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The Highest Standards of Care and quality W
hen suffering injury or sickness, It is important to choose the right hospital. With many hospitals, standards of care are very much alike, but for different reasons some hospitals offer better care than others. When trying to choose the best hospital for you, those reasons need to be investigated. When identifying which hospital is best, where the hospital is located is an important consideration. In a time of an unforeseen emergency the reason for that is clear, as the only answer is the nearby hospital. For many people only one hospital is close by, so visiting one farther away would be a problem. For reasons of family and travel time, most people want to be treated in a hospital near their home. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, a hospital which is farther away but offers more specialized care may be a better choice. Quite often people will choose a hospital where their primary doctor has an affiliation. Many doctors have referred patients to the same hospital for years, as they are known there and can often see and perform surgery on patients quickly.
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needed, such as surgery and conval es cent care, can quickly become a large expense. When choosing a hospital, your insurance coverage may be the top consideration. It is worth considering what other options a hospital offers if location and insurance will not affect your decision.
Quite often people will choose a hospital where their primary doctor has an affliation. Many doctors have referred patients to the same hospital for years, as they are known there and can often see and perform surgery on patients quickly. Many hospitals may offer different medical accreditations than others, such as the Joint Commission, or have achieved high status in treating specialized medical procedures.
Hospitals are categorized as preferred providers by medical insurance companies. Patients choosing a hospital that is not listed in their medical insurance plan will often pay higher fees than those which are recommended by their insurance company.
If a hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission, certain areas of quality will be followed in areas that cover storage management and nursing care practice. When hospitals receive accreditation by the Joint Commission, they are subjected to frequent evaluation of their standards and keep these standards continuously updated.
Many medical procedures that are
Hospitals which have been awarded
certification in areas such as quality a nd cons i s tency a re wel l w orth considering. Another way of distinguishing excellence is the Magnet Program, which covers outstanding nursing work and other forms of patient care. It is awarded to select hospitals across the nation, so some are not certified. If you are able to enter a hospital that has achieved Magnet status, you can expect excellent patient care. Although it depends on what procedures must be done, selecting a hospital specializing in a particular surgical procedure may be essential. All kinds of patients needing medical attention arrive at hospitals every day, but many hospitals will specialize in several areas. Two hospitals within a city may offer similar services, for example, but one might specialize in gastroenterology while another supports an advanced cardiac unit. You should know which is which. To ensure quality care, hospitals may transfer patients to a more suitable facility. Depending on the seriousness of an injury or illness, a hospital with more specialized care will receive the patient. To be sure of the best outcome when caring for an injury or illness, choosing the right hospital is important. That’s why you should know about the strengths of your local hospitals before the need for emergency care arises.
We’re honored to serve you It’s an honor to be recognized as the nation’s leading hospital for maternity and newborn care. Look a little closer and you’ll discover that Northside performs more surgeries and diagnoses and treats more breast and gynecologic cancer than any other hospital in Georgia. While people chooseNorthside for our expertise, they also know us for our exceptional compassionate care. Visit us online at www.northside.com
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Building Confidence & Self-esteem With Dance C
ulture cannot only be classified as an era in time, a historical landmark and site of the Mona Lisa. Culture is also obtained through expression in theatre and drama, as well as movement of the body with son and dance. Dance in itself has as many forms as the rainbow has colors, from our beloved classical ballet to our historical Irish Step Dance. When making a decision to enhance one’s dance training and/or theatre education, there are a few things to consider. Just as the reputation of any college or university rests primarily on the caliber of professors who instruct there, so too does a top-notch performing arts studio. A quality studio will employ well rounded and experienced instructors who have been performing and teaching movement for years. Teachers with experience will enjoy the opportunity to pass on their knowledge and love of dance and theatre through the students they teach. The best instructors have been performers themselves, and while perfectly capable of teaching recreational steps and body movement, are equally suited to preparing students for the rigors and pressures of auditions and major productions. Professional instructors know what’s required under the glare of the klieg lights because they’ve been there themselves. Of equal importance as tenure and performance experience, is the openmindedness of the instructors. The performing arts, in all its various forms, is not calculus or grammar; there is more than one way of doing things. The arts of dance, theatre and song are by definition the free physical expression of that art form, and any studio employing
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a “My way or the highway” mentality, with instructors who are rigid and unyielding in terms of embracing new ideas, is probably not the best available choice. Moving beyond the essential characteristics of instructor quality, is the importance of remembering that “variety is the spice of life.” Ideally, a quality studio will offer a variety of classes, i.e. tap, ballet, jazz, modern, hip-hop, lyrical
A quality studio will employ well rounded and experienced instructors who have been performing and teaching movement for years dance and theatrical dance. At the risk of being spread too thin, some studios will offer adjunct classes beyond the discipline of dance itself. These are all forms of self expression and culture that could potentially be offered at the proper venue. Any studio offering such a wide range of study taught by quality instructors is most definitely worth a serious look. Does the studio offer the opportunity to work with outside guest artists and master teachers? An experienced instructor is well aware of the advantages a student will gain by studying with other mast teachers. The finer studio will not only encourage their
students to study with other qualified instructors, but will provide the venue of study intensive workshops to broaden the education process of students interested in furthering their artistic career. Beyond the caliber of instruction and variety of classes offered by a performing arts establishment, is the physical space and location of a studio. Clean, spacious and well lit dance spaces are essential, along with the appropriate changing and dressing facilities. Finer studios will offer state-of-the-art equipment and a wood sprung floor, in essence, a “floating” floor that minimizes impact and helps to reduce the wear, tear and injuries which are all too common in the dancing world. And lastly, it’s important to take into consideration the ultimate achievement level of former students and the instructors. While most budding artists take classes to foster healthy bodies and friendships with others who enjoy the same forms of expression, there is always a certain percentage who aspire to greater heights. Consideration would be given to the performance opportunities available to those who desire to pursue a career in the arts. The performance experience should exclude any envy or rivalry amongst the corps of performers. On the contrary, during competition performances, the sense of being the best you can be while striving to perform in unison with team members, builds a strong and lasting camaraderie and discipline of teamwork relationships. So too does performance, which incorporates other art forms, including musicians, actors and visual artists such as lighting technicians, build an understanding of confidence, selfesteem and the desire to strive.
