Whether you’re a total beach or pool bum or someone who avoids the sun at all costs, you need sunscreen. During the spring and summer especially, the sun’s UV rays are especially powerful, and you can’t shield yourself entirely. Getting a little sunlight is important — it gives your body Vitamin D and can of course improve your mood — but to protect yourself from skin cancers, premature aging and burns, you need the right sunscreen.

First check SPF, or Sun Protection Factor. Doctors recommend applying sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, and most agree that there isn’t much difference in anything above 30. If you’re super pale and worried about the sun, choosing a higher SPF might give you some extra protection, but make sure you buy lotion that is at least SPF. Slathering on oil with SPF of 4 or 8 probably won’t give you any real protection whatsover, and if you plan on spending a lot of time in the sun, you’ll still get a nice tan with sunscreen that’s SPF 15 or even 30.

Also check sunscreens for their protection against UV rays. Most sunscreens today do offer this protection, but look for UVA/UVB protection on the bottle just in case, since those rays cause your skin the most damage. Also remember that UV indexes can be surprisingly high even on cloudy days, so always wear sunscreen if you’re going to be outside for an extended period of time.

Wearing sunscreen on your face is a good idea even if you won’t be outside for a long time, since the skin on your face is especially vulnerable to wrinkles and sun damage. If you’re worried about adding extra grease to your face or applying a sunscreen that will make you break out, look for moisturizers that contain SPF 15, or even makeup bases that contain sunscreen. Special face sunscreens have also been popular sellers over the last few years and offer sensitive skin protection from the sun without greasing up your pretty face.

Waterproof and water-resistant sunscreens are best for those who plan on laying out, swimming and/or playing sports. You won’t have to reapply nearly as often if you use these types of lotions.

If you’re a health care professional who eats one (or more) of your meals a day on-the-job you know how hard it can be to find options that meet your health concerns, energy needs and personal tastes when it comes to eating in a hospital cafeteria. While things are slowly changing in how cafeterias work, nurses, doctors and other medical professionals can take healthy eating into their own hands in the meantime and make sure on-the-job meals are healthy and beneficial.

Many cafeterias around the nation are making real attempts to have healthy options. Of course, many also acknowledge that they have to balance the needs of medical staff with those of patients and their families, who often want comforting foods as they are coping with illness, loss and uncertainty. Medical professionals can expects to see more healthy, organic options on menus in the coming years, but if your hospital lags behind in healthy options it never hurts to speak up. Changes in menu items won’t come from being silent and advocating for your own health is the only way to make real, lasting changes in your hospital’s cafeteria.

One way you can help stay healthy on the job is by avoiding vending machine fare. These items, while convenient, are rarely if ever healthy or good for you. Fatty chips, calorie-laden candy and sugary-sweet beverages are hardly the foundation of a good diet. If you have to snack on the go, bring your own from home or stock up in the cafeteria on fruits and nuts before you begin your shift.

While the pizza and burgers offered by the hospital cafeteria might be tempting, most have to admit that there is usually at least one or two healthy things offered on the menu. You’ll likely be able to find salads, veggies and fruits somewhere in your hospital’s cafeteria. You might have to do a little more work to cobble together a meal out of them if one isn’t currently offered, but there are always options that can help meet your health needs if you choose them.

What’s good for us is rarely easy or convenient, something many who struggle to eat well in their work’s cafeteria know all too well. If your cafeteria still doesn’t offer the healthiest options, become your own activist, bring food from home or do a little extra work to eat right. It might not be easy, but it’s the best thing for you in the long run.

Physical therapy and rehab is undoubtedly an important part of recovery for many victims of physical and emotional tragedy. Of course, finding the motivation to start and keep at it is difficult. Using video games, researchers and medical professionals (CNA’s, physical therapists, etc) have found that they can push patients harder, and help them enjoy therapy more. Here, we’ll take a look at 50 games that will do just that.

