#australia medical coding course

[anandhu-transorze]

Is Australian Medical Coding a stable career?

Australian Medical Coding offers a stable career path, with insights from Transorze Solutions highlighting its reliability in the healthcare industry.

Medical coding plays a vital role in healthcare documentation and billing, ensuring accuracy and compliance with regulations. As the healthcare sector continues to expand, the demand for skilled medical coders remains consistently high.

Transorze Solutions offers specialized training programs that equip individuals with the skills and certification necessary to excel in Australian Medical Coding. With their comprehensive curriculum and industry-focused approach, Transorze ensures that graduates are well-prepared to meet the demands of the job market.

Moreover, medical coding offers job security and stability, with opportunities for career advancement and competitive salaries. By choosing Australian Medical Coding as a career path with Transorze Solutions, individuals can enjoy long-term stability and success in the dynamic field of healthcare administration.

[muhdanas]

Australian Medical Coding: Comprehensive Training for Global Certification

[stil-lindigo]

In Gaza, journalists are passing out from exhaustion and famine. Despite the ICJ ruling, the US and Australia are intentionally defunding UNWRA based on baseless claims by Israel that members of the aid group are Hamas-sympathizers. Netanyahu, of course, has ignored the ICJ ruling. Israel has banned insulin pens from arriving in Gaza, a particularly cruel and inhumane crime to add to their laundry list of offences. Nothing has changed, and things are getting worse.

It is not that hard to not buy things. To not watch things. Perhaps it is inconvenient, and makes you go out of your way, and costs a little more to buy alternatives. But if you were to attend a funeral a day for every child that has died in Gaza so far, it would take you over 27 years. When the worst that will happen to you is that you don't watch a TV show featuring a zionist, you don't buy a specific brand that donates to and supports zionism, how could that possibly compare to the plight of Palestinians who must amputate limbs without anesthesia?

Once again, this is the BDS list of brands to boycott.

Here is a comprehensive post about more actions you can take in support of Palestine.

Here is a list of verifiable orgs that provide aid on the ground.

credible organisations that are doing work on the ground in Palestine:

Care for Gaza:non-profit charity that distributes money, food and other resources directly to families in Gaza.They maintain a regular presence on Twitter and Instagram. You can donate to them via Paypal here.

PCRF / Palestine Children's Relief Fund: non-profit organisation that distributes essential food and resources to families in Gaza. Most recently, they delivered 30 tons of vital medicine, and 82,000 pounds of flour.

Medical Aid For Palestinians: deploys medical teams to treat Palestinians suffering under Israel's malicious bombardments.

Donate e-sims to Palestine: massive post with tutorials and relevant links, with discount codes included in the post and in the replies.

Direct Aid: humanitarian fund distributing supplies such as blankets and winter jackets directly to Palestinian families.

help people leave palestine (donate what you can)

Help a Family Evacuate Gaza (GoGetFunding)

Save Sanaa and her Family (Gofundme)

Save Amjad Saher and his family (Gofundme)

Help a family of 13 escape Gaza (Gofundme)

Help a Palestinian children's book illustrator save her family of 12 (Gofundme)

Today, tomorrow and until Israel faces justice for their crimes, learn how to prioritise Palestine over your own comfort.

[inthedayswhenlandswerefew]

Where Will All The Martyrs Go [Chapter 9: Some Days He Feels Like Dying]

A/N: Below are your guesses...let's see how you did!!! 🥰😘

Series summary: In the midst of the zombie apocalypse, both you and Aemond (and your respective travel companions) find yourselves headed for the West Coast. It’s the 2024 version of the Oregon Trail, but with less dysentery and more undead antagonists. Watch out for snakes! 😉🐍

Series warnings: Language, sexual content (18+ readers only), violence, bodily injury, med school Aemond, character deaths, nature, drinking, smoking, drugs, Adventures With Aegon™️, pregnancy and childbirth, the U.S. Navy, road trip vibes.

Series title is a lyric from: “Letterbomb” by Green Day.

Chapter title is a lyric from: “Extraordinary Girl” by Green Day.

Word count: 8.3k

💜 All my writing can be found HERE! 💜

Let me know if you’d like to be added to the taglist 🥰

Let’s go back to the beginning of the end of the world.

On the big-screen tv in the Liberty Center at Saratoga Springs, Wolf Blitzer is saying: “We are receiving confirmation of additional outbreaks of the so-called Florida Fever, the first cases of which here in the U.S. were reported in Miami a little over one week ago. Concern is now growing nationally, especially as the modes of transmission, symptoms, and treatment options remain unclear. Let’s go across the country to Natasha Chen for the latest information. Natasha?”

“Hi, Wolf. I’m here outside the UC San Diego Medical Center where early this morning, two individuals suspected to be suffering from the illness were admitted. I’ve been informed by hospital staff that both patients are currently in stable condition, but there is still so much confusion and conflicting information regarding this ‘Florida Fever,’ and of course that uncertainty is leading to fear, rumors, and honestly a bit of hysteria. Even how to refer to the sickness is controversial, with no official name having been decided upon by scientists. Cases in Australia are known as Ragepox, the U.K. has dubbed it the 21st Century Sweat after a mysterious disease from the 1500s, and Russia is calling it the Ukrainian Flu while Ukraine has opted for the Russian Red Rot, inspired by the skin lesions that some patients experience.”

“Can you tell us what we do know, Natasha? Are doctors classifying this illness as a virus, or as a bacterial infection more akin to tuberculosis or meningitis?”

“At this time, what I’m hearing is that doctors are fairly certain it’s a virus, as patients do not seem to respond to antibiotics when they’ve been explored as a potential treatment. But there’s truly very little information at this early stage, and I think we’re all being reminded of those first days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when no one really knew how to best to avoid contracting the virus or what the long-term effects would be both nationally and globally.”

“There are absolutely some similarities, Natasha, which I’m sure is contributing to the unease surrounding the situation. What precautions are doctors currently recommending?”

“Wolf, doctors are urging the public not to panic, and to exercise common sense measures like avoiding crowded spaces, sanitizing surfaces, and staying home if they’re feeling unwell. Suspected cases of the illness should be reported to primary physicians or local hospitals. Typical symptoms appear to include headaches, fever, gastrointestinal upset, skin discoloration and blistering, and unusual bleeding, as well as behavioral changes, particularly disorientation, aggression, and even violence in some patients…”

“That ain’t what it is,” Rio says. He jabs his index finger at the tv from where he sits on the couch beside you. “Snowflake wasn’t sick, he was dead. He was motherfucking dead, flatline, code blue, crossed the rainbow bridge, he was gone. He was dead and then he woke back up, and he wasn’t a person anymore. He was…something else.”

“Dumbass, people don’t come back from the dead,” Mike says from the ping pong table. People are milling around pretending to play pool, darts, chess, poker, Monopoly, Uno, Parcheesi, but really you’re all here for the same reason. You want to know what’s happening.

Rio turns to you. “Wasn’t Snowflake dead?”

“He definitely seemed dead,” you reply, knees tucked to your chest and still watching the tv. Wolf Blitzer’s voice is calm, but his pale blue eyes have a manic sort of light to them, too large and too rattled.

“Man, fuck Florida,” says Desmond, a utilitiesman born and raised Trenton, New Jersey. “Nothing but psychos and alligators. Saw them off of Georgia and just let them float away.”

“What was that?” Tyler replies combatively. He’s from a trailer park in Tallahassee.

“Ty, why do you care? You’d be fine. You’re already up here. You can stay.”

“They’re lying,” Rio mutters, meaning Wolf and Natasha on CNN. “When the corpsmen called the hospital, they said to be prepared to restrain Snowflake and that he might try to bite us. Why aren’t they warning people about that?!”

Kayleigh, a steelworker from Oklahoma City, looses a frenetic sort of laugh. “Because there’s no non-panic-inducing way to say: Hey, go buy some duct tape and bungee cords to tie up your loved ones, because they might try to fucking eat you.”

Rio doesn’t frown often, but he is now; he slips his phone out of the pocket of his camo pants and types out a WhatsApp message to Sophie. You only know her from photos and quick hellos via video chat, a sweet diminutive woman with white-blonde hair and blue eyes that seem to fill up half her face, as fragile as Rio is overwhelming. She likes baking and romance novels and elephants; whenever Rio finds elephant-themed souveners, he ships them home to Oregon for her, refrigerator magnets and wallets and scarves and snow globes. Sophie wears a lot of long flowing skirts and hand-knit sweaters, and offers strange suggestions when she and Rio discuss baby names: Sage, Fox, Laurel, Coral, Juniper, Karma, Rune, Otter. Otter?! Rio had exclaimed. Babe, if you name our kid Otter, even I’M gonna have to bully them.

“I’m telling Sophie to stay with my parents,” Rio says to you. “They’ve gotten super weird with all the off-the-grid stuff, but they have years’ worth of supplies and grow most of their own food now, and they’re thirty miles from the nearest town. And no one knows how to defend themselves like doomsday preppers.”

“Good idea,” you reply, watching the tv. Now Wolf Blitzer is talking about tornadoes in the Midwest, and you could almost believe the world is normal again.

A few days later all major social media platforms begin censoring content related to the so-called Florida Fever, and then the internet goes down completely, and then the power turns off and on and off again, and finally quits like a car driven to its last mile. The combat units are moved out of Saratoga Springs—never to be heard from again—and the construction projects paused indefinitely, and one of the master-at-arms that Rio is friends with (Rio has a lot of friends, surely you aren’t so remarkable) relays information that he shouldn’t: tales of planned missions, impossible plagues, overrun cities, innumerable deserters in every branch of the U.S. military.

“Hey,” Rio whispers, shaking you awake one night, moonlight streaming through the windows and the pops of distant gunfire you aren’t supposed to ask about. “If I leave, will you come with me?”

It’s a big commitment; it could be a lifetime. You fear he might just be trying not to hurt your feelings. “I don’t want to slow you down.”

