Since the launch of the iPhone and later the iPad, there has been a continuous rollout of apps or apps targeting the video production market. Some have come and gone, but many have now become an indispensable part of our kit, providing comfort and in some cases replacing high-priced production equipment.

Preproduction

Some of the most useful applications have been designed for use in pre-production and planning. It often takes the place of expensive desktop software and, in some cases, adds additional ease of use.

Scripting apps like script pro allow users to write scripts with the help of popup menus and shortcuts right on their iPad.

It is also compatible with industry standard software such as final draft. It also makes sense when connecting an external keyboard to the iPad and removing the on-screen keyboard for an even bigger view.

Another extremely useful app is Hitchcock’s Storyboard Composer. This is a very well thought out storyboard app that allows the user to upload multiple images from their libraries, add music, notes and of course shot descriptions. It also emulates camera movements such as pans, tilts, and dolly movements. Your storyboard can be exported as a PDF or even played as a movie.

Production

Perhaps some of the most popular applications are those used for production, such as the movie slate or DSLR slate, which replace the need for expensive clapperboards.

The movie clapper app does everything you need a clapper to do and then some. You can create full voice and image notes, export reports, and ingest shot data into editing platforms like Final Cut Pro. You can also sync timecode between cameras, between other iPads or iPhones, with the time on a clock, and even sync with a song from iTunes, if you are recording a music video.

Telepromptor apps are also gaining popularity. The pro promtor app allows you to edit the text of the presentation and has a customizable text scrolling screen where you can adjust the size and speed. Another useful feature is the ability to sync between iPads so your presenter can talk to multiple cameras displaying the same text.

There are also several editing packages available, such as iMovie, a portable version of the popular Mac desktop software. It’s surprisingly flexible with many of the usual features. Users can edit existing images or record more with the iPad’s built-in 1080p HD camera capability. Of course, this won’t be as good as a professional camcorder, but it’s very useful for planning shots, finding locations, and storyboarding.

And when you’re done, the sharing possibilities are endless. Upload to YouTube or Vimeo, a cloud or website, or even play it on a big-screen TV using AirPlay.

The iPhone and iPad have brought a lot of new possibilities to the world of video production and I think video production is the best for it.

With the economy and world events in turmoil, who has time to think about children’s party themes? When you have more kids than days in a week, which will soon be our case, then you know you have something to plan for the next party. Otherwise, they all start to look the same:

1. leaf duck decorations
2. one box cake
3. frosting from a tin
4. clearance section gifts
5. clean up

As if that wasn’t enough, but the decorations don’t match and you scramble to find something, anything, to keep the quasi-anarchists entertained, the guests are confused and you look like you’ve just been squeezed. What’s a busy parent to do? These kids’ party themes should help you come out on top.

Themes for children’s parties

1. Favorite fictional character
2. american idol
3. Favorite decade
4. Costume party
5. Games room
6. Outdoor games
7. Disney

Let’s take a look at each:

1. Favorite fictional character: This is pretty open to interpretation. You can use a comic book character or superhero team for a theme and have all the guests show up dressed in their costumed character role, or do a Jane Austen-type theme where everyone dresses up for the role. Fictional characters can be specific to a book or series, such as a Harry Potter-themed party. They can also be genre specific, like “Action Hero” or the like.

2. American Idol: The theme of this party is fun as you can have a panel of judges judging the karaoke talent of the party guests. Have awards or not, and you can even record short sessions to watch later, like a loser defending his latent “talent”.

3. Favorite Decade: Pick a decade you know your child loves, like the ’30s or ’50s, and have everyone dress accordingly, hair and all. Play movies and music from the era, and set up the tables and rooms to match the feel.

4. Costume Party: This is more of a masquerade ball idea, just have guests show up in costume and enjoy!

5. Arcade: If you don’t have one, rent a flat screen HDTV for the day, or buy two! Make a tournament of the favorite video game according to the guests and the guest of honor. Or you can host an entire night of full video and arcade-style games for rent and available on site, and just play.