Researched Creations

Often serving a specific purpose, these games were created by research teams.

1. Stroke Rehabilitation: Researchers at Rutgers have a video game that helps with stroke rehabilitation, modified from the XBox console.
2. Therapy Tiles: Henrik Hautop Lund’s creation is a game that’s a lot like Dance Dance Revolution, and allows patients to step on tiles that give them feedback.
3. CyberLearning Technology: Patients can improve their neurofeedback using video games, including car racing.
4. Walking Improvement: Kari Dunning’s creation helps stroke victims improve their ability to walk.
5. Cerebral Palsy Paralysis: Students at the University of Toronto have created a game that encourages children with cerebral palsy to use their weaker side more effectively.
6. Gamewheels: Gamewheels is an interactive video game system for patients with spinal cord injuries. The system makes it possible for wheelchair users to play physically active games.
7. Spinal Cord and Brain Injuries: Using a flexible pressure mat, patients who suffer from brain and spinal cord injuries can improve their dynamic short-sitting balance.
8. Arm and hand therapy: Doctors at the Northern Arm & Hand Center make use of 10 different computer games, including video soccer and downhill skiing for rehab.

Console Games

Using the popular Wii, Play Station, and more, you can encourage physical activity, coordination, and more.

9. Wii Boxing: Playing Wii Boxing will help you learn to plan your movements, focus, and balance yourself using hand eye coordination.
10. Trauma Center: This Wii game will help patients improve their fine motor skills.
11. Mario Party: Get a number of your patients working at once with this game that offers small challenges and multiple game players.
12. Wii Bowling: Even those who are in wheelchairs can enjoy Wii bowling.
13. Brain Age: This game for the Nintendo Wii is a popular brain teaser game that can help those with brain strains and injuries recover more quickly.
14. We Ski: Use this game to improve balance and agility.
15. Wario Ware: Smooth Moves: This game will allow patients to play a variety of small games, so they won’t get bored during rehab.
16. Wii Golf: The Wii golf game will require patients to think spatially and carefully control their movements.
17. Cooking Mama: Cooking Mama offers a variety of timed mini games that will push patients to keep up, and improve their motor skills.
18. Wii Tennis: This game is excellent for improving arm movement.
19. Flash Focus: Flash Focus is an excellent game for quick eye training.
20. Tiger Woods PGA Tour: Using this game will help develop core muscles for better stability.
21. Wii Baseball: The Wii’s baseball game encourages patients to throw harder and more accurately than they might have tried without it.
22. Dance Dance Revolution: Make use of this popular dancing game to get your patients moving, and improve coordination and reflexes.
23. Nicktoon Movin’: This game is great for kids who need physical therapy, as it uses popular Nickelodeon characters to motivate them to play.
24. Guitar Hero: With this interactive music game, you can help patients improve their coordination and concentration, as well as hand function.

Mental Health

Help with the mental therapy of your patients by using these games.

25. World Trade Center: Researchers have used virtual reality to treat people who suffer from September 11th post traumatic stress disorder.
26. MindHabits Booster: This game’s purpose is to help people feel good about themselves.
27. Lumosity: The brain training games in Lumosity will help patients reclaim their brain power.
28. Motor Vehicle Therapy: A Clinic at the University of Buffalo has created a treatment to help victims of major accidents deal with their trauma.
29. Rainbow Stress Reduction Games: Using these games, you can help patients improve their stress level and relax.
30. Half Life and Unreal Tournament: Researchers have found that using games such as Half Life and Unreal Tournament offer therapy for people with phobias, including spider-laden environments, heights, and claustrophobic spaces.
31. Speech and language therapy: This resource allows children and adults to use online video games for speech therapy.
32. Re-Mission: Kids can play this game that will teach them about cancer, and improve their hand eye coordination at the same time.
33. Self Esteem Games: By playing one of these games, you’ll be able to change negative thought patterns that often result in insecurity.
34. The Journey to Wild Divine: This adventure gaming series can help patients improve breathing and meditation techniques that can be therapeutic.
35. Feed the Monster: Use this game to help teach patients about proper nutrition.
36. SMART Brain Games: This neurofeedback system is available for popular consoles including the PlayStation and XBox.
37. Speech Therapy Games: Learn emotion vocabulary and more through these games that offer fun speech therapy.