“No, you don’t get it,” Rio says. “I’m not leaving without you. Are you going to Oregon by choice, or should I tie you up and throw you in the back of the Humvee?”

~~~~~~~~~~

It’s a young one, maybe a teenager, little buds for horns and only weighing a few hundred pounds. This is good; if it was any heavier, Cregan and Rio wouldn’t be able to drag it back to the ranch. You’re still in Red Desert, Wyoming, and the bison are grazing just off I-80, an asphalt artery that cuts through an endless steppe of sand-colored rocks and tall grass. They gaze lazily in your direction with bulbous dark eyes, perpetually chewing, not terribly intelligent. The Colt pistols of the men who found you at the RV had been loaded with 9mm bullets, the same caliber your Berettas take; there weren’t many, but enough to fill both of your clips, something that feels like winning the lottery. You are lying on the rocky, dusty soil and lining up the shot. If you miss, the herd will scatter, and you’ll watch dinner vanish beneath a blue sky—pale like Aemond’s eye, a weak shallow blue—and rough white scars of cirrostratus clouds.

“Feels kind of wrong to kill a baby,” you murmur. Daeron, Luke, Baela, Helaena, and Ice are back at the house. Aemond, Rio, Cregan, Rhaena, and Aegon are here on the ground with you; Aegon insisted upon being brought along, and Rio agreed to carry him. Aegon had never seen American bison outside of the Oregon Trail computer game, those pixelated brown blobs migrating across the screen no more material than unicorns or faeries or basilisks.

“If the baby didn’t want to get killed, it shouldn’t be made of steak,” Aegon points out. He’s on a lot of Vicodin, the only narcotic Aemond could find back in Ogallala, Nebraska.

“No pressure, Chips,” Rio says, chewing on a long blade of little bluestem grass. “If you miss we’re just going to have to eat each other like the Donner Party.”

Aegon wrinkles his nose in confusion. “The what?”

“She won’t miss,” Aemond says, and Rio snickers to himself and gives you a quick wink that no one else notices.

“I don’t think one 9mm bullet will do it,” Cregan mutters. “Cows got thick skulls, I figure bison are the same way. You’ll have to hit it a few times, and before it can take off and disappear on us.”

Aemond casts him a patronizing glance. “And you’ve killed a lot of cows?”

“Oh yeah. Worked in a slaughterhouse for a while before I got hired by the power company. Hated it, went home and could still smell the blood and brains on myself no matter how many times I showered. Couldn’t get out of there fast enough.”

Aemond looks like he regrets asking. Rhaena frowns worriedly at the bison. “Will they charge if someone shoots at them?”

Cregan shrugs. “Probably not.”

“Probably?!”

You squeeze the trigger five times in quick succession, hit the calf thrice, tiny puffs of scarlet mist that spring from its woolly head. It flops over as the rest of the herd jolts into a gallop, kicking up dust and fleeing across the steppe.

“Yes!” Rio booms as everyone applauds. “We’re in business! We’re having ribeyes tonight! Cregan, my good sir, I take mine medium rare.”

“You’re getting well done,” Aemond tells him. “Everyone is. Just in case the bison has parasites.”

Rio groans. “You’re ruining my life, man.” Then he and Cregan trot over to grab the baby bison, each of them taking one of its back hooves.

“So,” Aegon says dreamily. “Now that Rio is preoccupied, who would like to assist me in returning my disgusting, debilitated body to the ranch? Anyone? Anyone?”

Rhaena turns to you. “When we have more bullets, could you give me shooting lessons?”

“Sure,” you reply, a bit startled. “Really? You’re interested?”

“Well…” Rhaena hesitates. “Baela’s always been the brave one. At home, at school, when we were shopping, even when restaurants would mess up my order, Baela would do the talking and make sure I was alright…and I would literally hide behind her waiting for her to solve all my problems. And now…with the baby, with Jace…it’s been really different being the one to help her for a change, and I don’t think I’m very good at it yet. But Baela deserves to have people to lean on, just like I’ve always had her. And…when I stabbed that guy in the RV…I kind of liked it.” She titters nervously when she sees the shock on your face. “No, not like that! Not the killing part, or the gushing blood, that was all super gross. But the fact that I helped protect Baela and Luke? The fact that I wasn’t useless in that situation? That was a good feeling. Baela is clever, and she’s courageous and caring and funny, and she’s always been better than me at everything, and I never minded because she…she was like my own personal superhero, you know? But now I feel like I need to start learning how to do things myself so I can help her. Even if Baela is still better at everything, and probably always will be.”

Aegon grins toothily and pushes his neon green plastic sunglasses up the bridge of his nose. “I know how you feel. It’s pretty impossible to look heroic next to Aemond.”

“Stop,” Aemond says, but he’s smiling, and a bloom of bashful pink blood appears in his cheeks.

“You already took over the driving,” you tell Rhaena encouragingly. “That was a big help.”

“Yeah,” Rhaena replies, a bit pensive. “Let’s hope I can keep that going.” Between the gas Aemond found in Ogallala and what was siphoned from the would-be attackers’ GMC Yukon, you got enough fuel in the Tahoe to take it halfway across Wyoming; but now the gauge is not just at but venturing below the E, and it can’t have more than five or ten miles left. That might not even get you to the next ranch, let alone a proper town. You need a working vehicle. There are nearly a thousand miles between here and Odessa, Oregon.

Aegon is pawing at Aemond like a cat. “Come on, hero. Help me up.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“This is why we’re friends,” Rio tells you as he shovels forkfuls of bison steak into his mouth, juice dribbling down his chin. Cregan gutted the bison and butchered it, then you helped him cook the steaks—not very uniform in size and shape, yet no one is complaining—on a pan heated in the woodstove. You fed the fire with books you found in the house, mostly religious in nature. “You convince me not to commit suicide when we’re stranded on a transmission tower, you share your Cheddar Whales, you’re good at shooting things…”

“How did you two become friends?” Baela asks. You are all arranged around the dining room table; there are just enough chairs for everyone. Ice lies beneath it mauling on bison bones that Cregan set aside for her. The room is illuminated by flashlights. Baela looks great: in good spirits, glowing, alert, wearing a loose cotton dress that Helaena found in an upstairs closet for her. Baela napped most of the day, something she rarely allows herself to indulge in, and the benefits are evident.

Rio says nonchalantly: “I talked to everybody and she barely talked at all. So of course I had to investigate and figure out what that was about. Turns out she’s kind of cool. You know the Wheel of Fortune game at arcades where there’s like a hundred little lights in a circle you have to press the button when the one that says Spin Zone lights up? She’s a freak, she can hit it almost every time. Can’t sink a basketball or sing karaoke to save her life, but you know, we all have flaws.”

Aegon looks up from his map, which he is scrutinizing as he eats his bison steak. “Do you realize that if we could just stop at gas stations like back when everything was normal, we’d be in Odessa or the Bay Area in fifteen hours? Literally less than one day. Fucking unreal. And yet here we are trapped in yee-haw country, freaky giant animals, no civilization but Jesus billboards everywhere, hell on earth.” He holds up a palm. “No offense, Cregan. You’re okay.”

Cregan smiles mildly. “None taken, Fried Foot. You know you’re a little well done yourself these days.”

“That’s ableist,” Aegon replies.

“We’ll find gas tomorrow,” Aemond says. He sounds confident because he has to; he’s not allowed to panic, to give up. He’s seated at the head of the table like a patriarch. His steak is the smallest and the most ragged. He wouldn’t accept any of the others.

You ask Baela: “Have you decided what to name the baby?”

“Kind of.” She rests both hands on her belly, a globe like a full moon. Helaena glances over at Baela, frowning and preoccupied. “If it’s a boy, I’m going to name it after Jace. We had already picked out Theodore…and Teddy for short, isn’t that cute? But now…I’d want him to have that connection to his father. The baby won’t have any pictures of him, or videos, or memories, or papers he wrote in school, or ties or rings or cufflinks, or…anything. But he could have Jace’s name.”

The rest of you nod, eyes downcast and feeling terribly sorry for her. “I really like that idea,” Luke says quietly.

Now Baela is thinking, her gaze traveling around the room as she chews on a cube of streak. “I’m not sure what I’d call a girl. Maybe something naturey like Violet, Rosemary, Ivy, Indigo, Fern…”

“You should name it Otter,” you say, and you and Rio erupt into raucous laughter. Aemond smiles as he watches you.

Baela is grinning uncertainly, trying not to be insensitive. Perhaps people named their kids stuff like Otter where you came from. “Um, sorry, what?!”

“That was one of the baby names on Sophie’s list,” Rio clarifies. “I vetoed it. Or at least…I think she agreed to cross it off…? Oh my God, imagine I finally get to Odessa only to find out my firstborn child has been named Otter.”

“You’d have to turn right back around,” you say. “Total abandonment would be the only honorable choice. We’d have to start over someplace else. I’ve heard Texas is nice.”

Aegon snorts. “You can’t live in Texas. They don’t even have legal weed there.”

Rhaena squints at him. “I don’t really think that’s a concern anymore, Aegon.”

Aegon smacks his forehead theatrically. “Oh no, I forgot about the apocalypse again!”

“So Cregan,” Baela says. “You were planning to vote for Trump.”

Everyone at the table groans. “No politics,” Aemond says.

“They’re all dead now, so it doesn’t matter,” Rhaena adds. “Biden, Kamala, that insane Kennedy brain worm dude, Trump…”

Aegon says: “If I was a zombie, I wouldn’t eat Trump.”

“I just found that interesting,” Baela continues, looking at Cregan like she’s expecting him to explain himself. Rhaena and Luke exchange a nervous glance. Daeron reaches under the table to pet Ice; you can hear her tail thumping cheerfully against the hardwood floor.

“I was a Trump voter, yeah,” Cregan replies between bites of steak. Aemond is studying him uneasily, but Cregan’s baritone voice is calm. “That doesn’t mean I approved of a lot of the things he did and said. I’m not a monster, I don’t believe in mocking people or all that January 6th stuff. But he was good for the economy. Back when Trump was president, groceries were more affordable, and houses were cheaper, and more companies were hiring. If I had tried to move out of my parents’ place in 2023 instead of 2019, there’s no way I could have done it. And I really needed to get out of there. A lot of people feel that they don’t have the luxury of voting for the nicest candidate, or the candidate they agree with on social issues. Something abstract like climate change isn’t even on the radar. They have to vote for their basic necessities.”

You and Rio understand what he means, you’ve both met plenty of people with the same perspective; everybody else seems shellshocked.

“But I don’t want y’all to think that I’m…” Cregan looks around the table, his eyes catching—interestingly—on Helaena, who observes him with a fully present attentiveness that you’ve learned is rare for her. “You know, like a sexist or a racist or that I hate foreigners or anything. Because I’ve never felt that way, and now I’m very happy to have found you guys, and I respect the hell out of you. And I want to be allowed to stay.”

“You can stay, Cregan,” Helaena reassures him.

“Yeah,” Rio says. “Especially since we’d probably starve without you.”

Cregan beams, clearly grateful, and there are chuckles and the tension breaks; and Baela is placidly skating her palm over the arc of her belly, and now that you’ve eaten all you can, Rio is spearing the remaining chunks of your steak with his fork and gobbling them down. He doesn’t ask before he does this; he knows you don’t mind. You’ve never understood why he’s given you so much over the past nearly five years. You are eternally offering him atonement.

Suddenly, Baela asks you: “What would you name a baby girl?”

You have to think about this before you answer. “Well, if you’re looking for something related to plants…I had a friend when I was growing up named Briar, and I always thought that was pretty.”

“Briar,” Baela echoes, intrigued.

“It means bramble, like a thorny shrub where blackberries grow. I remember her telling me that her mama wanted it to be a reminder that people go through rough patches and that life gets hard sometimes, but you have to keep going, and eventually you’ll find your way out.”

“Briar,” Baela repeats. “Yeah, that’s kind of neat. I’ll add it to the list!”

“And you’d have the same first initial,” Rhaena says. “Baela and Briar. Isn’t that adorable?”

Baela smiles. “And a few Rs thrown in there too. For Rhaena.”

Rio turns to Aegon. “Hey Honey Bun, if you had to name your kid after a plant, what would you name it?”

Aegon says without hesitation: “Marijuana.”

Now it’s an hour later, and Aemond is examining Aegon’s burned leg on the living room floor, Helaena holding a flashlight and you and Rio standing by for moral support. Underneath the bandages is a wasteland of red, weeping flesh…and yet there are spots where the skin seems to be hardening into white islands of scar tissue. Rhaena and Luke are keeping watch by the windows, Baela is passed out in one of the bedrooms, Cregan is showing Daeron how to put his wavy blonde hair up in a man bun.

Aemond points to a blackish patch on the top of Aegon’s foot, only a few inches from his ankle. “I have to debride this part here,” he says like an apology.

Aegon is afraid to ask. “What does debride mean?”

“It means I have to cut it out.”

“Cut it?!”

“It’s getting infected. I have to remove it or it will spread to the rest of the foot and you could get sepsis. I might even have to amputate the whole leg.”

“Okay, cut the dead stuff off,” Aegon swiftly agrees.

Aemond doesn’t have any more injectable morphine. He gives Aegon as much Vicodin as he dares and then begins working, carving away layers of dark disease with his scalpel and scrubbing the area with disinfectant. Aegon clutches your hand, squeezing so hard it feels like your bones might crunch, shrapnel-like splinters of marrow-stained organic glass beneath your skin. Rio has Aegon’s pink Sony Walkman—once owned by Ava—and takes one earbud while giving Aegon the other. They sing along to Sean Paul songs together, laughing as tears stream down Aegon’s sunburned cheeks:

“Well, woman, the way the time cold, I wanna be keepin’ you warm

I got the right temperature fi shelter you from the storm

Oh Lord, gal, I got the right tactics to turn you on

And girl, I wanna be the papa, you can be the mom…”

Now you’re curled up in bed, your arms crossed over your belly as you struggle to fall asleep. Aemond comes to bed late now; each night he waits until Baela is sleeping and then teaches Rhaena about childbirth and recovery: what to expect, what could go wrong. She is a good student, borrowing Helaena’s spider notebook to take notes and asking detailed questions. She wants to know everything she can so she can help when Baela goes into labor.

At last, the bedroom door opens. Out in the living room you can hear Rio asking: “Do you have Wagon Wheel? I love that song.”

Aegon scoffs. “No, of course I don’t have Wagon Wheel. Shut up and listen to your Enrique Iglesias.”

“You are so racist, man…”

Aemond sees that you’re in agony, rummages around in his medical kit, and gives you an oval-shaped white pill to wash down with the can of orange Sunkist on the nightstand; Helaena found a case of it in the pantry. “Why didn’t you tell me it was this bad?”

“I didn’t want to take any Vicodin from Aegon or Baela. They’ll need it more than me.”

“Your pain is as real as anyone else’s.” Aemond’s weight shifts the mattress as he crawls into bed beside you, his arm settling protectively around your waist, his hand covering yours where it rests on your lower belly. “If the Tahoe runs out of gas, will you be okay to walk tomorrow?”

“Don’t worry about me. I had three periods during basic training, I honestly thought I might die. After that I can power through just about anything.”

“I’ve noticed.” You feel the soft smile on Aemond’s lips as he kisses your temple. “Do you want quiet, or do you want to talk?”

“Talking would be a nice distraction.”

Aemond wastes no time. “Do you like kids?”

“Well, since birth control doesn’t exist anymore, I’d hope everybody does.”

Again, he is smiling; you can hear it in his voice. “Okay, but do you intend to have your own?”

“Yeah, I always envisioned myself having kids. I wanted a normal family and figured I’d have to make one myself, DIY it, you know? I don’t think the plan has changed. Gotta repopulate the earth somehow.”

“I wouldn’t try to sway your decision one way or the other. It’s a burden you should only have to endure if you actively choose it. But if you want to have children one day, I’d help you.”

You giggle in the dim orange glow of a single flashlight. “How self-sacrificial.”

“No,” Aemond says, laughing. “Not like, the making them. I mean, I’d help with that too, that aspect would be fun. But I was talking about the delivery, and recovery, and taking care of a newborn. I don’t know everything, but I know a lot. I could help you get through it. So that’s an option I want you to be aware of, if…you know.” Now he pauses. “If you trust me.”

“I trust you.”

“Sometimes I don’t know if you should,” Aemond murmurs; or at least that’s what you think he says as you lose consciousness, plummeting into sleep as if falling from a great height.

