Careers in Healthcare
Healthcare is divided into different fields. Two fields in the field of healthcare industry have been of interest to me. Nursing and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Nursing and EMT are the most demanding jobs and essential in the healthcare industry. Both nursing and EMT requires dedication and commitment to caring for others.
Nursing is divided into three different categories; Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and Certified Assistant Nurse (CNA). A registered nurse is the peak level of nursing. A person is required to be a degree holder in nursing to carry out nursing activities, or have a diploma in nursing from a certified nursing school (Callihan et al 2019). Different pre-requisites such as microbiology, psychology, chemistry, physiology, anatomy, English, and algebra necessitates requirement for one to pursue nursing field. One must accomplish 3.0 average grade for the pre-requisite classes to pursue nursing.
A Registered Nurse is required to think critically, and attain excellent communication skills. A competent nurse is needed to be capable of working with different people, applying their knowledge in solving concrete health complications (Perkins, 2018). A registered nurse should be able to work independently. A Registered Nurse is required to be flexible since they work in different nursing homes and adult foster care homes. A nurse is expected to be physically fit due to standing for an extended period. Nurses are required to assist in moving and lifting patients, and they can work up to twelve hours in a single day. Nurses are also required to have technical abilities due to the introduction of computerized equipment in the healthcare industry (Perkins, 2018). Nurses are also exposed to different infectious diseases. Thus, they have to be careful when attending to patients.
Emergency medical technicians (EMT) operate an emergency response unit. EMTs are mostly found in ambulances, and also attend to patients being transported by air (Perkins, 2018). EMT provide quick emergency care for the sick, and the injured at either the patient’s home, the site of an accident and during transportation to the hospital. EMTs operate as a team. One of the EMTs team members is assigned to be the driver of the ambulance, while the rest came together to save the life of the patient.
Emergency medical technicians are divided into four different categories; emergency medical responders (EMRs), Emergency medical technicians (EMTs), advanced medical technicians, and paramedics. EMRs provide quick lifesaving care for serious patients (Callihan, Kaylor, Watts, Zabala, Hibberd & Coker, 2019). EMTs usually intervene to save lives and reduce the risk of harm at the emergency site. EMTs hare skilled in transporting a patient safely to the hospital. Advanced emergency medical technicians do everything that is done by the EMRs and EMTs and carry out a few advanced interventions. Paramedics are capable of performing pharmacological and invasive interventions; they are also the most skilled in emergency response (Callihan et al 2019). EMTs and paramedics work on a 24-hour shift schedule. Paramedics and EMTs work hand in hand with other medical professionals like nurses and physicians.
In conclusion, when choosing a field in the healthcare industry, I would prefer you either choose nursing or emergency medical technicians to other healthcare careers. Both nursing and EMTs are the jobs in the healthcare industry that involve a lot of care for the patients and involve life-saving activities.
References
Callihan Jr, M., Kaylor, S. K., Watts, S. O., Zabala, M., Hibberd, E., & Coker, J. (2019). Creating a Safe Environment for Providers During Horizontal Patient Transfer.
Perkins, T. (2018). Introduction to healthcare careers through hospital-based tours. Nursing management, 49(8), 9-10.