluations, cardiac, and vascular readings. They also care for critically ill patients as well and provide services like postoperative rehabilitation for patients who have undergone heart surgery like bypass, angioplasty, or pacemaker surgery. Cardiovascular nurses aid in cardiac rehabilitation, working with patients who need to make lifestyle changes to prevent the worsening of their disease. They work closely with patients and their families as to educate them on proper care and precautions they should take.

Dermatology nurses specialize in the caring of the body’s largest and most visible organ, the skin. Working in clinical environments, hospitals and burn centers, they treat patients with skin disorders, diseases, and wounds. They see various dermatological conditions ranging from skin cancer to acne, as well as shingles, psoriasis, and infections. Dermatology nurses conduct examinations and diagnostic screenings, and assist with monitoring medical, surgical or phototherapeutic interventions for patients. They also commonly perform procedures such as, microdermabrasion, biopsies, chemical peels and mesotherapy. As many skin conditions can be treated if caught early, an important part of their job is to educate patients about dermatological conditions and promoting healthy ways to treat them.

Ophthalmic nurses care for patients who are diagnosed with disorders of the eyes, including blindness and glaucoma. These nurses know that vision problems can be related to other serious medical problems like hypertension and diabetes. Therefore when patients have eye disorders like glaucoma, cataracts, eye trauma, and partial or full blindness, ophthalmic nurses conduct tests that examine health in other areas. They also work closely with and prepare patients who are undergoing eye surgery. First, they conduct preoperative assessments that include gathering information about their overall health, current medications, allergic reactions to medications, and systemic conditions. Second, they inform patients about surgical procedure itself as well as aftercare procedures. During operations, ophthalmic nurses assist the surgical team, functioning as circulator or scrub nurses. They carefully and safely position patients for the best surgical access, verify the surgical site, and help out with technical instrumentation.

Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses who have completed their nursing education on an advanced level, as well as completed training in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. To become a certified nurse practitioner one must complete an approved master’s, post-master’s and doctoral level adult, gerontologic, and family nurse practitioner programs. After successfully completing a program, one must be licensed by the state, each of which has its own licensing and certification criteria. While this may sound like a lot of work, it hasn’t stopped many nurses from advancing to this level of practice. According to the "National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses 2008: Initial Findings" by the Health Resources Services Administration, there were an estimated 158,348 nurse practitioners in the United States in 2008. This is not surprising, given that there are quite a few good reasons to put forth the effort.

Even though initially registered nurses are going to have to spend more money to complete additional education, the payback is worth it. According to Salary.com, depending on experience, setting, and specialty, nurse practitioners can earn from $72,000 to $100,000 a year. Not bad compared to the $56,000 to $68,000 they were earning annually as registered nurses. Nurse practitioners can expect to begin making a better salary shortly after advancing their careers. According to PayScale, those with less than one year experience earn between $60,562 and $77,572 annually, while those with one to four years of experience earn from $66,021 to $81,443.

Since nurse practitioners complete more education than registered nurses, they have the freedom to work more independently. Originally, the nurse practitioner position was created to free up physicians, so these specialty nurses are even allowed to perform some of the same duties as doctors. Many of which include, conducting physical examinations, diagnosing and treating common illnesses, and prescribing medicine. Although nurse practitioners still work underneath physicians, they tend to work independently on a regular basis and can serve as a patient’s regular health care provider.

If as a registered nurse one was interested in working in a specific area of medicine, they can still do so as a nurse practitioner. As an advanced nurse they work at a higher level within various specialties such as family practice, pediatrics, geriatrics, mental health, acute care, and school nursing. Nurse practitioners who desire to specialize in a specific area can do so through the American Nurse’s Credentialing Center. After meeting all requirements, such as holding a master’s degree in nursing, candidates can sit for a specialty examination certification to will validate their ability to practice.

Paramedics are exposed to many of the grim realities of life and therefore require not only a disposition that can handle this, but an ability to think quickly on their feet. They are additional some of the most respected civil service jobs in the nation, alongside firefighters and police officers. However, many paramedics continue on their course for a few years and decide they want a more stable career choice, although still in the health care industry, leading to programs like the paramedic to RN bridge program which aids paramedics in achieving their nursing degree.