~~~~~~~~~~

The Tahoe runs out of gas just east of Tipton—not a city, not a town, just a collection of service roads linking sprawling ranches to I-80, the only continuous route across southern Wyoming—and Rhaena guides the SUV as it coasts to a halt on the shoulder of the highway. You hike about a mile to the nearest ranch house: Luke carrying the siphoning hose and empty gas can in case you can find fuel, Rio carrying Aegon on his back, Baela walking slowly and with great effort, Ice panting as she lopes across the dusty earth. You can’t spot any cattle or horses behind the endless strings of barbed wire fencing. Perhaps they are in a different pasture, or escaped or were stolen, or died of thirst without being tended to, or were consumed by a wandering hoard of zombies, never sleeping and always hungry. The house at the end of the dirt driveway is modest, old, and painted white. The front door is open; the screen door bangs in the wind.

“Rock Springs is the next real town,” Aegon says when Rio drops him to the ground, reading his map.

“And how far is that?” Rio asks.

Aegon deflates. “About fifty miles.”

“Great,” Rhaena says. “What’s the plan, to fly there?”

“Yeah, start flapping your wings, little bird. You’re light enough, you can make it.”

“No car in the driveway,” you tell Aemond. “Nobody home, maybe?”

He’s scrutinizing the house, his blue eye narrow. “Maybe.”

A thought occurs to Aegon. “Do you think ranchers have golf clubs?” he asks hopefully.

“No,” Aemond snaps. Rio is now on the front porch and pounding the butt of his unloaded Remington shotgun against the doorframe to see if anyone appears. Daeron is nocking one of his makeshift arrows as he trots around the perimeter with his compound bow.

Luke, peering through his binoculars, points to a large cylindrical aluminum structure about a hundred yards from the house, by a small red barn. “What’s that thing?”

“It’s a grain bin,” Cregan says. “Full of feed for cattle.” Ice whimpers at his feet, and he twirls his axe in his large, calloused hands. “Are we clearing the house or not? Something’s in there.”

“We are,” Aemond answers tonelessly. “Luke, Rhaena, stay out here with Aegon and watch for trouble. Daeron, you too.”

“Got it.”

“Baela—”

“Can I go inside?” she asks. “Please, Aemond. I’m so sick of sitting around feeling useless and exhausted. I want to help. I want to do something, I’m going insane.”

“Fine,” Aemond agrees. “It should be an easy one.”

It is easy, but it’s not pleasant. The house smells like dark, sickening decay. In the living room are the skeletal remains of two bodies, both children judging by the size; the maroon-stained bones are notched with indents from gnashing teeth. Cregan shadows Helaena as she searches through closets and drawers. She takes no clothing—it would have absorbed the stench of death—but fills her burlap messenger bag with matches, lighters, batteries, pills. She gives you a bottle of Advil before you can ask her for it.

“Thanks,” you say, a bit startled, as you tuck it away in your backpack.

It is not until Ice leads you to the final room, the bedroom at the rear of the house, that you hear the familiar, blood-chilling hissing and moaning of a zombie. It is in the closet, and emerges one limb at a time: one arm and then another, one leg long like a spider’s, streaked with a thick soup of rotting organs that spills from a gaping hole in her belly like the mouth of a mineshaft. Something has happened to its other leg; it is missing, and the corpse that was once a thirties-something woman—a soccer mom, perhaps, with a minivan and propensity to make meatloaf and fish sticks—drags itself across the fawn-colored carpet towards you, slow and pathetic. Ice growls and barks. Rio raises his Remington.

“Wait,” Baela says. Her hammer is in her right hand. “Can I do it?”

“Of course, be my guest,” Rio says; though you can tell he’s slightly disappointed. He loves clubbing things.

Baela approaches the yowling zombie—jaws snapping, claws swiping—and grimaces down at it, this one of millions of monsters that ended the world, that killed Jace and stole all the rest of her life from her too, all those normal things she was supposed to have, all those strings of fate that the plague cut through like a razor and sent floating aimlessly out into the void of the universe. Then with a scream, Baela swings her hammer and a catastrophic impact crater appears in the side of the zombie’s skull, and it crumples to the floor, its mindless brains spilling out onto the carpet.

“Nothing good?” Aegon asks when you reappear in the driveway, popping a Vicodin into his mouth.

“No,” Aemond replies grimly. “No gas, no bullets, no food, nothing to drink.”

“I knew it would be lean pickings once we got out here,” Cregan says, and Aemond looks like he could kill him.

“Well, fortunately, Luke might have some good news for us,” Aegon says with a grin.

Aemond perks up. “Really? What?”

“I saw a truck out there,” Luke says, using his binoculars to gesture to the grain bin. “It’s parked between the barn and the grain thing, I can just see the very front of it sticking out. And if there’s a truck, there might be gas.”

Aemond ruffles Luke’s fluffy dark hair. “Good job, kid.” And Luke lights up like how cities used to look at night, back when the power was on: Washington D.C., Key West, Corpus Christi, Chinhae. Rio stoops down so Aegon can hop on his back, and all of you trek together across the field.

“Nothing,” Cregan announces as he squeezes the little pump on the siphoning hose after opening the gas cap of the ancient Chevy Silverado and threading the hose inside. “Not a drop.”

“Fucking fantastic,” Aegon sighs from where he’s slumped on the ground. His eyes are glazed; he’s pretty stoned. He gazes pitifully up at you; you pat his shoulder sympathetically. You and Rio have already checked the barn, dilapidated but perfectly devoid of zombies. The roof has caved in; one of the two front doors are missing. “What now?!”

“We can go back to the interstate and walk until we find the next ranch,” you say, looking absentmindedly at the grain bin. It’s much larger up close, and rusty in spots. A ladder runs up one side to allow access to the roof. Ice isn’t whining or nudging anyone’s hands, but she’s sniffing the air as if she’s detected something interesting, unfamiliar.

“Yeah,” Luke replies miserably. “We can walk another five or ten miles and then maybe find a safe place to spend the night.”

Rhaena shades her eyes as she peers up at the sky. “It’s past noon already. Maybe we should just stay here.”

Rio barks out a sardonic laugh. “In a house with no supplies and that reeks of dead people?”

“Cregan, go kill us something to eat,” Aegon commands.

He chuckles in his deep, gruff voice. “It’s Miss Chips who is good at the killing, I’m just the authority on butchering at the moment.”

Aemond is watching Ice, his forehead furrowed. “What’s she doing?”

Cregan whistles. “Hey, princess, you okay?” Ice ignores him, still sniffing, her grey ears straight up in the air. Then it appears from behind the barn: a tiny brown creature, a baby bear.

“Aww, it’s so fuzzy!” Aegon squeals, stretching his arm out to pet it. Rio yanks him away; everyone else is backing up towards the grain bin. A second bear cub has now arrived, padding clumsily along, large cartoonish eyes and a little pink tongue poking out from its muzzle.

“Don’t touch them!” Aemond shouts to everyone. “Get away from them! If there are cubs, there’s probably—”

And around the barn comes the mother, a grizzly bear of 400 pounds. She bares her teeth and snarls, saliva dripping in long gluey strings. Ice is barking viciously; Aegon is shrieking and scrambling onto Rio’s back.

“Baela!” Aemond says because she’s closest to him, urging her towards the ladder of the grain bin. She gets the idea and begins climbing. Then Aemond reaches for you. “Come on, you next!”

“Rhaena, go,” you say instead, and she clambers up the ladder after Baela. Cregan is brandishing his axe; Rio has his Remington in his hands, Aegon still clinging to his back like a baby opossum to its mother. Now Helaena is climbing up the ladder, and Daeron nocks an arrow. You whip one of your M9s out of its holster, aim for the bear’s head, and pull the trigger.

Your bullet hits its skull, Daeron’s arrow pierces its chest; and the mother bear does not die but roars and rises up onto her back feet—taller than Rio, taller than Cregan—and then drops back down and charges towards you and the grain bin. Cregan blocks the way, swinging his axe. The bear reluctantly pauses, testing him with swipes of her claws that he evades. Rio is just a few steps behind Cregan, waving his Remington around hostilely. Aegon is screaming and holding on for dear life.

“Don’t shoot!” Cregan yells. “9mm isn’t big enough, you’ll just make her more angry!”

Aemond finally gets a grip on your wrist and drags you to the ladder. You obey and climb until your feet are several rungs off the ground, then you turn to see what’s going on below. Aemond, Luke, and Daeron are at the bottom of the ladder, their backs to you. Cregan is still wielding his axe.

“Fuck off, Mama Bear!” he bellows, standing as tall as possible and swinging his axe above his head. Rio follows Cregan’s lead and holds his Remington aloft. Ice is barking; the baby bears are fleeing in terror. Aegon is sobbing hysterically and saying he’s going to die. “You don’t want us and we don’t want you! Go on! Go get your babies! I’ll put this blade right between your eyes if you don’t change your stupid mind right quick!”

The bear pounds the earth with her front feet and growls, a beastly subterranean rumble, but she seems to be losing her nerve. The rungs of the ladder creak and groan; you see rust like blood-hued moss around the bolts.

“Get out of here!” Cregan shouts. “Go, you hairy old bitch! Go back to your babies!”

The bear glances back to see her cubs vanish behind the barn. Her mouth is open and panting, spittle gleaming on her pointed teeth; her black eyes are uncertain. As you hold onto the ladder with one hand, you have your M9 aimed at the bear’s left eye, just in case. Aemond is watching Cregan; on his scarred face a sharp severity, fascination and resentment and fear.

“Go on,” Cregan says firmly. “Leave us alone. You belong in the mountains, not down here. Go eat something that’s already dead, a nice easy dinner. You don’t want us. We’ll fight you.”

The grizzly bear shakes her head—flopping ears, shaggy fur filthy with dust and pieces of grass—and whirls, lumbering off to find her cubs. When she rounds the barn, Cregan waits a few long, tense, silent minutes and then turns to the grain bin.

