Day: May 24, 2020

Notification for extension of validity of fee payment and paying fees

In pursuant to the guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs vide No.40-3/2020-DM-I(A), Dated 24th March 2020 and subsequent amendments regarding imposition of complete lock down due to outbreak of COVID-19, the MoRTH had issued an advisory dated 30th March, 2020 to all regarding extension of validity of the documents related to Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. It was advised that documents whose extension of validity could not or not likely be granted due to lock-down and which have expired since 1st of Feb, 2020 or would expire till 30th June 2020, Enforcement authorities were advised to treat such documents valid till 30th of June, 2020.

It has also come to the notice of the Government that citizens are facing difficulties in respect of various fees/late fees as mandated under rule 32 and 81 of Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989 due to lock down in the country and closure of Government Transport Offices. There are cases where the fees have already been paid, for the service or renewal, however the process could not be completed due to lockdown. Further, there are issues where citizen is finding difficult to deposit fees due to closure of RTO offices.

In order to facilitate citizens during  COVID –19, MORTH has issued a statutory order prescribing that the fees paid on or after 1st February 2020 for the activity(s) including renewal and in case such activity(s) is not completed due to conditions for prevention of COVID-19 pandemic, the fees paid shall continue to remain valid. And   If there is delay in paying the fees from 1st of Feb, 2020 till the period of lockdown there would not be any additional or late fee yo be charged for such delays  till 31st July 2020.

Success of Digital India Initiatives a Hope for Poor and Developing Countries

In a very encouraging endorsement of the success of Digital India programme initiated by the Government led by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Ms. Patricia Scotland has expressed her appreciation for this initiative and has called it as a new hope for other developing and aspiring countries of the Commonwealth.

Ms. Scotland, in an interaction with a private news channel recently said that the way India has tried to address the aspirations of the people with innovation and opportunities by offering affordable digital services is commendable. She further said, “if you look at our poorer countries, our smaller, our developing countries, many of them look to the developed nations and they fear that they cannot aspire to do or replicate what the developed countries have done because of the cost. But when they look at India and fact that India is developing these things at scale and at a cost which looks accessible to so many. That brings hope.”

She also mentioned about her visit to India during January, 2020 where she interacted with the Ministers in Government of India and technology experts. During these interactions she got to understand that India was really focusing on helping the small, the vulnerable and the developing. “I very much welcome that”, she added further.

Conveying her appreciation for the contributions made by Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Electronics and IT, in the success of Digital India, Ms. Scotland further added that the Minister has been in the forefront of these developments. Talking about what Ravi Shankar Prasad has done she remarked, “he has electrified the other members of our Commonwealth family.”

Seven flights from Gulf under Vande Bharat Mission took off

Seven flights from Muscat, Doha, Riyadh, Bahrain and Dubai from the Gulf under the Vande Bharat Mission took off with nearly 1200 distressed and stranded Indians back to the country today.

From Dubai , there were three flights. Dubai Srinagar flight had 151 passengers and four infants.  This was the first flight for Srinagar from any of the Gulf countries.

Consul General Vipul called this a historic flight as this is the first time that a direct flight was operated from Dubai to Srinagar  to repatriate stranded and distressed passengers. There are no direct flights for Srinagar from Dubai otherwise.

Teamwork and team spirit

Two other flights from Dubai were scheduled for Hyderabad and Kochi . While Hyderabad had  177 passengers on board, the Kochi flight had 180 passengers.
Doha – Bengaluru flight took off with 177 passengers and five infants on board. This was the 8th flight from Doha under the Vande Bharat Mission. Till now 1374 passengers and 45 infants have been repatriated so far.

Riyadh Hyderabad flight via Vijayawada had 150 passengers including three infants. Bahrain- Thiruvananthapuram flight took off with 177 passengers including 32 pregnant women , 34 medical emergency cases , 16 senior citizens , 37 children and five infants. Muscat Kannur flight had 177 passengers and four infants.

Priority on all the flights have been given to distressed blue collared workers , medical emergency cases, pregnant women, stranded tourists and elderly people.

