According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare careers are expected to grow at a rate of 18% between 2016 and 2026- a much higher growth rate than most other careers. As the Baby Boomers age, the over-65 population is set to double by 2060, and about 75 percent of those older Americans will need medical care due to a chronic condition. If you want to make the most of this booming career field, you might consider a rewarding position of an EKG/phlebotomy technician. EKG/phlebotomy technicians are in high demand, and the training does not take very long to complete. Do you have what it takes to succeed in this kind of job? Read on to learn more about it. Five attributes that make you a great candidate for phlebotomy work: Good hand-eye coordination is important because you’ll be drawing blood from patients and blood donors. It’s crucial that you be able to focus and draw blood correctly on the first attempt so that you can avoid causing anxiety and pain for the patient. Compassion helps people who are afraid of needles to feel at ease. A good phlebotomist speaks gently to patients, reacting to them empathetically and reassuring them that they are in good hands. It’s easier to draw blood safely when the patients are calm. Attention to detail is vital for a phlebotomy technician. There are certain procedures that must be followed both during and after a blood draw so that the samples can get to the labs with no confusion or risk of misdiagnosis. Willingness to work as part of a team is important for...
The medical field is one of the fastest growing industries in the country, and experts estimate that medical careers will grow by 18 percent between 2016 and 2026. Nursing is a meaningful and highly respected career, but it can take several years to complete a nursing degree and become licensed. If you’re interested in nursing, but would like a career that you can start relatively quickly, consider becoming a certified nursing assistant. What does a CNA do? Responsibilities can vary, but in short, certified nursing assistants provide hands-on health care to patients. A CNA helps with daily activities. This can include hygiene tasks like bathing, combing hair, shaving, and brushing teeth, as well as taking patients to appointments or activities within the healthcare facility. Some patients may need help eating, others may need assistance changing position or moving between the wheelchair and the bed, and some may need help using the toilet and getting dressed. Sometimes, the responsibilities of a CNA will include some housekeeping. Certified nursing assistants are good listeners. An important part of the job is to talk to patients, listening to and recording their concerns so that you can relay the information to the nurses. It’s important for a CNA to have good communication skills, be detail-oriented, and have astute observational skills, noticing even slight changes in patient condition or demeanor. Measuring and recording vital signs is another responsibility of a CNA. Taking patients’ temperature and blood pressure, measuring and recording their food and liquid intake, tracking their weight, and keeping tabs on their pain levels are all important parts of caring for them. A certified...
If you’re considering a career in the medical field, a patient care technician may be a viable option for you. Becoming a patient care technician opens a world of possibilities because PCTs work directly under RNs. Wherever you find nurses, you’ll typically find patient care technicians, whether in hospitals, doctors’ offices, residential care facilities, or other healthcare facilities. What are the responsibilities of a patient care technician? The duties of patient care technicians depend largely on the facility in which they work. Those who work in hospitals or doctors’ offices will have different responsibilities than patient care technicians in long-term care facilities, but all PCTs care for ill and injured people under the supervision of doctors and nurses. In a hospital setting, they might take patients’ temperature, blood pressure, respiration, and pulse, prepare and administer medications, collect lab specimens, monitor patients, help with tasks like bathing, dressing, and eating, and record medical treatment. In a doctor’s office, there might not be a need to help with bathing and other such tasks, while in a long-term care facility there would probably be more of that kind of responsibility. PCTs sometimes take patients in wheelchairs to their appointments, or help provide emotional support to patients during times of crisis or need. Patient care technicians are trained as certified nursing assistants with additional training as EKG/phlebotomy technicians. They have the skills to help patients with medical devices and can draw blood and perform EKG tests. They’re an invaluable part of a medical team and can choose to use their PCT training as a springboard to advance into other medical professions. If you...
There are plenty of reasons a career in the health care industry may seem appealing to you. It’s a growth industry, with rewarding jobs that often have flexible scheduling options. Salaries for healthcare jobs are competitive, and there are positions available at virtually every level of education. Before you decide to pursue a career in the healthcare industry, however, it’s important to determine whether the job you’re considering is a good fit for your personality and skill set. While you’re researching healthcare jobs, here are a few questions to ask about yourself: Are you interested in helping others? For some people, job satisfaction comes from knowing they’ve made a difference in the world and made someone’s life better. Other people have different priorities, and just want a job that allows them to leave work at the office and bring home a paycheck. Those in the healthcare industry must devote their time to helping other people, so if that sounds draining or uninteresting to you, a healthcare job might not be a good fit. Do you have interpersonal and communication skills? If you’re not a “people person,” you may struggle in the healthcare industry. You need to know how to communicate with a wide range of people, using active listening and communicating in a way that builds trust and confidence. Are you comfortable with math and technology? Many healthcare jobs require strong math and technical skills. As the use of technology increases in our society, it also becomes increasingly important in healthcare professions. Are you responsible? Working in the healthcare industry, you’re responsible for people’s health and sometimes even lives....
When it comes to changing careers, the prospect can seem daunting. Especially if you have a full-time job and a family, the idea of going back to school while you’re working can feel overwhelming, and you might not know whether you’ll be able to manage the increased workload. At the same time, education can come with a healthy price tag, so you may not know if you can financially handle the necessary training for your intended career. If you’re considering a healthcare career, though, there are some options available that may be too good to pass up. How much time does it really take to pursue a career in the healthcare industry? The answer depends on which kind of career path you intend to take. Of course, doctors spend a lot of time in school, and the training for nurses is quite extensive as well. However, there are many healthcare careers that don’t require very much training time. These include: Medical billing and coding: Two months or less, and then the exam to become certified nationally. Certified nurse aide: Two months or less, plus 30 hours of clinical assignment, and a state board certification exam. Medical assistant: Six months or less, plus a four-week EKG and Phlebotomy technician: One to two months, plus a national certification Home health aide: As little as three weeks. Patient care technician: As little as eight weeks. Pharmacy technician: One to two months. Once you’ve completed the training and necessary certification, you will probably not find it hard to find a job in the healthcare industry. Particularly as a large percentage of the population...
If you’re considering a career in the healthcare industry, there are plenty of options available to you. Of course, you could spend years in school becoming a nurse or a doctor, but there are also plenty of careers that don’t require such a large investment of time and money. You can become certified as a pharmacy technician, for example, or pursue a career in medical billing and coding. If you’re looking for work that’s meaningful and rewarding, allowing you to make lives better, you might want to consider a career as a home health aide. Home health aides make a difference in people’s lives. Home health aides build personal relationships as they care for clients and assist their families, and gain a sense of accomplishment that comes from making someone’s life better. As a home health aide, you’ll provide companionship for people who need it. Often, people who are elderly or ill become lonely or depressed, because they’re socially isolated. Home health aides boost the mental and physical health of their patients, just by being present. The work is personally rewarding. People working in the home health industry tend to report a feeling of fulfillment and job satisfaction. In addition to flexible schedules and opportunity for career growth, they have a chance to do truly meaningful work that benefits not just their patients, but also patients’ families and sometimes even communities. There’s something very special about providing care in people’s homes. Because they’re trained to work with high-tech medical equipment, home health aides make it possible for many people to avoid hospitalization. Home health aides help people of all...
