Healthy Living - Food Shopping

So, where was I? Peru, Asparagus & Food Inc. Well not that I travelled to Peru, ate fresh local grown Asparagus & made a movie about it, no. Quite the opposite. I bought Asparagus to cook in July in Florida & wondered about its “freshness”. Then I saw the movie Food Inc. with my husband & our lives were changed. Do you recall the last time something happened that drastically changed your life? Memories like your first kiss might come to mind, your first ride on an air plane, your first car & so on - but it’s been a while probably, right? This time around I was shaken up! My eyes were opened to our food industry, enslaved farmers & health risks I don’t tend to read or hear about in the news, or see on TV. I realize that everyone has a different view on things & therefore decided not to elaborate on my opinion, but suggest you see the movie for yourself to make up your mind… After watching the movie, I wished to have seen it with a group of people because it would have been interesting to discuss our opinions afterwards…

What has changed in my life so far, is WHERE I shop & WHAT I buy. For example, I now exclusively shop @ Whole Food stores in the neighborhood to buy local & fair trade foods. I especially like their large selection of bulk whole food items like dried nuts, spices, baking ingredients, grains, etc. Some bulk food stores allow you to bring your own containers & they will weigh the items for you. Great for small amounts & “budget shopping”. I also joined a food co-op of local like-minded food enthusiasts who grow, share or sell organic, healthy foods. I spruced up my recent Vegan Ethiopian Spicy Tomato & Lentil stew (see pix) with fresh herbs out of neighbors yards via the co-op! To state that the stew was YUMMY would be an understatement!

Healthy Living posts to be continued…

Cheers,

Work Place Meltdown or Going Postal

I grinned at the news report of Steven Slater. Mr. Slater, a flight attendant, recently made the news by using his planes intercom to spew his workplace dissatisfaction. He then grabbed a couple beers and escaped using the inflatable emergency slide. There is a small voice in all of us that has had the desire or will have the desire to yell enough is enough. But there is also a calmer voice calculating the mortgage payments, car payments and other responsibilities that quietly states “take 10 deep breaths”.
The media coverage given this man is spurring reports of dissatisfaction and unhappiness in the U. S. workplace. But is this truly a new phenomenon? In my generation we called it “going postal” and believe me that was a far more serious situation.
All of us can sympathize with a man who was whacked on the head with a piece of luggage and then treated rudely by the passenger. But have you ever been to one of the Super Stores on a busy Friday evening and step in front of the lady with two children in tow and a fully laden grocery cart?
Part of society’s functionality is its member’s ability to not act impulsively in situations. I am not talking about jumping in a pool fully clothed, but rather telling your boss that perhaps he is a moron. Deadlines, rude customers, co-workers, all contribute to an environment waiting for an explosion. Thankfully most of us will not “go Slater” and positively work out the situation that has us steaming.
Making news headlines for irresponsible and impulsive behaviors is not productive and will surely have copy cats doing the same. Making people smile will not be a tangible component on Steven Slater’s resume unless Comedy Central has openings. Take 10 deep breaths and if your difficult situation cannot be resolved over time, resign responsibly and at your convenience. And probably your boss is not really a moron but stealing two beers from your company will make you one.

Healthy Living - Food Education, Part I

Recently I re-discovered the pleasures of cooking. I especially enjoy cooking with fruits & veggies! I love to surprise my hubby with an exotic dish you’d otherwise order @ a fancy restaurant, or perhaps indulge in while on vacation in a dreamy location (braised pork with coconut milk & pineapple, anyone?!). I search & pull recipes of the Internet, try old family secrets & have bought cookbooks of international cuisines I love. Thai & Mexican to be exact. Believe me, there’s so much more to Mexican food than Taco’s!

When a recipe called for Asparagus the other day, I went to the nearest supermarket & bought some. The label of the package read “Produce From Peru”. Hmmmmmmm. Peru is about 2,600 miles away from Florida - by plane. It made me think about what keeps veggies so “fresh & green”, especially if they have to travel so far. Asparagus is a traditional spring vegetable & I just bought some in Florida in July… My family’s health is very important to me so I embarked on a journey to learn more about where our food comes from & what’s in it! First stop, we will finally watch a movie I heard a long time ago: “Food Inc.“, Academy Award Nominee “Best Documentary Feature”. I’ll be sure to report back on our impressions & next steps.

Are you concerned about our food? What are you doing to ensure you are eating a healthy, nutritious diet? Let me hear your thoughts!

Cheers,

Google your life!

A strange thing lead me to write today’s post. Ever felt like you were distracted & are completely detached from your goal(s)? Maybe life, family, work or other problems have a tight grip on you right now & your vision got diluted or worse - you forgot about them! However, this little light continues to flicker in you as long as you live. Sometimes your inner voice gets louder, sometimes it’s off. You know yourself like no one else & know this light inside you is a BIG part of who you are. But you just don’t have the time to tend to your own needs. Then something “bigger” than you reminds you in awkward ways of this little light. Maybe a person with a similar interest enters your life, or your kid (of all people!) shares their dreams with you – dreams you once had, too! You are reminded of something you wanted to do, or try to achieve in life. If we were alert enough to recognize in that moment what is going on, allow our eyes to see, let it re-enter our lives - what would happen?