UAE sends aid plane carrying medical supplies to Afghanistan

United Arab Emirates yesterday sent an aid plane carrying seven metric tons of medical supplies to Afghanistan. Emirates News Agency said, the aid will assist approximately 7,000 medical professionals as they work to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Commenting on the aid delivery, UAE Ambassador to Afghanistan Eisa Salem Mohammed Aldhaheri said, UAE is committed to ensuring that the medical professionals of Afghanistan are equipped with the appropriate protective equipment to enhance their health and safety as they bravely combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
In March, the UAE dispatched an urgent medical aid shipment to Afghanistan containing 20,000 testing units and equipment to examine thousands of people. Till date, the UAE has sent over 641 metric tons of aid to 54 countries, supporting more than 641,000 medical professionals in the process.

Thousands leave Dhaka for Eid as police relax restrictions on movement

Amid rapidly growing cases of Corona in the country, thousands of people are leaving Dhaka for celebrating Eid at their home-towns and villages as the police relaxed restrictions on the movement of people from the capital city. On Friday, the Director General of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun told UNB that people can go to their village, homes in their private vehicles on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. As the restriction on public transport including autos and taxis and continues, people travelled out of Dhaka on cars, microbuses, pickup vans and motorcycles.
 
Large rush was reported over the last few days at the ferry terminals in Dhaka. People were allowed to leave Dhaka through river route as authorities started ferry services at Shimulia-Kathalbari and Paturia-Daulatdia ferry terminals. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) had imposed strict restriction on the movement in and out of the city in the wake of Corona pandemic and subsequent announcement of general holidays by the government till May 30. However, the police has relaxed the restrictions including the on inter-district movement of private vehicles in view of the Eid festival coming up shortly.
 
In order to contain the spread of Corona virus, the police in Dhaka issued fresh guidelines asking people to offer prayers only at the local mosques instead of Eidgahs or open fields. Police has asked people to avoid embracing each other as part of ritual or shaking hands after the Eid prayers. In a press release the DMP has asked people to celebrate Eid at their homes only and not visit their relatives. Mosque authorities have been asked to clean the mosques with disinfectant before the prayers. They have also been asked not to lay out carpets for the people coming to offer prayer.
 
In the meanwhile, large number of Corona cases and deaths continue to be reported from Bangladesh. Continuing with the record breaking number over the last many days, 1873 new Corona positive cases were reported in the last 24 hours on Saturday. In a virtual briefing, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said that with the new cases of Corona the total number of infected persons in the country has gone up to 32078. Bangladesh also reported 20 more deaths over the same period taking the death toll to 452. 

Van Dhan for Jaan and Jahaan: The Story of Shahapur’s Katkari Tribe

What can come out of a group of a few dedicated boys led by an able leader and enabling support from government organisations? A lot, apparently.

This has been proved yet again, by “Adivasi Ekatmik Samajik Sanstha” of Shahapur in Thane, which markets Giloy and other products. Giloy is a medicinal plant with huge demand from pharmaceutical companies.

The journey started when Sunil Pawar, a youth from Katkari (कातकरी) community, and his team of 10 -12 friends started facilitating various works of Katkari tribals at revenue offices in his native place. Katkari is one of the 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, as per the classification by Ministry of Home Affairs.

There are certain tribal communities who use a pre-agricultural level of technology, face stagnant or declining population growth, and are equipped with only an extremely low level of literacy and a subsistence level of economy. 75 such groups of tribals in 18 States and one Union Territory have been identified and categorized as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

Sunil Pawar, a young lad and his friends started this enterprise of selling giloy in local markets. A good samaritan in the form of Shri Arun Pansare saw their efforts and offered them a place to start their office. Once they started working from an office situated near the market area, more tribals came to know about it and started joining them.

Sunil Pawar meanwhile came across an advertisement of Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana run by TRIFED, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt. of India in association with Nodal Agency – ST Welfare Department, Govt. of Maharashtra.

Sunil approached them for help which he readily received and soon the demand for giloy picked up. Called गुडूची in Ayurveda, giloy is used in medicines which treat various kinds of fever (viral fever, malaria, etc.) as well as diabetes. It is used in extract form, powder form or cream.

