1. Marilyn Monroe: One of the most celebrated actresses ever, Marilyn Monroe led a life fraught with addiction to drugs. As a result, film studios purchased insurance on her. The idea was that if Monroe’s drug use interfered with filming schedules, or if something else happened to cost the studios as a result of her drug use, then studios would be compensated for the losses. The precedent made it possible for Robert Downey, Jr. to be insured during his run on Ally McBeal.
2. Ben Turpin: The first celebrity to insure a body part was Ben Turpin. Turpin was a silent film actor famous for an interesting feature: his crossed eyes. He was famous as a vaudeville comedian, for working in burlesque, and even for performing in circuses. Turpin’s crossed eyes opened so many doors for him that he thought it might be fun to insure his famous eyes. So he took out an insurance policy, as a sort of gag, for $25,000 from Lloyd’s of London. While no one knows whether he meant it seriously, the policy was real.
3. Dolly Parton: Everyone knows that this songstress and actress gets attention for her large breasts in addition to her talents. Indeed, Dolly Parton considers them an asset as well, recognizing that they have probably helped her get a little more publicity. Her augmented breasts are insured for $600,000. That’s $300,000 apiece! She may not be as active in the singing and acting areas, but she is still concerned about her image as she goes about doing good with her philanthropy efforts.
4. Tom Jones: The crooner Tom Jones is known for his flamboyant style — and his chest hair. Indeed, his chest hair is one of the most noticeable, and famous, things about Jones. Indeed, Jones is so attached to his chest hair, and considers such an important part of his success (and his sex appeal), that he has had it insured for $7 million. That way, if something happens, and Jones no longer has chest hair, he can still afford a good lifestyle, since he will get quite the payout. Shaving the hair, though, is probably not covered.
5. Merv Hughes: Speaking of body hair, Tom Jones is not the only celebrity concerned about his lush body hair. Merv Hughes is a famous former cricket player. But would he get the kind of attention he has garnered around the world if he didn’t have such a magnificent mustache? The Aussie cricketer has a a rather distinctive mustache, thick and full. In order to protect the mustache, not to mention preserve one of his most valuable assets, Hughes has reportedly insured it for $370,000.
6. America Ferrera: The star of the TV show Ugly Betty is far from ugly — at least when it comes to her smile. America Ferrera is known for dazzling white smile and straight teeth. While she was a spokesperson for Aquafresh’s White Trays, the company insured her smile for $10 million. That’s a lot of money riding on one smile. But Aquafresh wanted to make sure her smile continued to dazzle, and the insurance covered work that had to be done to keep that smile in great condition.
7. David Lee Roth: One of the lead singers of Van Halen, David Lee Roth was extremely proud of his virility. And he wasn’t shy about sharing a little of himself with groupies. However, he was concerned about what might happen if some of those groupies ended up pregnant? Or claiming to be pregnant with his child. In order to protect himself against paternity suits, David Lee Roth had his sperm insured so that he wouldn’t have to bear all the costs of an unfortunate coupling.
8. Bruce Springsteen: “The Boss” was well known for the famous picture of his jean-clad backside on one of his album covers. However, Bruce Springsteen wasn’t too concerned about protecting his posterior. Rather, he was more worried about his famous and distinctive voice. So Springsteen insured his voice for a reported $6 million. He’s not the only celebrity to insure his voice, though. Marlene Dietrich insured voice, and Rod Stewart has also insured his voice.
9. Bette Davis: Among Bette Davis‘ most recognized features were her eyes. Her smoky look and alluring eyes were known throughout the country during her acting career. However, Davis didn’t insure her eyes. Instead, she insured her figure. Davis was so concerned that she would lose her beautiful figure that she had herself insured against weight gain — to the tune of $28,000. That way, if she did lose her figure, at least she would still be compensated for it, having a little money to perhaps help her lose the weight later.
10. Jimmy Durante: One of the most popular personalities in America, especially during the Jazz Age, was Jimmy Durante. He was a pianist and comedian, but Durante’s real claim to fame was his huge and distinctive nose. He called it his “Schnozzola“, and people recognized it wherever he went. Because Durante was so fond of his nose — and the success it brought to him — he had it insured for $50,000, looking for a payout if something untoward ever happened to it.
11. Gene Simmons: The bass guitar and vocalist of Kiss is well known for his antics. And his tongue is just as well known as he is. Indeed, Gene Simmons‘ long tongue is seen as a trademark of the rock band. As a result, it is little surprise that he had it insured.

Legs!

Among the most insured body parts, when it comes to celebrities, are legs. You might be surprised at the celebrities who want to ensure the health of their legs.

12. Fred Astaire: The actor who wowed many with his fine dance skills knew that his legs were valuable. He was considered handsome, but part of his charm was his lovely dancing. As a result, Fred Astaire had his legs insured for $75,000 each. But Astaire didn’t stop at insuring his legs. He also decided to take $20,000 in coverage on his wrists and arms. Clearly, he wanted to make sure that he still received some compensation, even if his body failed him and he was unable to dance.
13. Heidi Klum: The super model and actress knows that she has great legs. Her legs are a vital part of her career, since the long gams are a big reason that she is sought after as a model. As a result Heidi Klum once insured her legs for $2.2 million. Interestingly, though, her legs are not insured by an equal amount. One leg is insured for $1.2 million, and the other for $1 million. Why does Klum think that one leg is less deserving than the other? One of her legs apparently has a scar on it.
14. David Beckham: International soccer star David Beckham makes a living off his legs and feet. His fancy footwork has helped him be recognized as one of the best soccer players in the world. He gets paid quite a bit as a professional player. As a result, he knows how important it is that he protect himself in the event that something happens to his legs. As a result, his legs and feet are insured for $70 million — even though he has had surgery on his Achilles tendon.
15. Michael Flatley: Another famous man who knows the worth of a good pair of legs is Michael Flatley. Known for his role as the star and choreographer of Lord of the Dance, Flatley uses his legs all the time to wow his audiences with his take on Irish step dancing. But he performs with gusto, and anything could happen to his legs and feet. In order to protect himself in the event of some sort of accident or injury, Flatley has insured his legs and feet, ensuring that he will be compensated in the event that he can’t dance anymore.
16. Betty Grable: The first person to actually get their legs insured was Betty Grable. Grable was known as the number one pinup of the World War II era (her bathing suit picture is iconic), and she was also praised as having the most beautiful legs in Hollywood. Indeed, a number of knowledgeable hosiery specialists touted her legs as having perfect proportions. They were dubbed “Million Dollar Legs,” and lived up to that name when Grable’s studio insured her legs for $1 million.
17. Mariah Carey: We’ve seen how some legs can be Million Dollar Legs, but what about Billion Dollar Legs? Mariah Carey showed us that it is possible to have billion dollar legs. After being presented with the “Legs Of A Goddess” distinction from razor company Gillette, Carey reportedly took out an insurance policy on her legs for $1 billion. Touring can be tough on a body, but if Carey’s legs are pulled from under her, she will still have something to sing about.

