1. Unit 1
Health Care Today

2. Your Career in Health Care
Chapter 1
Your Career in Health Care

3. Your Future in Health Care
Health care service
One of the largest industries in United States (U.S.)
Growing need for health care professionals
Wide variety of career opportunities
Work can be very fulfilling

4. Question True or False:
Ten of the 20 fastest growing jobs today are in health care.

5. Answer True Ten of 20 fastest growing careers today are in health care
Including home health aide, medical assistant, dental assistant, and surgical technologist

6. Your Future in Health Care
Work contributes to well-being of others
Work can be demanding
All tasks must be done thoughtfully and conscientiously
Consequences of mistakes can be devastating

7. Essential Qualities Care about others Have integrity
Be dependable, but flexible
Work well with others
Be willing to learn
Strive to be cost-conscious

8. Question
Which of the following best demonstrates the meaning of integrity?
Earning good grades
Being honest at all times
Using time efficiently

9. Answer B. Being honest at all times Honesty
Important aspect of integrity

10. Standards for Health Care Professionals
Certification
General term for meeting predetermined standards
Requires education and professional exam
Examples:
Certified medical assistant
Certified nursing assistant
Certified occupational therapy assistant
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11. Standards for Health Care Professionals
Registration
Placement on official list after meeting predetermined standards
Examples:
Registered nurse
Registered respiratory therapist
Registered medical assistant
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12. Standards for Health Care Professionals
Licensure
Designation giving formal permission to perform certain tasks
Generally granted by government agencies
Requirements may vary from state to state
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13. Standards for Health Care Professionals
Licensure
Examples:
Dentist
Licensed practical/vocational nurse
Dental hygienist

14. Question
To work as a massage therapist, Kelly must obtain approval from her state. This is called _____ .
Licensure
Registration
Certification

15. Answer A. Licensure Licensure
Obtaining approval to practice profession or perform certain tasks
Usually from government agency

16. Career Ladders Levels of occupations within professional field
Require different amounts of education and/or training

17. Example of a Career Ladder
Nursing occupations ranked from most to least education required
Nurse practitioner
Registered nurse
Licensed practical/vocational nurse
Certified nursing assistant

18. Career Categories Therapeutic and treatment occupations
Assist patients to regain or attain maximum wellness
Diagnostic occupations
Determine causes and extent of illnesses and injuries
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19. Career Categories Information occupations Environmental occupations
Gather, analyze, organize, store, and document patient data
Environmental occupations
Develop and maintain therapeutic environments to support patient care

20. Therapeutic and Treatment Occupations
Dental
Emergency medical
Massage therapy
Medical office
Mental health
Nursing
Occupational therapy
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21. Therapeutic and Treatment Occupations
Pharmacy
Physical therapy
Respiratory therapy
Surgery
Veterinary
Vision care

22. Question True or False:
A nephrologist specializes in the treatment of the brain and nervous system.

23. Answer False Nephrologist specializes in kidneys
Neurologist specializes in brain and nervous system

24. Diagnostic Occupations
Diagnostic imaging
Medical laboratory

25. Health Information Management Occupations
Registered health information technician
Medical transcriptionist
Coding specialist

26. Environmental Occupations
Dietary service
Biomedical engineering

27. Question
Which of the following occupations might be the best choice for an individual who would enjoy helping patients regain their mobility after surgery?
Surgical technologist
Physical therapist
Occupational therapist

28. Answer B. Physical therapist
Physical therapists work with patients to improve physical function by increasing muscle strength, range of motion, and movement

29. Question
Which of the following occupational therapy occupations requires the most education?
Certified occupational therapy assistant
Occupational therapy aide
Occupational therapist

30. Answer C. Occupational therapist Order from most to least education:
Certified occupational therapy assistant
Occupational therapy aide