Devices

With these devices, you can make physical therapy more fun and effective.

35. PCGamerBike: Make use of this "exergaming" device to motivate your physical therapy patients to push themselves farther.
36. EyeToy: For a variety of games, the EyeToy can improve interaction and physical activity.
37. Bodypad: This device uses motion tracking to make physical gaming more interactive for the whole body.
38. jOG: This device offers game play with the Play Station 2, using motion sensing controllers.

Virtual Reality

These virtual reality methods and games will help with rehab.

42. IREX: The IREX system helps patients improve their balance, and has been proven effective for children with cerebral palsy.
43. VR therapy apartment: An immersive room virtual reality therapy apartment developed by researchers at the University of Quebec allows patients to get therapy for gambling addictions, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more.
44. Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment: This virtual reality system in Israel helps paralyzed patients put atrophied muscles to work. Patients can participate in virtual sports, or simulate daily activities like driving a car.
45. VR Rehab: Developed by the Human-Machine Interface Lab at Rutgers, this virtual reality system immerses patients into a game, and allows them to manipulate on-screen objects and characters.
46. Immersive Therapy: Using Immersive Therapy, patients can improve full body exercise, balance control, and movement, while improving cognitive skills as well.
47. Telepathy: Scientists at the University of Manchester have created a virtual reality game that helps patients test their telepathic abilities.
48. Missing limb therapy: The School of Computer Science and School of Psychological Sciences have developed a virtual reality system that gives the illusion that amputated limbs are still there, a therapy that has been helpful for patients that suffer from phantom limb pain.
49. Virtual Gym: In this life-sized game, players can simulate exercise and get therapy.
50. Virtual reality robotics: Researchers from Rice University have created a joystick virtual reality rehabilitation system that helps patients with eye-to-hand coordination.

The health care industry comes with a slew of indecipherable names and words that ordinary individuals like you or me would never otherwise know if our classes did not force us to.  Pharmacology is one such word that many of us would not otherwise be aware of, although it has become increasingly vital for many of us to know the benefits that pharmacologists serve in our society.  Pharmacology is the study of drug action, differing greatly from the role that pharmacists fill; pharmacologists instead test the interactions that occur between living organisms and various chemicals, many times discovering a new biological drug that can help combat viruses. 

Without pharmacology, we would not be able to safely take any drugs, vaccines, or prescriptions because they would not be safely tested, nor would we know what we were putting in our bodies.  While pharmacists develop new drugs, pharmacologists ensure that these drugs will help us fight diseases without causing further harm to our bodies.  Surprisingly, pharmacologists existed as far back as the Middle Ages, although they experienced a kind of “dark ages” themselves after this point until the nineteenth century.  It was only in the mid-nineteenth century that we realized many drugs that doctors give us, need to be further researched before human ingestion. 

As a result, pharmacologists were again brought back to test the chemical reactions between various substances and observe the reactions of living organisms to these chemical compounds.  A field that was once empty opened up nearly overnight, and served to secure the health care industry in an uncertain era.  Since this point, pharmacologists have expanded their studies and help discover new compounds that can be mixed in order to fight more diseases than ever before.  This is especially helpful in the modern era, in which viruses seem to emerge nearly overnight.  Pharmacologists were involved in discovering an antidote for the H1N1 virus that swept the world within a few weeks, causing mass hysteria in many overcrowded cities.  Pharmacologists helped calm this fear by introducing a tentative vaccine relatively early on, and later developed a full fledged vaccine by the time flu season really took off.