“Alright y’all, we oughta hurry up and leave. I don’t think she’ll come back, but she might.”

From the top of the ladder, approximately forty feet off the ground, Baela begins to laugh. “Did that really just happen?! That was insane! Cregan, buddy, you can vote for whoever you want to. You and I are cool forever.”

He smiles up at her, wincing in the bright afternoon light. “I’m very glad to hear it, ma’am.”

Rio sets Aegon down on the ground and stretches his back; it must be hurting him. Aemond is taking your hand and helping you off the ladder, and you are reminded of the transmission tower where he found you in Catawissa, Pennsylvania, one of those middle-of-nowhere places like Tipton, Wyoming. As Helaena climbs down, you go to Rio and—with as much force as you can manage—knead the small of his back with the heel of your hand like you know helps him.

“You okay?”

He sighs loudly, relieved. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. Oh, wow, that’s good. Harder…oh yeah…”

There is a snapping sound, metal squealing as it breaks, and by the time you turn to look she’s already falling: her cotton dress billowing around her, her arms wheeling helplessly. It happens too quickly for her to scream—for her to understand what is going on and what it means—but there is a stunned gasp and then she hits the ground, and you hear a muffled crunch of bone—skull?? spine??—and she is completely, unnaturally still as she lies on her back, no pain, no words, nothing.

“Baela!” Rhaena shrieks, and she rushes down the ladder and runs to her sister. You are all gathering around Baela, petrified to move her—to make it worse—but pleading for her to wake up, examining her with terrified eyes. Baela’s own eyes, dark and glassy and serene, are open only a sliver like obsidian crescent moons. Aemond is asking Helaena for a flashlight and then prying them wide, checking Baela’s pupils.

“There’s no reflex,” he says numbly.

“What does that mean?!” Rhaena cries. “Aemond? Aemond?!”

“She’s…she’s…” He’s in denial; he’s in shock. He’s feeling for a pulse on her carotid, he’s digging his fingernails into her forearm to try to get her to respond to pain.

“Aemond?” you say softly.

“She’s gone,” he tells you, like he doesn’t believe it, like he’s waiting to wake up.

“The baby,” Rhaena says. “Try to save the baby.” And then, when Aemond doesn’t immediately understand, she grabs his backpack and begins ripping it off so he can get the medical kit inside. “The baby, Aemond!”

Now he knows what he has to do. He pulls the scalpel out of his kit as Rhaena moves Baela’s sundress to expose her belly. She was wearing biker shorts beneath, lavender, cute, something you might have picked out in a store. In less than a minute they will be soaked with blood. Cregan leads Daeron away, and he’s telling him that they need to keep watch in case the grizzly bear returns, but you think it is an act of mercy more than anything else. Ice goes with them. Helaena, her face pale and grave, is shining the flashlight on Baela’s belly, just beneath her navel.

“Aegon?” Aemond says.

“What? What do you need?”

“I need people to help hold open the incision once I make it. I have to be able to see the amniotic sac so I can cut the membrane without harming the baby.”

“I get it, I’m here, I’ll help.”

Aemond presses the blade of the scalpel to Baela’s skin and draws a semicircle from the top of one hip to the other. There is blood, but it is slow-moving and thick and dark; it is the blood of a dead woman, not a living one. Immediately, Aegon hooks his fingers under layers of fat, skin, and muscle, and opens the wound as much as he can. You and Rio reach in too, and you do this without thinking, without allowing yourself to feel the horror of it until the work is done.

“I can’t see,” Aemond is murmuring. Rhaena gets another flashlight and helps Helaena illuminate the area. Luke is on his knees with both hands clamped over his mouth, his eyes glistening with dread and disbelief. Aemond is slicing, pausing to probe around with his fingers, cutting again. Then his arm plunges into Baela’s abdomen up to his elbow and, with some difficulty, pulls out the gore-covered baby by its feet, a girl, large and limp and silent.

Rhaena sobs, equal parts grief and joy, a smile appearing on her face. “Is she okay? Aemond? Is she…why isn’t she crying? Aemond?!”

Rio yanks off his shirt and uses it to wipe blood and gelatinous clumps away from the baby’s eyes, mouth, and nostrils. Then Aemond takes the shirt and wraps the baby in it, warming her, rubbing her lifeless little limbs. When she does not stir, Aemond lays her on the earth and begins CPR: compressions with two fingers on her tiny heart, two breaths down the airway she’s never used. There are no sounds except his efforts. There is no crying when the baby wakes, because she never does.

Enough, you are thinking, as if from very far away: an island in the Indian Ocean, the Appalachian mountains in eastern Kentucky. Enough, enough, enough.

Aemond stops trying to revive the baby. He picks her up and holds her against him, and no one says anything. There is only the barrenness of the Wyoming steppe, an anemic blue sky, tall dry grass that bows in the breeze, black vultures that are landing atop the barn and the grain bin.

Aegon jolts out of his paralysis and reaches for his brother with bloodied hands. “Aemond, hey, Aemond, listen to me, it wasn’t your fault. Okay? Are you listening? Aemond, man, you did everything you could. You gave them a chance. You didn’t give up.”

But Aemond doesn’t respond; he only kneels there beside Baela’s butchered body, her dead baby girl in his arms.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Alys?” he calls, seeing that she never came back to bed. He is lying on his stomach, tangled in red sheets damp with sweat. It’s hot, too hot, and there is no humming of the air conditioning. When Aemond picks up his iPhone from the nightstand, it’s still plugged in but only at 87% battery. The power must have gone out.

He gets up, rubs the damp skin by his temple—headache, dehydration—and lifts open the nearest window. It’s odd: there is shouting, distant and indistinct, like the sound of a carnival or a concert. There are car alarms too, and sirens, and horns blaring, all too far away for him to see. It must be because of the power outage, traffic signals thrown into chaos, neighbors relaying the latest information back and forth. That’s the only logical explanation.

“Alys?” Aemond says again, groggy but with increasing curiosity, concern, guilt.

She started to feel sick last night, a pulsing in her skull and chills and powerful nausea. The possibility of it being the so-called Florida Fever barely registered in his mind. Alys gets migraines, and tofu is a migraine trigger, and he took her to a Thai restaurant (maybe he should have known better) and the curry Alys ordered ended up having tofu in it, and by the time she paid the check (as Alys always did) she was swallowing an Imitrex from the box in her snakeskin purse. She said she was going to lie down in the guest bedroom for a while so she wouldn’t wake him if she spent the next few hours dashing to and from the bathroom, a likely outcome, and if he was honest with himself about it, Aemond would admit he was relieved.

He shuffles to the bedroom door—black boxers, bare feet, century-old hardwood floors—and opens it. Now he can hear thudding, like someone tenderizing meat with a mallet. “Alys? Baby, you feeling okay?” There is no answer, only that rhythmic hammering. He realizes that it is coming from the guest bedroom, a door at the end of a long hallway still fuzzy through his half-awake eyes.

It had never felt right, but it had felt good: good in the body when she touched him, good in the soul when she told him he did something right. But lately—especially here, in the vast creaking historic house she shares with her husband and her children, who are presently sailing in Cape Cod—Aemond cannot shake the feeling that this entanglement is a surrender rather than an aspiration, something he fell into and now rests at the bottom of like a swimming pool or the sea, the cold weight of it threatening to pour into his lungs and drown him.

“Alys?” Aemond says, now with profound and inexplicable dread. Outside an ambulance or police car zooms by, sirens blaring. The pounding on the door of the guest bedroom grows faster.

I want to go home, Aemond thinks suddenly. At home, in the Federal-style townhouse his parents rented for him (Criston picked it out, a safe and quiet neighborhood in Beacon Hill, and Viserys paid), Daeron is visiting from California and watching golf tournaments with Aegon on the living room couch, pretending to be interested when Aegon describes the different types of clubs. Helaena, pursuing an Entomology PhD, is researching the Mediterranean mantis, clicking around on her MacBook Pro from the garden in the backyard. Jace and Luke live there too, and so Baela and Rhaena have all but officially moved in, keeping their apartment in Seaport only to have somewhere to retreat to when the Targaryen chaos becomes too much…and so the baby can have its own room. Baela bought a crib, a changing table, a rocking chair, a dresser, and about a million unisex onesies, mostly space-themed. Baela is studying Aeronautics and Astronautics, after all. Maybe one day she’ll work for NASA and fly rockets to the moon.

The door is rattling on its hinges. Aemond’s hand closes around the knob. On the other side is something terrible, and he knows this. But he cannot just leave her. Aemond is not someone who abandons people; he is not someone who turns away from responsibilities.

He opens the door of the guest bedroom, and immediately she is staggering towards him, limp dripping hair and naked like she was interrupted mid-shower: blood bubbling from her gaping mouth and the whites of teeth peeking through the crimson, necrotic skin hanging in strips from her fingers, eyes misty like steam on a mirror.

“Alys, stop! Alys! What’s wrong with you?!”

She’s alive but she’s dead. She’s yowling and clawing at him, but her flesh is the rotting swampland of a corpse. He’s pushing her away; his palms sink into her, places he once noticed and then fantasized about and then at last—euphorically, ashamedly—touched, held, borrowed but never kept. She’s trying to bite him. She’s trying to kill him. None of this is possible, and yet it’s true.

Aemond flings her away, and the woman who was once Alys stumbles backwards and down the staircase, sick wet thumps all the way to the ground floor, bones splitting through dissolving grey skin, organs sloshing around until they spill out. He can hear her still hissing, flailing, trying to get up again.

Without thinking—slipping seamlessly into what he learned during his psych rotation is called automatic action—Aemond races down the steps and grabs her by the skull, cracks it against the antique hardwood floor she once extoled the value of as he fucked her on it: shipped east from Oregon and laid in 1912, the year the Titanic sank. When she lurches up to try to bite him, he slams her head against the floor again and again until she is still.

Then Aemond kneels there alone for a long time, sirens shrieking outside, far-off strangers screaming for help, putrid black blood clotting on his hands.

[medicalcodingcoursesinaustra]

Medical coding courses in Australia.

IIMSKILLS provide IIM SKILLS offers a 3-month Medical Coding Course that prepares students for the AAPC-certified professional coder certification exam. The program includes live lectures, mock tests, and lifetime access to learning materials. It also provides a 1-month paid internship, job placement support, and mentorship to ensure students are industry-ready2.