6. Outdoor Games – Use this idea when your weather is nice enough to accommodate, and set up various games like croquet and corn hole, for example. Set up a group or just have a few ready. Great when you don’t want to clean!

7. Disney – This is a great theme for Disney fans. Set a specific location for the movie, by dressing the location as the movie set. Or have a menu that complements a certain Disney motif and eat in style. It’s always fun when guests once again show up in costume to play the role.

Here are some ideas you can use or just get your brain thinking outside of the normal kids’ party themes.

Pancakes are one of the most popular breakfast items in the United States and some other countries around the world. We especially like to have pancakes with maple syrup and coffee. Sometimes we tend to eat them as snacks. Why do we love to eat them so much, what is so special about pancakes? Some people often take pancakes for granted and don’t really know their background. What is the story behind pancakes and why are they so popular?

Here are some interesting facts about pancakes that you may not know:

• Pancakes have traditionally been eaten on Shrove Tuesday, this used to be a long time ago, around 1000 years ago.
• Pancakes can be found in many cultures around the world, although they may not use the same ingredients as pancakes, they are usually similar in taste and texture.
• Maple syrup, which goes so well with pancakes, is actually tree sap that comes from the maple tree, which is found primarily in the Canadian region.
• The French often make a wish while turning the pancake during the cooking process, while holding a coin in the other hand.
• The first pancake recipe was listed in the 15th century, in an English cookbook.
• The world’s largest pancake was baked in Roch-dale Manchester in the year 1994, it was around 15 meters in diameter, weighed 3 tons and had a whopping two million calories.
• Pancake tossing can be considered a fun sport, one such person ran a marathon while continuously tossing a pancake for three hours.
• William Shakespeare loved pancakes so much that he mentioned them in his plays.
• A fairly new trend that has emerged recently is pancake sandwiches.
• Long ago, before baking soda was invented, cooks often used freshly fallen snow as a secret ingredient that contained ammonia, which made pancakes nice and soft.
• Pancakes are often grilled, because grilling is much older than baking.
• If you use baking soda along with buttermilk as a pancake ingredient, the baking soda will remove the acidic properties that often come with buttermilk, thus a better tasting pancake.
• In Europe, pancakes are often eaten on Easter day as they have quite an Easter-related meaning.
• Pancakes, when in their original state, are the pourable batter type that are made from milk, flour, butter, and eggs. Unlike breads, which are usually semi-solid.

If you like to play links, you can find amazing places to play all over the world. You can plan an entire vacation around your game, or you can just plan to fit in a few holes while visiting somewhere new. No matter what type of trip you’re planning, you’ll need to identify the best golf courses so you can get the most out of your experience while you’re there.

Here are some tips on how you can find the best greens when traveling away from home:

More information about the characteristics of the course

All golf courses are designed a little differently. Sure, the end result is getting the ball in the hole, but you may have to traverse mountainous terrain, deal with huge sandbars, or manage other obstacles along the way. Some venues are designed for a more professional skill set, while others are created with hobbyists in mind. They may offer the full 18 holes, or they may offer just nine. Make sure you know exactly what to expect on the green before you sign up for a game. You will be operating on a limited time and you don’t want to waste it on an unsatisfying game.

Look for places open to the public

Some of the best golf courses in the world are not open to the public. You usually have to be a member of the country club or the greens themselves. If you’re just visiting, you’re not likely to invest in a membership. Be sure to find out if the course is open to the public before you put it on your list. You don’t want to wait until you get turned around at the gate to realize you won’t be able to play there.

Find out about the Green Fees

Even if the golf courses you choose are open to the public, you will still be charged fees for the privilege of playing. You may also need to pay additional fees for required items. Some places will offer a discount at certain times of the week or day, usually the least busy days and times. If you want to play somewhere that charges high fees, you can still fit it into your budget by planning your game during one of these discounted times. Add caddy fees and other charges you may face.