Real People

There are plenty of real people who are “doctors”. You won’t see them in emergency rooms or clinics, though.

1. Dr. Laura: One of the most famous “doctors” out there is Dr. Laura Schlessinger. She has her own talk show, where she uses her no-nonsense opinion to help others solve their problems (or just tell them how stupid they’re being). Dr. Laura has also authored self-help books, many of them focuses on what women can do to improve their lives. But why is she a “doctor”? Because she has a Ph.D. in physiology from Columbia University. She may not have a degree in psychology, but she understands the human psyche fairly well.
2. Dr. Phil: Another famous “doctor” is Dr. Phil. Phil McGraw got his start on Oprah, helping people sort out their various relationship problems. Dr. Phil’s “tough love” approach became popular and his confrontational style garnered rave reviews. Eventually, he became a TV star in his own right, and has his own show, even though he still appears on Oprah. He has a Ph.D. in psychology, but his credentials to practice clinically lapsed in California, as came out during the Britney Spears intervention.
3. Dr. Ruth: Ruth Westheimer has a Ph.D. in education. But she has become famous for her frank discussions about sex and sexuality. Dr. Ruth was a sharpshooter and scout with Haganah, and was injured in action in 1948. She belongs to two synagogues, and does her best to keep her faith in her life, even though many may cavil at her openness about sex. She focuses on the importance of safe sex and sexual empowerment. Indeed, the 55th anniversary issue of Playboy lists Dr. Ruth as the thirteenth most important person related to sex during the 55 years of the publication.
4. Dr. Henry Kissinger: We hear about “Doctor Kissinger” a lot, and we know that he is considered one of the great statesmen of modern times. He has been well-known in foreign affairs — and for good reason. His Ph.D. is in international relations. Not only was Dr. Kissinger Secretary of State under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, but he has consulted with numerous U.S. presidents since then, and is not shy about expressing his opinions on issues of international note. He was instrumental in opening relations with China, and in other accomplishments, including receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
5. Dr. Dre: Andre Romelle Young probably doesn’t ring any bells for you. However, you probably have heard of Dr. Dre. No, he isn’t a “real” doctor. But he is known for his musical accomplishments. He is credited with being a major influence in the rap world, bringing West Coast G-funk rap into popularity. He is found in close association with Eminem (he mentored the young rap star), 50 Cent, and Snoop Dogg. Dr. Dre is a record executive and even has some acting credits under his belt. He is one of the most recognized “doctors” out there.
6. Doc Holliday: John Henry Holliday was a dentist. However, he gave up dentistry, moved West to improve his health, and became a gambler and someone who was rather handy with a gun. He died in 1887, and is one of the central figures of the American Wild West. Even though he had credentials as a doctor, Doc Holliday was known as much for his skill in dentistry. Indeed, most people these days remember him as a friend to famous lawman Wyatt Earp and for his role in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
7. Doc Severinsen: Another musician, Doc Severinsen was known for his ability to play the trumpet and the cornet. He got his nickname as a child. His father was a dentist, and the folks in his hometown called him “Little Doc”. He kept the “doc” as he grew older and became famous. He was known for his flashy style and his leisure suits. He was a fixture on The Tonight Show during the Johnny Carson years from 1962 to 1992, becoming the musical director in 1967. He may not have a degree in medicine, or a Ph.D., but he certainly is a “doctor”.
8. Doc Watson: Arthel Lane Watson was a famous musician, known for his great picking skills on the guitar. He specializes in bluegrass, folk and blues. He performed regularly with his son, Merle, whom he has outlived. Doc Watson is well known for his role in the folk music revivals in the still considered an influential bluegrass musician. His nickname actually came during a live radio show, when the announcer said that Arthel was strange — and difficult to say. Someone in the crowd made a reference to the famous Dr. Watson, of Sherlock Holmes fame, and the name “Doc” has stuck since.
9. Dr. J: One of the most famous basketball players of all time, Julius Erving was known as Dr. J. Erving is known as one of the players that ushered what we known as modern basketball. He was known for his spectacular dunks, and the “slam dunk” is widely credited for being popularized by Dr. J. His style of play was flashy and exciting. He won three championships, and was awarded four MVP awards. He holds the distinction of being #5 on the list of high scoring basketball players. He is a Hall of Fame member, and a member of the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time team. All of this without every holding scalpel.
10. Dr. Bill Cosby: On TV, the fictional Dr. Cosby was a doctor. But Bill Cosby, the stand up comedian turned actor, didn’t have that distinction in real life. However, all of that changed when he went to the University of Massachusetts and got a Ph.D. in education. Now, Dr. Bill Cosby truly is a doctor — even if he doesn’t practice medicine.