[caliburn-the-sword]

more cress thoughts and reactions (if i wasn't lazy i would start numbering these)

WHAT is with this lunar guard and WHY would he randomly choose to help these guys. since he's a Named Character (but i already forgot) i'm demanding a pov chapter immediately. probably won't get one until we trust him tho rip

NO WAY SCARLET CAN'T DIE OMG - oh thank goodness she's been taken hostage. that's better because it means she has a chance

what is it with cinder and her tendency to pick up strays?? first thorne now the blondie

cinder got that medical rizz (got blondie to take his shirt to staunch blood)

wait how does blondie know that cinder is the lost princess?? did i miss something??? maybe it was something cress mentioned

"Thorne thought maybe it was best for her to practice (cutting bonds) on herself anyway" DAMN BRO COLD

i wonder if the programming making the sat invisible still applies now that it's crashed. if not we're about to have a big problem on our hands

"somehow she’d never worked the sensation of prickly facial hair into her fantasies. She would amend that after this." MISS GIRL WHAT???? that said i find the diction of 'amend that' there's just something so detached about it lmao

OMG THORNE LOST HIS VISION YES THIS IS MAKING ME NUTS

no i agree cress WHY would you give a newly blind man a knife

her hair is getting cut off <3 "It felt as though twenty pounds had been cut from her head" probably because it HAS girly. haircuts are literally magical. feel sad?? get a haircut

"It's not your fault" damn thorne i really appreciate how conscious he is of cinder's and now cress' self blaming problem even though he doesn't act like he's all compassionate. softie

grossed out by thorne kissing a 16 year old even if it was just her hand (someone play sixteen by ayesha erotica)

omg i thought the kids were talking about PRIZE MONEY for a BOUNTY and that we were about to see someone properly threatening appear, not just gummy worms fkshfsdkh. LOVE erland for indulging the children. he seems like a fun uncle type figure to have. i wonder how much those kids make him grieve for his daughter. OMG CINDER MENTION IT I NEED ERLAND'S REACTION

omg cress' descriptions of earth make me feel like i've been taking it for granted <3 i love her to death and i wish her all the happiness in the world

i LOVE thorne's no nonsense attitude, especially when it conflicts with cress' fantasies. yeah!! shake her!! wilderness survival king

tf??? i've never heard of a green sunset????? i'm assuming that this is a rural thing or i'm just gonna pin it down to random radioactive scifi reasons

thorne you know what OTHER than constellations would rule out australia?? THE SAND WOULD BE FUCKING RED. i would know because i did a 6 week cross country road trip across the desert from east to west and back again. i get that he's blind but surely cress would have noticed and thought to mention it (catch me looking for the southern cross constellation whenever i go to the northern hemisphere since it's the only one i can consistently recognise)

whenever cinder gets glamoured she always snaps out of it immediately. even kai, the few times it's happened to him. it's honestly VERY disturbing to read it from scarlet's perspective where she's completely unable to (also now i'm finding kai sus. does he have the implant against his knowledge?? he got out of it with pain but wolf literally got SHOT and stayed glamoured)

LANDED IN AFRICA OMG THEY'RE GONNA REUNITE WITH CINDER. I BET ERLAND HAS ALREADY HEARD NEWS ABOUT THE DROPPED SAT

cress' backstory is intriguing, ESPECIALLY because idk how she's alive. does experimenting really make her THAT worth keeping before her hacking skills came to light?? why does sybil want to keep shells alive in the first place?? she seems very down with eugenics

holding onto neurodivergent coded cress and defending her with my life. of course some traits overlap with her trauma and being isolated for so long

only just remembered this but i guess now my theory of cress not being fully lunar doesn't hold up now that i know her parents. but with what she's saying about her backstory, makes sense why she doesn't identify with lunars that much

maybe it was thorne that i decided was bi??? just by seeing this line about blackmailing a hot pilot if he were in her position??? now that i think about it he had a similar line about kai or something. anyway with thorne saying he would have blackmailed someone i reckon he's just putting on a facade so no one sees him as a softie. but it's still funny to just make characters queer. it's a coping mechanism

OMG NOW THAT THE SATELLITE HAS CRASHED THE LUNARS ARE EXPOSED. I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THAT. but the spyware should ALSO be down unless specific feeds went directly to the palace

this read has been such a treat for me!! i mentioned this on a reblog of one of my first cress post, but for those of you who haven't seen it when i was like. 5. my library had this picture book of the biblically accurate grimms brothers rapunzel. BEAUTIFUL illustrations. i was a silly goofy little kid obsessed with morbidity and i LOVED the gory illustrations of the prince's eyes getting stabbed out by thorns and him wandering around the forest all bloody and blind. i tried to find it online but couldn't!! the closest thing to it was rapunzel by sarah gibb which isn't gloriously violent anyway. i want to see if i can hunt it down irl and let you guys know which one it is but i used to frequent three different local libraries + the school library of my primary school was basically my own playground so i can't remember where i used to read it ;-; but yeah all this is to say i'm obsessed with cress as a retelling of rapunzel by far as someone who has a long history and grew up with it <3

@eddisfargo @francforever @winterrhayle @winterpinetrees

[leagraceborres]

STEM

What is STEM?

The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is one of the four strands available for senior high school in the Philippines. STEM is a two year program that is used in senior high school (Grade 11 and 12). It is a specific educational path that aims to prepare students for future professions in these sectors. It strives to provide students with the abilities, information, and expertise required to succeed in fields related to science and technology. The STEM strand is also available in other country like, Australia, China, France, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. STEM graduates in the Philippines have numerous employment options. Engineering, information technology, science, mathematics, and research are among the most in-demand occupations for STEM graduates. These disciplines provide excellent career possibilities, competitive pay, and opportunities for professional development and progress.

Here Are Some Courses You Can Take If You Took STEM Strand

Science

If you wish to work in the medical area, the next step is to take a scientific course. From health and wellbeing to research and development, medical professionals play an important role in science.

Here are some science courses to consider:

BS Nursing

BS Medical Technology

BS Pharmacy

BS Food Technology

BS Environmental Science

BS Chemistry

Information and Communications Technology

Consider taking an information and communications technology (ICT) course if you enjoyed your coding lessons in high school. Among the topics covered are programming, data analytics, and web development.

Here are some ICT courses you can choose from:

BS Entertainment and Media Computing

BS Information Science

BS Data Science

BS ESports

BS Information Technology

Engineering

If you enjoy problem solving, an engineering course might be right for you. An engineering course will help you to expand your knowledge and skills in these areas. In a nutshell, you'll learn how to build structures and processes that improve people's lives. If the challenge of creativity appeals to you, engineering is the path to choose.

Here are some engineering courses you can choose from:

BS Materials Engineering

BS Electronics and Communications Engineering

BS Chemical Engineering

BS Mechanical Engineering

BS Geodetic Engineering

Mathematics

Mathematics courses teach pupils advanced numerical and analytical skills. They cover the fundamentals of mathematics such as algebra, geometry, logic, abstract thinking, and others. In brief, everything you need to know about mathematical computing and modeling. A degree in mathematics will undoubtedly feed your passion of numbers. Math skills can be employed in a variety of industries, from finance to research. There are mathematics courses that can lead to a teaching career as well.

Here are some mathematics courses you can choose from:

BS Applied Mathematics

BS Mathematics

BS Statistics

BS Secondary Education (major in Mathematics)

Sources:

[paramedicinetraining]

A Comprehensive Guide to Certificate IV in Health Care

If you’re considering a career in the health care industry and want to work on the frontlines of patient care, the Certificate IV in Health Care could be your gateway to a rewarding and dynamic profession. This nationally recognised qualification in Australia prepares individuals for roles in the pre-hospital and out-of-hospital healthcare sectors, equipping them with essential skills to support paramedics, respond to emergencies, and provide quality care in various settings.

What is Certificate IV in Health Care?

The Certificate IV in Health Care (typically coded as HLT41120) is a vocational education and training (VET) course designed to prepare students for work as Basic Healthcare Workers, Patient Transport Officers, or Emergency Medical Responders. The course focuses on clinical skills, communication, and crisis management, making it ideal for those who thrive in high-pressure environments and want to make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

Who Should Study This Course?

This course is ideal for:

Individuals interested in emergency health care and pre-hospital environments

Those looking to start a career as a paramedic assistant

People currently working in healthcare who want to upskill or change roles

Those planning to pursue a Diploma of Paramedical Science or other advanced studies

Course Overview

The Certificate IV in Health Care covers a variety of topics that blend theoretical knowledge with practical application. Common units of competency include:

HLTAID011 – Provide First Aid

HLTINF006 – Apply basic principles and practices of infection prevention and control

HLTAMB014 – Transport non-emergency patients under operational conditions

HLTAMB011 – Manage a routine non-emergency scene

CHCCCS020 – Respond effectively to behaviours of concern

BSBMED301 – Interpret and apply medical terminology appropriately

Duration: 12 to 18 months (full-time or part-time options available) Delivery Mode: Online theory with in-person practical workshops and clinical placements Entry Requirements: Usually 18+ years old, with a Year 10 or equivalent education, a current First Aid certificate, and a clear police check

Key Benefits

Hands-On Learning: Includes practical workshops and simulated emergency scenarios

Job-Ready Skills: Learn real-world procedures like patient transport, infection control, and vital signs monitoring

Career Pathways: Acts as a stepping stone into Diploma of Paramedical Science, Nursing, or Ambulance Services

Flexibility: Many providers offer online study options to fit around work or family commitments

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Certificate IV in Health Care can pursue roles such as:

Patient Transport Officer

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

Ambulance Attendant

First Responder in industrial or remote settings

Event Medic or On-Site Medical Support

This qualification also opens doors to further studies in paramedicine or healthcare management.

Why It’s a Smart Career Move

Australia’s healthcare sector is experiencing steady growth, with increasing demand for qualified healthcare professionals across the country. Whether you’re looking to break into the industry or advance your current role, the Certificate IV in Health Care offers a solid foundation for a stable and meaningful career.

[medicalcodingarown]

Unlock Your Healthcare Career Potential with a Medical Coding Course

The healthcare sector is evolving faster than ever, and behind every successful hospital, clinic, or healthcare provider stands a team of skilled medical coders. Medical coding has quietly become one of the most important — and high-demand — careers in healthcare. For graduates eager to enter a stable and rewarding profession, enrolling in a medical coding course could be the smartest move in 2025 and beyond.

What is Medical Coding, and Why is it So Important?

Medical coding involves converting patient diagnoses, medical procedures, treatments, and services into standardized alphanumeric codes. These codes are critical for:

Maintaining accurate patient records

Billing and insurance claim processing

Ensuring regulatory compliance

Without medical coders, the healthcare system would struggle with inefficiencies, billing errors, and compliance issues. Coders act as the vital link between healthcare providers and insurance companies, playing a key role in patient care management behind the scenes.

Advantages of Pursuing a Medical Coding Course

Choosing a medical coding course offers several life-changing benefits:

1. Short Training Duration

Unlike many healthcare fields that require years of study, medical coding can be mastered in just a few months. Some programs, like those at top academies, prepare you for the workforce in as little as three months.

2. Global Career Opportunities

Qualified medical coders are in high demand not only in India but also across the United States, Canada, UAE, Australia, and Europe. A recognized certification can open doors to work internationally, offering high salary packages and flexible job options.

3. Work Flexibility

Medical coding offers a chance to work remotely, making it an excellent option for those who prefer flexible schedules or work-from-home opportunities.

4. Competitive Salaries and Career Growth

Starting salaries are attractive, and experienced coders can progress into roles such as coding auditors, compliance officers, or healthcare documentation specialists.

5. Suitable for Graduates from Any Field

Whether you have a background in science, commerce, or arts, you can build a successful career in medical coding with the right training.

What Skills Will You Learn?

A quality medical coding course will equip you with:

In-depth knowledge of medical terminology and human anatomy

Mastery over coding systems like ICD-10, CPT, and HCPCS

Understanding of healthcare laws, ethics, and insurance processes

Practical training on real-world coding software

Preparation for certification exams like CPC (Certified Professional Coder)

Finding the Right Academy

Success in the medical coding field starts with choosing the right institution. Arown Academy, regarded as the best medical coding institute in Kerala, offers industry-focused programs designed to equip students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Their strong placement support, experienced trainers, and international certification pathways make them a preferred choice for ambitious healthcare professionals.

Final Thoughts

Medical coding is more than just a technical skill — it's a career that promises stability, growth, and the chance to contribute meaningfully to the healthcare industry. If you’re looking for a future-proof profession with international appeal, a medical coding course could be your gateway to success. Now is the time to take that first step toward a brighter, healthier career path.

[anandhu-transorze]

What are the merits of being a Australian Medical Coder?

Becoming an Australian Medical Coder offers numerous merits, with insights from Transorze Solutions shedding light on the benefits of pursuing this career path.

Firstly, medical coding provides job stability and security in the ever-expanding healthcare industry. As the demand for accurate documentation and billing continues to rise, skilled medical coders remain in high demand.

Moreover, being a medical coder offers competitive salaries and opportunities for career advancement. With the right training from Transorze Solutions, individuals can enter this field with confidence, knowing they possess the skills and certification necessary to excel.

Additionally, medical coding allows for flexibility, with opportunities for remote work and part-time positions. This flexibility enables individuals to achieve a work-life balance that suits their needs.

By choosing to become an Australian Medical Coder with Transorze Solutions, individuals can enjoy job stability, competitive salaries, career advancement opportunities, and flexibility, making it a rewarding and fulfilling career choice in the healthcare industry.

[stepbystepguidetopasstheapc]

Step-by-Step Guide to Pass the APC Pharmacy Intern Written Exam

If you’ve completed 75% of your required supervised practice hours as a pharmacist intern in Australia, you're now eligible to sit for the APC Pharmacy Intern Written Exam. This is a critical step in your journey to becoming a registered pharmacist in Australia. The exam tests your clinical and pharmaceutical knowledge, along with your understanding of Australian laws, ethics, and pharmacy practice standards.