Being a paramedic is incredibly rewarding, and despite the demanding schedule and grueling pace of their career, most paramedics are hesitant to give up their job. Becoming an RN is the next logical step for many paramedics because it keeps them within the same career atmosphere with the same unpredictability, but without the grueling pace. As an RN, you are aware of what may face you and you can have a more set schedule, without the constant racing around to accident sites. Additionally, many paramedics want to be able to grow in their career goals, an opportunity a career in nursing can offer to them. Paramedics make a little more than half the salary that registered nurses make, mostly for similar work that they have already been introduced to. All in all, becoming an RN seems to be the next logical step for many paramedics.

Work stress can be largely debilitating to facilitating a normal life outside of work, and many paramedics continue to take this stress home with them, causing many long-term problems. It is difficult to see so many accidents every day, and continue to be unable to save every person. While nurses and doctors experience similar feelings, they are not on-site at accidents and do not see the grueling wreckage of a car accident or the macabre scene after a drug-related shoot-out. Paramedics have to soak all this in, and still go home wondering what happened to their patient. As a registered nurse, the stress on the job is considerably lower, albeit still there. However, most RNs are well equipped to deal with the stress of life, and are comforted by the stability in their job and the joy that comes with patient care, viewing and visiting the same patients every day.

More and more schools are offering bridge programs to facilitate the process in becoming an RN after already having a paramedic license. These programs shorten the amount of time it takes to become an RN (due to the previous classes paramedics have already had to take) and make the process easier for students. Additionally, the cost of attending these bridge classes is much cheaper than enrolling in a full RN program and can save students valuable time and money in the long run.

As a nurse taking various short term positions around the country, odds are you’ll be coming and going to lots of different places. You’re most likely to need tools that can help you stay on top of plans, keep in touch, maintain your fitness, and more. Here we’ll examine 100 iPhone apps that can help make your life easier.

Planning & Status

Use these apps to plan your travel, get updates, and more.

1. iPhone Travel: iPhone Travel will make it easy for you to find deals on air, hotels, and more.
2. Travelocity: Find hotels near you, check flight schedules, and view your Travelocity itinerary with this app.
3. roadtrippr: This app will help you find interesting places to visit that are off the beaten path.
4. Trips: Enter your itineraries and stay on top of changes, delays, and more.
5. Lonely Planet: Use Lonely Planet’s iPhone guides to learn about cities you may be traveling in.
6. TripChill: This mobile travel assistant will keep you, your friends, and colleagues on top of your travel status.
7. Dirt Cheap Vacation Finder: You can find vacation deals right on your iPhone using this app.
8. Frommer’s: See the latest information from Frommer’s, including maps, prices, and experiences.
9. Marriott Mobile: Search for rooms, access your account, and more with Marriott Mobile.

Medical

Use these apps for on the go medical reference.

10. Netter’s Anatomy: Get an atlas of the human body on your iPhone with the Netter’s Anatomy app.
11. iRx: Keep a reference from the FDA on your iPhone by using this app.
12. Eponyms: Eponyms will make it easier for you to understand medical terminology.
13. iPharmacy: iPharmacy will help you look into interactions, side effects, and more.

Connectivity & Communication

With these apps, you can stay in touch with the people that matter most.

14. OnTheRoad: Create a travel journal that you can update on the road with this useful app.
15. Insanely Simple Country Codes for International Calling: This app offers an easy way to find country codes.
16. Google Latitude: Google Latitude makes it easy for you to see where your friends are and help them find you.
17. Skype: Download Skype for the iPhone to get free or cheap calling anywhere in the world.
18. Wi-Fi Finder: Find Wi-Fi anywhere you are by using the Wi-Fi Finder app.
19. Facebook: Stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues through the social networking site and iPhone app Facebook.
20. Ultralingua: Ultralingua will provide you with instant translations between multiple languages.
21. Truphone: With the Truphone app, you can save money on phone calls by using your Internet connection.
22. Fuze: Use Fuze to connect with friends, colleagues, and more on instant messaging services including MSN, Google Talk, and AIM.
23. Twitter: Take your pick of your favorite Twitter app for the iPhone to stay in the loop with your Tweeple.
24. Babelingo: Babelingo makes it easier to communicate in foreign countries by translating what you want to say and displaying it on the screen.

Health & Fitness

While you’re helping others with their health, be sure not to neglect yours. These apps are great for helping you eat right, exercise, and stay well wherever you are.