I hope you are following your dreams, doing what you think you were meant to do. But if you lost sight of your goals or dreams - why not sit down today & make plans how to get back on track? Resources are at our fingertips & readily available 24/7 it seems with the Internet and Social Media. Larry Page & Sergey Brin challenge you to write them if you can’t google it! Go for it!

I dedicate this post to a new found friend who entered my life a few clicks ago on Facebook & reminded me of my goals!

Cheers,

National Frist Humanitarian Awards / HCA Tampa SSC Frist Volunteer Winner

I’ve been meaning to write about HCA’s annual Frist Humanitarian Awards. This program has been in place @ HCA, Inc. since 1971 & has since celebrated every year outstanding employee’s humanitarian and/or volunteering efforts. Employees, volunteers and medical staff of HCA can be nominated for their outstanding spirits! The award includes a $5,000 donation to the charity of the recipient’s choice & $5,000 in cash for the employee and volunteer. The medical staff honoree receives a $10,000 donation to the charity of his choice.

I work out of the Tampa Shared Services Center & have talked with their Volunteer Frist Award winner Robin C., a Payroll Specialist, about her award. I learned that Robin has been volunteering with Suncoast Hospice since 2003. While speaking with her, you can sense her strong compassion for helping her community to make this world a better place. Its a lifestyle for her, not a hobby. Robin currently cares for two Hospice patients and is also deeply involved with our next generation of leaders, our kids. She volunteers @ local schools & The Children’s Home - I imagine she is putting big smiles on a lot of kids faces! Robin loves to draw & her website which features cartoons & books is geared to empower kids, teach love & self respect among other topics.

In the future I expect to write follow-up posts on Green Initiatives across our facilities within HCA’s West Florida Division & hope to feature more Frist Award Winners for you!

Cheers,

Healthcare Reform Changes / Pre-existing conditions – Victims of Domestic Violence

Not sure how many of us have the chance to dive into politics a bit deeper than what’s covered on the news, but I thought I would write about some upcoming changes for the better that I support. Remember, my posts are my own & do not reflect the thoughts/opinions of HCA, Inc., or HCA West Florida. However, the Healthcare Reform will impact us all, including employees @ HCA, Inc., HCA West Florida – everyone in this country.

I personally know victims of domestic violence within my family, circle of friends & so on… Sad but true. This Affordable Health Care for America Act (HR 3962) will bring change for these victims in the remaining 8 states including DC that are: Idaho, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota & Wyoming who previously had no laws in place & the victims were discriminated against! Soon all victims of domestic violence in the US will be covered by the bill & not excluded via “pre-existing conditions”, but actually granted access to help! According to the White House blog, domestic violence causes 2 million injuries & more than 1200 deaths every year!

If you are interested to learn which insurance companies denied benefits to domestic violence victims in the past, I’d suggest you google it. I am not interested in exploiting the insurance companies, but rather talk about the positive changes the Healthcare Reform will bring about.

So have I overstepped my boundaries by talking about positive Healthcare Reform changes? You tell me! I am here to listen!

Cheers,

Did you know?

Today I want to talk a little about benefits @ HCA West Florida. I used to hold benefits enrollment classes, Q&A sessions for employees & administer the plans in employer’s systems. However, that was a long time ago & for the most time nowadays in my Nurse Sourcer role, I only have to concern myself with my benefits choices during annual enrollment & not so much with advising employees of their options. Though my ears perked up a couple of weeks ago while listening to NPR in the car on my way to get the dog from doggie care (yes, doggie care!). They were discussing the upcoming changes to our Flexible Healthcare Spending accounts starting in 2011. Did you hear about the changes already? If not, I strongly suggest for you to educate yourself & speak with your doctor(s) about the upcoming changes! From the info I gathered thus far, purchasing OTC’s (over-the-counter drugs) with your FSA will be denied unless your doctor has prescribed them. However, I understand not all details have been worked out just yet. Orthodontia, deductibles, co-pays, & eyeglasses remain covered. Thankfully my family and I are not on a lot of drugs (yet); I only need Levothyroxine for my hypothyroid. But I’ve been buying Sinus Headache pills & general allergy meds for my family. And once a year I used to look forward to a new pair of fancy glasses. Now however, I can only purchase reading glasses & no longer sunglasses. I too will have to find out much more about the changes & what exactly will be covered for us starting 2011.

General info on HCA’s West Florida benefits package can be found here. Now don’t let time get away from you & be sure to educate yourself on the FSA changes & how they will affect your family! Be well!

