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As many of you may already know, October 16-22 marked the 25th anniversary of International Infection Prevention Week.

This year's theme, "Infection Prevention is Everyone's Business", encourages everyone to do their part in help prevent the spread of infection.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) offers these standard precautions to help prevent infection:

1) Hand hygiene
2) Use of personal protective equipment (e.g., gloves, gowns, masks)
3) Safe injection practices
4) Safe handling of potentially contaminated equipment or surfaces in the patient environment
5) Respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette. 

To do your part in preventing infection and for more detailed information about each of these precautions, please visit the CDC Guide to Prevention.

Don't forget to wash your hands!

I read an article the other day about the future of my generation (college-educated, 20 somethings). It isn't hard to find them, they are all over the Internet. Most of them are fairly negative and it can sometimes be very discouraging. Many people who have my exact qualifications are struggling with or without jobs. It appears a dim future for some. 

But this wasn't the case in the article I read. The article actually focused primarily on the importance of staying positive. It still addressed many of the usual concerns (debt, unemployment, feelings of self-entitlement), but it also addressed how many, despite the odds, were able to take control of their lives.

Although the article wasn't a radical idea, it did discuss something that really stuck with me. It brought up the social psychology concept: "locus of control".

While the phrase seemed to ring a bell, I couldn't exactly recall what it meant, off the top of my head. So for your convenience, Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th Edition defines the phrase as: "a center of perceived responsibility for one's behavior."

There are two different classifications to the term: internal and external. An internal locus of control refers to the idea that a person feels in control of the events happening in their life. An external locus of control refers to exactly the opposite, one feels that others have that control instead.

As I read this, I couldn't think of a more applicable topic for my blog.

So you ask, "how does this psychology concept apply to me, Ein?" Well, let me explain.

I believe the way you perceive that events happen to you has a lot to do with your success.

To me, if you feel that you have an external locus of control rather than feeling that you earn your success and failures, you believe that others are responsible. So rather than gaining the confidence one would normally receive from passing an exam, you may instead feel "well, I got lucky this time".

I don't know about all of you you, but based on my lottery scratch off experience, I wouldn't want to leave my future to chance. Fortunately, it's not about luck with independent study programs. You get what you put into it. You should all feel an internal locus of control.

I can't stress enough the importance of studying and putting the necessary time into your program. Sure, it may be tough at times, but why should it be easy? In order to stand out from the crowd, you need to push yourself to succeed.

While times may be hard, just remember, you are preparing yourself for the future. By pursuing higher education online, not only are you improving your skill and education, but you are also securing your place in the workforce.

Take control of your future, contact The College Network today at 1-800-395-1014 to find out more about pursing self paced, online programs.

Congratulations to both Annette S. from Pawling, NY and Sherry L. from East Berlin, PA for passing the Excelsior College Clinical Performance in Nursing Examination (CPNE), on their first try!

At The College Network, we are always delighted to hear how our customers are doing with their programs and about the progress they are making. So please do not hesitate to call in and update us on your progress!

Good luck to Annette and Sherry on the NCLEX-RN exam. Congratulations again - you have both earned it!

Just recently, I moved into the heart of Indianapolis.  Some friends and I moved downtown.

While moving is always exciting, it can also be very daunting. Since we were on a time frame to get out of our old place, it was very rushed. Not only did we have to get all of our stuff out of our old place and into the new place, we also had to quickly and effectively clean the old place. Even though it was a bit of a pain, it all had to be done.

The real surprise begins when you start to unpack. Where did all of this junk come from? I’m only 23 and already, I have boxes of junk that I absolutely don’t need/use. I guess clean up/reduction is just part of the process.

While I was unpacking I started thinking about all of you - our customers at The College Network. I’m not the only one who moves from house to house. I’m sure many of you are also moving, whether for a job, or just to relocate.

Whatever the case, I want you to remember that even though moving takes time, PLEASE do not bury your study materials away. Set out reminders to log in to the online Resource Center where you will see them as soon as you are settled into your new place.  Don’t give up on your dreams.

