Tuesday July 5, 2011
How to Save Your Medical Job from the Chopping Block
As one area of healthcare booms with the growth of EMR, another area contracts. Healthcare IT is enjoying job growth thanks to the increasing demand for EMR-related personnel, while many clerical medical jobs will take a hit.
Johns Hopkins announced that by the end of this year, it will cut 160 clerical positions that are no longer needed due to the implementation of EMR. This trend will most likely continue as more facilities make the transition to a completely electronic support system of patient records, data entry, billing, and order entry.
The support staff responsible for these clerical tasks will find they are no longer needed. Hopefully, as is reportedly the case with Johns Hopkins, some type of placement assistance or cross-training will be provided to help the displaced find new jobs, either within their existing health system or in a new one.
How can you EMR-proof your medical support job? In general, you must communicate to your supervisors, with your words and your actions, that you are flexible, adaptable, and willing to learn new skills. Take on new tasks to make your role irreplaceable by EMR. For more specific tips and suggestions for saving your medical clerical career, see "How NOT to Lose Your Medical Job to EMR."
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Wednesday June 29, 2011
Improved Midwifery Could Save 3.6 Million Lives Globally, Says New Report
A new report released by UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) shows that midwives could save 3.6 million lives if the midwife workforce is increased to an adequate level by 2015.
The report, entitled The State of the World's Midwifery, was revealed at the International Confederation of Midwives in South Africa. Midwives are medical professionals who receive specialized training in labor and delivery, caring for mothers and babies during childbirth.
Additional findings of the report about midwives:
- Annually, an average of 358,000 women die while pregnant or giving birth
- Two million newborns die within the first 24 hours of life yearly
- There are about 2.6 million stillbirths annually
- Globally, the workforce is short by about 350,000 midwives
- Deaths could be reduced by about 49 percent to 61 percent with adequate facilities and 112,000 more midwives
- 38 countries are facing a severe shortage
Save a life, be a midwife!
Learn more about careers for nurse-midwives, or to review the full report at the UNFPA website.
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Sunday June 26, 2011
When students and young people plan ahead for their careers in the medical field, they look for a job that will best fit their interests, skills, and lifestyle.
Now there may be a new concern to consider - the added occupational hazard of workplace violence against medical professionals. While still statistically rare, the tragic shooting at a Long Island pharmacy that killed a store clerk, several customers, and a pharmacist is yet another example of the risk of violence that medical professionals face every day.
Multiple reports of fatal attacks over the past few months are constant reminders of the increasing violence many medical professionals face on the job.
The late May hospital shooting of a surgeon in Florida, the September shooting of the doctor at Johns Hopkins Hospital, the killing of nurses at psychiatric facilities in California and Australia are more examples of the risks faced by various medical professionals working in different settings.
The New York pharmacy shooter was apprehended, but many industry experts predict that pharmacy shootings may be a growing trend as more people become dependent on prescription drugs and the economy continues to struggle. Some say the trend is a national epidemic.
Do you think that workplace violence will deter people from entering health careers? Vote in the poll and share your thoughts!
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Sunday June 19, 2011
Nursing Assistants are professionals who care for the elderly, sick, or incapacitated persons who are unable to care for themselves. Nursing assistants work in patients' homes, in long-term care facilities, nursing homes, and hospices. This week marks the 34th annual National Nursing Assistants' Week.
According to the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants (NNCNA), nursing assistants are also known as caregivers, nurse aides, care assistant, in-home care aide. National Nursing Assistants' week celebrates the wisdom, respect, and encouragement nursing assistants share with their patients and their patients' families.
Due to the tremendous growth of this segment of healthcare and demand for the services of nursing assistants, this role made my Top Medical Careers list. However, nursing assistants give a lot of themselves for very little pay, relative to other careers. Nursing assistants provide a very personal and intimate level of care to very sick people, including feeding, bathing, and dressing patients when needed.
If you work as a nursing assistant, thank you for all of your hard work and specialized care. Your patients and their families may or may not be able to communicate their thanks and appreciation to you, due to their emotional or physical condition, but certainly, nursing assistants are impacting many lives in a very special way every day.
Learn more about nursing assistants, and other top health careers in Top Medical Jobs.
