1. HEALTHCARE CAREERS : A BRIGHT FUTURE

4. 5 Health Care Pathways THERAPEUTIC SERVICES DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES
All Health Care occupations are organized into 5 pathways.
THERAPEUTIC SERVICES
DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES
HEALTH INFORMATICS
SUPPORT SERVICES
BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
All Health care careers are organized into these 5 pathways. You will study various Health Care occupations to help you figure out what level of education is required for these occupations and if you may be interested in finding out more.

5. THERAPEUTIC SERVICES
Maintain or change the health status of the patient over time.
SAMPLE CAREERS:
EMT/Paramedic
Nursing
Certified Nursing Assisting
Licensed Practical Nurse
Registered Nurse
Medical Assistant
Physician Assistant
Physician
Respiratory Technician
Surgical Technician
Therapeutic Service Pathway are those occupations which treat illnesses and conditions of patients. Do you enjoy working directly with patients and providing face to face, hands-on care? Careers that fall into this category involve a high level of patient interaction. If your primary interests lay in maintaining or improving the health of patients over a period of time, you should explore the careers listed below. Careers in the Therapeutic Services pathway are focused primarily on changing the health status of the patient over time. Health professionals in this pathway work directly with patients; they may provide care, treatment, counseling and health education information.
Sample Therapeutic Occupations:
EMT/Paramedics
Certified Nursing Assistants – may be also called nurse aides or nurse technicians. They work under the direction of a nurse and help provide direct patient care such as assistance with bathing, feeding, walking, and taking vital signs.
Licensed Practical Nurse – is a mid-level nurse who is not required to know as much as a Registered Nurse. They provide direct patient care and can give medications, perform dressing changes, and other treatments as ordered by the physician, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner.
Registered Nurse – is able to provide total patient care by assessing a patient’s condition, administering medications, dressing changes, starting IVs, giving blood, patient teaching, and other treatments. An RN can specialize with advanced training to become a nurse practitioner or a nurse midwife.
Medical Assistants – work under the direction of a physician to prepare patients for examinations by taking vital signs, medical histories, performing basic laboratory tests, administering medications, assisting with procedures such as EKGs, and/or receptionist duties.
Physicians (Doctors) – examine patients, obtain medical histories, order laboratory and other diagnostic tests, make diagnoses of diseases and conditions, perform surgery, treat diseases and disorders, and teach preventative health. There are numerous specialties a physician may choose such as a pediatrician or a surgeon.

6. DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES
Create a picture of patient health at a single point of time.
SAMPLE CAREERS:
Clinical Laboratory Technician
EKG or MRI Technician
Orthoptist/Prosthetist
Pathologist
Phlebotomist
Radiology Technicians
Diagnostic Services Pathway are those occupations which help to determine what is wrong with the patient – creating a picture of that patient at a certain point in time.
Careers in Diagnostics - Careers that involve diagnosis and health assessment
Most careers that fall into this pathway do not involve day to day direct patient interaction. Instead, they involve the use of diagnostic imaging technology. With the evolution of technology, techniques in ultrasound, x-ray, and mri are being used more readily. Each play a significant role in determining patient diagnosis earlier than previously possible, thus making it much easier to determine what type of care a patient should receive far earlier than before. If you think that you are the type of person that would like the daily responsibility of documenting a persons health at a specific point in time and be there to lend a helping hand in the initial diagnostic phase of the disease or injury process, this is the healthcare pathway for you.
Sample Diagnostic Services Occupations:
Clinical Laboratory Technicians - work under the direction of a pathologist to study tissues, body fluids, and cells to determine the presence of disease. They use microscopes and computers when performing tests.
Pathologist – is a physician specialty who specializes in the diagnosis of diseases and infections by examining cells, tissues, and body fluids of patients.
Phlebotomists – are responsible for drawing patient’s blood which will be used for laboratory testing.
Radiologic Technicians – work under the supervision of doctors to use x-rays, radiation, nuclear medicine, ultrasounds, and MRIs to diagnose (and sometimes treat) disease.