Graceful in Dance Strong in Character
Ages 18
Months - Adult
Home of CDA II Performance Academy
VISIT OUR DANCE BOUTIQUE
‘TUTUS & TAPS’ Private Lessons Available!
Voted Best Dance Studio 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014
Over 10 Years Instructional Excellence! Ballet • Tap • Jazz • Hip Hop • Pointe • Lyrical • Contemporary • Kinder-Gym • 2 Yr. Classes BOYS Hip Hop • Adult Classes • Performing Companies & Miss Niki’s Elite Performance Class Owner/Artistic Director
Niki Jernigan-Watkins
Summer Camp Schedule and Fall 14-15 Season Schedules Available Online Now!!
770•781•4922 419 Tribble Gap Rd. • Cumming
Find Our Current Cl a Schedule ss Online
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the Road to Responsible Gun Ownership C
hoosing a handgun, whether for home defense or concealed carry, is a decision which takes a lot of consideration, a lot of shopping, and if you’re new to the market, probably a lot of talking to merchants and other gun owners. Being properly informed is your first step on the road to responsible gun ownership.
Size and caliber
Whatever your level of ability, there is usually a handgun on the market that will fit your needs, both technically and physically. It’s a good idea to always make sure you physically shop for a handgun at some point, regardless of how you intend to buy it. Pistols comes in many shapes, sizes and calibers, and the choice might seem a bit overwhelming. The first thing you should consider is size. If you aren’t going to be carrying the pistol on your person, a larger framed pistol will serve you just fine. You’ll be able to hold more ammunition in the magazine, and your recoil and sighting will be much more manageable. If you’re trying to find a handgun to carry concealed, a smaller pistol will serve you better. While you won’t have the weight to help absorb recoil, or the longer sight plane, you won’t have to worry about it nearly as much. Most concealed carry guns are designed to be used at close ranges, as well as remain hidden when not in use. Caliber is an important consideration as well. Larger caliber weapons will deal more damage with every hit, but at the cost of recoil and size of the weapon. While your objective shouldn’t be to kill an attacker, you’ll want to choose a large enough caliber to put a stop to any threat you might
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face. Smaller calibers will work better for novice shooters and those who need a smaller weapon outright.
Other things to consider
There are a few other important decisions to make when it comes to choosing your handgun to make sure you’re buying the correct weapon. First off, you should be able to operate the weapon easily and without complication. Take time to learn about the gun you choose, and make sure you know about loading, firing and switching the safety on and off before you attempt to use the weapon.
time is significantly reduced. A revolver is a good option for a beginner, but there are good automatics for novices as well. It is more important to have a gun with pointand- shoot accuracy instead of sighted accuracy when it comes to self-defense. If you are being assaulted, you are probably not going to have the need to draw a bead on your attacker, nor will you have the time. When you’re shooting for selfdefense, you’re usually firing fast and instinctively, so it’s good to have a gun that reflects your firing style.
Warnings
Being properly informed is your first step on the road to responsible gun ownership When it comes to handguns, there are two variations: the automatic and the revolver. The automatics are the typical clip-fed modern handgun and usually come in smaller calibers, also known as “auto calibers.” Automatics are complicated machines and can be trickier to clean and operate than a revolver, but they make up for it by being fast to fire and easy to reload. Revolvers are much simpler machines and have been around a lot longer than automatics. They have a wider range of calibers available, are easier to clean, but firing speed and reload
As with any weapon, be familiar with the use and care of your gun before you attempt to deploy it in a selfdefense maneuver. Spend plenty of time with your weapon at the firing range and become familiar with the limitations of your weapon. Responsible gun ownership starts with gun safety. Always make sure you are handling your weapon in a manner that is safe for you and those around you, and never leave your pistol where children can get their hands on it. Always treat the weapon like it’s loaded, and never point at anyone you don’t intend to shoot. If you have further questions, your local gun shop will be the place to get answers. Most of the time the staff is very passionate about their trade and will be more than happy to help you select a weapon within your price range and abilities. Remember to ask plenty of questions, and if you don’t quite like the answers, feel free to ask other gun shops or gun owners.
211 Atlanta Rd, Cumming, GA 30040 Locals Only June 2014
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North Cumming Dentistry Welcoming Smiles and Compassionate Care
New Patients Welcome
FREE TEETH BLEACHING With Adult Exam and Cleaning (Call Us for Details @ 470-253-7349)
• Most Insurances Accepted • Emergencies and Dental Anxious patients welcomed • Full Dental Services provided (Call for details)
• Weekend and Evening Appointments • Accept Medicaid Kids & Adults
Dr. Farid Moghaddam, D.M.D.
Check us out on @ Facebook.com/NorthCumming 1715 Friendship Circle | Suite 100 | Cumming, GA 30028 Phone: (470) 253-7349 | Fax: (470) 253-7352 8
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