EMS Lessons to Be Learned in Continental Plane Crash Ruling

In response to the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) verdict on the Continental Express plane crash that killed 50 people last year, an NTSB investigator stated that “the crew did not perform in a way consistent with the training they received.” This is shocking because EMS training is at the foundation of quality emergency care. Although continuing EMS education may be time consuming or costly, making sure you have the most up to date EMS training is crucial. Although failures in EMS may not be as drastic as the Continental plane crash, proper training can save lives and ensure that such failures are few and far between. How can you afford not to continue your education and training?

Continuing education and EMS training can be as simple as organizing an article sharing group, or arranging for a guest speaker to speak at a small conference with others in the EMS field. This can help you to keep up to date on advances in the EMS community while creating a supportive networking group.

Firefighting Rookie Reflects

John Barrett, firefighter “rookie” with 8 years experience, begins a series of reflections on issues affecting fire service entitled Riding Backwords. In this post, he states that although firefighters often have to “make do” with supplies and equipment, when it comes to safety, fire and EMS workers simply can’t afford to “make do.” He discusses the importance of apparatus and equipment readiness, personal health and training, and individual and company training, including continuing education. In conclusion, take care and be safe! For cost-effective training, consider Kaplan Solutions’ Fire and EMS continuing education courses.

Distance Education Prepares You for the Working World

Distance learning students are better able to work remotely and use technology to communicate and collaborate, two skills that are becoming more and more necessary in the working world.

In order to test this, Cisco Systems conducted a research study to test the productivity of employees who work remotely. During the study, Cisco replaced offices and cubicles with comfy couches and quiet lounge areas. Employees were allowed to choose their work space or work remotely, the same choice that distance learning students are faced with. The study showed an increase in productivity and an overall increase in satisfaction among employees.

Distance learners are at an advantage - they already know how to work remotely, use technology for communication purposes and remain productive without direct supervision. Distance learners bring their independence and competence with them to the workplace.

As businesses are becoming more global, many employees are working remotely and communicating with each other using the internet and other technology. Distance learners are one step ahead of the game because these were the same strategies they used and perfected in college.

Continuing Education on Your Time on The Boss's Dime

Nursing, education, IT, business and communications are among the leading fields offering employer paid educational advancement.

Whether in the form of a degree or certificate, these fields are seeing more and more employers footing the bill for their employee's education. Employers in these fields see tuition assistance or reimbursement as a perk which helps career motivation and ensures that employees will stay with the company for years in the future.

The 2009 Employee Benefits Survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 63% of surveyed employers offer undergraduate educational assistance and 59% offer graduate educational assistance. Further, only 7 percent of employers who offer educational assistance plan to reduce or eliminate the benefits in the coming year. This proves that employer funded educational assistance is here to stay. This mutual educational experience leads to more satisfied employees with cutting-edge, innovative ideas which, in turn, benefits the employer.

Online Universities as Credible as Traditional Universities

New research shows that corporations are increasingly hiring applicants with online degrees, indicating that online degrees are being viewed more favorably.

Industry Market Trends recently reported that 76% of Human Resources professionals view online degrees more favorably today than they did 5 years ago, with 58% saying online degrees are equally as credible as degrees from a traditional, brick and mortar university.

This comparison is also evident in employer-funded tuition reimbursements. 95% of these Human Resources professionals noted no difference in tuition assistance for employees attending traditional or online universities.

Online Education Continues to Expand

Janice Barnwell, 44, wanted to boost her career by obtaining a master's degree in business; the working mother went against her prior experience with a brick and mortar school and chose an online university for the convenience and low cost. Her educational experience exceeded her expectations and her employer paid for her to take four more online courses to further sharpen her skills.

"At first I was very intimidated (by taking classes remotely). It's something I've never done," said Barnwell. "But it quickly changed for me because the interaction I had online with my classmates and professors felt real."

The online education sector has been growing at a rate of about 20% per year. Today, 1:4 students take at least some college courses online, up from 1:10 in 2002. Two million students, many older than the typical student age range of 18-22 years, take all of their courses online.

President Barack Obama pledged $500 million for online courses and materials as part of a multi-pronged plan aimed at expanding access to college.

29% of U.S. adults have a college degree and only about 40% of Americans who start college, graduate with a degree. Much of this is attributed to the rising tuition costs of brick and mortar schools which increase by about 8% each year.

Jeff Conlon, chief executive of Kaplan Higher Education with some 59,000 online students, said traditional colleges could not meet Obama's goals for higher education "Obama wants to make us first again by 2020," he said. "In order to do that, we need to create 63 million college graduates over that period. The higher education system as constructed will come up 16 million degrees short. There's not capacity in the system."

The cost at Kaplan for a four-year college degree is around $65,000, compared to up to $150,000 or more at a private college.

By studying online, Barnwell saved on the time and travel to the university nearest her New Jersey home. Her online tuition was less than $30,000, one-third the cost of the university.

Online Professional Continuing Education Programs

Many people wonder if online education is right for them. Kaplan Continuing Education helps people who are interested in increasing their professional development and setting academic and career goals. All courses in the program are designed to give the student a sense of community by bringing other students and faculty together to collaborate and exchange ideas.