25. SparkPeople: Sparkpeople helps you stay on top of what you’re eating and eat healthy at restaurants.
26. My Life Record: With My Life Record, you can keep your medical information handy on your iPhone.
27. iFitness: iFitness works as a personal trainer on your iPhone.
28. PaceCalc: Find out how fast you’re swimming, running, or biking by using PaceCalc.
29. WalkJogRun: Learn about exercise routs in over 200 countries by using WalkJogRun.
30. Diet: Using Diet, you can learn about the nutritional information for more than 7,000 products.
31. iPhodometer: iPhodometer will help you find out how many steps you’ve taken and the calories you’ve burned.
32. iStayFit: This app offers an easy solution to keeping tack of your workouts.
33. Heartbeat: Use Heartbeat to monitor your heart rate.
34. Pret-a-Yoga: This yoga app will show you yoga routines you can do anywhere.
35. Massage Me: Get a relaxing massage from your iPhone with Massage Me.
36. Daily Calorie Calculator: Discover how much you’re burning by using this app.
37. GymFu: Use these minigames to do pushups and more with your iPhone.
38. Binaural Beats: Binaural Beats provides users with beats to concentrate on for relaxed, focused, and stress-free states of mind.
39. Tai Chi Master: Tai Chi Master will help you learn the basics of Tai Chi.

Transportation & Navigation

Learn how to get around in a strange city by using these apps.

40. Emergency Car Care Guide: This app offers emergency car care tips for road warriors.
41. Gate Maps: Easily get around unfamiliar airports using Gate Maps.
42. Google Earth: Explore the world around you through Google Earth on the iPhone.
43. Mobile Map Me: With Mobile Map Me, you can create a map of your important places.
44. Yahoo! Maps: An alternative to the iPhone’s included Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps can help you get around town.
45. Cheap Gas!: Find out where the nearest, cheapest gas stations are by using this app.
46. NextFlight: Watch flights between two locations to find the next flight with this app.
47. iMetro: Find the best routes between subway stations in a variety of cities using iMetro.
48. InDoorMaps: Get guides to hospitals, malls, and more using InDoorMaps.
49. Flight Status: Flight Status provides you with the essential information for thousands of flights in the palm of your hand.
50. CityTransit: Get around New York City using your iPhone with the City Transit app.
51. Transitly: This application offers common timetables for mass transit quickly and easily.
52. My Gas Wars: Learn about the cheapest gas prices in a location with the help of user updates from My Gas Wars.
53. Trapster: Take advantage of Trapster to get alerted about speed traps near your position.
54. Metropoliphone: You’ll be able to find subway, bus, and train maps from worldwide cities using Metropoliphone.
55. Tube London City: Tube London City will help you find your way on the London Tube.
56. Airport Flight Delays: This app offers a list of current flight delays at airports across the US.
57. Taxi Magic: Forget hailing a cab — look up nearby taxi services with this app, and get someone to pick you up.
58. Yelp: Find reviews for just about anything by using the Yelp app.
59. Flight: Learn about the status of your flight quickly and easily with the help of this app.
60. Rocket Taxi: Rocket Taxi makes it easy for you to find local taxi services, and even estimate your fare.
61. Compass PointMeThere: This compass app allows you to store locations, so you can always find your way back to your hotel.
62. iBart: With the help of iBart, you’ll be able to navigate San Francisco’s Bart system.
63. Taxi!: Taxi! finds taxis based on your location, offering ratings, prescreened lists, and information about payment options.

Local Resources

These apps will help you find the best restaurants, shopping, and other resources in just about any location.

64. Urban Spoon: Urban Spoon offers an incredibly easy way to find a place to get a bite wherever you are.
65. WikiMe: WikiMe will find Wikipedia entries based on your GPS location.
66. Where: Learn about coffee shops, events, and more in any location using Where.
67. Local Eats: Find the top 100 restaurants in 50 American cities using the Local Eats app.
68. Around Me: Around Me will tell you about pharmacies, restaurants, and other resources in the area near where you are.
69. SitOrSquat: Find a clean, close bathroom all over the world using SitOrSquat.
70. Mobile by City Search: Mobile offers business information, reviews, maps, and lots more.
71. Movies: Learn about movie theaters near you and what’s on with Movies.
72. Zagat TO GO: Zagat TO GO Will inform you of the best restaurants, hotels, shopping, and more.
73. Local Picks: Trip Advisor’s app will help you find restaurants with high customer satisfaction.