While this was the first outbreak to occur in the past few years, it does not mean that we are safe from future diseases.  Pharmacologists have a larger role to play in our future in which we will grow ever closer to foreign nations.  While this closeness is a good thing for global politics, it means that it will be easier than ever to spread disease and viruses, although we will continue to be protected by the skill of pharmacologists.  Pharmacology means that we sleep better at night knowing there are individuals who fight viruses for us to ensure we won’t succumb to a simple flu compound. 

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and should be approached with caution and concern. But how do you know if the pain you feel in your chest is heartburn or a heart attack? While these two conditions share some of the same symptoms, their causes and outcomes are very different. Knowing when you are suffering from a heart attack can save your life.

To begin, heartburn is simply a symptom of a larger issue that really doesn’t have anything to do with the heart at all. It is generally associated with a burning sensation that resonates from the lower abdomen all the way through the neck. It can be very brief or last for several hours. Heartburn, also known as indigestion, can be caused from overeating, drinking too much alcohol or even lying down too quickly after a meal. All of these activities relax or weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, the valve that keeps stomach acids from backing into the esophagus. If a person suffers from frequent or severe heartburn it could be a sign of a greater medical problem like acid reflux, gastroesophogeal reflux disease, ulcers, inflamed stomach lining and hernias. Seeking council from a physician is strongly advised in these cases.

Conversely, heart attacks are much more serious and generally produce more pronounced symptoms. Signs include sudden chest pains that produce pressure, tightening, squeezing and crushing feelings in the chest area that last for several minutes. This pain is likely to spread from the chest through the neck, jaw, back, shoulders and concentrate in the left arm. Shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating and nausea are also associated with heart attacks. All of symptoms should be considered dangerous especially if they occur during emotional of physical stress. It is important to note that not all heart attacks display these symptoms immediately. Some symptoms can occur quietly, dissipate, return and grow more severe.

If you have a history of heart disease in your family, it is especially important that you learn the difference between these two conditions. Knowing when you’re having a heart attack can save your life by allowing you to seek medical attention before severe damage to this vital organ occurs. Even after doing some research you are unsure as to whether the pain in your chest is heartburn or the signs of a heart attack, the safest course of action is to seek medical attention anyway. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

The great philosopher Confucius said, "our greatest glory is not in never failing but in rising every time we fall." Failing a course in college is not the end of the world, though it may feel like it at the time (especially when you have to show your parents your semester’s grades). Many great people have failed along the way. Winston Churchill flunked the sixth grade. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Henry Ford failed miserably a number of times before making his mark in the automobile industry. The list goes on and on. The key is to learn from your mistakes and move on.

If you fail a course, you need to look at the big picture and figure out how this will affect your academic record. Will you need to retake the course? Should you take a different course that will be more manageable? Was this course required before you could take more challenging courses? These are all questions you should consider. Talk with your academic advisor about your next move. You should look into summer courses that you could take to make up the missing credits. If you live far away from your college, look for colleges closer to home where you could take a summer course. Make sure your school will accept credits from whichever college where you take a summer course.

Be honest with your parents. While they will not be thrilled with the result, they will appreciate you taking responsibility for your mistake. By being forthright about your failure, you will relieve some of the stress you will probably be feeling in the immediate aftermath. Ultimately, you want to be able to rely on your parents for support in the future. The more honest you are with them about both good and bad experiences in college, the more likely they will be to support you down the road.

The most important step you can take after failing a course is to move on. Easier said than done, right? Well, remember that college is a place and time for you to learn who you are. Life would not be very interesting if you just coasted through all your experiences. The real world is filled with challenges. If you can put the failure behind and learn why it happened, you will wind up stronger for the experience. Analyze what went wrong and make the necessary corrections starting the very next semester.