7. HEALTH INFORMATICS
Provide functions that support and document patient care
SAMPLE CAREERS:
Admitting Clerk
Medical Biller or Coder
Community Health Technician
Health Care Administrator
Health Educator
Transcriptionist
Health Informatics Pathway are those occupations that links information technology, communications and healthcare to improve the quality and safety of patient care.
Careers that fall under this pathway don't generally involve direct patient care. Instead, careers in the informatics / business pathway focus on essential everyday service needs including patient documentation services, medical records management, administration services, drug utilization review, hospital unit coordination, appointment booking, information/communication systems development, and more.
Sample Health Informatics Services Occupations:
Coders – are responsible for converting diseases and other medical conditions as well as procedures to numbers on insurance forms for processing and reimbursement of payment.
Community Health Specialists – are responsible for the promotion and teaching of health principles and wellness in the local area.
Health Care Administrators – are responsible for the daily operations of the hospital. Their responsibilities include all facilities, personnel, and budgeting.
Health Educators – are responsible for teaching the community about issues relating to health and wellness.
Transcriptionists – use computers to enter information that has been dictated by a physician or other health care worker.

8. FACILITY SUPPORT SERVICES
Provide a therapeutic environment for the delivery of health care.
SAMPLE CAREERS:
Biomedical Technician/Medical Equipment Repairer
Central Services Technician
Medical Librarian
Facilities Manager
Food Services
Purchasing Agent
Transport Technician
Support Services Pathway are those occupations which help to provide a therapeutic environment for health care workers and their patients.
people that work in the support sector of heath care a responsible for providing and maintaining a sanitary and therapeutic environment in which health care can be appropriately delivered to individuals.
Support Services Careers:
Biomedical Engineers – work with many different machines used to diagnose, treat, and monitor patients. They install, test, service, and repair the equipment. A biomedical equipment technician (BMET), also called medical equipment repairer, is responsible for maintaining and repairing medical equipment. They maintain, calibrate, adjust, and repair many different types of equipment. They can work on medical imaging equipment like x-rays, electric wheelchairs, defibrillators, patient monitors, and other specific dental or optometric equipment. BMETs will use hand tools, but will also use software, electronic tools, multi meters, and smoldering irons to complete the repair on sophisticated medical equipment.
Central Services Technicians – are involved in ordering, maintaining, and supplying all equipment and supplies to all departments of the hospital. They are also responsible for sterilizing instruments for use in the operating room and other departments.
Medical Librarian
Facilities Managers – are responsible for the physical upkeep of the health care facility.
Purchasing Agents – are responsible for purchasing high quality equipment and supplies for the best prices possible.
Transport Technicians – are responsible for moving patients from one place to another. For example, a transport tech would take a patient from their hospital room to x-ray and back again.

9. BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Use scientific and technical advancements to enhance diagnostic and therapeutic abilities in health care
SAMPLE CAREERS:
Biomedical Chemist/Engineer
Biostatistician
Geneticist
Molecular Biologist
Quality Control Technician
Toxicologist
Epidemiologist
Biotechnology Research and Development are those occupations which use explore and create scientific technologies to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Use advancements in science and technology to improve health care. Careers in R&D lay the foundation for which an effective health care system is made possible. Careers that involve science and technology
If you want to play a role in developing the latest advancements in health care, whether it be through science, research and development, biotechnology discoveries, or both, there is a career in this pathway waiting for you.
Sample Biotechnology Research and Development Occupations:
Biomedical Chemist – se knowledge of atoms, molecules, and chemistry to help treat diseases by creating new treatments and medications.
Biostatisticians – use data to measure the effectiveness of various treatments.
Microbiologists – study unicellular organisms and infectious diseases.
Pharmacists – dispense and suggest medications to be used in the treatment of diseases and disorders.
Quality Control Technicians – help to check the effectiveness of treatments and care delivered to patients.
Toxicologists – study the poisonous effects of drugs and chemicals on the body and the environment.

10. Can someone guess what are the top 3 health care professions?

11. A BRIGHT FUTURE: AS A NURSE

12. WHERE DOES GROWTH IN NURSING HAPPEN?

13. Where do nurses work? The possibilities are endless!!
Hospitals
Clinics/Offices
Nursing Homes
Hospice
Schools
Cruise Ships
Military
Helicopters
Industries
Wellness Centers
Public Health Offices
Home Health Care Agencies

14. How do I know if nursing is right for me?
Even in times of nursing shortage when they are in great demand, nursing is not right for everyone…

15. Qualities to be a good nurse:
Do you enjoy health and science classes and do reasonably well in math?
Do you have an interest in learning about the human body and how it works?

16. Qualities continued…
Do you have a sense of compassion and desire to help others?
Do you like to teach people and share information with others?
Are you able to work well with others and do you enjoy being around other people?
Do you possess good decision making & problem solving skills?

17. Qualities continued… Do you desire variety in career opportunities?
Do you enjoy learning and analyzing things?
Are you dependable and do you have good oral and written communication skills?

19. HEALTHCARE CAREERS : COULD THIS BE YOU