The healthcare industry added jobs in January, but not at the rate of previous months. Unemployment data was released today from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and while the overall unemployment rate dropped slightly to 9.7 percent from 10.0 percent, a net loss of 20,000 jobs occurred in January. Additionally, the healthcare industry added only 15,000 jobs, which is less than half the average monthly gain in 2008, and even less than the average gain in 2009.

For the first time, the healthcare industry was far outpaced by several other industries - the federal government added more jobs with a total of 33,000, and retail trade added 42,000 jobs.

The healthcare industry gains were mostly in ambulatory care, with small gains in hospital jobs (about 5,000), and home health care, and a small drop in nursing home jobs.

If you have ever studied dance or simply enjoyed dancing of any sort, you probably know how much fun dancing can be, and how it can relieve stress and provide a range of other benefits, both physical and emotional. Dance can free your mind, soul and body, while contributing to your physical well-being by burning calories and strengthening muscle tone. But did you know that dance movement may be utilized in a clinical setting? If you love to dance, this could be a health career for you, especially if you have extensive dance experience and training.

Dance movement therapy is the clinical practice of using movement to treat a variety of physical and psychological conditions ranging from mild impairments to more severe diseases. The field of dance therapy combines some of the principles of psychology, social work, counseling, special education, medicine, physical therapy, and more. A variety of many patients, from young children with autism to elderly patients with Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease, can benefit from dance movement therapy.

Dance movement therapists (DMTs) must be educated at least at the master's level in order to be registered or board certified as a DMT. Several colleges and universities offer accredited DMT master's programs, and there is also an alternate path to a DMT career, with master's level education in a related field.

To learn more about the dynamic field of dance movement therapy, and how to become a dance movement therapist, check out the new DMT career overview.

After thirty-four minutes of speaking on everything from a new jobs bill, proposed banking fees, a spending freeze (to take effect after one year), and financial reform, President Obama finally discussed the sensitive issue of health reform in his State of the Union address. However, on his first few statements on the issue, he referred to it as "health insurance reform" instead of "health care reform".

Obama went on to say that he did not take on the issue of health reform to gain political popularity, but because of the "stories he has heard" from American families. He asked members of Congress to "take another look" at the health reform plans that have been proposed. According to Obama, the proposed health reform currently in legislation is considered by nurses, doctors, and medical professionals to be a "vast improvement" over the current health care system. The level of support that medical professionals have for health reform is a sweeping generalization that Obama repeats often, but there seems to be little or no supporting statistics or documentation of that support.

Obama went on to urge Americans and lawmakers not to walk away from reform efforts, ". . . not when we are so close." After taking his "share of the blame" for the failure of health reform to pass to date, Obama continued to extoll the virtues of health reform. He described once again how Americans could keep their plan and their doctor, and that health reform would reduce the deficit by $1 trillion over the course of a decade. He also warned of the dangers of ignoring or dismissing the issue of health reform, including increasing premiums, and additional loss of coverage and denial of care. It was more of the same in terms of Obama's "hard sell" on health reform. Do you disagree with the proposed health reform bill? Obama wants to hear from you. In a curious closing statement on the topic of health reform, the President said to "let [him] know" if anyone has a better plan; he is "eager to see it."

What will happen now? Do you think health reform will pass? If so, how much will it resemble the current bill(s), if at all?

This week is National Nurse Anesthetist Week, a great time to explore a career as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). Each year, since 2000, the last week of January is designated as the week to recognize the important role of nurse anesthetists and the rewarding careers CRNAs enjoy in the medical field. A CRNA is an advanced practice nurse, meaning they have a master's level degree in nursing and have a greater level of clinical authority than many other nurses who have a bachelor's degree, or associate's degree, for example.

CRNAs work in a surgical setting, providing anesthesia to patients during an operation, and they function as an extension of the anesthesiologist team. CRNAs work in hospital operating rooms, or they can work in outpatient surgery centers or dental offices. Due to the level of education required, as well as the level of responsibility entailed in working as a CRNA, the compensation is among the highest-paying nursing careers as well.

More: How to Become a CRNA | American Association of Nurse Anesthetists