How to Become a Health Inspector

By Althaf Ahmed

A health inspector is a person charged with the duty of checking restaurants and ascertaining that they operate in safe and hygienic conditions. In addition, they also inspect housing units plus such environments that serve the general public as nursing homes and swimming pools. Their aim is to ensure that health and safety codes are adhered to. Numerous individuals may want to become health inspectors but may not know how to go about it. There are a few easy to follow steps on how to become a health inspector.

For one to become a health inspector, they have to have the interests. The first step involves an individual conducting online research with an aim of selecting institutions offering health inspection related training programs. Only programs with accredited services should be chosen. Individuals should ascertain just how much time it takes to complete the program. Some health inspection programs award candidate's certificates while others award degrees upon completion. Individuals should only select program that are in line with their needs.

While making the all important decision of what program they should settle for they should understand that a degree in health inspection opens up more opportunities than a certificate. Once the appropriate program has been selected, the individual may then enroll into an institution. However, it is also possible for individuals to enroll for an online program. To qualify as a health inspector, individuals have to train for between one and six years. This depends on the education level an individual wants to achieve. Accordingly, it takes much longer to qualify for a degree than it does for a certificate.

Upon graduation, it is important that individuals take the time to intern at their local public health department. Through internship, individuals gain the necessary practical knowledge plus experience in the health inspectorate field. Once an individual is through with internship, they should then seek professional accreditation. This demands that they review such accreditation institutions as Board of Certified Safety Professional (BCSP). To become Certified Safety Professionals (CSP) and be awarded a certificate, individuals are required to takes and pass an accreditation test. To increase their marketability, individuals should strive to be accredited by as many institutions as is possible.

A health inspector is required to interact with and interview numerous people. More over, they are required to provide reports on the findings. Accordingly, good communication and people skills come especially handy. Nevertheless, even with adequate training, individuals should be well prepared for on the job challenges.

The author is a career specialist and regularly pens articles such as how to become a delegate and how to become a travel agent. Do check it out.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Althaf_Ahmed

Nursing: A Calling to Help Other People

By Jane M Andrews

Being a nurse is not a joke; in fact their job is very stressful that some of them do not have the energy to do the things they used to do. Being a nurse is more of a vocation than a money-making career. Their duty is to make sure that the patients are well taken care of but some of these nurses would even extend their work by making sure that the relatives of the patients feel that they are not alone and that the nurses are always there to make sure that their loved ones will feel better and if possible help their patients go back to their normal lives.

But despite the heavy responsibilities of being a nurse, why is it that there are still many people who want to be a nurse? One of the many reasons why many people are switching careers to being a nurse is because of the fact that the pay is big time and the benefits are endless. If you are one of the many people who want to help take care of the sick and be well taken care of by the company you worked for, you should consider being a nurse since many of these nurses are receiving big amount of money as a compensation as well as big time health benefits. It is true that being a nurse means giving more of your time, patience and your heart to your patients on the other hand you get more perks and health benefits than any other career in the country.

There are companies that offer their nurses paid time off so you, as a nurse, can enjoy vacationing in Boracay or Bahamas any time of the year! Imagine being able to take a paid vacation for almost 100 hours and that's excluding the sick leave. Another benefits any nurse can get is an impressive off-shift differential or holiday incentives. This is usually given to nurses who opt to work during the evenings or even during the holidays. Many people would decide to work during special holidays like Christmas or Independence Day simply because they know that they will be given a hearty incentive for that. There are still many monetary benefits any nurse can receive including on call pay as well as weekend shift incentives. Aside from that nurses are also entitled to great health care benefits that usually cover dental care, life insurance vision as well as prescription coverage that would cater to any nurses' healthcare needs. This simply means that even minor health expense like prescription drugs will be taken care of by the company that you worked and most importantly you have a life insurance.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jane_M_Andrews

Jurang ketara gaji kumpulan atasan, rendah

BASHA
Alor Setar, Kedah

JABATAN Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) telah mengeluarkan Pekeliling Perkhidmatan Saraan Baru Perkhidmatan Awam (SBPA) yang sememangnya dinanti-nantikan oleh semua penjawat awam.

Banyak perubahan di bawah SBPA seperti jadual gaji sebaris, pemansuhan PTK, dasar pemisah, PROSPEK, unsur persaraan dinaikkan kepada 60 tahun dan lain-lain.

Namun demikian masih terdapat perkara-perkara yang perlu dilihat semula di bawah SBPA, antaranya wujud perbezaan yang amat ketara kenaikan gaji bagi kumpulan atasan dengan kumpulan rendah.