Sadly, the end of many students’ high school years also marks the end of their athletic careers. Only a handful of people are skilled and fortunate enough to play sports at the college level, which leaves the majority of us pining away for the days when we played organized sports. Luckily, most colleges have an intramural sports program that opens its doors to any student that wants to play. There are no try-outs or crazy practice schedule. You simply play for fun – the way sports are supposed to be played. This doesn’t mean that these games don’t get competitive. On the contrary, intramural sports offer students the outlet to let off some steam and fuel their competitive juices once again.

Intramural sports are a great way for students to meet new people and friends. These programs are open to all students and many are co-ed. This is a great chance to meet people from different years in school. So often, students get pigeon-holed with people from their same year. Many intramural sports programs will allow students to make their own teams, but you wind up getting to know your opponents quite well. Even though everyone is playing to win, it is common for teams to congregate after a game and share a beer.

Another great reason to join an intramural league is for the exercise. Many high school students get their exercise during their sports seasons. However, when you’re in college and don’t have soccer practice everyday after school anymore, what are you supposed to do? Many people have a hard time working out individually. They get bored jogging alone or going to the gym and doing isolated exercises. However, intramural sports offer students a chance to get out and play their favorite sports. Join a basketball or flag football league that plays a couple nights a week and you will get some of that exercise that you have been missing since high school.

Intramural sports also offer a great outlet for relieving stress. College students have so much going on that they often build up a tremendous amount of stress. This can wear on the best of students. Too much stress can limit your ability to properly study and can lead to problems sleeping. Getting outside or in the gym a couple nights a week can make you feel so much better, both physically and mentally. Overall, you will just feel better about yourself if you get out and play some of the sports that you loved playing growing up. Take advantage of this excellent opportunity.

Many women today are turning to midwives as a safe, more personal alternative to hospital births. If you are interested in becoming a midwife, if you’re already a practicing midwife, or if you’re curious about what a midwife does, you can find over 100 resources below that share information about networking and certification, education options, running a business, learning about the home birthing plan and more.

Networks

Join these networks or just visit their websites to access professional information, gain contacts and find out about upcoming events and conferences.

1. American Pregnancy Association: Here you can learn about pregnancy, including risks, news and common questions your patients might have.
2. Midwives Alliance of North America: Membership to this organization will award you with discounts for conferences, access to an ongoing dialogue about midwifery, special reports, special events, and more.
3. American College of Nurse-Midwives: Learn how to become a midwife, receive special lifestyle and professional discounts, and more.
4. International Confederation of Midwives: Get support from midwife groups from around the world through this network.
5. World Health Organization: WHO sponsors a few different task forces and groups devoted to midwifery, including the Global Advisory Group on Nursing and Midwifery (GAGNM).
6. Midwifery Business Network: Certified Nurse-Midwives and Certified Midwives belong to this group that offers networking opportunities and support.
7. Inuit Midwifery Network: Get information on training, news and more from this Ontario-based organization.
8. London Network for Nurses and Midwives: British midwives can access this politically-oriented group to lobby for change.
9. Midwifery Network Online: This online community connects midwives from all around the world to share news, professional advice, photos, videos and more.
10. Midwifery Organizations by Country: Look up midwifery organizations around the world using this list.
11. Citizens for Midwifery: This consumer-based group is an advocate of local midwives, women’s health and fighting for change.
12. North American Registry of Midwives: NARM oversees midwifery certification in North America.
13. Association of Radical Midwives: UK midwives get together through this organization to encourage women’s activism.
14. International Center for Traditional Childbirth: The nonprofit group ICTC trains midwives around the world, with a special focus on African American communities.

Education and Training

Explore what it takes to become a midwife here.