Fictional Doctors

There are plenty of fictional doctors who don’t practice medicine — even in fantasy. Here are some of the most famous non-medical “doctors” who don’t actually exist.

11. Dr. Seuss: Millions of children read books by Dr. Seuss in classrooms all over the country — and around the world. The Cat in the Hat is probably the most famous Dr. Seuss book, but there are many, many more, including the holiday favorite, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Dr. Seuss, though, is the pen name of Theodor Geisel. He intended to become a “doctor”, earning a Ph.D. from Oxford, but he never finished. Giesel was also a cartoonist, and was known for his humor.
12. Dr. Winston O’Boogie: Harry Nilsson was a pop songwriter who went out every now and again with someone named Dr. Winston O’Boogie. This “doctor” also got some mention as a songwriter on the album Pussycats. However, O’Boogie wasn’t actually a real person. Instead it was the pen name of one of the most famous musicians ever — John Lennon. It’s no surprise, though, that O’Boogie had some good songwriting credentials. After all, John Lennon was a founding member of The Beatles, and formed, with Paul McCartney, one of the most successful songwriting duos ever.
13. Dr. No: The first James Bond film, Dr. No, featured a mad scientist as the title character. Dr. No works for SPECTRE, an organization bent on extortion and terrorism. He isn’t the boss, though. James Bond battles him. He has a metallic hand, since he lost his real hand to radiation. Dr. No dies after being hit by radioactive materials. Dr. No is played by Joseph Wiseman. There is no doubt that Dr. No remains a famous “doctor”, and the launching of Bond Villians in the Bond movie franchise.
14. Dr. Octopus: One of the most dangerous supervillains in the world of comic books, Dr. Octopus threatens Spider Man regularly. Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius is a mad scientist with metallic arms that allow him to manipulate several objects at once. The metallic arms became fused to his body during a radiation leak (radiation can do just about anything). He is also known as “Doc Ock”, and has appeared over the years in Spider Man comics. Perhaps the most disturbing thing about Doc Ock is his continuing friendship with Peter Parker’s Aunt May.
15. Dr. Claw: One of the most well-known “doctors” in fiction is Dr. Claw, the nemesis of TV’s Inspector Gadget. Dr. Claw runs the criminal organization, known as M.A.D. Dr. Claw owns a cat, and pampers this cat. Dr. Claw is known for his convoluted plans, and plots to kill Inspector Gadget as he steals something that is usually large. One of the things about Dr. Claw is that his face is not seen on the cartoon show; only his hand, stroking a cat. This spoofs Ernst Stavro Blofeld, a bond villain.
16. Dr. Evil: Very few people are not familiar with Dr. Evil, the villain in the Austin Powers movies created by Mike Meyers. Mike Meyers famously plays both Dr. Evil and Austin Powers, as well as other characters. Dr. Evil, like Dr. Claw, is a spoof on the James Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld — although we see quite a lot of Evil’s face. He aims at world domination, helped by his dwarf clone Mini-Me and his cat, Mr. Bigglesworth. Unfortunately for him, Dr. Evil’s complex plans often end in disaster for himself.
17. Dr. Who: Dr. Who is the time-traveling alien known as the “Doctor”. He is a kick-butt time lord, fighting evil whenever it occurs. It is considered the longest running science fiction television series, and considered the most successful. Dr. Who is played by different characters, and is in his 11th incarnation. It’s easy when you can regenerate. Dr. Who has been fighting villains since 1963, even though there was a hiatus between 1989 and 2005, when the series rebooted. Dr. Who is currently played by Matt Smith.

In all but a few cases, the links below lead directly to the group page, where you can view at least the mission of each site if you are not a Facebook member or if you are not logged in. If you are a member and logged in, however, each link will reveal more information, including other members, wall notes and much more.

Organizations

1. Australian Nurse Practitioner Network: An example of a national group outside the U.S., this group is a network and support forum for NPs and NP candidates who are located in Australia.
2. American Academy of Nurse Practitioners: Over 1,100 members participate in this Facebook group, which is part of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.
3. Caregiver Practitioner, International: This group is for individuals who offer their services to the bedridden, the depressed, and to those with terminal illnesses.
4. Family Nurse Practitioner Networking group: This group boasts over 2,000 members, and is a social and professional networking Web site for NPs.
5. Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland: This group consists of NPs within Maryland who participate in the Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland (NPAM).
6. UT Chattanooga Family Nurse Practitioner Program: University of Tennessee-Chattanooga MS in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner concentration provides comprehensive preparation for baccalaureate-prepared nurses who seek career mobility in today’s healthcare environment.
7. Virginia Family Medicine: Focused on holistic medicine, this group is open to anyone who wants to learn more about this type of practice. They believe that the practice of medicine requires attention to the biological, social, psychological and spiritual dimensions of the person.

Specialties

8. Emergency/Advanced Nurse Practitioner Network: This is a network for Emergency Nurse Practitioners (ENPs) or other similar roles where nurses in emergency departments and units assess treating, admitting, discharings and referring patients independently.
9. Holistic Nurses and Women’s Association: This group provides a place where like minded nurses and women who are inspired to live a holistic life without limits can gather and support one another.
10. I want to be a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: If you’ve ever dreamed of becoming a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP), this group may be what you need to realize that dream.
11. Nephrology Nurse Practitioner: This group is focused on saving a life through knowledge of kidney failure, dialysis, kidney transplants and advocacy.
12. Nurse Practitioner Faculty: This group is open to all NP faculty to share knowledge, experience and anecdotes.
13. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: This is a smaller group than the one listed immediately below, but it still is active and provides yet another resource for PNPs.
14. Pediatric Nurse Practitioners: This group focuses on pediatric NPs (PNPd) who practice anywhere. Pediatric and family practice NPs can provide regular health care for kids.
15. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: This link takes you to the Facebook page if you are not signed into Facebook. You must have a Facebook account and request to join this private group, which currently has almost 200 members. The purpose is for Association for PMHNP and PMHNP students to network and exchange ideas.
16. Student Nurse Practitioners, Unite!!! is a group of NP students who discuss the challenges and excitement of NP programs as well as their future roles in healthcare.