Playing a round of golf is a great way to relax, helping you enjoy your vacation even more. Going to new golf courses during your vacation can help you enjoy a little variety in your game. Be sure to research potential places to play before making your schedule to ensure they meet your needs and fit your budget. These tips can help you identify the right places to play so you have a game and vacation to remember.

Over the past few years, I have often been asked “What is the difference between a Formostar Infrared Body Wrap and an Infrared Sauna?” Well, there is a big difference to say the least, but first let me explain what far infrared is.

Keeping it simple, far infrared light (FIR) is a form of thermal energy and is invisible to the eye. It is the warmth you feel on your skin when you are outside in the sun. FIR is measured at wavelengths called microns that humans absorb best within the range of 3 to 50 microns, with 9.4 microns being optimal. This is the exact wavelength the Formostar is programmed for.

The effects of FIR weaken with distance, so the closer your body is to the source of the FIR, the more impact they will have. This is where the difference between a wrap and a sauna begins!

When close to the body, FIRs can penetrate 4-5 cm/2 inches through the skin (dermis), muscles, blood vessels, lymph glands, nerves, and cells. Infrared also only travels in a straight line and does not reflect. Sauna FIR items are hidden behind walls and stay out of sight, so it can be a job to guess how far away you might be from them. These elements will warm you and the air around you; however, the penetration will not be as deep into the tissue layers. Due to its proximity to the skin, 93% of the rays emitted by Formostar are absorbed through the skin and deeper tissues. Another advantage the wrap has over a sauna is that when you have a Formostar Infrared Body Wrap, your head is free from heat and you can breathe the clean air of the room, an unavoidable problem associated with a sauna.

Most infrared saunas only last for a half hour session. It actually takes 20-30 minutes for the body to warm up to a fat-burning stage, so a sauna ends just as it’s starting. A Formostar lasts fifty minutes, giving you more than enough time to sweat up a storm and burn up to 1200 calories.

The far infrared energy vibrates the cells helping to break the connections between deposits such as fats and toxins. The continuous vibration of the body’s molecules increases the temperature of the dermis, dilates blood vessels, stimulates circulation and activates metabolism in tissues and cells. With the specific and deep effect of the Formostar wraps, the areas where we have the largest fat deposits (belly, hips and thighs) are targeted so that the cells below are more activated and release more fat and toxins.

The Formostar is German-made and is the only machine of its kind in the world that uses high-density hypoallergenic silicone in its casings. This is necessary for the bandages to be certified for use on the human body. Being silicone, the wraps are impervious to bacteria and are also very easily cleaned of body fluids with an organic disinfectant between clients. While there have been bacterial problems with multiple users in a sauna, there are no known problems from the use of Formostar.

The Formostar has been approved as a Type 2 medical device in Europe, the US and Australia, and has undergone safety and compliance testing in Australasia. It is listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and is the only infrared device with these approvals. If products are not listed as approved therapeutic devices, companies are not legally allowed to claim that their products can achieve specific results, especially for weight loss and pain relief. In order to claim that their product can actually produce these results, companies must have their own studies. You will find that most other infrared products are based on published articles on the web and anecdotal evidence regarding the benefits of infrared to sell their products. The Formostar has two clinical studies and a third underway.

Each Formostar customer must complete a medical questionnaire prior to their wrap to ensure they have no contraindications. Other products that warm the body do not. All staff must be trained and accredited to be able to use the Formostar on clients; other infrared products do not appear to have this accreditation process.

Thousands of companies offer CBD for pets.

Yet the vast majority of marketing efforts simplistically revolve around “Oh, we’ve got pet stuff, too.”

Instead, industry leaders in pet CBD marketing have figured out how to rise above the fray.

They have done so by focusing on one of the most powerful principles of persuasion in human history.

