I have some serious concerns about the ARNP (nurse practitioner) push for controlled prescriptive privileges. This push is consistent with a nationwide effort for the Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner to be fully independent from the supervision of licensed physicians. Physicians in Florida, including myself, are deeply concerned about this issue. As a doctor, I am ultimately concerned about the well being of my patients. ...more

November 21, 2007

Choosing a career path can be a difficult decision for any high school student, says Pat Reeder, career specialist at River Ridge High School. ...more

November 18, 2007

Karry Edmonson and Ashlynn Tegreeny ambled through the hallways at Hillsborough Community College on Nov. 8, but they weren't lollygagging on their way to class. ...more

November 17, 2007

There has been significant press regarding the recent study by the FSU College of Medicine that showed there are fewer physicians practicing in Florida than originally thought, too few to meet the demands of an aging population. The Florida Nurses Association urges consumers and health care advocates to look to the Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) as the solution to the shortage of primary care providers. ...more

November 15, 2007

Choosing a career path can be a hard decision for any high school student, says Pat Reeder, career specialist at River Ridge High School. That's why every graduating student is required to present a senior project on a career of their interest before commencement. ...more

November 13, 2007

The Yoss home will be open to the community from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 8-9 and from 9 to 5 p.m. Nov. 10. There is a $5 charge to cover the cost of homemade doughnuts and cider served to guests. ...more

November 7, 2007

SEBRING — After an internal investigation by Sheriff's Lt. Gus Garcia, a registered nurse in the Highlands County Jail was cleared of an allegation of racism toward a Hispanic coworker. The conclusion: "Basically, she was rude to almost everybody," said Garcia, internal affairs officer. "She even admitted herself that she can be rude." According to the investigation, registered nurse Dorothy Reed, a mental health coordinator, was accused by coworker Edna Rosario-Girona of racial bias and rudeness. On Sept. 26, Rosario-Girona complained to Sheriff's Detention Cmdr. Maj. David Paeplow that Reed was disrespectful and rude to her because she was Hispanic. Reed is a supervisor in the detention bureau medical staff. Rosario-Girona is an LPN and member of the medical staff. ...more

November 5, 2007

There are times when Carolyn Yoss is convinced she should have been born in the 1800s. ...more

October 31, 2007

SEBRING — In Highlands County, six infants died in 2004, seven in 2005, and 11 in 2006. Those don't seem like high numbers, considering that 1,004 babies are born here every year. But take a second look: the number of infant deaths has almost doubled in two years, and Mary Jo Plews is troubled. Plews, executive director of Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties, said a committee is still looking at individual cases in Highlands County to determine why the infant mortality rate went up so drastically. One reason, she realized, is that Highlands is a small county, so the statistics themselves are small. For instance, Lafayette County had only three infant deaths from 2004-06, but since there were only 295 live births in the same three years, the mortality rate was 11.7 percent, one of the highest in the state. ...more

October 26, 2007

Every fall, Marilyn Krom tries to make a trip to Vermont to see its famously beautiful fall foliage. ...more

October 21, 2007