Support Groups

17. Family Nurse Practitioner: The goal of this new group is to is to make their Community Page the best collection of shared knowledge on this topic.
18. I Love Nurse Practitioners! This group, which claims over 1,000 members, promotes the skills and provides advocacy for NPs worldwide, but focus mainly is on U.S.
19. Improve Healthcare Delivery, Support your Nurse Practitioner: This group supports any health reform measure that would increase the number of Americans who have access to health care services; their concern for shortage of services in that situation prompts them to support NPs.
20. Nurse Practitioner & Physician Assistant Jobs: This public site contains over 600 members, and promotes jobs for qualified NPs and Physician Assistants.
21. Nurse Practitioner Awareness: This group was formed to increase awareness of the Nurse Practitioner (NP) role in the healthcare setting, where to locate them and how NPs can be an integral part of a patient’s health care team.
22. Nurse Practitioner Supporters: This group consists of individuals who support government reform to allow Nurse Practitioners to work to their full scope of practice and access to Medicare and PBS provider numbers.
23. Nurse Practitioners: This group is for anyone who is a nurse practitioner or knows one. NP’s are filling the gap to create equal access to healthcare, and this group wants support in spreading the word and in demanding that insurance companies reimburse NP’s fairly.
24. Nurse Practitioners I know: This group is focused on the same goal as the previous group, but limited to NPs. Any nurse practitioner who knows another nurse practitioner in the group is free to join.
25. Six Degrees Of Healthcare/Medical Separation: Join over 28,000 members in a group that is trying to connect the healthcare field the world over through six degrees of separation. Great idea for fun networking…

General Family Health and Lifestyle

These blogs address family health and lifestyle issues, providing helpful insights on family togetherness and overcoming health issues:

1. My Family Health Blog: Discusses issues pertaining to family health and wellness, and includes news and breakthroughs in health.
2. Family Health Guy: Offers data and commentary on family health issues and tips on improving health as a family and as individuals.
3. Atlanta Family Health Blog: Learn about family health and wellness from this blog provided by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
4. Your Total Health: This site from iVillage focuses on family health tips and ideas, and the latest news and information you need to keep your family healthy and well.
5. Family Lifestyle Design: Create a great lifestyle for your family with tips from this web site.
6. LifestyleBlog: The Birmingham Post offers a great blog on lifestyle that addresses family issues, complications and tips for better living.
7. Family & Parenting: This lifestyle blog from MSN offers helpful hints and interesting stories on family relationships, health and more.

Nutrition

Family nutrition is an important part of overall family health. Make sure you and the rest of your family are eating right.

8. Kids Nutrition Blog!: Helpful hints and ideas for making meals a health and fun adventure for the whole family.
9. Whole Family Nutrition Blog: Learn different ideas for nutritious meals. These are meals that anyone can enjoy, and that can be made for almost any occasion.
10. Nourishing Thoughts: Learn about healthy family nutrition, and see different sections aimed at kids and parents, as well as games that can help kids learn proper nutrition.
11. The Nutrition Data Blog: A great blog that helps you find nutrition data on labels, and discusses different foods and what is best for your family’s health.
12. Nutrition and health eating: The Mayo Clinic offers an expert blog on eating healthy and proper family nutrition.
13. Diet Blog: This blog is about developing health eating habits and learning how to teach your kids the right habits. Tools and tips to get your family nutrition on track.
14. Nutrition: This About.com blog offers helpful information on proper nutrition for the entire family.

Fitness

Help your family get into shape. Even play can be a form of exercise. Learn how to get your whole family moving with physical activity.

15. Catherine’s Family Fitness Blog: Another helpful offering from About.com, this blog focuses primarily on family fitness and encouraging family health.
16. Fitness Blog: This blog is hosted by Families.com, and offers tips and information on increasing family fitness.
17. NetSweat Fitness Blog: Explores different aspects of fitness, and provides helpful tips for improving family fitness.
18. Family Fitness Blog: Get the whole family involved in a fitness challenge that can change your family’s lifestyle and health.
19. Family Fitness: This family shares thoughts and tips on being active together.
20. familyfitnessguru.com: Includes helpful hints, activities and thoughts on keeping the family healthy with proper exercise and nutrition.
21. Exercise: Keep up with the latest exercise information and techniques for the whole family.

Mental Health

Keep your family healthy mentally and emotionally. Here are some great blogs that can help you with mental health issues.

22. Mental Health Blog: Addresses different issues related to mental health, and provides helpful hints for keeping your mental state healthier.
23. Mental Health Blog: This offering from Families.com provides helpful insight into improving the overall mental health of your family.
24. Mental Health Update: Includes information on mental health, including family related issues.
25. Stigma No More: Looks at mental health, addictions and other subjects that can be of health for those who are interested in learning more.
26. Teen Mental Health Blog: A great blog that can help you deal with issues related to teenagers and their mental health.
27. Peter H. Donnelly’s Mental Health Blog: Resource on mental health and psychology that can help you understand and improve the mental health of members in your family.

Organic/Natural Lifestyle

Some families find it helpful and healthy to live a more organic lifestyle, or at least try to incorporate more natural elements into the lifestyle.

28. Organic Family Living Blog: Get insight into how an organic lifestyle can be healthy for your family.
29. Green and Natural Parenting: Learn about how to live sustainably as a family, and how it can improve your health.
30. KIWI: This blog is offered by the makers of a magazine on natural and organic family living.
31. Annie’s Organic Baby Blog: Learn how to raise children while living an organic lifestyle.
32. Natural Family BLOG: One family shares its journey into the world of natural living and health.
33. Natural Health & Organic Living Blog: A helpful blog dealing with natural health, wellness and organic living.
34. Natural Health Alternative Blog: A look at how you can get your family into natural health and alternative health.