Entertainment & Activities

These apps offer entertainment or ways to find things to do.

74. Stanza: This eReader app will provide you with hours of cheap, compact reading in digital form.
75. CityPass Mobile: Get tickets to big city attractions on your iPhone with CityPass Mobile.
76. The Hiking Insider: Learn about the latest hiking news and great spots using Hiking Insider.
77. Landscapedia Garden Tour Guide: Find out about botanical gardens, arboretums and more using this app.
78. Wikipanion: Find out about nearly anything, right from your iPhone with Wikipanion.

Organization & Productivity

Stay productive on the road by using these apps.

79. Google Calendar: With Google Calendar, you’ll be able to plan out all of your travel nursing activities wherever you are.
80. iZoho: iZoho makes it easy for you to stay on top of your mobile office.
81. Recorder: Record anything, anywhere with the Recorder app.
82. Discover: Keep files like PDFs and maps on your iPhone, no internet access required, with this app.
83. PDF Reader Pro: PDF Reader Pro makes it possible for you to upload PDF files to your iPhone.
84. MobileMe: MobileMe makes it easy to sync your mobile life with your computers anywhere.
85. OmniFocus: Using this tool, you’ll get reminders of all of the things you need to take care of.
86. Pocket Informant: This mobile calendar makes it easy for you to get things done.
87. Air Sharing: With Air Sharing, you can transfer files between your iPhone and any system.
88. Evernote: Evernote will make it easy for you to corral all of your important bits-photos, notes, to dos and more.
89. Checklist: Use this basic checklist app to stay on top of all the things you need to get done.
90. Bento: The Bento app will help you manage your to dos, projects, and more.

Finance

Make sure you’re on top of your finances by using these apps.

91. Spend: Stay on top of how much you’re spending using this simple app.
92. MOMPF Currency Converter: Check out currency conversions and store your favorites on MOMPF Currency.
93. Harvest Time & Expense Tracker: If you’re working on billable hours, this app is perfect for you.
94. Jetset Expenses: Use Jetset Expenses to automate the process of creating expense reports for your travel.
95. Currency: Currency will help you quickly find out the currency exchange rate for where you are and where you’re going.

Information & Utilities

These apps make work easier and keep you informed.

96. Your Rights: Keep your basic rights easily at hand by downloading the Your Rights app on your iPhone.
97. State Info: Use this app to get the lowdown on any state in the US.
98. The Weather Channel: Learn about weather wherever you are by using the Weather Channel iPhone app.
99. Night Stand: Get a free digital clock for your iPhone using Night Stand.
100. Flashlight: Download Flashlight to light up a dark bag, hallway, or hotel room with your iPhone.

Whether you are a college student flying back and forth every semester between home and school or a travel nurse hopping from city to city, staying healthy while traveling is an important thing. All of the stress and strange places associated with traveling can take a serious toll on your health. However, there are simple things that every traveler can do to ensure that illnesses do not ruin travel or vacation time.

One of the best ways to prevent catching an illness while traveling is to be healthy in the first place. If you are already in shape, chances are your immune system will be tough enough to handle any of the nasty bugs that it may cross paths with during your road trip or flight. This means that you should be sure to maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise regime so that you will not have to worry every time the guy behind you on the airplane sneezes. For the weeks leading up to your travel time, do what you have to do to reduce stress as well. If you typically can travel with little to no stress, then you do not have to change anything. However, if the very thought of traveling causes your heart rate to increase and your palms to get sweaty, consider planning out as much of your trip as possible and allowing yourself plenty of time to take care of things so that you will not feel as stretched – stress can weaken your body’s defenses, making it easier for you to get sick.

While traveling, be sure to drink plenty of water and rest as often as possible. If you are traveling on a long flight, keep hydrated, sleep often, but also make the effort to get up and walk around the airplane cabin frequently during designated times. This will allow your circulation to flow better than if you stayed seated for the entire flight. Be sure to eat regularly as well. If you must pack snacks, pack snacks that are nutritious as well as filling, such as dried fruit.

Once at your destination, you will need to watch your diet. Feel free to sample the local fare, but be sure that you are still getting your daily dose of vitamins and minerals from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. In addition, wash your hands regularly to prevent germs from making you ill.

The key to warding off illness while traveling is to simply do the things you normally do to stay healthy. This includes eating well, exercising, and making sure that your hands are clean at all times.