Kumpulan atasan mendapat kenaikan beribu-ribu ringgit manakala kumpulan rendah hanya naik ratusan ringgit. Sebagai contoh, Gred 4-3 (dahulunya 22) gaji maksimum SSM RM3,134.53 naik kepada SBPA RM3,530 iaitu kenaikan sebanyak RM395.47 sahaja. Sudahlah kenaikan sedikit, ditambah pula tiga tangga lagi daripada SSM T1 hingga T12 kepada SBPA T1 hingga T15.

Sepatutnya dengan kenaikan yang tidak seberapa, tidak perlu ditambah daripada T12 kepada T15. Manakala kenaikan gaji tahunan SSB RM107.39 kepada SBPA pula ialah RM115. Ini bermakna bertambah hanya RM7.61. Bayangkan dengan peningkatan kos sara hidup kini yang tinggi dengan kenaikan gaji amat tidak setimpal.

Satu perkara lagi yang perlu dilihat semula ialah penambahbaikan skim perkhidmatan bagi kumpulan pelaksana, khususnya gred 17 seperti guru maktab, jururawat, juruteknik dan lain-lain telah dinaik taraf.

Bahkan kumpulan yang dulunya lebih rendah daripada Gred 17 seperti pembantu tadbir rendah (jurutaip), operator telefon, tukang masak dan beberapa jawatan lain kini telah setaraf dengan Gred 17. Kami dalam Gred 17 rasa amat terpinggir sedangkan kami adalah kumpulan pelaksana yang paling ramai dalam sektor awam.

Adalah diharapkan kerajaan dan JPA dapat meneliti semula beberapa kelemahan yang wujud di bawah SBPA supaya penjawat awam khususnya kumpulan rendah atau pelaksana tidak merasa terpinggir dalam setiap perubahan skim baru.

--- UTUSAN MALAYSIA

Food Safety-Sanitation Checks For 2011 LIMA

November 29, 2011 12:45 PM

LANGKAWI, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- Langkawi District Health officer Dr Mansor Ismail announced that food safety and sanitation checks would be stepped up on the island, for the upcoming 2011 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA 2011) which starts Dec 6.

Inspections would cover restaurant premises, hotel kitchens, shops, stalls, suppliers and importers of fresh ingredients on the tourist island, he said.

"We want people who prepare food to observe hygiene and quality to prevent contamination," he said to Bernama here, Tuesday.

Ninety personnel, including 36 additional staff from six districts in Kedah would be involved in the inspection operation starting Dec 2, he added.

Owners who fail to comply with rules and regulations face having their premises shut down, he said.

-- BERNAMA

Danok: A Food And Shopping Haven

May 20, 2011 12:51 PM

Apart from a shopping paradise, Danok is also a dining aficionados. Danok is a small town in Thailand, and only takes about 45 minutes from Alor Setar, Kedah.By Sakini Mohd Said

SINTOK, May 20 (Bernama) -- A little-known shopping haven lies at the border between Malaysia and Thailand, selling goods that are much cheaper than those in Petaling Street.

The place is called Danok. It is a small town located in Thailand, just after Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah.

You name it, Danok has it. Shirts, jeans and handbags from top brands, such as Louis Vuitton, Coach and Prada, can be found here.

The price - pardon the pun - is the main selling point. If you thought the prices at Petaling Street seemed like good bargains, the prices in Danok mat will certainly make you rethink your opinions.

Aside from its shopping attractions, Danok is also known as a food-lover's paradise.

HAVE SOME "PULUT AYAM"

"If you go to Danok, you must try the 'pulut ayam' (chicken in glutinous rice)," recommended a local.

"Pulut" aficionados might find his statement intriguing.

Malaysians might be familiar with 'pulut durian' (durian in glutinous rice), 'pulut kuning' (yellow glutinous rice, usually eaten with chicken rendang) and 'pulut mangga' (mango in glutinous rice), but the idea of eating pulut with fried chicken is a novel concept.

Nevertheless, this unique dish is popular in Danok.

"Every weekend, my family and I travel to Danok just for its pulut ayam. It's so delicious and you can't get it anywhere else," Kamarul, a tourist, told Bernama.

Stalls selling pulut ayam can be seen lining the streets in Danok. They are sold according to size, with the most expensive version priced at RM6.

"The chicken get its red colour from being marinated in certain spices. But it's not spicy and does not taste like 'mamak' fried chicken," said Aminah, a pulut ayam seller.

"The pulut is also different from pulut durian or mangga. It's harder and is eaten with a special sauce, similar to the one we eat with 'keropok' (chips), but the one for pulut ayam is tastier," she added, although she declined to share her sauce recipe.

MUST TRY THE 'KEMSOM'

"Kemsom" is very commonly found at most Thai food stalls in Sintok and even in Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur.

But there are still some people who don't know what it is.