15. Midwife Education Accreditation Council: The MEAC lists accredited midwifery schools, offers resources for continuing education and more.
16. Natural Healers: This site features different midwifery programs and schools.
17. Seattle Midwifery School: Visit the website for the country’s oldest direct-entry midwifery program here.
18. Midwifery Schools: Find contact information for several different institutions here.
19. Michigan School of Traditional Midwifery: Get information about enrollment, financial aid and your education options here.
20. Midwifery Schools: Here is another list of links to midwifery schools, in the U.S. and U.K.
21. MidwiferyEducation.org: Browse schools by state or get information about training workshops from this website.
22. MEAC Accredited Schools: Here you’ll find a list of the midwifery programs and schools that have been accredited by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council.
23. American Midwifery Certification Board: Get information about certification exams, fees and more from the AMCB website.
24. Aspiring Midwife Students: The MEAC’s fact sheet answers students’ questions about international training, professional certification and more.
25. Becoming a Midwife: Midwifery Today shares information about education, learning about the field, and the steps you need to take to become a midwife.
26. FAQs About Midwives and Midwifery Care: Learn about certification, midwifery culture, how midwives succeed in the U.S., and more.

News, Advocacy and Issues

Catch up on all the news, women’s health issues and campaigns affecting midwives here.

27. Midwifery Today: Learn about conferences, read publications and newsletters and keep up with pregnancy and midwifery news here.
28. The Big Push for Midwives: Visit the website for this midwifery campaign, which hopes to increase regulation of Certified Professional Midwives around the country.
29. Homebirth Safety – What Really Keeps the Baby Safe?: Get an answer to this question that many skeptics like to ask.
30. The Business of Being Born: Ricki Lake’s documentary project discusses the dangers of hospitals and the benefits of midwifery.
31. Midwives Alliance of Pennsylvania: This alliance’s website posts regular news stories that affect the midwifery industry.
32. How to Support Midwifery: Get links of organizations to join, plus other tips for advocating midwifery.
33. Save Independent Midwifery: Learn about this campaign and other movements to "safe midwifery" here.
34. Nursing/Midwifery News: Visit this channel to get updates on midwifery news.
35. Women’s Health News: This website sometimes posts news stories that pertain to midwifery issues.
36. The Midwife On A Mission: This CBS article explores how a D.C. birthing clinic helps the area beat an above average infant mortality rate.

Science and Medical Resources

These online tools and resources will help you make sense of the medical side of your job.

37. Pelvic Anatomy: You can use this diagram from obgyn.net as a study aid.
38. Anatomy List: Read explanations of subjects like premature labor and the stages of labor here.
39. Birthingherbs Herbs: Read all about herbs and natural medicines for pregnancy, easy birthing, labor, breastfeeding and more.
40. Structures of Pregnant Women: Take this interactive quiz to find out how much you know about the anatomy of a pregnant woman.
41. Pregnancy and Childbirth: Review the terms you’ll need to use when you study and practice midwifery here.
42. Complications of Labor: Learn about low birth weight, infant loss and birth defects here.
43. Childbirth Video: Watch a video of how natural childbirth occurs.
44. Childbirth Video Galleries: You can watch natural childbirth videos here for free.
45. StudyWomb: Use this tool or refer it to your patients to help plan the birth.
46. Childbirth: This site has links and resources that explain childbirth.

Business Tools

Many midwives are responsible for finding their own clients and running their businesses alone. Here are several tools that will help you stay organized, informed and connected.

47. Invoices Made Easy: This free service lets you create and e-mail your invoices and even accept payments made online.
48. Salary Survey Report: Find out how much certified nurse midwives make when you take a look at this salary estimator.
49. epointment: Manage your appointments online with epointment.
50. Time59: Keep track of client payments and balances, track your own time and more.
51. ClientScribe: If you have trouble keeping up with all of your client communications, use this tool to straighten everything out and keep records.
52. Acuity Scheduling: Your patients can schedule appointments with you online using this tool.
53. MyMediaRoom: Create an account to host a press room online that shares with your clients and community updates about your company, advocacy events and more.
54. My Mile Marker: If you charge clients for mileage, use this great tool to keep track of it all.
55. Approver.com: Use this collaboration tool for creating birth plans and pregnancy diaries with your patients.
56. Tiktrac: When you set up an account with this tool, your clients can log in to see how much time you’re devoting to visits, appointments, and more services.
57. Google Calendar: Use Google Calendar to remind you of appointments, due dates and more.
58. MyEvents: This economical CRM solution features a web calendar, task lists, file storage and sharing, web hosting, a contact manager and more.
59. PunchyTime: PunchyTime is another great time tracking tool that is easy to use and manage.