The good news is that invoking this principle is quite simple.

It is based on following a few simple steps, as I explain below.

As a bonus, these steps also bypass the restrictive advertising regulations that currently plague the entire CBD industry.

DOGS TALKING ABOUT CBD

Dog lovers know that our furry friends talk to us. Not in words, of course.

Instead, they send us clear messages with tail wags, deep glances, smiles, bounces, you name it.

If Anthony Robbins is right about the definition of communication (and I think he is), it’s the results you get.

Dogs get results. And they are telling us a lot about CBD oil.

Carole Jarvis got the message from 3-year-old Coco, her former English Mastiff.

In Carol’s words,

“[Coco] He has hip dysplasia in both hips and severe arthritis in both knees. She can no longer take anti-inflammatory medications and was taking Tramadol 150mg twice daily. I can’t afford all the operations you need and as a last resort I tried CBD oil. She’s been at it for a month and she’s a totally different dog. She no longer feels pain and is not distracted all the time. I cannot praise CBD oil more highly…”

Lori Dzingala also received clear communication from her 12-year-old Leonberger.

According to Lory,

“[She] he started having seizures. She had a massive seizure and we were losing her. A client of mine suggested CBD, so we gave it a try. Within 3 days she was walking, and even jogging. We were able to control the seizures.”

These are just two of thousands of examples of how dogs communicate their health results thanks to CBD.

They have let their humans know how they feel about a whole range of health problems: cancer, anxiety, sleep disorders, epilepsy, joint problems and many more.

WHAT ABOUT THE CATS?

Our feline friends are no different. (Aside from his famous indifference and finesse with food, my fellow felines know what I’m talking about.)

Alicia Antonio “heard” her older tabby, Charli, loud and clear.

As Alice explains,

“We had a sunny Wednesday afternoon last month, [Charli] lost the ability to walk. By afternoon she was completely paralyzed and I rushed her to see the vet.

“Prognosis? Not good.

“Definitely neurological. Undetermined cause.

“Could [CBD] work for my cat? What did I have to lose?

“I agreed to give him the weekend to try to rest and recover, as long as he wasn’t in too much pain, and I considered CBD oil as an alternative treatment.

“I have to say the results were AMAZING. Her right pupil was dilated for days (a possible indicator of a brain tumor) and was back to normal the day after she started the CBD oil. Four days into starting the the CBD oil twice a day, Charli started eating and drinking on her own again. Before that, she had refused to eat and drink water and I had to keep her hydrated (and alive) by using a baby syringe to make the water down his throat.

“Five days after starting the CBD oil, he was able to use his front legs again and was able to slowly sit up and lean against walls and furniture, although his back legs still didn’t work. The next day, his back legs started working.” again, but he was weak and wobbly, taking more than a few steps with difficulty.

“Cannabis saved his life.”

WHO IS TRAINING WHO?

Every morning our two little terrier mixes “let” me have a sip of coffee, just one, before demanding their morning walk.

What they want is very clear to me. They have trained me well.

After her walk, it’s time for her morning dental work before I can finally get back to my cup of coffee.

(Oh, and our young orange tabby “talks” me into giving him treats at the same time, too. Apparently, I’m easily trained by canines and cats. Aren’t we all?)

In other words, I am very attuned to what our furry family members want and need because they tell me so.

That is why the experiences of Carole, Lori and Alicia, and many others like them, draw me to CBD for pet health.

THE UNDERLYING POWER OF MARKETING

Good storytelling grabs and holds attention.

That’s just the beginning.

The real power behind CBD for pets storytelling is shared hopes and experiences.

Marketers call it “social proof.”

It puts real power behind the marketing of CBD for pets.

Simply put, social proof means that people decide what to believe or how to act based on what others believe or say.

Social proof is a principle of persuasion as old as the hills.

Its power has not diminished one bit over the centuries. It is as compelling now as it has been since before the time of the pharaohs.

