Freeing Yourself from Holiday Debt

'Twas the day after New Year's, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, just me and my spouse;
We mused at the holiday cheer we had brought
To all of our dear ones, with gifts we had bought:
From ties, scarves and sweaters to books and CDs,
All manner of lip-smacking delicacies,
The latest high-tech, packed with features and frills,
But now how do we pay off our credit card bills?
If this sounds strangely familiar (and not just because of a brazen similarity to Clement Clark Moore's The Night Before Christmas), then you may be suffering the financial effects of your holiday generosity. You are not alone. Here are some tips that can help you overcome your holiday debt and be better prepared for next year's holiday spending:
• Face the facts; avoid denial – Delaying or avoiding the issue will cost you dearly in late fees and interest charges. It will also worsen your credit score - making your credit cards even more of a burden in the future.
• Make a payment plan and stick to it – Plan to make timely payments on every single card, and follow through on your plan no matter what. Even a single late payment can have disastrous results. For each card, define a fixed monthly payment (preferably more – even a little more – than the minimum due) and stick to it. Do not reduce this fixed amount as the minimum due gets smaller. When you have paid off one card, re-budget by dividing its monthly payment among the other cards.
• Consider a balance transfer – Try to transfer your debt from a high-interest card to a lowerinterest one. Ask your cards' customer service representative for an attractive deal. But pay attention to the terms! If the low interest rate expires before the debt is paid off, you could end
up worse off.
• Negotiate – Many credit cards will lower your interest rate if they fear you are about to transfer your balance and leave them. Cards will also frequently cooperate if you come to them with a payment plan.
• Consider a second job – Extra income can help you pay off more at a time and eliminate your debt faster.
• Give up one habit – Sweeping lifestyle changes may be hard to maintain, but it's easier to forgo a single habit, such as cable TV, high-speed Internet, a manicure, even a gym membership (you can exercise free). Use the extra money to pay off your debt.
• Free up cash to pay down high-interest debt – If you have money in your savings account, it is almost definitely earning less interest than you are paying on your credit card debit. Cash out the savings to pay your debt. If you have a 401(k) plan, you can suspend your contributions, but be careful not to jeopardize your employer's level of matching.
• Make a spending plan – Write down your income, monthly expenses and debts. Budget
realistically, and keep an eye on where you need to cut back. Consider setting aside money for next year's holiday expenses: divide this year's expenditure by 52 and set aside that amount each week.
• Seek help – You can get free or low-cost credit counseling through an agency affiliated with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). Call (800) 388-2227 or log on to www.nfcc.org. Your EAP can also provide you with telephonic financial counseling, delivered by certified professional counselors.
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Teen Dating Violence

Tweens and teens are experiencing disturbing levels of violence in their dating relationships, but only half recognize the warning signs of a dangerous relationship. A 2008 study commissioned by Liz Claiborne and loveisrespect.org found:

69 percent of all teens who had sex by age 14 said they have gone through one or more types of abuse in a relationship.
40 percent of the youngest tweens, those between the ages of 11 and 12, report that their friends are victims of verbal abuse in relationships, and nearly one-in-ten (9 percent) say their friends have had sex.
Nearly three-in-four tweens (72 percent) say boyfriend/girlfriend relationships usually begin at age 14 or younger.
More than one-in-three 11-12 year olds (37percent) say they have been in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship.
One-in-five between the ages of 13 and 14 say their friends are victims of dating violence, such as getting struck, hit or slapped by a boyfriend or girlfriend, and nearly half of all tweens in relationships say they know friends who are verbally abused.
One-in-five 13-14 year olds in relationships (20 percent) say they know friends and peers who've been struck in anger (kicked, hit, slapped, or punched) by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Only half of all tweens (51 percent) claim to know the warning signs of a bad/hurtful relationship.
In addition, significant numbers of teens (15-18) are experiencing emotional and mental abuse as well as violence when dating; it's even more prevalent among teens who've had sex by 14.
Abuse in a dating relationship can be confusing and frightening at any age. But for teenagers, who are just beginning to date and develop romantic relationships, this abuse is especially difficult.

When the abuse is physical or sexual, it can be easy to identify. Emotional abuse is much harder to recognize, but no less damaging.

At the 2008 Summer Meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General, Attorneys General from across the nation passed a resolution encouraging schools to develop teen dating violence awareness curriculum. The Washington State Attorney General's office already has a number of resources available to help, including:

Washington's Violence Against Women Network
Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline:1-866-331-9474 (1-866-331-8453 TTY)
Washington State Medical Association Domestic Violence Resources
This Web site was designed to help teens and the people who care about them understand relationship abuse. It includes information on:

Safety plans
Communication skills
Assertiveness
Conflict resolution and emotion management
Faulty relationship and gender role expectations
Schools, parents, teachers, and community organizations all can help identify dating violence and provide support for abuse victims. But teens themselves must also learn how to reach out and help friends who are victims of relationship abuse.

