The Everything Guide To Careers In Health Care: Find the Job That's Right for You

by Kathy Quan

Overview

The trillion-dollar health-care industry makes up the fastest growing segment of the job market, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

With The Everything Guide to Careers in Health Care, you can explore all the employment possibilities in health care, and choose the right career path just for you. From nursing and psychology to pharmacy technology and art therapy-and dozens more positions in between-this engaging, enlightening volume helps you decide which career to pursue and how to pursue it, including:

• Self-assessment and evaluation
• Working conditions and lifestyle concerns
• Educational requirements
• Available grants and incentives
• And much, much more!

The Everything Guide to Careers in Health Care is all you need to take advantage of the many opportunities the booming health care industry has to offer-for years to come!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781605502991
Publisher:	Adams Media
Publication date:	11/30/2006
Series:	Everything® Series
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	694 KB

About the Author

Kathy Quan RN BSN PHN has been a nurse for over thirty-five years. After a few short years of hospital nursing, she moved to home health care and hospice where she could truly spend time with her patients and provide quality care.
An Adams Media author.

Table of Contents

Top Ten Things You Need to Know about Careers in Health Care     xii
Introduction     xiii
Why Choose a Career in Health Care?     1
The Health Care Explosion     1
Shift from Goods to Services     3
Demographics of the Health Care Industry     4
Health Care Outside the Box     5
The Health Care Shortage: Causes and Solutions     7
Salaries and Job Security     9
The Growing Opportunities in Health Care     11
The Occupations Most in Demand     11
Health Care Roles Defined     12
The Nine Major Segments of Health Care     13
Inpatient Facilities     14
Outpatient Facilities     18
Skills of Health Care Workers     18
Responsibilities of Health Care Workers     22
Making the Choice for You     25
Self-Assessment and Evaluation     25
The Art of Caring Is Essential     27
What Appeals to You?     28
Tackling Math and Science     31
Narrowing Down the Choices     32
Making a Decision     33
The Education Process     35
The Education Process     35
Prepare in High School     35
Choosing the Program for You     37
Finding the Right School     39
Your Application     41
Financial Aid     42
Surviving School     45
Understanding the Patients     49
Patients Are Your Customers     49
Patients Cope in Various Ways     50
Consider the Whole Person     51
Communication and Health Care Literacy Issues     52
Dealing with Difficult Patients and Family Members     54
The Patient's Role and Responsibilities     56
Your Role as a Health Care Provider     59
The Skills You Will Need     59
Your Attitude and Bedside Manner     61
Confidentiality Issues     62
Teamwork     64
Combining Caring with Science     65
Finding Your Own Rewards     66
Coping with the Facts of Life and Death     68
Primary Care Practitioners     69
Physicians     69
Dentists     74
Chiropractors     77
Veterinarians     80
Optometrists     83
Podiatrists     86
Partners and Associates     89
Nurses and Nurse Practitioners     89
Physician Assistants     93
Dental Hygienists     95
Dietitians and Nutritionists     98
Pharmacists     101
Psychologists     104
Rehab Team Members     107
Physical Therapists     107
Occupational Therapists     109
Speech Therapists and Language Pathologists     111
Respiratory Therapists     113
Medical Social Workers     116
Audiologists     117
Assistants and Aides     121
Nursing Aides, Home Health Aides, P.C.A.s, and U.A.P.s     121
Dental Assistants     124
Therapy Aides and Assistants     127
Psychiatric Aides and Mental Health Assistants     129
Surgical Technologists     132
Pharmacy Technologists     134
Other Therapists     137
Art Therapists     137
Dance Therapists     140
Music Therapists     142
Recreation Therapists     144
Horticulture Therapists     147
Massage Therapists     149
Adjunct Team Members     153
Phlebotomists     153
Clinical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists     155
EKG Technicians     158
Perfusionists     160
Medical Assistants, Front Office Workers, and Medical Secretaries     162
Orthotists and Prosthetists     165
Veterinarian Assistants and Technicians     167
Administrative Team Members     171
Health Care Administrators     171
Hospital Directors     173
Nursing Home and Long-Term Care Directors     176
Home Health Care Directors     178
Directors of Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement     180
Geriatric Case Managers     182
Affiliated Team Members     185
Paramedics and E.M.T.s     185
Biomedical Engineers     188
Medical Illustrators and Photographers     190
Medical Writers     193
Certified Athletic Trainers     195
Medical Transcriptionists     198
Other Health Care Workers     201
Environmental Health Specialists     201
Genetic Counselors     203
Health Information Administrators     205
Medical Coding Specialists     207
Health Information (Medical Records) Technicians     209
Medical Librarians     211
More Health Care Roles     215
Opticians     215
Patient Representatives and Health Advocates     217
Radiology Technologists and X-ray Technicians     220
Ultrasound Technicians and Sonographers     222
Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists     225
Alternative Medicine and Wellness     229
The Controversy     229
Basic Tenets of Alternative Medicine     231
Acupuncturists     232
Reflexologists     233
Homeopaths     235
Naturopaths     237
Other Alternative Healers     239
Other Issues to Consider     241
The Importance of Communication: Oral and Written     241
Honesty and the Ability to Take Responsibility     243
Dependability, Accuracy, and Timeliness     245
Health Care Is Not a Nine-to-Five Job     246
Working Within Your Scope of Practice     248
Confidentiality and HIPAA     249
Medical Malpractice Issues     251
Finding a Job     253
The Job Search     253
Resumes and Cover Letters     255
Networking Always     258
The Interview Process     260
The Future of Health Care Jobs     263
Continuing Education     264
Take Care of Yourself     267
Expect to Get Sick Sometimes     267
Manage That Stress Level     270
Be Proactive about Your Own Health     272
Avoid Burnout, Reward Yourself     273
Learn to Leave the Job at Work     276
You as a Professional     279
Keep Up to Date with Your Field     279
Setting Career Goals     281
Grow with Your Profession     283
The Pros and Cons of Joining Your Professional Organization     285
The Growing Need for Information Technology     286
Making a Commitment to Excellence     288
Additional Resources     289
Entrance Exams     293
Index     297