Men’s Health

Learn more about men’s health and wellness, so you can help the males in your family.

35. MH Today: This is the blog offered by Men’s Health magazine. Very helpful insights into men’s health and wellness issues.
36. Health: This topic from EveryJoe.com offers a good look at male health and wellness.
37. Men’s Health Blog: Information on men’s health issues, and tips on how to improve male health.
38. Male Health: A blog and forum focusing on issues that relate to men’s health and wellness.
39. Men’s Health Blog: Another helpful look at different issues related to male health and specific problems men encounter.

Women’s Health

Learn about women’s health. Keep the ladies in your life healthy and well.

40. Women’s Health: This blog from Blisstree addresses different issues of women’s health and wellness.
41. Womens Health Blog: Addresses specific issues related to women’s health — mental, physical and emotional.
42. Our Bodies Our Blog: A look at the health issues that come with being a woman, and how to handle them.
43. Women’s Health: About.com provides this insightful blog on health and wellness for women.
44. Well Woman Blog: Updates, headlines and more related to being healthy and well as a woman.

Children and Teen Health

Get information and more on how to keep children and teens healthy. Important information for keeping the whole family well.

45. Children’s Health Blog: Headlines, news and information on helping raise healthy children and teens.
46. Healthy Child Healthy World: Raising healthy children and teenagers for a better tomorrow.
47. Say Ahhh!: A great blog on children’s health policy, and what you can do to raise healthier children.
48. Pediatrics Blog: Get helpful information on illness, treatments and health for children and teens from this pediatrics blog.
49. Teen Health 411: This healthline blog focuses on issues that are specifically related to teen health.
50. Fabretto Children’s Health Blog: Get stories about children’s health from around the world, and pick up more information on what you can do for your children.

Creating a Twitter account and reading Twitter feeds has never been easier, with the creation of Twitter lists and the addition of a third-party site, Listorious. You can find lists of institutions and organizations, other individuals and peers who can help you manage your day-to-day issues or who can answer your questions. Additionally, the addition of lists is a great marketing tool for any Nurse Practitioner.

Listorious allows you to read many Twitter lists through your Twitter account. Additionally, you can create your own lists that allow you to stay on top of specific Twitter accounts easily. Anyone can curate and publish lists, so if you have an idea for one, just click “New list” in the sidebar of your Twitter account and you’re on your way. Add accounts to a list using the “Lists” drop drown on a profile page.

To help get your feet wet with Twitter lists, we’ve developed a list of 25 Twitter accounts that every NP should follow by using the new Listorious Web site. The list below is categorized by institutions and organizations, business leaders and other nurse practitioners, and each link leads to the appropriate Twitter account.

All Twitter accounts on this list are arranged alphabetically within their categories. The Twitter accounts also are active, and have been updated within the past week.

Institutions and Organizations

This short list of healthcare institutions and organizations represents the tip of the iceberg. These institutions are geared toward helping healthcare workers and nurse practitioners, or offer advice, education, information and career information. When you search for organizations at Listorious, use specific keywords and keyword phrases such as “HIT” or “healthcare information technology” to find more precise results for any given topic.

1. ACNPConference: The ACNP National Clinical Conference is a national, non-profit membership organization whose mission is to ensure a solid policy and regulatory foundation that enables Nurse Practitioners to continue providing accessible, high quality healthcare to the nation. The link leads to their Twitter account, and you also can view the ANCP Web site.
2. CDC_eHealth: This Twitter account, which belongs to the Centers for Disease Control, is focused on eHealth marketing and interactive media projects.
3. CDCFlu: The Centers for Disease Control provides flu updates on this Twitter feed.
4. HarvardHealth: Updates and news items from an authoritative health resource, drawing on the expertise of 8,000 faculty physicians at Harvard Medical School and its world-famous affiliated hospitals.
5. Health_Affairs: This Twitter account is the voice of the policy journal of the ‘healthsphere,’ Health Affairs.
6. HIMSS: This Twitter account belongs to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, representing EMRs, HIT, Standards and Interoperability.
7. JohnsHopkins: This is the official Twitter account for Johns Hopkins University for research, medicine, engineering, nursing, public health and more.
8. modrnhealthcr: This Twitter account is representative of the site, ModernHealthcare.com.
9. NIMHgov: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the largest scientific organization, in the world, dedicated to mental health research.

Learning from Others

RNs, NP business consultants and feeds abound, so we gathered a few of those Twitter accounts here just to provide a small example of what you can find on Twitter. Each person listed below is geared toward different areas of expertise.

10. ehrandhit: This is a feed Twitter that taps into the “best” of EMR, EHR and HIT related content.
11. ElderCareRN: If you’re interested in eldercare (geriatrics), follow Shelley Webb. She is an RN, a writer and caregiver who offers education, encouragement and empowerment to caregivers of the elderly.
12. Nerdnurse: Carole Eldridge, DNP, is a college dean who embraces nursing, technology, health, online education, developing people and empowering everyone.
13. not_ratched: This nurse is a geek who loves technology, and her Tweets reflect her interests in medical stuff, Macs, iPhones and productivity — among other topics. You also can follow her at her Not Nurse Ratched blog.
14. SafetyNurse: This “nurse with an engineer’s mind” Tweets about workplace safety and other issues that affect all nurses.
15. SarahStewart: Sarah is a health professional, educator, consultant, facilitator, project manager, midwife, researcher who is interested in e-learning & Web 2.0. She resides in New Zealand.