“Not confining ourselves to local market and pharma companies, we plan to take giloy to far away markets with the help of big retail chains like D-Mart. We have created a website too. Online sale is happening through it during lockdown period. Government is forthcoming in issuing passes to us so that produce can be transported and sold without hindrance”, Shri Pawar said.

Efforts were made by Adivasi Ekatmik Samajik Sanstha, Shahapur co-ordinated by Sunil to not only expand the market for the produce but also to diversify into other forest products. They have started collecting and selling the 7 types of  Samidha (sacrificial offerings made mostly of wood) which are offered in the holy fire during the performance of Puja.

“Shabri Adivasi Vitta Vikas Mahamandal plans to train these SHGs in establishing backward and forward linkages for their produce. In backward linkages, we will train tribals about how to pick giloy without affecting its long-term availability, this way it will be available for a longer period and they will also be taught about plantation of the same. In forward linkages, we will train them to process the giloy into making different products which will fetch better price for them,” said Shri Nitin Patil, Managing Director of the Shabari Adivasi Vitta Mahamandal under Government of Maharashtra.

Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana provides working capital for these SHGs. So they don’t have to sell their produce in distress, moreover they can immediately pay tribals for produce they have picked up, this greatly helps tribals in having steady income, Shri Patil informed.

PS:

Youth from Maharashtra desirous of undertaking Adivasi Ekatmik Samajik Sanstha – like activity can contact Ms. Rutuja Pangaonkar on 8879585123 for guidance and assistance. 

Background

Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Yojana (PMVDY) is a retail marketing led value addition plan for Minor Forest Produce (MFP), meant for forest-based tribes to optimize the tribal income, locally. Under the program, MFP-based tribal groups / enterprises of around 300 members are formed for collection, value addition, packaging & marketing of Minor Forest Produces (MFPs).

These tribal enterprises will be in the form of Van Dhan SHGs which will be a group of 15-20 members and such 15 SHG groups will further be federated into a larger group of Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKS) of around 300 members.

TRIFED will support the VDVKs through providing them with model business plans, processing plans & tentative list of equipment for carrying out the value addition work of MFPs. The details would be made available on the TRIFED’s website.

HIL( INDIA) geared to provide locust control Pesticide to Iran

Despite logistics and other challenges posed by Covid 19 lockdown HIL (india) Limited a PSU under Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertlizers   ensured timely production and supply of pesticides for farming community. 

HIL is now in process of production and supply of  25 MT Malathion Technical  for supply to locust control  programme to Iran under Government to Government arrangement.   Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA ) has  approached HIL for manufacturing and supply of said commodity to Iran. 

Credit rating of Central PSU upgraded to BBB- from BB.which is a stable investment grade.

The Company has exported 10 MT of fungicide – Mancozeb to Latin American country, Peru  and another 12 MT will be exported in next one week. 

HIL has also signed an agreement with Ministry of Agriculture and Famers Welfare for the supply of Malathion Technical to Rajasthan and Gujarat for Locust Control Programme. HIL had manufactured and supplied 67 MT of Malathion Technical  till last week 

HIL supplied to malathion Technical to municipal corporations for dengue and chikungunya control programme.

supply of 314 MT of DDT 50% wdp to various states like Rajasthan,  Punjab ,Odisha,Andhra pradesh etc was executed as per the supply order placed by ministry of family welfares, NVBDCP programmes .the company is in process of supplying balance quantity of 252 MT to other state.

During the lockdown period till 15th May 2020, HIL produced 120 MT of Malathion Technical, 120.40 MT of DDT Technical , 288 MT of DDT 50%, , 21 MT of HILGOLD (Water Soluble Fertilizer), 12 MT of Mancozeb Fungicide for Exports and 35 MT of different agrochemical formulations so that farming community and health department may not feel the heat of lockdown. 

Indian govt to ease corona virus-linked global travel restrictions

The Indian-Americans have welcomed the decision of the Indian government to ease the corona virus-linked global travel restrictions imposed on those having Overseas Citizens of India- OCI cards, describing it as a big relief for them.
 