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Aspira Continuing Education is Now an Approved Continuing Education Provider for California Registered Nurses

Aspira Continuing Education is Now an Approved Continuing Education Provider for California Registered Nurses. Our State of California Board of Registered Nursing Provider Number is Cep15657 http://www.aspirace.com

The following is an excerpt from the State of California Board of Registered Nursing and includes continuing education requirements:

License Status Options
The following are definitions of the available license status options for registered nurses in California:

Active
RNs who wish to practice nursing in the state of California. Licensee is required to submit the appropriate renewal fee and proof of 30 hours of continuing education.

Inactive
RNs who have paid the appropriate renewal fee, but have not completed the required 30 hours of continuing education. A licensee cannot practice as a registered nurse in California with an inactive license.

Lapsed
RNs may choose to let their license lapse, or expire, if they no longer wish to practice nursing in the state of California. If the RN chooses at a later date to return to nursing and it has been less than eight years since the license expired, the RN will be required to submit the appropriate delinquent renewal fee, and proof of 30 hours of continuing education within the prior two-year period. If the license has been lapsed longer than eight years, the RN must submit appropriate delinquent renewal fee, 30 hours of continuing education, and proof of competency to practice by either a verification of a current active license in another state, or by retaking the licensing exam.

Renewal Information
Renewal Cycle
Your first California RN license is issued for two birthdays - not two years - and it will expire the last day of the month following your birth date. From that date on, it will expire every two years, if renewed timely. Once a California license number is issued, it will always remain the same number whether active, inactive or delinquent. If the license lapses and is later renewed, the same license number and renewal cycle will apply.

Renewal Notices
Notices are mailed out approximately three months prior to the expiration date of the license. If it is not received two months before the expiration date, please contact the Board. To insure receipt of renewal notices, always keep the Board informed of any address change. Registered nurses are responsible for renewing their licenses even if they do not receive a renewal notice.

Legality of Practice Between Renewal and Receipt of License
Section 121 of the Business and Professions Code provides that a nurse may work pending receipt of his/her renewed license providing the renewal fee has been submitted timely and all renewal requirements have been met. NOTE: The employer may have more stringent requirements.

RN Education Fund Fee
Effective with licenses expiring after January 31, 2004, the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) has increased its RN Education Fund fee that is collected from RNs at the time of renewal from $5 to $10. The Board's renewal fee itself remains at $75. With the new OSHPD fee, RNs will pay a total of $85 at renewal time, and delinquent renewals will be $122. The RN Education Fund provides loans and scholarships to nursing students. More information is available at Health Professions Education Foundation.

Continuing Education
All RNs in the State of California who wish to maintain an active license are required to complete 30 hours of continuing education for license renewal. The continuing education course(s) must be taken through a Board approved Continuing Education Provider. Please refer to Continuing Education for License Renewal for additional information.

NOTE: During the first two years immediately following initial licensure in California or other jurisdictions, licensees shall be exempt from completion of the continuing education requirements specified in Title 16, California Code of Regulations Section 1451.

Fingerprint Requirement
An applicant for renewal not previously fingerprinted by the Board is required to furnish to the Department of Justice (DOJ), as directed by the Board, a full set of fingerprints for the purpose of conducting a criminal history record check. This requirement applies to RNs licensed prior to August 1, 1990, since fingerprints were not required for licensure prior to that date. Failure to submit a full set of fingerprints, if required or otherwise directed, on or before the date required for renewal of a license is grounds for discipline by the Board. It shall be certified on the renewal form whether the fingerprints have been submitted. This requirement is waived if the licensee is renewed in an inactive status, or is actively serving in the military outside the country. For instructions, please refer to Fingerprint Requirement for License Renewal .

Reporting Convictions
Upon renewal of a registered nurse license, the Board requires licensees to indicate if they have had any license disciplined by a government agency or other disciplinary body; or, have been convicted of any crime in any state, the USA and its territories, military court or other country since they last renewed their license. For additional information, please refer to License Discipline and Convictions.

Military RNs
The Board waives the continuing education requirement and the delinquent penalty fee for renewals of RNs actively serving in any branch of the U.S. armed services during active U.S. military operations against any foreign power, whether or not war has been formally declared. Please refer to Special Renewal Provisions for Military RNs for additional information.