Pregnancy Guides

Find out about at-risk pregnancies, labor and more in this list.

60. Pregnancy: MedlinePlus’ guide to pregnancy includes research studies, prenatal care guides, alternative therapy information and more.
61. Labor and Delivery: Read up on labor signs, the posterior position and pushing here.
62. Midwives and Pregnancy: This guide explains the role of midwives during pregnancy.
63. High Risk Pregnancy: Use this resource to help high-risk patients or to learn about the symptoms, causes and treatments of high-risk pregnancy.
64. Pregnancy Problems: Learn about the potential for problems during pregnancy when you read this guide.
65. Health promotion in pregnancy: the role of the midwife: This medical article explains how midwives can help promote overall wellness and a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy.

Blogs

These midwifery blogs discuss current events, share personal stories and comment on the state of women’s health globally.

66. Midwife: Sage Femme, Hebamme, Comadrona, Partera: This blog is written by Pamela Hines- Powell, CPM, LM and manager of her own practice.
67. Women in Charge: Get news about midwifery conventions, advocacy efforts and more on this blog.
68. Babycatcher: This blog is written by a "babycatcher" in Africa and includes stories about her work there.
69. Instinctual Birth: This midwifery student is also the "mother of many." She comments on fertility misconceptions, her own pregnancy experiences and more.
70. Midwifery is Catching: Get updates on the issues that affect women’s health and midwifery, as well as personal stories from a modern midwife here.
71. Red Spiral: This doula educator blogs about her family, business and more.
72. Homebirth: Midwife Mutiny in South Australia: This blog is a great resource for anyone curious about midwifery, giving birth at home, and more.

Infant Health Care

Learn about newborn care and immunizations here.

73. Mercy in Action: Check out the blog of this nonprofit group that sponsors seminars and currently supports ministries in the Philippines.
74. Newborn basics: You can use these guides to help your patient take care of her newborn, from bathing the baby to caring for the umbilical cord.
75. Antenatal care: Review this guide from the World Health Organization to learn about immunizations, stillbirths, standards for maternal and newborn care, and more.

Literature

Read up on midwifery from novels to guidebooks when you read this list.

76. Midwives: This novel follows the case and trial of a midwife in Vermont. It was even selected by Oprah’s Book Club in 1998.
77. The Hemorrhage Handbook: Learn how to prevent and treat hemorrhages when you read this handbook.
78. The Heart and Science of Homebirth: This short guide book cites authoritative publications and arguments that support homebirth.
79. Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Midwife in Mali: This memoir follow the story of a Peace Corps volunteer who befriended a young midwife in Mali.

Midwifery Resources

This list of resources includes professional information, online shops that sell birthing supplies, and more.

80. What is a Midwife?: Womenshealthchannel.com gives a great overview of midwives, nurse-midwives and what they do in this guide.
81. Wellsphere: Check out all the latest blog posts about midwifery on this network.
82. OBGYN.net: The Medical Professionals channel on this website lets you submit special events, chat on the forums, and more.
83. SocialBirth.com: Learn all about midwifery and natural birth, from pregnancy exercises to homebirth information, at The Wholistic Birth Resource Center of Southern California.
84. Birth Supplies: Shop for birth supplies, scrubs and more when you follow these links.
85. BabyBirthandBeyond.com: Here is another online shop for midwives and new moms.
86. Lamaze International: Learn lamaze and find out about pregnancy tools and tips here.
87. Waterbirth: You can find resources for organizing and conducting a waterbirth here.
88. Midwife Career Resources: Search for jobs, post your resume and manage your own account here.
89. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health: Become a member to access full-text articles, submit your own manuscript and network.