Pet CBD marketing in particular lends itself to this principle. it’s like a social proof accelerator.

HARNESS THE POWER OF PETS

Three simple strategies from top CBD companies show how to harness the power of social proof for pet marketing.

1) First, they gather a steady stream of satisfied customers who have pets.

They then give people the opportunity to show off their pets on social media. They’re going to do it anyway. You could also have them do it on your company’s social media pages.

Social media is a big driver here.

Videos and images of pet owners are a key source of engaging content.

All you have to do is heal it.

Satisfied customers showing their little friends online attract the attention of any company.

2) Second, they climb the social proof ladder by partnering with influencers.

Influencers bring a lot of social credibility. It’s like a rocket booster for social proof.

We are not talking about ‘ordinary’ influencers. We are talking about real pet influencers.

Imagine being associated with Mannie the French Bulldog. At last count, he had 1.1 million Instagram followers, 7,600 YouTube channel subscribers, and 1.7 million Facebook followers.

A word from Mannie has tremendous ‘canine’ social proof of the top dog online.

Mannie covers a wide variety of products. His own website offers drinks, clothing, art, and face masks. She is also promoting online supplements, CBD products, and even a car wash.

He is not alone. A quick search for other pet marketing influencers gives us a good list on Twitter. The big ones right now include @remixthedog, @tinkandmeek, @milliegthegolden, and @coconutricebear.

Keep in mind that although I’ve been talking about dogs so far, the same strategies work with cats.

To see what I mean, just check out Instagram for ThatLittlePuff, Nala Cat, Venus the Two Face Cat, and Smoothie the Cat to see some of the big cat influencers.

3) Third, because company leaders are pet owners, they actively engage in dialogue with other pet owners.

A simple but invaluable strategy for building credibility and trust online, pet lover to pet lover, is to answer questions in forums and comment on blog posts. All niches have forums and blog comments.

If done well, the interaction generated there attracts responses from others. The more the better.

Clever! More social proof.

FIRST, “PRE-SUASION”

Influencer researcher Dr. Roberth Cialdini describes in great detail how and why persuasive marketing works.

His book, “Presuasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade,” goes even deeper into why the best persuasion salespeople are so successful.

In short, they arrange for a target audience to be receptive to a marketing message before it is delivered. Hence, “pre-suasion”.

When it comes to marketing CBD for pets, this means creating marketing materials to establish KLT, that is, know, like and trust.

The function of such materials is to persuade potential customers to dig deeper into all the social proof about CBD for pets. In other words, it draws attention to the marketing message.

Although the social proof itself is mostly user-generated or influencer-generated, the development of KLT relies on well-crafted professional copywriting.

This is where all the other attention-getting strategies come into play: blog posts, email series, free reports, magalogs, brochures, press releases, website SEO, and more.

Writing to generate KLT puts people at the top of the sales funnel. Start a natural flow to social proof and ultimately more sales.

That’s where I can help. I am an expert writer of “pussive” (and persuasive) marketing texts.

Thinking of using Paydotcom? Great choice. If you want to sell ebooks, either as an affiliate or a vendor, Paydotcom should be your number one choice. These are the advantages of Paydotcom over Clickbank

1. There is no problem of commission theft. All Paydotcom affiliates must enter their PayPal account when registering. If an affiliate tries to buy from your affiliate link, the system will automatically deduct the commission, making the seller 100% of the profit.
2. No waiting for payment. All payments are paid through the PayPal account. An easy way to get paid for affiliates outside of the US.
3. Zero start-up cost for the supplier. This is another reason why Paydotcom is a risk-free way to handle payments and affiliates. Unlike Clickbank and 2Checkout, where the provider must pay $49.00 to get started, Paydotcom does not require this fee.

Tips for using and promoting Paydotcom products.