This step-by-step guide will walk you through the exam process, from understanding the structure to actionable tips for APC written exam preparation, helping you prepare confidently and successfully.

The APC Pharmacy Intern Written Exam

Exam Overview The Australian Pharmacy Council (APC) administers the Intern Written Exam to assess whether you are ready to practice safely as a pharmacist in Australia. The exam tests your ability to apply knowledge in real-world pharmacy situations and evaluates your clinical reasoning, ethical judgment, and understanding of the Australian healthcare system.

Key Details about the APC Written Exam:

Eligibility 75% of required supervised practice hours completed

Mode Computer-based, delivered via Pearson VUE

Exam Duration 2 hours + 15 minutes for software familiarization

Question Count 75 multiple-choice questions (67 scored, 8 unscored pilot questions)

Cost AU$770 per attempt

Attempts Three opportunities (February, June, October)

Results "Pass" or "Unsuccessful"

APC Exam Format The APC exam consists of 75 multiple-choice questions, which must be completed within a 2-hour timeframe. Of these, 67 questions contribute to your final score, while 8 are unscored pilot questions used to test the exam format. Questions are based on the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia and cover six key areas:

Calculations

Counseling

Dosage Forms

First Aid Competency

Law and Ethics

Therapeutic Areas and Disease State Management

Each question presents a scenario where you must select the best response using clinical reasoning, ethical judgment, and appropriate guidelines. The focus is on practical application rather than rote memorization.

1. Understand the Exam Structure

Before diving into the study material, make sure you are fully aware of the APC written exam's structure. Familiarizing yourself with the format will help you feel more comfortable and confident when the exam day arrives. Keep track of exam dates and costs, and plan accordingly for the upcoming sessions.

2. Create a Targeted Study Plan

A well-structured study plan is essential for passing the APC exam. Ideally, allow yourself 10–12 weeks for preparation. Here’s how you can break down your study plan:

Review Key Syllabus Areas: Focus on understanding Australian pharmacy laws, Schedule 3 medications, and the Australian Medicines Handbook (AMH).

Focus on Mock Exams: Practice mock exams to sharpen your exam technique. The more you practice, the more confident you will become.

Develop a Quick-Reference Sheet: Create a personal sheet with key formulas and calculations that are likely to appear on the exam.

Manage Time Wisely: Practice time management so you can complete all 75 questions within the 2-hour time frame.

3. Review the Best Resources for APC Exam Preparation

Make sure you're using the right resources to study effectively. Elite Expertise’s APC written exam preparation course is a great choice to align your study material with the exam content. Here’s a list of resources to include in your preparation:

APC Intern Written Exam Guide & Sample Papers

Australian Medicines Handbook (AMH)

Therapeutic Guidelines (TG)

Professional Practice Standards (PPS)

Code of Conduct & Code of Ethics (Pharmacy Board of Australia)

Avoid spreading yourself thin by using too many resources. Instead, focus on mastering the essential ones to ensure a focused and effective study session.

4. Focus on Weak Areas

Identify your weak areas early in your preparation. You can do this by taking quizzes and mock exams. Once you know where you're struggling, concentrate on those areas. Use targeted revision techniques like:

Flashcards and Apps: These are great for memorization and repetition.

Study Groups: Discuss challenging topics with your peers to reinforce your understanding.

Preceptor Consultations: Book sessions with your preceptor to clarify difficult concepts.

Focusing on areas of weakness will ensure you’re fully prepared for the exam.

5. Practice with Sample Questions and Mock Exams

Regular practice is crucial for building confidence and fine-tuning your exam technique. Use sample questions and mock exams to:

Simulate Real Exam Conditions: Practice under timed conditions to replicate the actual exam environment.

Review Mistakes: Learn from both your correct and incorrect answers to spot patterns and improve your decision-making skills.

Use the Process of Elimination: When you’re unsure, eliminate the most obvious incorrect options to increase your chances of selecting the correct answer.

6. Stay Updated on Pharmacy Laws and Guidelines

A significant portion of the APC written exam involves pharmacy laws and ethical guidelines. Be sure to stay up-to-date with:

Schedules of Medicines (S2, S3, S4, and S8)

Prescription Handling and Dispensing Rules

Privacy and Confidentiality Laws

PBS and Medicare Billing Protocols

Regularly visit the Pharmacy Board of Australia website for updates on the latest guidelines and regulations.

7. Take Care of Your Physical and Mental Health

A healthy body and mind will help you perform your best. During your APC exam preparation:

Get Enough Sleep: Quality sleep is crucial for memory retention and concentration.

Practice Mindfulness: Incorporating relaxation techniques will help reduce stress and keep you focused.

Stay Active: Exercise will keep your mind sharp and boost your overall well-being.

The more you take care of yourself, the better you'll perform during your studies and the exam itself.

8. Registration for the APC Exam

To register for the APC Exam, you must meet the eligibility criteria:

You must be provisionally registered with the Pharmacy Board of Australia.

You must have completed at least 75% of the required supervised practice hours for general registration.

Registration Steps:

Create an account on the APC Candidate Portal.

Submit your eligibility documents.

Choose a Pearson VUE test center and schedule your exam.

Pay the exam fee and wait for your confirmation email.

9. Prepare for the Exam Day

On exam day, arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes early. Ensure you have the following:

Two Valid ID Documents: Your primary ID should include your full name, photo, and signature (e.g., passport, driver’s license).

Approved Calculator and Reference Materials: Standard or scientific calculators (no internet storage) and printed materials may be brought to the exam.

Comfort Aid: Pre-approved comfort items (e.g., water, tissues) are allowed.

Final Thoughts

The APC Pharmacy Intern Written Exam is a challenging but achievable milestone. Success in this exam requires smart preparation, a solid understanding of the exam structure, and a strategic approach to studying. With the right resources, such as Elite Expertise’s APC written exam preparation course, and expert guidance, you will be well-equipped to pass the exam and take the next step in your pharmacy career.

Remember, consistent effort and effective preparation will ensure that you pass the APC assessment with confidence, securing your place in the Australian pharmacy profession.

[saeedmohammed025]

Top Benefits of Enrolling in a Medical Coding Course: What You Need to Know

In recent years, the healthcare industry has undergone a transformative shift, driven by advancements in technology and the growing need for administrative efficiency. Among the many career paths within this field, medical coding stands out as one of the most promising and in-demand professions. If you're based in Kerala and are considering entering this field, enrolling in the best medical coding course in Calicut could be your gateway to a rewarding and secure career.

This blog explores the key benefits of pursuing medical coding and why choosing a reputable course in Calicut can be a strategic move for your future.

What Is Medical Coding?

Medical coding involves translating healthcare diagnoses, procedures, services, and equipment into universal medical alphanumeric codes. These codes are essential for billing, insurance claims, record-keeping, and statistical analysis in healthcare settings. By assigning standardised codes, medical coders help maintain consistency and accuracy in patient records and streamline administrative tasks.

Why Medical Coding Is a Growing Career

The demand for skilled medical coders is on the rise, not only in India but also globally. Healthcare providers increasingly rely on accurate documentation and coding for insurance reimbursements and compliance with legal requirements. This surge in demand has led to a spike in training programs across the country, with many students now opting for the best medical coding course in Calicut to secure a stable and fulfilling career.

Advantages of Joining the Top Medical Coding Program in Calicut

1. High Demand and Job Security

One of the most compelling reasons to pursue a career in medical coding is job security. With the healthcare industry expanding rapidly, there is a consistent demand for professionals who can manage and code medical data accurately. Completing a reputable course in Calicut increases your chances of employment, as well as career advancement.

2. Attractive Salary Packages

Qualified medical coders are well-compensated for their skills. Entry-level salaries are competitive, and with experience and additional certifications, your earning potential can increase significantly. By choosing the best medical coding course in Calicut, you gain access to in-depth training that enhances your expertise and employability.

3. Flexible Work Options

Medical coding is one of the few healthcare-related careers that offer remote work opportunities. Many healthcare providers and outsourcing firms allow coders to work from home, offering flexibility and a better work-life balance. A strong foundation through a top-rated course in Calicut can prepare you for both on-site and remote job roles.

4. Global Career Opportunities

Medical coding follows internationally recognised coding systems like ICD (International Classification of Diseases) and CPT (Current Procedural Terminology). This global standardisation means that coders trained in India can find work opportunities in countries like the USA, UAE, Australia, and the UK. The best medical coding course in Calicut equips you with the skills necessary to meet international requirements.

5. Quick Entry Into the Workforce

Unlike other healthcare professions that require years of study, medical coding courses are relatively short. Most training programs can be completed within 6 to 12 months, making it a great option for those who want to start earning sooner. A reputed course in Calicut ensures that you are job-ready upon completion.

6. A Non-Clinical Role in the Healthcare Sector

If you’re interested in the healthcare field but prefer to stay away from clinical roles that involve direct patient care, medical coding is ideal. It allows you to contribute meaningfully to the industry while working in an administrative capacity. Choosing the best medical coding course in Calicut ensures you receive the right theoretical and practical knowledge to thrive in this role.

7. Opportunities for Specialisation

As you gain experience in the field, you can specialise in specific areas such as inpatient coding, outpatient coding, or risk adjustment coding. Specialised coders are often in higher demand and can command better salaries. A comprehensive training course in Calicut lays the groundwork for further specialisation and certification.

What to Look for in a Medical Coding Course in Calicut

If you’re ready to begin your journey, selecting the right course is crucial. Here are a few things to consider when searching for the best medical coding course in Calicut:

Comprehensive Curriculum: Ensure the course covers all major coding systems, including ICD-10-CM, CPT, and HCPCS.

Experienced Trainers: Look for programs taught by certified instructors with hands-on industry experience.

Practical Training: Real-world practice through internships, case studies, or coding simulations is essential for skill development.

Certification Readiness: This course is designed to equip you for certification tests such as the CPC (Certified Professional Coder) or CCS (Certified Coding Specialist).

Placement Support: Opt for institutions that offer career guidance, interview preparation, and job placement assistance.

Conclusion

Enrolling in the best medical coding course in Calicut can be a game-changer for your career. The healthcare industry’s continued growth ensures a steady demand for skilled coders, while the flexible and rewarding nature of the job makes it an attractive option for many. Whether you're a fresh graduate or someone looking to switch careers, medical coding offers a promising path with abundant opportunities.

By choosing a top-tier training program in Calicut, you position yourself to succeed in this high-demand profession. Invest in your future today—start your journey toward becoming a certified medical coder and contribute to the ever-evolving world of healthcare.