31. Thinking Like a Health Care Professional
Learning to think like a health care worker
Aim for understanding
Have organized approach to problem-solving
Apply learned material to new situations
Base decisions on facts
Create relationships among facts
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32. Thinking Like a Health Care Professional
Learning to think like a health care worker
Locate reliable sources of information
Base decisions on ethical principles
Practice good communication skills
Understand what tasks are allowed to be performed in one’s profession
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33. Thinking Like a Health Care Professional
Using questions in thinking
Gather information
Expand view of subject or situation
Prevent simply accepting circumstances or making assumptions
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34. Thinking Like a Health Care Professional
Examples of thinking questions:
What do I already know about this?
Why is this important?
Who benefits from this?
What might work best?
When should this be done?
How can I be more efficient?

35. Problem-Solving Process
Identify problem
Gather information
Create alternatives
Choose alternative and take action
Evaluate and revise as needed

36. 1. Identify Problem “Problem” may only be symptom of real problem
Observe, pay attention, and confront difficult issues
Look beyond the obvious
Use questions effectively

37. Question What is the third step in the problem-solving process?
Gather information
Create alternatives
Take action

38. Answer B. Create alternatives Third step: Create alternatives
Follows identification of problem (step 1) and gathering of information (step 2)

39. 2. Gather Information Information must be accurate and reliable
Separate assumptions, opinions, and emotions from facts
Collect objective data
Can be observed or measured
Also known as signs
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40. 2. Gather Information Collect subjective data
Needs, feelings, and desires
When reported by patient, includes pain and physical feelings
Also known as symptoms
Conduct research and ask for help as needed

41. Question True or False:
A severe headache reported by a patient is an example of a sign.

42. Answer
False
Symptom
Anything reported by patient that cannot be observed or measured by health care professional

43. 3. Create Alternative Solutions
Generate possible solutions and actions
Consider all possibilities
Consider potential positive and negative consequences of each alternative
Discard ideas clearly impractical or unworkable

44. 4. Choose Alternative and Take Action
Without follow-through, opportunities and accomplishments missed
Using problem-solving process fosters confidence in making right decision

45. 5. Evaluate and Revise as Needed
Review results of actions
Even what seems the best plan may prove ineffective or have negative consequences
Circumstances can change
May be necessary to make adjustments
Own needs and those of patients and facility may change

46. Establishing Good Work Habits
Practice using good workplace habits while in school
Care about others
Show respect for classmates
Be courteous
Have integrity
Do own work
Be honest
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47. Establishing Good Work Habits
Practice using good workplace habits while in school
Be dependable
Arrive to class on time
Do assignments accurately
Work well with others
Be understanding
Participate in class
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48. Establishing Good Work Habits
Practice using good workplace habits while in school
Be flexible
Accept instructional differences and changes in class schedules
Be willing to learn
Take studies seriously

49. Getting the Most from Your Studies
Individuals learn in different ways
Identify own dominant learning style
Develop study techniques that work best for own style

50. Learning Styles Visual learners
Learn best from seeing printed materials and images
Examples of study techniques:
Read text
Study illustrations
Watch DVD
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51. Learning Styles Auditory learners Learn best by hearing information
Examples of study techniques:
Listen to CD or tape
Attend supplementary lectures
Read aloud
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52. Learning Styles Kinesthetic learners
Learn best from hands-on activities
Examples of study techniques:
Perform lab activities
Put together models
Stand or move about while reading

53. Learning for Mastery Learn for understanding
Rather than memorization of facts
Understand why information is important and how it can be used
Learn to apply information to new situations you will encounter on job

54. Returning Adult Learners
May worry about returning to school
Have many life experiences and skills they can apply to studies
E.g., ability to set priorities, good communication skills
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55. Returning Adult Learners
Biggest problem can be finding time for studies
Solutions:
Create daily, prioritized to-do list
Schedule time to study
Set times to spend with family members
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56. Returning Adult Learners
Solutions:
Create personal organization techniques to save time
Delegate tasks
Ask for needed help