1. Sign up for PayPal and Paydotcom account. Unlike Clickbank, where you only need an email address, Paydotcom requires you to have a PayPal account. Sign up and verify your PayPal account as soon as possible. You do not want PayPal to limit access to your own account.
2. Market research with high demand. Without proper research, all your effort will soon be wasted. There are many ways to conduct market research. However, I highly recommend checking out the Clickbank marketplace first to get started. Both Clickbank and Paydotcom are similar. Anything selling on Clickbank, with a severity score of 1 or higher, would definitely be a great market for Paydotcom products. After finding a product with high gravity on Clickbank, check out the Paydotcom marketplace for products on similar topics.
3. Find the relevant keywords for the market using the Google Keyword Tool. You will not be able to trade online without this tool. In my opinion, Google Keyword Tool is still the best, not only because it has the largest keyword database, but also because it’s free. Remember, only target long-tail search terms, regardless of whether your traffic strategy is pay-per-click, search engine optimization, article marketing, or video marketing.
4. Start by posting articles first. Article marketing is a great source of traffic. Not only because it’s free, but also because it’s fast. Unlike SEO or blogging where you have to wait months, in some cases years to see the result. There are plenty of article directories online, but I highly recommend either Ezine Articles or HubPages to get started. These two are the top article directories, with a higher page rank and a good reputation in the eyes of Google.
5. Send traffic using Google AdWords. To be successful online, you need free and paid traffic. Why? Well, because each traffic strategy has its limitation. If you are using free marketing like article or SEO, there is no guarantee that your article will stay on the first page of Google search results. By using AdWords, you can at least overcome this problem.
6. start your own blog. Forget creating a website. A blog is a better alternative to websites, not only because it can be set up and running in minutes, but also because Google loves blogs. Search engines love blogs because the script is search engine friendly and most blogs are always up to date with fresh content. Also, readers can post comments, share their thoughts which would create better quality content. If you have a low budget, you can create a free blog on Blogger. However, I strongly recommend that you register your own domain and host your blog. Create a WordPress blog. Not only because WordPress blogs are beautiful, but it also has various interactive features like widgets, SEO, and spam filter.
7. Find the related forum. Forum marketing is actually an advanced traffic strategy. It is not a necessity. However, if you love chatting with a group with similar interests as you, why not give forum marketing a try? Make sure to read the forum rules. Some forums allow signing, others don’t.
8. Grow your mailing list. If you don’t have a mailing list, you don’t own your business. On the Internet, if you don’t have a mailing list, you will always depend on Google for traffic and customers. If Google lowers the ranking of your website from the first page, all your traffic and customers will disappear overnight. By having an email list, you will always have potential buyers for life.

Some tips and warnings

1. Apply for PayPal debit card if possible. Using PayPal as a payment method can be both good and bad. The bad part is that for certain reasons, PayPal may limit access to your account at times. Try to work around this limitation if you can. One way is by requesting a PayPal debit card.
2. Don’t choose too many traffic strategies at once. For the first six months, focus solely on search engine traffic, whether it’s free or paid. It will take some time to learn and see consistent income from a traffic source.
3. Don’t jump into overcrowded markets such as internet marketing, search engine optimization, AdSense, and making money online. There are many more less competitive niches like pet and gardening niches with lots of traffic and money to be made. So why jump into crowded niches?
4. Learn, learn and keep learning. Internet marketing is not a simple game. It’s like your day job or retail business. It takes years to learn and be a good doctor, engineer, teacher, researcher, or whatever your day job is. The same goes for online businesses. The more you learn, the more experience you have, the more money you will earn.

Mustard is known to be very helpful for digestion and can help speed up metabolism.

Mustard produces such a small seed, yet it produces many health benefits. Mustard is one of the most popular spices in the world and is used in all countries as a favorite spice. As part of the cabbage family, mustard can be used in whole seed form, as a ground powder, or combined with wine, vinegar, or some other liquid to create a loose paste.