Even though you moved, your program can still be completed! Yes, you may need a slight postponement but as soon as you are ready, it’s important to be able to find your materials and get started again.

If you need help getting restarted or just want to verify your learning modules to make sure they are the most current version, please contact Academic Support right away! (800) 634-1443.

Do you ever have difficulty finding the time or location to take an exam while working toward your degree with help from The College Network? Is the nearby testing center open only on weekdays, while you're at work?

Would you rather test in your pajamas?

Well, we may have the answer you have been waiting for. The College Network is now offering our customers the ability to take their exams from the comfort of your own home!

What does this mean for you?

Rather than attempting to locate a testing center and schedule a test date, you can now actually test from home, 7 days a week, from 8:00am EST to 12:45 AM EST. 

The only thing you need is Internet access and a web cam. If you don't have a web cam, we'll provide it to you!

For a full list of all the exams that can be taken with The College Network please go to our Test Fee Services website.

For more information, please contact Academic Support at (800) 634-1443 and ask about The College Network Testing.

Did you purchase the Life Span Developmental Psychology module?
Have you checked your email recently?
No...

Well, you better go check it.

Just recently The College Network has started to release brand new, “enhanced” versions of our Comprehensive Learning Modules. These enhanced learning modules offer you more.

• The modules now have more audio (someone actually speaks to you).
• The modules are more interactive (almost every section has an interactive portion for you to test your knowledge).
• The modules are more of what you have been requesting (you told us what you wanted, we listened).

Life Span Developmental Psychology is the first module that has officially been released, but be on the lookout for several others over the next couple of months.

If you have questions or want to learn more, please don’t hesitate to contact Academic Support at (800) 634-1443.

Sociology – Coming in October

Introductory Psychology – Coming in October

Anatomy and Physiology – Coming in November

Introduction to World Religions – Coming in November
English Composition– Coming in December

 I recently read an article out of the Midwest Region magazine "ADVANCE for Nurses" about the quickly changing role of a nurse.  The article, "The Present and Future Heart" focuses on the constantly evolving technology used in Cardiology.

While digesting the information, I was very excited to hear about what's in store for the future. Hospitals are working on creating technology that will allow people to diagnose diagnose heart problems from their own living room.

Although I'm not the typical candidate for a heart problem, it's still wonderful to see how I could possibly be helped in the future.

So what does all this mean for nurses? Well, with this technology quickly developing it's going to be very important to make sure you are well educated and able to adapt.

Nurses are and will be required to learn more now than ever before.

While this may be troubling for some to hear, since many of us have very busy lives, I do offer a solution. The College Network offers top online nursing programs that are NLNAC accredited. Our programs from leading universities allow you to work from home at your own pace, while still working and enjoying your personal life.

If you are interested in continuing your education online and preparing for the future of the medical field, please give us a call to learn more about the programs we offer.

We'll be happy to help you find the program that best fits your goals. Call a Program Advisor today at 1-800-39-LEARN.

As much as I do love the name Ian (especially when it is spelled E-I-N), I will honestly say that his name has nothing to do with this.

Congratulations to Ian from Aiken, South Carolina. Although Ian was very modest when I spoke to him this afternoon, I was extremely impressed with his scores.

Ian actually received a PERFECT score on the Analysis and Interpretation of Literature exam as well as an A on Microbiology and several other great scores. 

Not only has Ian been doing very well on all of his coursework for the online paramedic to RN program, he also has been completing it very quickly. Ian has passed six of his exams (with a grade of B or higher) in the last three months!

Congratulations from all of us here at The College Network Ian, you've earned it!

Oh fall, how I've missed you. 

Although it may not be your favorite season, it most definitely is mine. For me, there is so much to love: soccer, football, tailgates, apple cider, scarves & sweaters, bonfires, and changing leaves (at least in the Midwest).

If you are a parent... your children are returning to school! For many of you this gives you the opportunity to return to your studies as well.