Articles and Guides

Here you’ll find even more information about midwives and what they do.

90. Midwives Deliver Healthy Babies With Fewer Interventions: This 1997 article explores how midwives are especially effective delivering low-risk babies.
91. Considering a Midwife?: This guide gives a great overview of the profession in different parts of the world, a history of midwifery and the difference between midwives and doctors.
92. Midwives Honor the Sensuality of Pregnancy and Birth: This article criticizes the trend of not gaining enough weight during pregnancy and argues that extra fat is beautiful and healthy.
93. Busy pregnant executives bring midwives to the office: This article from the Daily Mail explores a new trend in modern midwifery and pregnancy.
94. Why Choose a Homebirth?: You can hang up this list of 80 reasons why homebirth is better than hospital birth in your office.
95. Pregnancy Week by Week: Help your patients understand their changing bodies and pregnancy with this guide.
96. The Midwife and Homebirth: Read about safety issues, the home birth environment and more.
97. Natural childbirth: Here you can read up on acupuncture, hypnosis, breathing exercises and more.
98. Why Natural Childbirth?: Read Judith Lothian’s paper on natural childbirth from The Journal of Perinatal Education here.
99. Labor Pain Management: The website Giving Birth Naturally offers tips for managing labor pains the natural way.
100. A Note to Fathers: It’s You She Wants: New dads who are nervous or unsure about being present during the birth can receive encouragement from this article.
101. Birth as a Community Experience: Find out what it’s like to labor next to another pregnant woman.
102. Drugs in Labour: What Effects Do They Have 20 Years Hence?: This article is pro-natural birth because of the harmful and interfering drugs used during hospital births.

One of the most recent debates going on in the pharmacy community is the decision of Walgreens Pharmacies to begin to offer genetic testing kits in their stores, the first over-the-counter genetic test.  While there are still some issues to sort out (the Food and Drug Administration has not yet delivered the “ok”), it seems set that many parents will flock to the pharmacy to pick up the test to determine if they or their children have signs of inheritable diseases.  While the results are not yet certified to be better than if you went to the doctor, it is only the newest invention to stock pharmacy counters.  The FDA has thus far prevented any of the kits from reaching the pharmacy because there is no conclusive evidence that the tests are safe or affective and the company did not present the kits to the FDA initially for testing.

Pharmacy school involves learning the intricacies of the pharmaceutical industry, and does not really run alongside genetic testing, but pharmacists will now be able to sell these kits to patients once the FDA gives the go-ahead for the product.  It is a far cry from the early days of the pharmaceutical industry before major corporations like Walgreens and CVS.  Now, pharmacies are more like grocery stores (especially since most grocery stores have their own pharmacy counters) and the personal feel of the independent pharmacy is long gone in most cities.  The genetic testing kits are only one step further away that patients get from their doctors and true care.  Pharmacies already offer many kits to test yourself for HIV, other diseases, or to administer diabetes shots, but genetic testing is one kit which most of us never thought would make it to the counters.

While pharmacy workers will not technically play the role of doctor in this case, they will be in charge of selling the product, albeit keeping it behind the counter.  Pharmacy school still involves the basic chemical equations in combining compounds to create prescription drugs, but many pharmacy school students do not realize the extent to which they will now be involved with consumer transactions.  Many people come in to pharmacies solely to buy drugs or kits that you will not need a prescription for, inevitably cutting out the role of the doctor (and the pharmacist for that matter).  While we have yet to see if the genetic testing kits will be approved or even be mildly accurate, it is clear that the role of the pharmacist and pharmacy school is ever-changing.