Renewing a License in Inactive Status
Inactive status means that the RN has paid the renewal fee, but has not completed the continuing education requirement. A licensee cannot practice as a registered nurse in California with an inactive license. To change from inactive to active status, the licensee must submit proof of 30 contact hours of continuing education taken within the past two years. NOTE: This does not extend the expiration date. The same expiration date will apply and another 30 hours of continuing education will be required at the time of renewal.

Renewing a Lapsed License
The delinquent renewal fee and proof of completion of 30 hours of continuing education are required in order to renew to active status. If a license remains lapsed for more than 8 years and the licensee does not have a current, active license in another state, the licensee will be required to retake and pass the licensing examination to be reinstated.

License Renewal
Currently active licensees may not renew earlier than 3 months prior to the expiration date of their license.

Renewal applicants must provide the following:

The fee of $85 timely, $122 delinquent made payable to the Board of Registered Nursing in the form of a check or U.S. Money Order (by mail) or by credit card (if using the online system)
Completed renewal application submitted either by mail (hardcopy) or via online and including:
Certification of completion of 30 hours of BRN approved Continuing Education taken within the last two years (Active Status Only)
Certification of Compliance with the Fingerprint Requirement (if applicable)
Response to License Discipline / Conviction Question
You may renew your RN license by one of the following methods:

Online at: www.dca.ca.gov/proflic/rns.shtml
By mail at:
Board of Registered Nursing
Attn: Renewals Unit
P.O. Box 944210
Sacramento, CA 94244-2100
In person at:
Board of Registered Nursing
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N217
Sacramento, CA 95834-1924
If you do not have a renewal form, click below to complete and print a copy. Be sure to select the correct form and fee based on your license expiration date.

Renewal Form (Timely)
Renewal Form (Delinquent)
Incomplete Renewal Instructions
Failure to provide all required information will result in a delay in the processing of your renewal application. This will be indicated by an "Incomplete Renewal" status when verifying the license using the Board's Online License Verification System. Click on the "Description" link next to "Incomplete Renewal" for clarification.

Click a link below to download the appropriate form:

Continuing Education Certification form
Fingerprint Certification form
License Discipline / Conviction Certification form
Inactive to Active License Status
To change a license from inactive to active status, the licensee must submit proof of 30 hours of continuing education taken within the past two years, certify compliance with the fingerprint requirement, and respond to the license discipline / conviction question. Download and print the Inactive to Active License form and submit to the Board for active status.

NOTE: This does not extend the expiration. The same expiration date will apply and another 30 hours of continuing education will be required at the time of renewal.


Licenses Lapsed Over 8 Years (8-Year Renewal)
If you once held a permanent California RN license that has been expired for longer than eight (8) years, and you would like to renew to active status, you may do so if you meet the following requirements:

Have once held a permanent registered nurse license in California (a temporary license does not qualify) that has been lapsed for 8 years or longer.
Presently hold a current and active registered nurse license in another state or U.S. territory, which includes Guam, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, or Canada.
NOTE: If your license has been expired for longer than (8) years, but you do not meet the above requirements, you must apply to the Board to take the NCLEX-RN examination as an 8-Year Retake.

Please refer to the Application for Reinstatement of a Lapsed License (8-Year Renewal) for detailed instructions and forms that may be completed online and printed or printed and completed by hand.

Applicants must provide the following:

Appropriate Fee(s) made payable to the Board of Registered Nursing in the form of a check or U.S. Money Order.
Completed Application for Reinstatement of a Lapsed License (8-Year Renewal).
Proof of completion of 30 hours of BRN approved Continuing Education (taken within the last two years).
Completed fingerprints (if applicable) using either the Live Scan Process or the Fingerprint Card (Hard Card) processing method. See FINGERPRINT REQUIREMENT in the instructions to determine if you are required to submit fingerprints.
License Discipline / Conviction Certification and if applicable, documents and/or letters explaining prior convictions or disciplinary action. See instructions for REPORTING LICENSE DISCIPLINE AND/OR CONVICTIONS.
A photocopy of your current, active, RN license.
Completed Verification of License for OR Nursys® Verification Request Application if your board of nursing participates in Nursys®.
Advanced Practice Certificates
The following advanced practice certificates require additional renewal fees:

Clinical Nurse Specialist
Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse-Midwife
Nurse-Midwife Furnishing
Nurse Practitioner Furnishing
Nurse Practitioner, Public Health Nurse, and/or Psychiatric Mental/Health Nurse certificates are automatically renewed in conjunction with the RN license. No additional fees are required.

Continuing education is not required for renewal of advanced practice certificates.

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