Other Nurse Practitioners

If you want to meet other NPs to learn, to network or to socialize, Twitter provides a number of peer accounts for you to follow. You might note that all these Twitter accounts have links that lead to Web sites or blogs…this list is no different. You can learn more about each NP through their Web content. Each NP has different interests that range from raising sheep to kayaking.

16. ADVANCEforNPs: You may already be familiar with ADVANCE for nurses. If so, then you may want to follow their Tweets specifically for NPs, including updated notices about new articles and alerts.
17. barbaraphillips: If you want to eventually own your own business, you might want to follow Barbara Phillips. She is a Nurse Practitioner, practice owner, NP business coach and health coach, as well as the founder of NPBO (Nurse Practitioner Business Owner).
18. candydye: Candy is a Nurse Practitioner, health and wellness enthusiast, wife and mom. She also is a Apriori Beauty Founding Independent Consultant.
19. HEARTSTRONG1: This Twitterer is a Nurse Practitioner who specializes in health and wellness, and who is interested in fitness, marketing, speaking and publishing.
20. HeckmanMedical: Vanessa is a certified legal nurse consultant and a certified family NP and wound care specialist.
21. jeminer: Johnetta is an NP, health wellness coach, integrative medicine practice owner and business coach. She coaches helath practitioners and business owners on how to incorporate integrative care and HIT into practices.
22. onlinenursing: Terri Schmitt stays busy spreading the word about how Nursing can change Health Care. She is on faculty, is a NP and a student.
23. RoRod101: Rosita is a healthcare professional (RN, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, and Doctor of Nursing Practice student).
24. suzishepherd: Suzanne is a neonatal NP, a published author and a shepherd of real sheep. Literally — sheep as in “baa.”
25. trempy: Laura is a Nurse Practitioner, mom, kayaker, Rotarian and Veteran Former Army Officer who is interested in free clinics and EMR. She also loves Airedales, Rutgers and is a UNC graduate.

General Nurse Practitioner Blogs

These are blogs written by general nurse practitioners who have an ear to the ground about what’s going on in the world of nursing and health care.

1. A Nurse Practitioner’s View: Looks at current issues in nursing and health care, and also addresses different health practices.
2. New NP: Get an idea of what life is like when it comes to being a brand new nurse practitioner. Also considers different health issues.
3. The Beast…: This NP’s husband died of a rare form of cancer. As a result, her blog looks at treating and living with cancer — and loved ones with cancer.
4. The Nervewracking Nurse Practitioner: Get health tips and ideas from this NP focusing on health care help and diet and exercise tips.
5. The Nurse Practitioner’s Place: Get news, information and helpful hints on being a nurse practitioner. Also read interviews with NPs.
6. GrumpyRN: Life as a nurse practitioner with a British NHS twist. Find out about nursing as a profession, and issues facing nurse practitioners.
7. Thinking Outside the Breadbox: This is a blog written by a nurse practitioner, and focusing on healthy nutrition for those a glucose intolerance.
8. High Plains Practitioner: Follow the adventures of this military NP as she fights for the country and helps keep troops healthy.
9. Advancing the Feminine Spirit in China: This blog is written by a nurse practitioner living in China. She specializes in women’s health and care issues.
10. Divorced Mom, Rural NP, Reluctant GF & Chef: Learn about life as a single mother practicing in a rural health clinic. An interesting look at life in an unusual situation.
11. Solve the Problem: This NP blogs about different issues related to health and even helps with diagnosis.
12. crzegrl, flight nurse: This NP is a paramedic and Army Reserve commander. Read about her adventures, and get interesting insights into travel nursing.

Nurse Practitioner Career Blogs

Learn about how you can advance your career as a nurse practitioner, and get helpful hints for the workplace.

13. MyNursingUniforms Blog: Addresses work issues for nurse practitioners, as well as provides a place to buy discount nursing scrubs.
14. Hands for Catching: This blog is about training to be a nurse midwife. Learn about what it takes to become certified as a nurse midwife.
15. Nurse Practitioner Business Owner Blog: Learn about what it takes to set up your own NP practice, and get helpful tips for getting it all done.
16. NP Practice Owners: A great blog devoted to helping NP practice owners conduct business more efficiently, and serve their patients better.
17. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Jobs: If you are interested in working with children as a NP, you can use this blog as a starting point when it comes to finding good jobs.
18. Nursing Career Blog: Learn more about nursing, nursing career moves and get some leads for jobs.
19. Jennosaurus Rex: Learn about what it’s like to be a nurse on your way to becoming a NP. Follow Jen’s exploits as she attempts to go above and beyond.
20. Advanced Clinical Consultant’s Blog: This nurse practitioner offers information on being a NP, as well as consultations on how you can start your own practice.

Nurse Practitioner Resources

These blogs provide a range of useful resources and helpful hints that can help nurse practitioners as they work through different cases.

21. Nurse Practitioner Clinical Notes: Access to different resources and helpful hints for NPs.
22. Clinical Cases and Images: A great resource for NPs looking into different medical cases and helpful diagnosis hints.
23. Cases Blog: Another helpful blog featuring postings that can provide helpful information and images about different medical cases.
24. UCSF School of Nursing: Offers a number of posts, information and guides on being a nurse practitioner, and finding schools that can help you.
25. Nursing Care Plan: This blog provides helpful access to nursing care plan ideas to help you better treat your patients.
26. Nursing Crib: Another helpful blog full of interesting plans and helpful resources when it comes to being a successful NP.
27. Frontier Psychiatrist: This blog is not by a nurse practitioner, but it offers helpful insight for those interested in helping patients with mental illness.
28. Nursing Voices: Get help from other nurses, and join in community efforts. Nurse practitioners are also on hand.
29. Ultimate Nurse: Insight and information on being a registered nurse, and on being a nurse practitioner. Focuses especially on travel nursing.
30. About a Nurse: Helpful information on nursing requirements and news about the nursing profession, including NPs.