OCI card is issued to people of Indian origin globally which gives them almost all the privileges of an Indian national except for the right to vote, government service and buying agricultural land. The OCI card gives them a visa free travel to India. Yesterday, the central government allowed certain categories of OCI card holders, who are stranded abroad, to come to the country.
 
Earlier, according to the regulations issued by the Indian government in April, visas of foreign nationals and OCI cards were suspended as part of the new international travel restrictions following the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Prez Rajapaksa seeks PM Modi’s intervention to restore economy

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has sought the intervention of PM Modi to revive some of the key projects as Sri Lanka strives to restore the economy in the wake of COVID crisis. 

In a telephonic conversation with PM Modi today, the Sri Lankan President called upon Indian side to expedite construction of the East Terminal of the Colombo Port as early as possible as it will be a significant boost to its economic landscape. 

In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said, Sri Lanka is fighting COVID-19 effectively under the leadership of Mr Rajapaksa and India will continue to support its close maritime neighbour in dealing with the pandemic and its economic impact. 

The Prime Minister said, the two nations agreed to accelerate Indian-assisted development projects in Sri Lanka and also strengthen investment links. The Prime Minister conveyed his best wishes for the health and wellbeing of the Sri Lankan people. 

President Rajapaksa briefed Prime Minister Modi on the steps being taken by the Sri Lankan government to restart economic activity. They also discussed the possibilities of promoting investments and value-addition in Sri Lanka by the Indian private sector.

Mr. Rajapaksa said he is trying to promote value added industrial and agricultural activities and will be happy to encourage Indian investors to start such investments, including Indian companies already in Sri Lanka to increase domestic value addition. 

The Sri Lankan President also requested government of India to provide USD 1.1 billion special SWAP facility to top up USD 400 million under SAARC facility as it would enormously help Sri Lanka in dealing with the foreign exchange issues.  

PM Modi assured that he is personally committed to help Sri Lanka and is ready to help under terms that are favorable to Sri Lanka. The two leaders agreed to continue with the ongoing bilateral projects that brings direct benefits to people and prioritize food and health securities. 

In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, they agreed to further strengthen all aspects of the bilateral relations and President Rajapaksa thanked India for support, including 10 tonnes of medical supplies.

Eid being celebrated across Middle East today amidst lockdown

Eid is being celebrated by the Muslims across the Middle East today amidst lockdown. Special Eid prayers were performed at home by people. Religious leaders and rulers have urged people to perform the Eid prayers at home in the face of the pandemic affecting the globe. 

AIR correspondent reports that Eid is being celebrated across the Middle East today under lock down conditions. Normally performed at mosques and Mussalas, but this year due to the current exceptional circumstances created by the spread of COVID-19, Eid Al Fitr prayers are being performed at home, without Khutba, or sermon in most of the countries in the Middle East.

This is the first time that Eid is being performed without the traditional namaz in the mosques and special greetings and festivities associated with it. Traditional Eid shopping, night bazaars were all missing this time. Eid Al Fitr prayers are being performed at home to ensure safety, as mosques will remain closed due to the precautionary measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. During the entire month of Holy Ramadan, mosques across UAE and Saudi remained closed. The faithful were asked to offer prayers at home Muezzins however, chanted the Eid Takbeers through loudspeakers from dawn till the Eid prayer time. 

5 Tips to Write a Scholarship Essay that Stands Out

Many scholarship applications require students to write a personal essay. Here are a few tips to ensure your essay response doesn’t fall flat.

Many scholarship applications require students to write a personal essay. You might be asked to discuss your personal experiences, goals, knowledge of a particular subject, or a combination of these topics. While these questions might seem simple at first glance, it’s not always easy to know where to start.

Here are a few tips to ensure your essay response doesn’t fall flat:

1. Follow the essay guidelines

Before you begin writing, read the prompt carefully and make note of any specific requirements for the content or format of the essay. For example, there might be a word count limit, or the prompt may ask you to answer several different questions instead of just one. You might find it helpful to underline or highlight key parts of the prompt so that you don’t forget to address them in your response.

