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Becoming a Food Safety Specialist

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In this fast changing world, when safety of food items have come under severe scanner, a Food Safety Specialist plays key role in ensuring the quality of food we consume. The data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 76 million Americans contract food borne illness every year. That is a disturbing trend, as a significant part of our meals is now prepared at restaurants, canteens or commercial food processing facilities.

Education Requirements:

  1. Begin at High School: Aspiring Food Safety Specialists can start their preparations at high school level by opting for courses such as life science, mathematics, chemistry, physics, computer science and communications.
  2. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree: Bachelor’s Degree is must for all aspiring Food Safety Specialists. They generally study environmental health, biology or chemistry during the bachelor’s program. Also, they undergo training in food production and handling, sanitation, nutrition and quality assurance.
  3. Master’s Degree/Graduation Certificates: After completing the bachelor’s degree, the students can go for either a master’s degree or graduation certification program offered by various universities. Those courses help in getting in-depth knowledge in hazard control, food borne diseases, food laws etc. The National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) will prove useful for the career aspirants.

Job Responsibilities:

  • Coordinate and consult with food regulatory bodies and monitor the hygienic conditions
  • Ensure the quality and safety of food supply
  • Coordinate with procurement officers to ensure standardized food ingredient purchases
  • Study food formulation procedures and identify health hazards
  • Conduct surveys and audits on restaurants, hotels, canteens, cafeterias and other places
  • Perform laboratory tests on sample foods and ingredients
  • Conduct surveys on meat processing units etc.
  • Enforce proper methods of seed selection, fertilization, pest control, harvesting, storage and transportation
  • Make sure foods are properly labeled and kept at right temperature
  • Conduct raids to make sure that expired food products are kept out of the shelves.

Salary & Job Outlook: The job outlook for this career is very bright, thanks to the rising awareness about the benefits of food safety and healthy eating habits. The average annual salary for a Food Safety Specialist is around $45,000 per year. Some Food Safety Specialists earn up to $70,000 per year.

Becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist

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Clinical Nurse Specialists are licensed registered nurses (RNs) who hold a master’s or doctor’s degree in a specialized area of nursing practice such as pediatrics, geriatrics, women’s health, critical care, diabetes, oncology, psychiatric, rehabilitation etc. They not only perform the conventional nursing responsibilities, but also help patients prevent or treat illness. The Clinical Nurse Specialists provide direct patient care as well as serve as expert consultants for nursing staffs.

Educational Requirements:

  1. Earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing: All aspiring Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) must attend the nursing school to obtain a bachelor’s degree. The duration of the course will be of four years. Courses in nursing degree programs will typically include pharmacology, anatomy, physiology and nursing.
  2. Obtain License as Registered Nurse: Licensing is must for all Clinical Nurse Specialists before they start practicing. Most states in the US require the aspirants to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
  3. Experience: It is almost mandatory to gain one to two years of direct patient experience at a clinical set up before applying for a Master’s program in Nursing.
  4. Earn a Master’s Degree: Master’s Degree programs for Clinical Nurse Specialists take 2-3 years to complete. These programs help in developing the nursing skills, nursing practices and assessment capabilities among the students.
  5. Certification: Several certification programs are available for the Clinical Nurse Specialists, which are generally 4-5 year long. The key certification programs include:
  • Certifications for Advanced Practice in Orthopedics by the Orthopaedic Nurses Certification Board)
  • Critical Care by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses
  • Oncology by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation
  • Adult Health, Gerontology, Psychiatric, Home Health and Community Health by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Salary & Job Outlook: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for Clinical Nursing Specialists will grow at 26% during the period of 2012-2022. Highest salary in this profession remains $126,000, while the average salary is $86,500.

Becoming an Art Therapist

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Art therapy is related to the ancient forms of healing where creative stuffs such as visual arts, poetry, music, dance and drama are used to spread the right message, heal the pain and help the patients in rehabilitation and recovery. The ancient Greeks used art therapy to promote human health. And, it remains relevant even in today’s digital world. The modern doctors have acknowledged the impact of music and dance on one’s mind and health. The music therapy is even used to treat people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Job Responsibilities:

  • Working closely with the clients and other health professionals
  • Consultation with previous doctors, nurses and caregivers of the patients
  • Reviewing the medical history of the clients as well as their past
  • Determining which art therapy is right for a particular client
  • Motivating the patients to start creative stuffs on their own
  • Help them with ideas, innovation and guidance
  • Teach them the value and importance of life
  • Guide them to overcome the stress and pain.

Educational Requirements:

  1. Bachelor’s Degree: All aspirants must start with a bachelor’s degree in areas such as Psychology or Counseling. Apart from the regular courses during this four-year program, they must get acquainted with several other courses in their preferred form of art.
  2. Master’s Degree: After completing the bachelor’s degree, the students must go for master’s degree in Art Therapy. In addition, they are required to complete 1,000 hours of supervised fieldwork, which includes real-life experience with the clients.
  3. Licensing and Certification: After the Master’s Degree, the Art Therapists must take the examination/certification programs offered by the Art Therapy Credentials Board (ATCB).

Salary & Wages: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job growth rate for Art Therapists will remain 37% during the period 2010-2020. The minimum salary for an Art Therapist was $39,000 in 2010. It goes up to $50,000 and highly experienced ones may earn up to $80,000 per annum.

The Art Therapists get employment at hospitals, clinics, mental asylums, nursing homes, homeless shelters, schools, colleges, universities, correctional facilities and elder care facilities. More information about the Art Therapy career is available at the American Art Therapy Association (AATA) website.