Health Industry News and Information

A good nurse practitioner is up to date on what is happening in the world of health care and in the medical industry. Here are some helpful places to turn for the latest news and information on the health industry.

31. Nursing News Blog: Learn about what is happening in the world of nursing, with a special emphasis on midwifery.
32. Credentialing Resource Center Blog: News and headlines from around the health care industry, spanning different fields, including nurse practitioner issues.
33. Health Industry News: Keep up on trends in the health industry, and learn about resources and other issues.
34. Health Care News: Latest headlines and developments in health care policy and news.
35. Health Care Policy and Marektplace Review: An interesting look at the health care industry, and the policies that go into it. Fascinating look at how the whole thing works.
36. Health Beat: Maggie Mahar explores what is happening in the world of health care, and focuses on reform for the health care system.
37. Healthcare Economist: Learn about the economics of health care, and what you can do about it for your patients.
38. Insureblog: Offers the latest insurance headlines and provides insight into the insurance industry. A great news source for NPs.
39. Health Business Blog: A look at health business news and topics.
40. HealthBlawg: A look at health related law. A very helpful news site for nurse practitioners who want a better feel for health care law.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT’s courseware offerings are universally considered to be amongst the best of the web. MIT was the first major university to start offering its extensive body of knowledge to the general public, and has since started a fantastic trend.

1. Genomics, Computing, Economics, and Society – One important thing about medicine is understanding how it fits in with society as a whole. This course, taught by Professor George Church seeks to help impress this idea upon students.
2. Introduction to Neuroscience – Many people consider Neuroscience to be one of the most interesting and challenging areas of medicine.
3. Narrative Ethics: Literary Texts and Moral Issues in Medicine – Morality and medicine go hand in hand. If you are attempting to save lives, cure disease, or anything else in the medical profession, than moral dilemmas may certainly occur. This class seeks to cover these ideas through the lens of history.
4. Genomics and Computational Biology – Professor George Church teaches another great course on this list which goes over technology and biology in a way that is useful for anyone interested in learning about where the future of medicine is headed.
5. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Data Acquisition and Analysis – Data is essential to any medical field. This excellent course will help you to become acquainted with the processes and nuances relating to data collection and analysis.

Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

Johns Hopkins is considered by many to be among the premier institutions for medical training in the world. Open courseware offerings from Johns Hopkins are full of valuable insight that is useful for students interested in joining the medical field, or simply learning more about it.

6. Critical Analysis of Popular Diets and Dietary Supplements – This course, taught by Lawrence J. Cheskin, takes a critical look at diets and dietary supplements that are commonly used today.
7. Masculinity, Sexual Behavior & Health – Sexuality is an important field in medicine. This course focuses specifically on male aspects of sexuality, and how certain behaviors effect health.
8. Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases – Kenrad Nelson teaches this interesting course that exams the nature of many different diseases, as well as their nomenclature and effects.
9. Social and Behavioral Foundations of Primary Health Care – Healthcare is a people driven business. If you are interested in the medical field, then it is essential that you have a firm understanding of the impact that healthcare has on society and behavior.
10. Biostatistics Lecture Series – This lecture series, taught by a variety of Johns Hopkins’ top faculty, covers one of the most important aspects of medicine. Data collection and statistics make some of the best medical advances in the world possible.

Harvard University

Considered a premier institution in the world, and a proud member of the Ivy League, Harvard Medical School is a fantastic source of medical knowledge. With their open courseware initiatives going strong, now everyone can benefit and learn from one of the best medical schools in the country.

11. Cellular Metabolism and Human Disease – Disease prevention and curing is one of the most important areas of medicine. This course aims to teach persons about how cellular metabolism plays a roll in human disease.
12. Pain Management Strategies in the Elderly – Many people go into medicine specifically to work with the elderly. Additionally, this course is a great introduction to the exciting world of geriatrics.
13. Medicine, Human Rights, and the Physician – For physicians, human rights and medicine go hand and hand. The creators of this course understand this fact and have the goal of teaching as many people as possible about this important relationship.
14. The Importance of Data Representation – In medicine, there are many times when you must show your data findings to others. Understanding how to best represent data to get your message across is a fantastic skill, and one that this course aims to develop.
15. Information Technology in the Healthcare – In the years to come, nothing will impact medicine more than new technologies. With this in mind, taking a course about information technology in healthcare will make you better prepared to succeed in the future.

Tufts University

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Tufts University has an extensive courseware offering that is a monumental benefit to any person wishing to learn more about medicine. With a wide range of courses covering diverse topics in medicine, the selection of this open courseware project makes it one of the best in the nation.

16. Basic Human Pathology: Parts I & II – Before becoming an expert in anything, you must first learn the basics.
17. Biology of Water and Health – Water is essential to the human body. Taking a course on the biology of this liquid, and how it relates to health can give you a unique perspective into a subject not covered by many traditional medical courses.
18. Cardiovascular Pathophysiology – Cardiovascular health is one of the fastest growing concerns in medicine today.
19. Epidemiology and Biostatistics – This course focuses on teaching students how to understand statistics as it relates to the field of medicine.
20. Geriatric Dentistry – If you are interested in working with the elderly, then another great course to take is Geriatric Dentistry, which covers all the aspects of aging teeth.

Other Universities

The following courses are offered by a variety of different universities. These schools, while perhaps not having the most extensive collection of medical open courseware, still provide valuable resources for persons interested in the healthcare profession.