Cheers,

My Virtual Cubical

My meeting was very late so I absently grabbed another magazine. Hmmmmmm….” Business Week”, and only 8 months old with an interesting cover “China Goes shopping”. As I leaf through the magazine with one eye on the other people in the waiting room I fall into an article on Managing at a Distance and a subtitle “the ideal virtual worker”.
Working from home, or at least not in designated office space is becoming more common. I have been working at my dining room table for three years, and barring the dining room table moving several times through home renovations, I have managed to keep myself afloat.
It has had its ups and downs. No one to grumble to but the dog, and he has learned to ignore me just fine. First I worried I could not be disciplined enough to get the work completed, then I realized I needed to be disciplined enough to turn it all off. There was also some refrigerator rules that needed to be learned but that is being saved for another blog. I have survived and in some areas excelled with my new found freedom.
Now back to the magazine article that suggests to me that the ideal virtual worker is an (gulp) extrovert. Having completed a Myers Briggs seminar I became officially aware that I and extroversion are in opposite corners. Throughout my life I have had gregarious moments and introverted moments mostly with periods where I was somewhere in the middle. Always through it I have shunned psychological testing and labels. Damn it my parents told me I could be anything I wanted to be.
Maybe it is an antiquaited idea, but an ex boss, John Gunn, once told me I would probably never hire the perfect employee but I could create one. He believed through inspiration and training you could help anyone along the way. Perhaps there is hope for an old introvert like myself.

I still dislike the label. Not knowing what is in the box is what keeps us excited. Giving it a shake to guess what is inside is fine. But already knowing what is there is no fun at all!

We are hiring @ HCA West Florida!

Back from vacation & equipped with a wealth of knowledge, I am finding myself again in my cube @ work, doing what I do best: sourcing quality nurses! I have to tell you about my vacation, though. I took it upon myself to travel out of state to attend a recruiting event to refresh my skills & to network with like minded professionals. It was my first time attending such an event & I did it because it is my goal to push my career to the next level. To grow professionally & personally. To keep things fresh & interesting. Remember my post about getting stuck & being stagnant? It was then that I set goals for myself! I always wanted to attend such an event but never followed through! Next year I hope to go again, plus attend an even bigger recruiting event!

Reason for my post today is to keep you all motivated as well! While listening to Punk Rock HR blogger’s Laurie Ruettmann take on HR’s responsibilities in today’s times, she struck a cord with me by pointing out HR’s opportunity to put current unemployed Americans back to work! With such high unemployment numbers these days I totally agree with her! At HCA West Florida we started a Back to Work Program for nurses who want to return to the workforce after some time off to tend to family needs or personal reasons. The program consists of 120 hours of online course work & paid clinicals. Check it out or let your friends know about it!

Job seekers and workforce returners alike should also take advantage of the great benefits social media offers today! Think outside the box & get creative with your job search: check craigslist, meetup.com & other local resources for networking groups in your area specific to your professional background. Go to their meetings & start networking! Volunteer & network! Update your profile and/or post your skills set, experience & career desires on Facebook! Find your Alumni, ex co-workers, colleges etc. on Facebook & network! Tweet & blog about it too! Savvy recruiters will find you if you know how to market yourself! I know, I will!

Current RN’s opportunities @ HCA’s West Florida Division include, but are not limited to:

Pain Management, Endo, ER, Cath Lab, Wound Care, OR, PCU / Tele.

Cheers,

NurseSourcer’s new Facebook Page!

Being without my professional Facebook Profile for a few weeks, it was then that I realized how much I rely on it! I love the easy use of this tool - it almost seems like no technical background is needed for a non-geek like me to fully utilize it in the best way possible: writing status updates in a blink of a moment! Some enjoy posting pictures of the family - pets included (like me), others engage in their numerous games & load applications after applications to add to their leisurely fun! Plus you can access it on the go from almost anywhere in the world! No wonder I felt stagnant, unsuccessful - almost left out! Feeling this way & plotting along from 8 - 5 @ the office, an article in Nursing Spectrum’s March edition caught my eye. It talked about how we should always seek change & push ourselves to the next level - only then will we conquer things we didn’t think possible! It made me laugh because it was talking directly to me! While I was in transition to my new NurseSourcer Facebook Page, I took back control & explored other means to communicate with the world via Twitter and brushed up on my phone skills, calling job seeking RN’s for nursing opportunities for HCA West Florida & their facilities around Orlando, Tampa & Sarasota! If you know the feeling, or happen to get trapped soon, try to look for new opportunities you can conquer, learn something new to brighten your horizon, showcase your special talents to share or teach fellow co-workers, go back to school & finally take the class you were dreading for so long or dreamed of taking one day, study for the certification you need to earn a $1 more a hour, volunteer for a good cause, get involved & embrace the new experience!

On the job front: remember HCA’s West Florida Division if you’re looking for a change in location, culture, or to advance your skills! I am back online & reachable via said Social Media means on Facebook , Twitter, old fashion email or phone: 727.772.5124!

Cheers,