There are three varieties of mustard: black, brown and white. The mustard plant grows quite tall and has a bright yellow flower.

It was imported to the US by Spanish missionaries and seen as a cure-all. Its strong, bitter taste, especially when mixed into a paste with vinegars, gave off a medicinal vapor long before its health benefits were discovered.

better than a vitamin

Mustard seeds are a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as calcium, dietary fiber, iron, manganese, magnesium, niacin, phosphorous, protein, selenium, and zinc. Selenium is a nutrient that has been shown to help reduce asthma, arthritis, and certain types of cancer. Magnesium also reduces asthma and lowers blood pressure. The effects of mustard for menopausal women and on migraine attacks are currently being studied.

Other healthy benefits

Some of the possible health benefits of mustard include:

speed up metabolism

Stimulates digestion, increasing saliva up to eight times more than normal

Inhibits cancer cell growth and possibly prevents other types of cancer as well

Treatment of skin diseases through the application of sulfur found in mustard

Reduces the severity of asthma

Reduces symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

Reduction of high blood pressure

Migraine Prevention

Facilitation of gastric juices that helps digestive problems and provides digestive support.

Soothing sore throat, bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia.

Disinfectant qualities it provides

It also has four powerful qualities: it is antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic and has anti-inflammatory properties.

How to add mustard to your diet

Mustard is for more than just hot dogs at the ballpark. Whether in ground powder form, in seed form, or out of the bottle, there are multiple ways to include mustard in your diet to reap its benefits. And since its pungent, tangy flavor enhances food in a unique way, it can easily replace fattier condiment options like mayonnaise, butters, and sugary ketchups.

Mustard is often used in Indian, French, German, and Irish foods. But there are also many more options.

Include mustard powders in salad dressings, egg dishes, pickles, marinades, and vinaigrettes.

Sprinkle whole mustard seeds over salads, over vegetables and rice, and over grilled meats. Try roasting them first in a dry pan for a nuttier flavor.

Mustard paste is useful. Bottled mustard can be rubbed on meats before grilling. Try dipping cut vegetables in a mustard sauce for a unique and flavorful dressing. Mustard paste can be easily added to mayonnaise, vinaigrettes, marinades, and barbecue sauces.

Mustard is so versatile; you will find many new and exciting ways to use this old standby.

Nursing CEs Mandatory

CEUs, or continuing education units, are required for nursing professionals. As an RN, you must keep your license and specialty nursing license up-to-date to practice. However, CEUs can also be very beneficial. For example, completing CE hours can help you network with fellow RNs and learn new skills. But are nursing CEs mandatory? Find out what’s involved in taking these courses. Also, make sure to check with your state board of nursing.

The board will conduct random audits of registered nurses, but most certifying organizations don’t make CEUs for Nurses requirements mandatory for their members. RNs are required to keep proof of CE completion for four years. Those who have passed the national licensing exam can opt out of the CE requirement by entering “EXEMPT” as the course name and provider name. Then, they must indicate that they have completed at least 30 hours of continuing education.

Some states require their nurses to complete continuing education in specific topics, such as infect control and identifying child abuse. In addition, in New York, they must take an Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse course and a course on infection control. In Michigan, nurses are required to complete one hour of pain management education. If you can’t find time to take the CE courses, try working at a job that doesn’t require continuing education.

Are Nursing CEs Mandatory?

Some states require that APRNs complete at least 18 hours of continuing education every two years. The Board of Nursing can waive the requirement if a provider submits written evidence from nursing administration. Otherwise, you’ll need to take the CE courses yourself. If you have a busy schedule, it may be difficult to fit CNE in your schedule. However, most states give nursing professionals a reasonable amount of time to complete the CE requirements.

The Board of Nursing also requires RNs to fulfill their continuing education requirements for licensure renewal. RNs who are in their initial licensure or have passed the national licensing examination are exempt from continuing education requirements. However, if you’ve been in the industry for more than a few years, you’ll have to complete 20 hours of CE. The California Board of Nursing has a list of specific continuing education requirements for nurses and RNs.