It is a savoury dish that is similar to the popular Malaccan dish "asampedas". However, it is spicier, contains bamboo shoots and has a deep yellow appearance.

What distinguishes the kemsom in Danok from the varieties found anywhere else is the use of the 'ikan puyu' (climbing perch). This makes the dish quite unique since the fish is usually salt-cured or used for decoration. This is due to the belief that it will ward off evil spirits.

Tourist guide Anwar said that he usually urges tourists under his care to try the dish when they visit the region.

"The most popular kemsom is the one cooked with ikan puyu, which is the size of a talapia.

"Initially, tourists would be put off by its appearance. But after tasting it, they would express delight about how delicious and soft the flesh is," said Anwar, who had been with tour agency Sulai Tour for six years.

He added that barbecued meat, pulut mangga, pulut durian and tomyam are also popular among tourists who visit Danok.

TRY THE SPA

Aside from being a shopping and food haven, Danok is also known as the place for women to enjoy a day at the spa.

"The services offered are very cheap," noted Anwar.

"You can get a massage, a body scrub, a sauna bath and milk bath for just RM70. Such a spa package would cost hundreds of ringgit in Sintok (Kedah)."

However, some tourists are sceptical about such offers, which is understandable. This is because, unfortunately, Danok is also notorious for being a 'red-light' district.

But Anwar said that there are several spas offering genuine services.

"Yes, there are two types: one of them offers genuine services, such as massages, scrubs, sauna baths and manicures. The other offers the same services with sexual favours attached.

"A good rule of thumb is to find spas where the masseuse is an older woman. They tend to offer genuine spa services," he added.

GETTING TO DANOK

Tourists visiting Sintok, Kedah, should not miss the opportunity to visit Danok.

Public transportation options, such as buses, are available from Alor Setar to Changlun. From there, a taxi can be taken to Danok.

A tourist from Melaka, Fatimah Wahab, said that she would visit Danok every time she visited her daughter, who is studying in Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) in Sintok.

"Sintok is only 15 minutes away from Danok town. If you're from Alor Setar, it's a 45-minute ride away.

"But distance should not be the sole consideration for a visit. If you forget about that for a while, you will see that it really is a quaint little town with a lot of things to offer," she pointed out.

"I, for instance, like to come here because of the unique sight of elephants roaming the roads."

-- BERNAMA

Penambahbaikan perkhidmatan kesihatan bukti keprihatinan kerajaan (Utusan Malaysia Online)

Kesihatan adalah keperluan asas manusia dan rakyat mengharapkan pihak kerajaan menyediakan kemudahan perkhidmatan kesihatan yang baik secara percuma ataupun pada kadar kos yang paling minimum.

Dalam hal ini, kita amat tertarik dengan beberapa inisiatif dan langkah yang telah diperkenalkan oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak sejak mengambil alih jawatan Perdana Menteri.

Semuanya bermula dengan pelancaran Klinik 1Malaysia yang telah diwujudkan mulai Januari lalu bertujuan menyediakan perkhidmatan rawatan perubatan ringan kepada penduduk di kawasan bandar sesuai dengan pendekatan kerajaan 'Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan' pada kadar bayaran serendah RM1 sahaja.

Ia disusuli pula dengan pelancaran Inisiatif Klinik Bergerak 1Malaysia pada awal bulan ini, yang menawarkan perkhidmatan penjagaan dan pemeriksaan kesihatan secara percuma ke kampung di kawasan pedalaman.

Melalui Klinik Bergerak 1Malaysia ini, bas- bas yang telah disediakan akan membawa doktor, jururawat dan staf sokongan untuk merawat mereka yang sakit dan memberikan perkhidmatan kesihatan yang berkualiti di tempat yang tidak ada kemudahan klinik dan hospital terutama di kawasan pedalaman.

Terkini Najib mengumumkan kerajaan akan memperkenalkan klinik bot bergerak hibrid untuk memberikan perkhidmatan kesihatan ke kampung yang dihubungkan melalui sungai di Sabah dan Sarawak.

Tambah Najib, langkah ini bertujuan memastikan rakyat dapat menikmati kesihatan lebih baik dan menerima pemeriksaan perubatan, ubat dan nasihat yang sewajarnya.

Komitmen dan pelbagai inisiatif seperti ini jelas membuktikan tahap keprihatinan dan keikhlasan kerajaan dalam menjaga kebajikan rakyat, membela nasib golongan yang kurang mampu serta membuka ruang akses kepada masyarakat luar bandar untuk turut sama menikmati kemudahan kesihatan yang berkualiti sama seperti masyarakat di kawasan bandar.

Hal ini amat signifikan kerana dengan adanya klinik-klinik bergerak seperti ini, ia dijangka mampu mengurangkan beban pesakit di klinik kesihatan di kawasan bandar yang sedia ada dan ini juga dapat memudahkan serta mempertingkatkan akses rakyat untuk mendapatkan rawatan ringan terutama di kawasan luar bandar.