It’s also a good idea to reread the prompt after you have written your essay and are beginning the revision process. Make sure you aren’t missing any key elements from your response and that you have used the correct format (if there was one specified). It may sound simple, but following instructions is an easy way to ensure that your application makes it to the next round of consideration.

2. Use an outline

If you want to write a standout essay, it’s important to organize your ideas before you draft your response. An outline can make it easier for you to develop your main idea (often referred to as your thesis) as well as the supporting points that will be the focus of each of your paragraphs.

Planning is especially critical if the prompt has multiple components or requires you to respond to more than one question. Using an outline will ensure that your essay follows a logical progression and that each of your supporting points connects back to your main idea.

3. Emphasize your main point throughout

Your thesis statement – or your main idea – should be introduced in your first paragraph, but that shouldn’t be the last time it’s brought up. Each paragraph should support your thesis and provide evidence as to why it’s true. This ensures that your main point shines through your essay instead of only being mentioned in the opening and closing paragraphs. The result is a strong, focused essay that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

4. Don’t forget to proofread

If you submit your essay with spelling or grammar errors, it will likely be ruled out pretty quickly. Running your essay through spellcheck is always a good idea. Additionally, reading your essay out loud can help you pick up on grammar errors you may not have noticed, as well as ensure that your essay flows well. If you’ve planned ahead and finished your essay before the deadline, ask a friend, mentor or a professor to proofread it for you. It’s always helpful to have another set of eyes review your work before you submit it.

5. Make your conclusion count

Your conclusion paragraph is one of the most important parts of your essay. This is where you have an opportunity to make a lasting impression on your readers and show them why you are uniquely qualified for a particular scholarship. Do not just rehash your opening paragraph in your closing. Instead, summarize your main points in a way that reinforces your thesis statement and shows why it matters.

If possible, see if you can connect the experiences or ideas you highlighted in your essay to the mission and values of the organization for you are addressing. This will show the reader that you not only have strong writing skills, but that you have put time and thought into your response.

Facilitating flexible learning

Today three of us ran a workshop about facilitating flexible learning: how to give great feedback and still have a LIFE.

Overall, I think it went well. Lots of discussion and questions and people were keen to make contact at the end of the class….always a good sign.

It appears that the title and the content offered were timely. There was a big contingent from one school who have a push on to put courses online. This was excellent. They did have concerns, however, about how to get their content online. They were advised to work with the programme developers, and offered assistance to have people work alongside them, but not do it for them. The mentality is still there to get stuff on Blackboard, rather than thinking how they would like to present content and activities, and what technologies could assist.

There was some discussion about models where content is handed over to a team to create resources. Leigh made a good point about models he had seen which didn’t work and had cost lots of money. He believes it is best to start with finding resources which already exist and can be re-used…if possible. This makes a lot lof sense.

Some institutions which are heavily in to distance education – open polytechnic, UK, Athabasca university have production units but this makes sense. Open university in NZ used to do this as well, but has found it is more cost effective to enable staff to take charge of their courses and they have moved to Moodle. It would be interesting to talk to someone and find out how it is actually going.

The total number who enrolled was 13 but 3 people didn’t turn up. The group were very interested and gave positive evaluations.

I started the workshop off with an overview of facilitating online learning…well I sort of took charge of it really…we did brainstorm how we would approach it earlier in the week, but the actual content we presented was up to us individually. At the 11th hour, I felt the need to slap together some slides…too many bullet points..but for next time I will develop some concept maps.Hey I can try out CMAP.

I will try and get them done before this group finishes their online discussion. This will continue on until the end of the second week in May. Easter in the middle sort of interrupts the flow. The timing for the next workshop will be better. And hey next time we will try out Elluminate for the initial session.

People liked the different cases we presented. Merrolee had lots of practical advice and talked about how she managed the online discussion. It is good for people to hear the nitty gritty stuff from someone so experienced…well I am too. I talked about how assessment was linked in strongly to the discussions. We gave tips for managing prolific postings and motivating people to go online. I really have to do something about the amount of content in the evaluating eLearning for best practice course though…I will definitely be going with the learner-generated model for next year. hopefully i will still be teaching it then.