Depending on the specialty, there are different requirements for CE. Those who hold advanced practice registered nurse certification, for instance, must keep up with CE requirements. If they lose their certification, they cannot practice as an APRN. In such cases, APRNs are required to submit proof of completion of CE programs. During an audit, they’ll be sent a notice indicating where to mail their CE certificates. If the audit finds that an APRN has not maintained the required number of CEs for their specialty, they may be required to submit two cycles of CE certificates.

Like so much else about our society in these challenging days of Covid-19, Memorial Day celebrations in 2020 will no doubt be cut short from the usual practices. There will be no Indy 500 with the solemn pre-race tapping in honor of our American war dead. Some cemeteries may be decorated with American flags over the graves of veterans, but probably not as much as in years past. Churches that choose to pay tribute to those who gave the last full measure will likely do so via video conference. Social media will have its Memorial Day moment, to be sure, most of them well-intentioned and sincere, some as bland and irrelevant as those who post them.

In any case, who could have foreseen that during the spring of 2020, more Americans would be claimed by the coronavirus in these few weeks than were killed in action in Vietnam in more than a decade? It is a distressing situation, this vicious disease, fraught with uncertainty and fear and, for some, utter despair. It is a challenge that will demand the best of us, from the patience and determination of our citizens and trained first responders to leadership at all levels of government. The creativity and flexibility of our free enterprise system will also be critical in the coming months, as it was during World War II.

It is not a cliché to say that our current situation is yet another in a long list of crises this nation has faced. Because it is. Progress may be slower and less linear than we’d prefer, and the toll on lives will continue, but we’ll get through it somehow, we always do.

So is there a connection between our war dead and the current crisis?

Yes, for sure.

More than a million members of the US military have been killed in action in this nation’s wars. They are buried throughout the United States and in foreign cemeteries, especially in Europe. They were from small towns and big cities. Some had wealth and privilege while many others had very little. Some had worked on farms or in factories or had been public school students or teachers. Some were married while others had just begun to shave. Some were seasoned military professionals, while others were upset about the Boston Massacre or Fort Sumter or Pearl Harbor or 9/11, and wanted to strike back. Most, however, intended to do their part in uniform to the best of their ability and then go home.

These are different times, even beyond the Covid-19 pandemic. Less than one percent of the US population is serving in the military. Therefore, most American families have little or no connection to the military. Many of those family members have never even had a friendship with someone who is serving or has served in uniform. There is a disconnect that creates a social divide as military men and women serve and sometimes die while the nation at large barely notices. The burden falls on the precious few, and it is a heavier burden. Several universities have created safe spaces on campus where the snowflake students in their midst can avoid being offended by the “microaggression” of a sideways glance. Don’t look for them on Parris Island any time soon. Different times, actually.

Let’s go back to the connection between our war dead and the current crisis. What is?

Well, it’s in the fact that many of us feel like we’re facing real life-or-death circumstances for perhaps the first time in our lives. And it’s not nice. Our war dead faced those feelings, albeit much more intensely, in the dangerous existence they found.

It is in feeling the temporary loss of personal freedom either by edict or by a penchant for self-preservation, or both. And few of us like it, temporary or not. On a larger level, the idea of ​​freedom was important to our war dead, so they were willing to die to ensure their survival. Truth be told, more than a million did.

And it’s in knowing that, in the end, so aptly described in James 4:14, “You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” Our war dead understood perhaps more deeply than anyone how fragile and fleeting human life is. And how small (and sometimes helpless) we really are in the workings of the world.

So think of them this weekend, our American war dead. We are connected, whether we realize it or not, as fellow citizens, as human beings. They deserve a place in our collective memory. They deserve our respect and admiration.

For the most part, however, they deserve our eternal gratitude.