Kita perlu sedar bahawa masih ramai penduduk luar bandar berpendapatan rendah dan sederhana. Golongan ini sering menghadapi masalah kekangan kewangan untuk mendapatkan rawatan perubatan di klinik mahupun hospital swasta. Tambahan pula hospital ataupun klinik kesihatan kerajaan yang sedia ada agak jauh dari lokasi penempatan mereka dan jumlah pesakit pula ramai yang jelas akan melambatkan proses mendapatkan rawatan yang dikehendaki dengan segera.

Keprihatinan pihak kerajaan dalam aspek kesihatan rakyat memang tidak perlu diragui ataupun dinafikan kerana buktinya bagi tahun 2010 Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (KKM) telahpun diperuntukkan bajet berjumlah RM14.8 bilion yang merangkumi perbelanjaan mengurus sebanyak RM11.2 bilion dan perbelanjaan pembangunan sebanyak RM3.6 bilion.

Peruntukan ini menunjukkan peningkatan sebanyak 7.6 peratus berbanding tahun sebelumnya iaitu RM13.2 bilion. Malah, peruntukan yang diterima oleh KKM ini juga merupakan antara yang tertinggi berbanding kementerian lain. Data ini sudah cukup untuk menjelaskan rasa tanggungjawab kerajaan terhadap aspek kesihatan rakyat negara ini terutamanya bagi membantu golongan yang tidak berkemampuan.

Dalam pada itu, kerajaan juga dilihat amat serius dalam mengekang tindakan beberapa klinik dan hospital swasta yang mengenakan caj rawatan melampau dan tidak munasabah sehingga pesakit mengalami kesukaran untuk menjelaskan bil tersebut.

Ini terbukti apabila pihak KKM melalui mesyuarat bersama Persatuan Hospital Swasta Malaysia, Persatuan Perubatan Malaysia, Majlis Perubatan Malaysia (MMC), ketua pegawai eksekutif dan orang bertanggungjawab bagi hospital swasta, wakil Organisasi Jagaan Yang Diuruskan (MCO), syarikat insurans, kumpulan profesional serta profesional perseorangan baru-baru ini telah memutuskan agar hospital swasta kini perlu memaklumkan secara terperinci dan telus mengenai caj profesional serta caj anggaran dan di luar jangkaan sebelum pesakit diberi rawatan atau dimasukkan ke wad.

Penulis berharap agar pihak kerajaan akan meneruskan lagi inisiatif-inisiatif murni seperti ini agar seluruh rakyat Malaysia mampu akses kepada kemudahan rawatan perubatan yang berkualiti demi melahirkan sebuah masyarakat yang sihat and cergas.

NOOR MOHAMAD SHAKIL HAMEED

Penolong Pendaftar Kanan Pusat Kesihatan Universiti, Universiti Putra Malaysia

200,000 Doses Of H1N1 Vaccine For High-Risk Groups From February

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 (Bernama) -- Some 200,000 doses of Influenza A(H1N1) vaccine will be allocated for high-risk groups such as pregnant women, children, the elderly and people with chronic diseases beginning next month.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said they could get vaccinated with the vaccine for free at the government hospitals and clinics.

Speaking to reporters after visiting Tung Shin Hospital here today, Liow said the balance of 300,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine from the 400,000 ordered from Britain would be received at the end of this month.

"We will conduct (100,000) vaccinations on the frontline workers first, and then the high-risk groups like pregnant women, the obese, and those with high blood pressure and so on.

"They are our priority before the vaccine is distributed for other groups in preventing and curbing H1N1 infections," he said.

On the H1N1 situation in the country, Liow said it was under control, with the ministry abiding by the World Health Organisation's directive for continuous close monitoring of all cases of flu.

"We are worried if the H1N1 virus will mutate. But our monitoring have so far not shown that the virus has mutates into other forms."

He said the district health officers had also been instructed to obtain all flu samples for further tests.

On another matter, Liow said the ministry would work at enabling private doctors to serve as locums at government hospitals and clinics as soon as possible.

"They told me that they had applied to serve as locums but they never got invited. After our dialogue session with the Malaysian Medical Association last Friday, we will work together at improving health services in the country."

Asked whether the private doctors would want a higher payment as locums at the government hospitals, Liow said the current payment was reasonable at RM80 per hour.

Earlier, he handed over two mock cheques for RM2 million each to Tung Shin Hospital and the Chinese Maternity Hospital for the purchase of equipment and medicines.

Liow called for the setting up of more non-profit-based hospitals to enable the low-income group to seek treatment at such hospitals.

-- BERNAMA