[nursingwriter]

Pediatric and Adolescent Health Business information technology (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology) Scan to open on Studocu Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 1 Pediatric and Adolescent Health Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Course Code and Name Professor’s Name Due Date Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 2 Pediatric and Adolescent Health The immunisation process is one of the most effective health interventions in history. Vaccination is imperfect but consistently leads to high coverage rates among young children. It was first introduced in Australia in the 1800s, with the first vaccine being against smallpox, and since then has likely saved more lives than any other medical intervention worldwide (Mihailescu, 2021). Today, many pediatricians and scientists in Australia have started focusing on understanding the idea of social determinants of health. This is an important concept to understand as it shows how people living in a particular place can influence the health and wellbeing of others (Abdi et al., 2020). One specific social determinant influencing immunisation is fewer vaccinations for children due to lack of access. Nevertheless, not all children are fully protected against preventable diseases like measles or rubella (Seale, et al., 2021).For several reasons, over time, these coverage rates have gradually declined around the world. With an emphasis on Diphtheria, this paper will discuss both social and environmental factors that influence immunisation, including how communities affect levels of routine childhood vaccination, why some vaccines may not be as effective without a healthy child, and ultimately what public health officials and the society at large can do to help create a safer world for future generations. Immunisation of Diphtheria Immunisation is one of the most cost-effective ways of protecting young children from diseases that might otherwise make them sick. Diphtheria prevention vaccines are available in Australia as a combination of antigens such as tetanus and pertussis (Pérez Chacón et al., 2021). Unfortunately, due to waning immunity and inadequate vaccination coverage, Diphtheria is in many parts of the country due to under-vaccination, incomplete vaccination schedules and Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 3 immunisation gaps between vaccine doses. Diphtheria was responsible for many deaths in the early 1900s (Davey, 2022). Still, it was not until 1938 that legislation made vaccination compulsory for all schoolchildren up to 14 years old as part of a national immunisation program. Within two years of the new law, Australia had eliminated diphtheria cases among children under 14 (Davey, 2022). Steady increases in vaccination levels combined with improved detection and treatment through the 1950s and 1990s led to a dramatic reduction in the number of cases and deaths from Diphtheria. For countries like Australia that are undergoing rapid demographic transitions, every social and environmental factor plays a role in influencing immunisation. Social factors influence the immunisation of children in many ways, from how parents discuss vaccination with their children to how health care providers talk about vaccinations to the relationship between chronic diseases and vaccine-preventable ones (Australian Government: Department of Health and Aged Care, 2022). Environmental factors such as poverty and crowding also play a role in influencing vaccine coverage rates. As a result, governments emphasise social and environmental factors when attempting to improve immunisation rates across populations. Some of these factors include misinformation, childhood diseases, perception of health (lifestyle), risk perception of disease and vaccine effectiveness. Misinformation People who cannot afford a vaccine may not get vaccinated as they believe clinics can only provide vaccines when people have money to spend. According to Peleg (2021), people, especially from lower-class households, will not use health services, especially if they have no opportunities of getting immunisation information. If these people are not provided with Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 4 immunisation at an early age, they will find it difficult to develop further and affect the life of their children in later years. Parents' perception of health Parents' perception of health influences immunisation in children. Many parents today reject vaccination because they believe their children are healthy. They may not be aware of the invasiveness nature of immunisation and the long-term negative impact on health. Predominately, in the past, immunisation was often administered to children based on their previous history (O'Neill et al., 2019). The use of vaccines such as typhoid and yellow fever, made compulsory only in the last century, are examples of this. Also, some parents may be concerned about the side effects of mercury-containing vaccines. Parents today might also be concerned that they are not informed enough about vaccinations and have not had time to come to terms with such a decision. Some parents perceive that vaccination can harm their children. Some believe it may cause death, resulting in a change to immunisation schedules. Others believe vaccination is dangerous because they think it may damage their children's health or cause an autoimmune reaction. Childhood Diseases Many parents believe that childhood diseases are meant to strengthen a child's immune system. Additionally, some believe that various vaccines, such as MMR vaccines that are illness related, are responsible for childhood infections (Peleg, 2021). Many parents who have been diagnosed with a child that has an immunological disorder such as autism or diabetes are worried about possibly being vaccinated for childhood diseases. Finally, there is a general belief that childhood diseases have some evolutionary function on the body. Though these beliefs are Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 5 interesting in their own right, they challenge the current vaccination practices in developing parts of the country. Thus, it is important to look at the real reasons behind childhood vaccinations. Risk Perception of Infection Whether or not to vaccinate a child depends on the parent's perception of severity and susceptibility to childhood disease. Many parents also believe it is hard to contract diseases like polio and Diphtheria because they have been endemic in a country for many years (Ruiter et al. 2012). They rely on the belief that these diseases are no longer a threat to their children's health because the population has become immune through frequent exposure. This is known as herd immunity. The belief in herd immunity can create a false sense of security, and this may cause parents to feel that vaccination is not essential. Vaccine Effectiveness Many parents doubt vaccines' effectiveness, which is likely to influence the vaccination process. The parents' reasons for not wanting to vaccinate their children may be due to a lack of knowledge, a misunderstanding of the vaccines or they may have been misinformed. Ruiter et al. (2012) examined the influence of these factors on a parent's vaccination decision. These researchers questioned parents about their beliefs about vaccines, their experiences with their child's immunisation, and whether they considered vaccinations' benefits on the child's health. They found a strong correlation between parents' level of education and the number of years they had had experience with children. The more experience a parent has, the less likely they are to question vaccine recommendations. Roles of Nurses in Immunisation The growth of immunisation uptake in Australia has been slow and gradual. In 1997, a new initiative for the National Immunisation Strategy was launched to promote increased Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 6 awareness and vaccine uptake amongst the public (Thomas et al., 2018). Several sectors are introducing this strategy, including health professionals, government departments, and the community, as participants who have roles to play in promoting immunisation among Australians. These include nurses, doctors, and pharmacists. The key objective of this strategy is to increase public participation in vaccination programs through education about the benefits of vaccination. Nurses can potentially significantly impact vaccination uptake by providing health information and immunisation records to families and other providers. An immunisation program begins by encouraging parents to take their children to a pediatrician at the appropriate time. Once a baby is old enough to be vaccinated, the pediatrician will work with parents and immunisation provider members to ensure that children receive all the prescribed vaccines before they turn two. With Diphtheria among the standard vaccination schedule in Australia, nurses can help by providing information about the benefits of immunisation and how it protects people from life-threatening diseases. They can also provide immunisation records to parents and other providers who are not familiar with the immunisation schedule and promote immunisation by discussing it with their patients during visits, advising parents on what vaccinations they should receive and helping them get those vaccines so they can protect themselves and their children from serious diseases. Australian nurses can also seek permission to access the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), a national register that records all immunisations in Australia. This information is then made available to primary health care providers, who can use the AIR to guide their delivery of immunisations for patients (Bolsewicz et al., 2022). They can use the system to maintain accurate immunisation records for their patients and their practice. Nurses and other Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 7 providers can also access this information, which allows them to prevent possible outbreaks by guaranteeing that everyone has received all scheduled vaccines. Parents may be wary about getting vaccines for their children because of concerns about immunisation safety. Nurses can play a large part in dispelling these concerns by communicating with parents about immunisation and the risks associated with contracting preventable diseases (Stephenson, 2018). They should also show parents that immunisation is an effective way to protect their children from life-threatening illnesses and give them all the necessary information to make informed decisions. Also, nurses working in primary care are in a unique position to promote vaccination because they can communicate effectively with parents and help build trust with them. They can also administer vaccines to children and advise parents when it is appropriate for their child to receive vaccinations, as well as where they can be received. Conclusion Despite immunisation's critical role in health and disease prevention, many people are unsure about the importance of vaccinating their children. Nurses in Australia and the world are at the forefront of promoting health safety. Therefore they must be considered true ambassadors of providing the public with evidence-based information on the importance of vaccination, potential side effects and vaccine safety. Nurses have an essential role to play in providing accurate information to parents and other providers of health services so that they can make the best decisions possible for the health of their children and families. Precisely, nurses working in primary care can be an extremely effective mechanism for promoting immunisation. They can explain the importance of immunisation to the community and be a source of information and education for parents. Irrefutably, it is evident that nurses can play an essential role in promoting Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 8 awareness regarding the importance of vaccination through communication within primary care settings. Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 9 References Abdi, I., Murphy, B., & Seale, H. (2020). Evaluating the health literacy demand and cultural appropriateness of online immunisation information available to refugee and migrant communities in Australia. Vaccine, 38(41), 6410-6417. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X2031015X Australian Government: Department of Health and Aged Care. (2022). Factors influencing vaccination uptake. Department of Health and Aged Care | Welcome to the Department of Health and Aged Care. https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/cda-pubs-cdi2000-cdi2403-cdi2403c.htm Australian Government: Department of Health and Aged Care. (2022). Diphtheria. https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/contents/vaccinepreventable-diseases/diphtheria Australian Institute of Health Welfare. (2022, February 25). Australia's children. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/childrenyouth/australias-children/contents/health/immunisation Bolsewicz, K., Thomas, J., Corben, P., Thomas, S., Tudball, J., & Fernando, M. (2022). ‘Immunisation, I haven't had a problem, but once again the transport, making an appointment, the time that you waste and all of those things are an issue’— Understanding childhood under immunisation in Mid North Coast New South Wales, ‐ Australia. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 30(1), 44-54. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ajr.12771 Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 10 Davey M. (2022, July 4). Diphtheria cases have been reported in Australia for the first time this century. What is it and who is at risk? the Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jul/04/what-is-diphtheriansw-case-australia-vaccine-two-cases-children-disease-who-is-at-riskMihailescu, S. (2021, February 26). 10 facts about vaccinations and the role of nurses – Pennsylvania immunization coalition. Pennsylvania Immunization Coalition. https://www.immunizepa.org/10-facts-about-vaccinations-and-the-role-ofnurses/ O'Neill, J., Newall, F., Antolovich, G., Lima, S., & Danchin, M. (2019). The uptake of adolescent vaccinations through the school immunisation program in specialist schools in Victoria, Australia. Vaccine, 37(2), 272-279. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X18315573 Peleg, N. (2021). Child-centred analysis of national immunisation laws–Australia as a case study. Australian Journal of Human Rights, 27(1), 40-57. https://doi.org/10.1080/1323238X.2021.1951154 Pérez Chacón, G., Fathima, P., Jones, M., Barnes, R., Richmond, P. C., Gidding, H. F., ... & Snelling, T. L. (2021). Pertussis immunisation in infancy and atopic outcomes: A protocol for a population-based cohort study using linked administrative data. Plos one, 16(12), e0260388. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260388 Ruiter, R., Paulussen, T. G., Mollema, L., Kok, G., & Melker, H. E. (2012, November 20). Factors that influence vaccination decision-making by parents who visit an Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 11 anthroposophical child welfare center: A focus group study. Publishing Open Access research journals & papers | Hindawi. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/apm/2012/175694/ Seale, H., McFadden, K., Dyda, A., Kaufman, J., & Heywood, A. (2021). The Pendulum Has Swung: How Do We Ensure a Life Course Approach to Immunisation in Australia?. Frontiers in Public Health, 9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8854250/ Shamian, J., Catton, H., Skinner, T., & Pavlovic, T. (2018). The Role of Nurses in Immunisation. International Council of Nurses (ICN) | ICN - International Council of Nurses. https://www.icn.ch/sites/default/files/inline-files/IMMUNISATION_Report 002.pdf Stephenson, N., Chaukra, S., Katz, I., & Heywood, A. (2018). Newspaper coverage of childhood immunisation in Australia: a lens into conflicts within public health. Critical Public Health, 28(4), 472-483. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09581596.2018.1446510 Thomas, S., Cashman, P., Islam, F., Baker, L., Clark, K., Leask, J., ... & Durrheim, D. N. (2018). Tailoring immunisation service delivery in a disadvantaged community in Australia; views of health providers and parents. Vaccine, 36(19), 2596-2603. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X18304419 Downloaded by James Mcknight (careerdigitals@gmail.com) lOMoARcPSD|28323056 Read the full article

[pcrtisuyog]

Why Are Medical Coding Courses Gaining Popularity Among Science Graduates?

The need for qualified experts who can effectively handle medical data has increased in the healthcare sector in recent years. Medical coding is one of the numerous new job pathways that has become very popular, especially among science graduates. However, what precisely is causing this change? Why are so many science-trained students pursuing careers in medical coding? Let's examine why medical coding courses are becoming more and more popular among science graduates and how this area is creating new opportunities in healthcare administration.

Understanding Medical Coding

The process of converting medical records, diagnoses, and procedures into universal alphanumeric codes is known as medical coding. Billing, insurance claims, and keeping correct patient records all depend on these codes.

Reasons Why Science Graduates Are Choosing Medical Coding Courses

1. Direct Alignment with Science Background

Science graduates, especially those from fields like biology, biotechnology, or pharmacy, already possess a basic understanding of human anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology — all of which are foundational to medical coding.

2. High Demand and Job Security

The healthcare industry continues to grow rapidly. With increasing patient volumes and healthcare digitization, there is a rising demand for certified medical coders. This translates into better job opportunities and long-term career stability.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical records and health information technicians (including coders) is projected to grow 7% from 2021 to 2031.

3. Short-Term Training with Quick Career Entry

Medical coding courses are generally short in duration — ranging from 3 months to a year. This allows science graduates to enter the workforce quickly, unlike other healthcare roles that may require years of additional study.