Leigh gave a very insightful overview of alternatives such as egroups, and how they are very useful platforms for handing over ownership of material to students….giving them something they can take away with them when they leave their 3 yr programmes…when they are locked out of the institutional platforms. Some of the OTs were very intrigued with the idea of having a community of practitioners able to remain in contact about professional issues.

It will take time but the ideas are filtering through. All we need are enthusiastic staff who act as “hotpoints” in their schools and talk about what they are doing to others. I do love running workshops with staff, and seeing the lightbulbs come on.

The next offerings will need to be a practical show and tell with staff demonstrating what they are doing. Oh when to schedule all these? We have two visiting speakers coming in May and June, Peter Mellow (AUT) on the Study Txt mobile learning project – article. Also John Milne (Massey) who is coming to work with us on the TEC eLearning guidelines an ECDF project. Exciting stuff.

Men Share What It’s Like to Become a Nurse

A recent NYU study found that the number of men in the nursing workforce is steadily increasing, growing nearly 5% between 2005 and 2015.

Employment in the healthcare sector is booming, and more men are entering into healthcare professions than ever before. In fact, a recent NYU study found that the number of men in the nursing workforce is steadily increasing, growing nearly 5% between 2005 and 2015.

While it might have been unusual several years ago for men to work in certain healthcare jobs, there’s now a push for more gender diversity in healthcare staff. This is especially true in nursing, as hospitals struggle to find enough qualified nursing staff to meet the growing demand for their healthcare services.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment for registered nurses (RNs) will increase by as much 15 percent by 2026, adding more than 400,000 new jobs.

 

We sat down with two of our recent BSN graduates, Jonathan Cabrera and Brandon Shaver, to talk about why they chose a career in nursing.

 

Q: Why did you choose a career in nursing?

Cabrera: I’ve always known that I wanted to help people. As I got older, I wanted to do something in medicine. I considered surgery, massage therapy and chiropractic medicine, but none of those careers felt like the right path for me. I knew that nursing would allow me to make a difference in the medical field and increase my opportunities for employment.

Shaver: After being in the military for four years, I wanted a complete change of pace. I found myself watching shows like Scrubs, House, Grey’s Anatomy, and ER, thinking to myself, “I could totally do that.” I was working as a dental assistant at the time, and one day a coworker mentioned that I should look into becoming a registered nurse. I did some research and immediately knew that was the route I should take.

Q: Despite the increasing demand for nurses, it’s still a profession that is largely dominated by women. Do you feel that this is changing? Why should more men consider nursing as a career option?

Cabrera: It’s not so much about whether you’re a girl or a guy. It’s about what you want to do and how you want to help others. I think a diverse classroom of students brought a good balance to my studies and my clinical experiences. We each brought a unique set of experiences to the table. As a nurse, I find that having a mix of different perspectives helps us find well-rounded solutions and allows us to do our jobs better.

Shaver: It’s not unusual to meet a man in the nursing field. Doctors used to be only men and nurses used to be only women, but we know that those stigmas don’t matter anymore. Nursing is a great line of work to get into, no matter your gender. There are so many options for growth, and if you’re like me and you get bored easily, there are always different specialties to explore and a variety of ways to advance your career.

Q: What did you enjoy the most about your nursing classes/clinical?

Cabrera: I completed a clinical rotation at a local community clinic, and I loved seeing first-hand how much we were able to help people. I enjoyed being a part of the staff and providing medical assistance for people that would otherwise be underserved due to their financial circumstances.

Shaver: My first clinical rotation at a nursing home made me reevaluate if I really wanted to be a nurse. It can be challenging at first, but as the semesters move along and you start making connections with your classmates, you realize that you’re all struggling together. You learn to make the best of the challenging moments and rely on each other. When I think back about all of my classes and clinical experiences, I remember all the people I shared those stressful times with and all the memories we had together.

Q: What do you enjoy the most about the nursing profession?