While it is sad to see so many of my friends leave town to go back to school, it's also wonderful to see so many of them pursuing higher education. At this point, many of my friends have completed their undergraduate degree and are off to obtain their master's, law, or medical degrees. It's very inspiring to see them all continuing their education. But even more inspiring for me personally, is watching my little brother continue his education. I still can't believe how old he is getting—he'll be 20 soon. It feels like just yesterday I was deciding which insect to convince him to eat next and now he's starting his sophomore year of college. 

It's also very inspiring to hear about all of you doing the same. So please share your story with us. Each of you has your own unique story and we would love nothing more than to hear it.

So visit the Testimonials section of The College Network customer support website and click on "Share Your Story" to tell us why you chose to pursue higher education online.

Since the start of our new Guidance Call, I have been able to find out a lot about all of you. You tell me about your educational backgrounds, your motivations, your goals and to be honest, I couldn't ask for more interesting conversations.

I hear such a wide variety of answers on a daily basis for why each person is doing the program. In a day I could hear such varied responses as: "I'm doing it for more career opportunities"; "My job is now requiring me to obtain my RN licensure"; "I want to become more specialized in my field"; or even my personal favorite: "My mother, grandmother, uncle, sister, and third cousin are all nurses and that is all I have ever wanted to be since I was little".  

Goals are an amazing thing. I love hearing stories of obstacles people have overcome or the determination others have in reaching their goals. It's very inspiring, to say the least. It's always exciting to speak to a new customer who has so much to look forward to and help them map out their study plans as they begin their journey towards higher education.

Study plans, schedules, and goals are all wonderful things, however, I really feel the need to stress the importance of balancing personal life with education.  Now, don't get me wrong. I completely understand you want nothing holding you back from completing your program as quickly as you possibly can, BUT you need to be careful about overwhelming yourself.

As an online, independent learner your two biggest foes are procrastination and burn out.

Many of you are balancing several different roles before even entering into your program to begin with: provider, parent, spouse, employee, etc. The list goes on and on.  The keys to keeping sane are BALANCE and REWARDS.  You need to still enjoy your life! Be sure to reward yourself for your progress.

Make sure to set up a study plan that isn't overwhelming. You don't want to work 12 hours a day, four days a week and then try to study four more hours on top of that each day. You NEED sleep. So spread out your study time. Even if it is only a couple of days a week, just make sure to take full advantage of the time you do have to study.

Not all rewards have to be big. I spoke to a woman today who had just completed Microbiology, Anatomy & Physiology, and Introduction to Computing. After congratulating her on the progress she had made, I told her it was time to reward herself. All she wanted was a cherry Pepsi, I couldn't believe it, but she still understood the importance of a reward. 

So whether you're giving yourself a day off from studying after a tough test, going to see a movie, or even just drinking a cherry Pepsi, be sure to remember how important it is to reward yourself for reaching your goals.

Please don't forget, if you are having trouble creating the balance in your schedule, the College Network Academic Support team can help you create a study plan specific to your needs. Just give us a call, 1-800-634-1443.

I try to be pretty active and so are my housemates. This weekend, we decided to go for a bike ride (the weather in Indiana has been amazing) and ended up riding about ten miles. Normally this would just be an enjoyable bit of exercise, however when we got to about ten miles from home, I got a flat tire. None of us had cell phones or anything to repair the tire with. 

My friend then volunteered to ride back as quickly as possible and to come pick me up. Saving me a long walk. While some might not think of this as being anything extraordinary, I would have to disagree.

Having friends that will go out of their way for you is a great thing. While I was walking home (before he could get to me with a car), I thought about how this actually relates to other situations. Family, friends, or even a study buddy create an amazing support system. 

Anytime a customer of The College Network tells me that they have found a study partner or joined the program with a friend, I immediately get excited.  Having a study partner is half the battle. Not only will you have someone to assist you with content if you don't quite understand something, but you also have someone to keep you motivated. (The relationship is mutually beneficial by the way!)

If you don't have a study partner, a friend may be just what you need to get you motivated. On our online Resource Center we give you the means to find one.  By clicking on the "Academic Support Discussion Board" link you can access several message boards to attempt to find your own study partner. 


So if you don't have a study partner and you feel that you need one, head over to The College Network online Resource Center now and make a post to find a study partner in your area. If you are having difficulties making a post or finding the correct forum, don't hesitate to give Academic Support a call for assistance.