4. Lucrative Salary Packages

Certified medical coders can earn competitive salaries, especially when they gain experience or pursue international certifications such as CPC (Certified Professional Coder) or CCS (Certified Coding Specialist).

5. Opportunities for International Career Growth

Medical coding follows globally accepted standards such as ICD (International Classification of Diseases) and CPT (Current Procedural Terminology). This opens doors to remote work and opportunities in countries like the USA, UAE, Canada, and Australia.

Advantages of Pursuing Medical Coding Courses

Job Flexibility: Many medical coders work remotely or have the option of flexible shifts.

Work-Life Balance: Less stressful compared to clinical roles with better work-life balance.

Affordable Training: Compared to other healthcare specializations, medical coding courses are more cost-effective.

Professional Recognition: Certifications from AAPC or AHIMA enhance your profile.

Career Advancement: With experience, professionals can move into roles like coding auditor, trainer, or health information manager.

Who Should Consider Medical Coding Courses?

Medical coding is ideal for science graduates who:

Have an interest in healthcare but do not want a clinical role.

Are looking for a fast-track career path in the medical field.

Prefer working with data, computers, and documentation.

Want to work from home or in a structured office environment.

What Do You Learn in Medical Coding Courses?

These courses cover:

Human Anatomy & Physiology

Medical Terminology

ICD-10, CPT, and HCPCS Coding Systems

HIPAA Compliance

Claims Processing & Billing Procedures

Software and Tools Used in Medical Coding

Conclusion

It is no accident that medical coding courses are so popular among scientific graduates. Medical coding stands out as a great career choice because of its ideal combination of scientific knowledge, rapid entry into a stable job, worldwide demand, and flexibility. The importance of medical coders will only increase as the healthcare sector continues to embrace digitization. Medical coding might be the ideal job choice for science graduates who want to use their training in a high-impact, non-clinical healthcare setting.

[trainnow]

Comprehensive Guide to Workplace Safety Training in Melbourne

Introduction

Workplace safety is a critical aspect of running a business, ensuring employees work in a safe and healthy environment. In Melbourne, workplace safety training is a legal and moral obligation for employers. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about workplace safety training in Melbourne, from legal requirements to best practices and available training programs.

Importance of Workplace Safety Training

Workplace safety training is essential for several reasons:

Legal Compliance: Employers must adhere to Victoria's Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) laws.

Injury Prevention: Proper training reduces the risk of workplace accidents and injuries.

Improved Productivity: A safe work environment leads to better efficiency and morale.

Reduced Costs: Preventing injuries reduces compensation claims and medical expenses.

Enhanced Reputation: Companies with strong safety records attract more clients and employees.

Legal Requirements for Workplace Safety Training in Melbourne

1. Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)

The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 is the primary legislation governing workplace safety in Victoria. It places duties on employers to:

Provide and maintain a safe working environment.

Ensure employees receive adequate training and supervision.

Identify and mitigate workplace hazards.

2. WorkSafe Victoria Regulations

WorkSafe Victoria enforces workplace safety regulations, including:

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017

Code of Practice for specific industries

Workplace injury reporting requirements

3. Mandatory Training Programs

Some industries require employees to complete mandatory training, such as:

Construction Induction (White Card) Training

First Aid and CPR Training

Manual Handling Training

Fire Safety Training

Hazardous Substances and Dangerous Goods Training

Key Areas of Workplace Safety Training

1. General Occupational Health and Safety Training

Basic safety training for all employees, covering:

Workplace hazard identification

Emergency procedures

Employee rights and responsibilities

2. Industry-Specific Safety Training

Industries such as construction, healthcare, and manufacturing require specialized safety training, including:

Construction Safety (White Card Training)

Electrical Safety Training

Healthcare Infection Control Training

3. Manual Handling and Ergonomics

Training to prevent musculoskeletal disorders includes:

Proper lifting techniques

Workplace ergonomics

Use of mechanical aids

4. Fire Safety and Emergency Procedures

Training employees on:

Fire prevention and control measures

Evacuation plans

Use of fire extinguishers

5. Hazardous Substances and Chemical Safety

Employees working with chemicals must understand the following:

Safe handling and storage

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Choosing the Right Workplace Safety Training Provider

Several training providers in Melbourne offer workplace safety courses. When selecting a provider, consider:

Accreditation – Ensure the provider is recognized by WorkSafe Victoria.

Course Content – Verify that the training covers relevant regulations and best practices.

Training Methods – Look for interactive and practical training sessions.

Trainer Experience – Qualified trainers with industry experience enhance learning.

Flexibility – Online and in-person training options can accommodate different needs.

Recommended Training Providers in Melbourne

Kangan Institute – Offers accredited OHS and construction safety courses.

Safety Australia Group – Provides workplace compliance training.

Melbourne Polytechnic – Specializes in industry-specific safety training.

First Aid Pro Melbourne – Focuses on first aid and emergency response training.

Best Practices for Implementing Workplace Safety Training

1. Conduct Risk Assessments

Regularly evaluate workplace hazards to tailor safety training programs accordingly.

2. Develop a Safety Training Plan

Outline training objectives, frequency, and required courses for employees.

3. Encourage a Safety Culture

Promote a proactive approach to safety through:

Regular safety meetings

Reporting and addressing hazards promptly

Rewarding safe work practices

4. Utilize Technology for Training

E-learning platforms and virtual reality (VR) simulations enhance training effectiveness.

5. Regularly Update Training Programs

Stay compliant with changing regulations by updating training materials periodically.

Challenges in Workplace Safety Training and Solutions

1. Lack of Employee Engagement

Solution: Use interactive training methods such as simulations and role-playing.

2. Cost Constraints

Solution: Explore government-funded training programs and group discounts.

3. Resistance to Change

Solution: Provide clear communication on the benefits of safety training.

4. Time Constraints

Solution: Offer flexible training schedules, including online modules.

Government and Employer Support for Workplace Safety Training

1. WorkSafe Victoria Initiatives

WorkSafe Victoria offers resources, grants, and guidance for workplace safety improvements.

2. Victorian Government Funding Programs

Certain training programs qualify for government funding, reducing costs for employers.

3. Employer Responsibilities

Employers should provide:

Paid time for employees to complete training

Access to updated safety training materials

Ongoing refresher training

Conclusion

Workplace safety training is crucial for compliance, injury prevention, and overall business success. In Melbourne, employers must adhere to strict safety regulations and provide adequate training for employees. By investing in proper safety training, businesses can create a safer work environment, improve productivity, and avoid costly legal consequences.

By choosing accredited training providers, implementing best practices, and fostering a strong safety culture, Melbourne businesses can ensure a safer and more efficient workplace for all employees.

[offshore-recruitment-services]

Australia’s EdTech Future: Innovations and Trends for 2025

Educational technology (EdTech) has become one of the fastest-growing domains in the rapidly changing education environment. As Australia advances, EdTech is expected to revolutionize how education is provided and received. The blog will investigate innovative developments, possible advantages, and drawbacks associated with EdTech in Australia by 2025 and offer useful tips on educational matters.

The Growth of EdTech in Australia Globally, the EdTech sector has recorded significant growth, indicating higher demand for online learning. By 2025, the forecast shows that the EdTech market in Australia will hit AUD 1.6 billion, expecting the sector to exhibit a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9% . This upswing has been fueled by the demand for more customizable learning methods and flexible and easily accessible modes of education. EdTech startups Australia are at the forefront of this transformation, driving innovation and expanding learning opportunities.

EdTech Trends 2025: A Vision of Tomorrow’s Classroom

AI-Powered Personalization: Tailoring Education Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of EdTech innovations, revolutionizing the educational experience through personalized learning pathways. AI-powered education enables adaptive learning platforms that adjust to individual student needs, enhancing engagement and comprehension.

Market Insight: By 2025, AI in education is projected to grow at a CAGR of 47%, with applications ranging from AI-driven tutoring systems to predictive analytics for student performance. Example: Tools like Century Tech utilize AI to provide real-time feedback, creating bespoke learning experiences that cater to diverse learning styles and paces.

2. Immersive Learning: Virtual and Augmented Reality Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) transform classrooms into interactive, immersive environments. These technologies offer students experiential learning opportunities that transcend the limitations of traditional textbooks.

Future Impact: The global VR and AR market in education is expected to reach $12.6 billion by 2025, with Australian institutions increasingly adopting these technologies. Example: The University of Sydney’s adoption of VR for medical training allows students to practice procedures in a simulated, risk-free environment.

3. STEM Education: A Priority for the Future STEM education remains a critical focus, equipping students with essential skills for a technology-driven world. EdTech tools are instrumental in making STEM subjects more accessible and engaging.

Educational Shift: Australia’s National Teacher Workforce Action Plan emphasizes integrating STEM across curricula, with digital tools enhancing teaching and learning experiences. Example: Programs like “Coding for Kids” foster an early interest in programming and engineering, preparing the next generation of innovators.

4. Online and Blended Learning: Flexibility and Accessibility The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online and blended learning models, which are now a permanent fixture in Australian education. These models provide flexibility and cater to diverse learning needs and lifestyles.

Statistical Growth: Enrolment in online courses has surged 30% in Australia over the past three years, with a growing preference for hybrid models combining in-person and digital learning. Example: Institutions like Deakin University offer a blend of online and on-campus learning, allowing students to tailor their educational experiences.

5. Addressing Teacher Shortages with Technology Australia faces significant teacher recruitment and retention challenges, particularly in STEM fields. EdTech offers solutions to these challenges through innovative teaching aids and professional development tools.

National Teacher Workforce Action Plan: This initiative bolsters the workforce by integrating technology into teacher training and classroom management. Example: Platforms like Teach Starter provide teachers with ready-to-use lesson plans and resources, reducing administrative burdens and enhancing teaching efficiency.

6. Engineering Education: Bridging the Skills Gap Engineering education is pivotal for Australia’s economic future, yet it faces a skills gap exacerbated by rapid technological advancements. EdTech is crucial in modernising engineering curricula and making the field more appealing to students.

Statistical Insight: Engineering program enrollment has increased by 20% over the past decade, driven by EdTech initiatives offering hands-on, practical experiences. Example: Using simulation software and digital labs provides engineering students with practical, real-world problem-solving skills.

Pros and Cons of EdTech in Australian Education

Pros:

Enhanced Engagement: Interactive and multimedia-rich content keeps students engaged, making learning more enjoyable.

Personalized Learning: AI and analytics provide tailored educational experiences, addressing individual student needs effectively.

Accessibility: Online platforms make education more accessible, breaking geographical and economic barriers.

Cons:

Digital Divide: Disparities in access to technology can worsen educational inequalities.

Teacher Training: Educators require ongoing training to effectively integrate and utilize new technologies.

Data Privacy: Use of digital tools without proper cybersecurity measures can raise concerns.

Impact of EdTech Evolution on the Recruitment Industry

The rapid growth and integration of educational technology (EdTech) into the Australian education sector is having the following impact on the recruitment industry:

Increased demand for tech-savvy talent

Emergence of new roles and specializations

Increased focus on soft skills

Data-driven adjustment to recruitment strategies

AI in Recruitment: A Game Changer

With AI in recruitment becoming more prevalent, hiring processes are becoming more streamlined, enabling companies to find top talent efficiently. AI-driven analytics help identify skill gaps and match candidates with the right opportunities, making recruitment smarter and more effective.

The Role of Staffing Solutions Providers

As EdTech transforms education and the workforce, staffing solutions providers play a crucial role in connecting businesses with skilled professionals. Offshore recruitment services are increasingly leveraged to fill skill shortages, ensuring that organizations can access top-tier talent globally.

Conclusion

The evolution of EDTech is significantly influencing the recruitment industry by reshaping the skills landscape, creating new job roles, and transforming recruitment processes. Recruitment agencies must adapt by prioritizing tech-savvy candidates, promoting lifelong learning, leveraging advanced recruitment technologies, and fostering flexibility in work arrangements. Working with 250+ recruitment brands globally, IMS People Possible understands recruitment challenges.

By partnering with us, you gain access to a proven approach for hiring the best talent and setting them up for success from day one. Contact us, and let us help you build a strong talent pipeline and achieve your business goals.