Cabrera: I’m glad to see that the field is changing. I think I finally found where I’m supposed to be, and I’m grateful not only for my experience at Herzing but for the opportunity to make a real difference in others’ lives.

Shaver: I like knowing that all my hard work has finally allowed me to have a great job, in the specialty I wanted to work in, in a location I wanted to live, working the hours I’d like to work, making the money I think I deserve. Not everyone can say that, but the nursing profession has so many options and opportunities for everyone.

Q: What words of wisdom do you have for those considering a career in nursing?

Cabrera: It doesn’t feel like it’s a woman’s job or a woman’s world. We’re all working together to help care for people in need.

Shaver: Make the leap sooner rather than later. Rely on your friends and family to help you get through the tough moments. Your classmates will get you through the hard times in school. Work with them, not against them, and you will be successful.

Thinking about a career change to nursing? Like Cabrera and Shaver, more men are realizing that nursing isn’t only a viable career option, it’s a job they’d like to do. Whether you’re just beginning your nursing career or looking to advance, Herzing University offers a variety of degree pathways to help you achieve your goals.

Learn more about our nursing programs and get started on your own journey today!

How to Plan for a Busy Week

As a college student, it’s inevitable that some weeks will be busier than others. Follow these tips to reduce stress and make your busy weeks more manageable.

As a college student, it’s inevitable that some weeks will be busier than others. Taking classes while working and/or caring for a family can make for a hectic schedule, and it can quickly become overwhelming if you don’t have a plan in place.

Fortunately, with the right approach and proper time management, you can learn to conquer a busy week with ease. Follow these tips to reduce stress and make your busy weeks more manageable.

1. Determine your priorities

Learning how to prioritize your academic demands with your personal life will make it easier for you to manage busier periods. Your personal priorities typically fall into three main categories:

  • Essential priorities, such as your own health and well-being and the health of your family. These are your number one priorities, and not much else should take precedence over them.
  • Important priorities, which are tied to your essential responsibilities, like school and work. These are tasks that cannot be avoided or pushed to the side just because there is some other leisurely activity you would rather do instead.
  • Optional priorities, which are activities you wish to participate in for personal fulfillment only. Reading a book, surfing the web or watching TV are examples of optional priorities. These should be completed only after all other family, school or work commitments are already taken care of for the day.

2. Reorganize your to-do list

Create a list of everything that you need to accomplish in the week ahead, and then go back and prioritize those items based on importance. This will help you visually plan out your time. There might be some less-important items that you just can’t get to, and that’s okay. You want to make sure you have enough time for your essential and important priorities, such as work, school and your family.

3. Plan ahead

If you have several large assignments to work on in one week, it might help you to break them down into smaller parts. Rather than spending several hours studying the night before an exam, spend 30 minutes to an hour each day of the week leading up to the exam. This approach allows for more flexibility in your schedule and also makes large tasks seem more manageable. Be sure to plan out when you are going to work on each assignment so that you are able to hold yourself accountable for your deadlines.

4. Create a study space for yourself

Having a designated study space for yourself, whether it’s a kitchen table or the local library, is important to stay focused. A messy environment is not conducive to productivity, so do yourself a favor and organize your space before the week even begins. Check out our tips for creating the perfect study environment.

5. Limit screen time and social media use

Your phone can be a huge distraction. Help yourself be more efficient by turning off your phone while you are doing schoolwork. If it helps, set aside some time during the day to do a little phone surfing as a way to relax and break up your workload.

6. Remember that it is okay to say “NO”

A large part of prioritizing is learning to say “no” to certain activities. Say that there is a big sporting event going on one night, but you had previously blocked out that time to work on a paper that is due at the end of the week. As much as you want to participate, remind yourself that you don’t have to be present at every event and that your own success should always come first. In most cases, there will be another opportunity to participate in the future.

7. Don’t neglect time for self-care

Self-care is crucial to your health and productivity. Maintaining a healthy diet and a consistent sleep schedule as well as getting regular exercise are elements of self-care that should never be sacrificed due to a busy week. If they are, that behavior can quickly become self-destructive, potentially affecting both your mental and physical health.