21. Medicine and Public Health in American History – We can learn many things through study, and therefore, the study of history is one of the most useful tools for learning about a subject. To this end, this course offered by The University of Notre Dame’s open courseware project, educated students on public health and medicine through the window of history.
22. Modern Biology – This comprehensive course on biology, available via Carnegie Mellon, provides a solid overview of important biological concepts that are useful for anyone interested in medicine.
23. Laws on Medicine – The University of Tokyo provides this riveting class about the laws of medicine. In today’s sue first, ask questions later society, understanding the laws of medicine is quintessential to success in the field.
24. Sociology of Health and Medicine – This excellent course offered by The University of California at Berkeley, offers valuable insight into the impact that social aspects have on medicine, and vice versa.
25. Energy, Diet, and Weight – The University of Washington’s series on energy, diet, and weight is a comprehensive overview of very important medical topics.

Eat Breakfast Every Morning
The start to good health is by eating breakfast daily in the morning as taking morning meal lets one to have more vitamins and minerals and less fat and cholesterol. Which further results into less fat and cholesterol that on develops into a leaner body, lower cholesterol and leaner chance of over eating. According to a report of International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition shows that people who tend to eat breakfast cereal daily feel better physically as well as mentally.

Add Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Your Diet
Eating a fish twice a week is a great way to have a diet with good source of protein and a food relatively very less in dietary fat known to be as saturated fat. Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are quite rich in types of omega 3 fatty acids known to be eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docisahexaenoic acid (DHA). Food stuff like tofu, soyabeans, canola, walnuts, flaxseed and their oils are rich in alphalinolenic acid (ALA) which further changes into omega 3 in the body.

Get Enough Sleep
Work is necessary for one to make his both ends meet than it is also equally important for him to take proper sleep as to make one’s body working concurrently and properly. Sleep is very important for the mental and emotional well being of a person. According to many medical researches, it is clearly evidenced that people with less sleep are more prone to psychiatric problems and tends to involve more with healthcare services.  Less sleep can easily affect memory, learning and logical reasoning.

Make Social Connections
The other reasonable way to get one to remain healthy is by getting and developing as much as possible social connections. You can increase your circle by going clubs and places of social importance.  As by being social you come across great number ideas for your aid as you can have information from them on many a number of issues and topics, you can have instrumental help, emotional support and great sense of belonging.

Exercise for Better Health
Doing regular exercise can help you fight many health related problems. As it helps to control weight, keep the bones, muscles and joints maintained. It reduces chances of high blood pressure and diabetes, improves over psychological well being, reduce risk of death from heart disease or a premature death.

Practice Good Dental Hygiene
According to an interesting research on cleaning one’s teeth, it has been found that it adds to one’s age by 7 years.   As blood vessels in teeth are connected to heart so are prone to bacterial infection from mouth.  There a connection has also been established between oral bacteria and stroke, diabetes and birth of preterm babies with lesser body weight.

Take Up a Hobby
Apart from one’s job one should introduce him to a hobby that is to relax him from by indulging in an activity other than his job. Hobbies are mostly enjoyable activities consisting craftwork, bird watching, sports, going to flea market, walking in the park and playing cards. Hobbies help people to recover from disease and become healthier.

In Unites States, a Nurse practitioner can provide medications, however, in all 50 states and in other 25 states. NPs have all the rights to practice, independently.  However, to become a nurse practitioner, it is very necessary to have Master’s degree in nursing, training in area of specialty and certification from a credible licensing board. A NP can have specialization in the areas including family practice, adult practice, women’s health, pediatrics, acute care and gerontology.

A NP needs to be a critical thinker so he/she can extract out necessary information about a patient from a number of resources and can make evidence based decision as to address patient’s health care needs as when, why and how to cater a patient’s health care needs.  They also need a person with tuff stamina so they can easily cope up with phenomenon like stress as they come in direct interaction with serious issues like human suffering, emergencies and other pressures.  The highest level of degree for a nursing assistant is Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) that is equivalent to dentist (DDS), physicians (MD/DO), clinical psychologists (PsyD or PhD), clinical pharmacist (PharmD) and other levels of health care providers.

The educational programs for Nursing Practitioners include graduate level courses in health sciences, clinical management of health and illness. Though the cost of earning a graduate degree is high, yet funding resources are also available there. There are also many federal government loan forgiveness programs that a person should take keen interest into.

As regarding the work places a NP can work in office, manage care organizations and hospitals. They can also deliver their services in places like managed care organizations, hospitals, rural sites, inner city community health center, college campuses, employee health centers and other locations. A NP also works for healthcare technology companies, health care research, to teach in schools and universities and serve in governmental agencies. Nearly, 15% of NPs have their own private practice centers. There are also nurse managed health centers across United States where all the health care is directed and provided by Nurse Practitioners in addition to other health care professionals.

Full-time salary for a Nurse Practitioner is just under $75,000 on an average account and can vary depending upon different practice sites and populations. Working schedule may also vary as consisting from the weekends, holidays and on call after hours.

Family nurse practitioners require advanced training such as Masters Degree and once you have passed the national certification exam, you receive your license and are now allowed to work as a fully qualified professional who is able to diagnose and treat many diseases affecting both children and adults. Online family nurse practitioner programs are hence aimed at training individuals to have a wide area of knowledge when it comes to common diseases. During your online family nurse practitioner training, you will also be trained on how to provide family planning and prenatal care services.

There are several requirements for enrolling as a family nurse practitioner and these include being a registered nurse. This means that you have to be eligible for a Masters Degree program and you need to have attained Bachelors degree qualifications. This is because nurse practitioners are people with masters or doctoral degrees.

Online family nurse practitioner programs prepare students with both the course work and clinical experiences. You will be able to perform some clinical duties at a medical facility near you to gain experience as part of the requirements for fulfilling the program. Some of the studies in the course outline you will be undertaking include studies in reproductive dynamics, nutrition, nursing theory, advanced physiology, health care policies and researching on nursing among others.

As a family nurse practitioner, you can find employment in places such as public health departments, community health clinics, hospitals, physician offices and many others requiring the services. There is always a demand for family nurse practitioners and this is because just like doctors, they are also highly qualified individuals who can provide the same services and cheaply too.