“Ye can lead a man up to the university, but you can’t make him think.”
-Finley Peter Dunne

Although I'm not very familiar with who Mr. Finley Peter Dunne is, I find his quote to be very applicable to online education.

The College Network provides you with everything you need to pass your examinations and be successful in your quest for higher education online, but it's up to YOU to use these materials and stay on track.

If you ever find yourself putting off your education, try to remember why you originally desired to increase your education. Whether you were interested in furthering your education as a personal goal, for more job opportunities, more pay, or even just to be a role model for your children, NOW is the time to begin studying.

Don't fall into the "tomorrow trap". It becomes all too easy to say: "Oh Ein, you're just being dramatic. I'll start my program tomorrow..." or the all too common "Ein, I'm too busy right now. I'll start again when my life calms down. The program is good for life anyway."

Sure, your program is good for life, but why take your entire life to finish? Any progress is good progress. Even if you can only complete a little at a time, you're still progressing!

If you need something to give you a little bit more structure, we would love to help! Contact our Academic Support team today for help with creating a personalized study plan.

I'll be looking forward to hearing from you,

-Ein

So, you just joined The College Network and you keep hearing about this "Academic Support" team and how they're available to assist you. So where is this elusive "team" and how can they help you?

Well as a member of the Academic Support department myself, I'm here to tell you all about us.

The Academic Support department is available to help facilitate the independent learning process. We will answer your general program questions, assist you in the creation of a personalized study plan, and even provide you with content assistance for your material.

As surprising as it may sound to many of you, I speak to several people a day who are not even aware that end of chapter quizzes are available on the online Resource Center.

Whaaaaaat?!





Surprised?  (Me too.)



We have designed all these resources with you in mind. YOUR success is OUR biggest goal!






So whether you are just starting, restarting, or even just considering starting one of our many online degrees from top universities, our Academic Support department is here to assist you!

Give The College Network support team a call today! Just dial 1-800-634-1443 and any advisor will be happy to assist you.

Just recently, I moved in with a group of friends and quickly realized I needed to do some serious grocery shopping. Understanding the wide variety of things that were needed (thumbtacks, personal fan, food, blinds, etc.), I decided that it may be worth it to head to Walmart. Now, I like Walmart as much as any other person but I know how much of an adventure it can sometimes be as well. Generally I force myself into a "convenience vs sanity" argument.

But in this situation I figured, "why not?" and dove in head first. As soon as I walked in, I saw the mistake I had made. Not only was the usual Sunday crowd there, but there was also a massive amount of people preparing to go back to school.

It's not surprising, going back to school, that you are going to need the normal line up of materials: paper, pens, pencils, white out, etc, but what I didn't consider was the massive amount of college students. Parents were taking their soon-to-be freshman children to buy much of the same things I needed. What a pain.

While I was waiting in the hour-long line (I wish I was kidding) to pay for my groceries, I began to think about how big of a hassle it really was to prepare to go to college on campus and how much easier it would have been to go to school online.

Online education allows you to skip out on so many random expenses and hassles. Not only do you not have to pay for a meal plan, you're also most likely to not live solely off ramen noodles (there are only so many combinations you can come up with!), or deal with the challenge of moving. Each year my room mates and I found ourselves buying more junk and then we had to find a way to transport/store all of it at the end of each year.

The College Network allows you to work at your own speed from your own home. If you are interested in self-paced education and training do not hesitate to give us a call and watch your success with The College Network unfold before your eyes.

You may have noticed a particular phrase that has been flying around The College Network. This phrase isn't wordy or long and it's not something that you may have even noticed just yet.

This particular phrase is simply: "We Care". We Care is not just another expression said absent-mindedly to please the masses. We Care signifies the extent to which The College Network Support team is willing to go to ensure that you are completely pleased with every aspect of your eLearning experience. All of us at The College Network want you to know how much we really do care about your success.  

So whether you are a nurse, paramedic, or someone else in search of an online degree, we want you to know that We Care about your success and we will be there for you every step of the way!