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Deciding on a Healthcare Career Part II

Deciding on Healthcare as a Career

Part II

There are many types of healthcare positions to consider.  There are clinical (direct care) and administrative.  Most direct care positions require administrative work, so it is important to have those skills as well.  Here, a volunteer opportunity may help you make that decision if you’re unsure.  Ask if you can interact with the patients.  It’s important to know what kind of personality you have; working with people can be rewarding, but patients who are ill or in pain can be very challenging.  It’s essential to follow through on the things you tell patients you’re going to do for them-they’re counting on you.  Your personality needs to be consistent and you need good interpersonal skills, even after a long day.  Jobs can be physically demanding.  You may need to be on your feet all day and be required to do a good deal of walking, lifting and bending.  On the other hand, an administrative position may require sitting and using a computer for long periods of time.

Another consideration to make when deciding on a career in healthcare is your schedule.  Some facilities are open 24/7; that means weekends and holidays.  Just because you’re hired for a specific shift, does not necessarily mean that you won’t be asked to work a different one by your supervisor.  A co-worker may ask you to “switch” shifts as a favor.  Staff who work off-hours, meaning weekends and holidays, often make a differential, or extra pay for working non-preferred hours.  But it takes a lot of strength to say “no” to your friends when they’re going out on Saturday night and you have a 7:00am shift on Sunday morning, or your family is having Thanksgiving dinner and you need to go to work.  You can certainly find jobs during “regular” hours Monday through Friday.  These jobs may not pay as much, but they can be equally as rewarding and may better suit your lifestyle.  When looking for a job in healthcare, be certain to have a clear understanding of the hours needed and your actual availability.  Remember that working in healthcare is taking care of people who can’t wait.     

Providing healthcare in any environment always means caring for patients, however, the setting and responsibilities can vary greatly depending upon the type of facility in which you work.  In clinics, patients come and go throughout the day.  The days can be very hectic and demanding, but you can establish relationships with your patients over time.  In hospitals, patients are only there for an average of 2.5-3.5 days.  This means that you need to get to know very patients quickly; they are likely to have many serious health problems (co-morbidities) and require specialty and critical care.  In hospitals, hospices and some long term care facilities, it is common for patients to die.  Families are often present and you will need to interact with them at a very difficult time.  If you work at a long term facility, you are essentially working in a patient’s home and need to conduct yourself with the same respect you would visiting someone, except you are caring for them because they are no longer independent. 

A career in healthcare is one of the most rewarding and varied.  There are many aspects of your personality and lifestyle that need to be explored when considering a clinical or even an administrative position.  But just as stressful and demanding as the job can be, it can be equally rewarding.  It takes a special person to care for others every day and do it well.  Careful consideration, planning and research before entering the field can help you be confident about what type of position will work best for you.  

Posted by: Laura Wagner