One way to avoid burnout is to give yourself a few minutes of downtime each day to do an activity you enjoy. Going for a run, reading an article, or listening to music are all ways that you can reset and refresh your mind. You’ll probably feel much better and will be more focused and productive as a result.

With just a few positive lifestyle changes, you can be productive on even your busiest days. Fitting it all in can be difficult at times, but it is not impossible if you find the right routine and commit yourself to plan ahead.

Why I don’t want an IWB (Interactive Whiteboard)

Recently, I have been asked quite  few times about IWBs and which ones are best etc. My usual answer is ‘none’ and then I have to explain, so I thought, instead of explaining I would write this post so that I could point people towards each time they ask.

So this is my classroom set up of preference and these are the key components.


1. Data projector – I’m not really bothered which one as long as it produces a good screen resolution (There’s a reasonable article here on how to choose one:
How to Buy a Projector)





2. A Laptop – My preference here is for a MacBook, but I can understand why some people find that extravagant and don’t feel they are worth the extra financial outlay. Personally, I think they are worth the extra money, because they work faster and so save time (the most valuable commodity we have) and because they are pretty durable(The Apple products I’ve owned have lasted at least twice as long as their PC counterparts I’ve had and are still going strong.)


3. iPad – Again my preference here is for the iPad mini, because it is so light to hold in one hand and pass around, but still big enough and powerful enough to fulfil my storage needs and to operate without squinting (also quite a bit cheaper)


4. Reflector app – This is a key app that you download onto your laptop. It then enables you to project your iPad screen onto your computer (and so through the data projector) as it wirelessly receives signals from the iPad’s Airplay function.


For those who aren’t familiar with Airplay, it’s an Apple function that allows you to use the wireless to project sound and vision from an iPhone, iPad, iTouch etc of to Apple TV. You can find more information here: Airplay

Why I like the Airplay enabled set up

  • For me this allows the best of both worlds. I can use the laptop for any software that’s native to computer world and very quickly and wirelessly switch to the mobile environment of the iPad.
  • This set up is portable so you can use it in any room with a data projector and computer, as long as the Reflector app is installed.
  • This also has the advantage of allowing your students access to the data projector if they also have iPads, in fact the Airplay function combined with Reflector can allow your students to project onto the screen from a number of iPads simultaneously, which is great to get students showing and comparing work for the whole class to see.
  • Controlling the projection screen from the iPad means that you can move around the class and control it from wherever you are.
  • To hand control over to students you just pass them the iPad
  • You can store all your materials on your iPad and use it to do all your preparation / marking etc at home.
  • You don’t have to fiddle with replace or try to find those awful IWB pens.
  • The iPad gives you access to the vast range and variety of apps that you just can’t run on a computer or IWB environment. 
  • An iPad and a $12.99 app are hugely cheaper than the cost of an IWB and far more flexible.
  • You can also use the Reflector app to record screen activity so you can easily turn parts of your lessons into flipped learning or useful revision.
  • The iPad and laptop set up provides an authentic digital learning environment so digital literacies can be developed, whereas IWB software is an artificial digital environment which students will only encounter within schools.

There are of course some downsides to this arrangement. 

  • Hand writing on the iPad screen isn’t so comfortable even with a stylus and a good whiteboard app (though if you want to try it I would recommend Bamboo Paper).
  • The Reflector app isn’t free, but it is very cheap ($12.99) so much cheaper than an IWB.
  • This set up only works with Apple mobile products as the controller (Though you can use any laptop to install the app on), so if your students bring along Android or other devices they won’t be able to access your projector (but they wouldn’t on an IWB either).
  • The Reflector app runs through the wireless to connect the laptop to the iPad, so you may need to have some specific ports open if your IT manager has them closed.

If you don’t have the choice and you already have an IWB, then that’s fine, you could still install the Reflector app and start using an iPad too, but given the choice it’s pretty clear. So, now hopefully I’ll be getting asked this question a lot less often.

Do post comments and let me know what you think. I’d also appreciate hearing about any alternative apps you may have used to connect your iPad and especially your Android tablet to the projector

Related links: