If you have always had the ambition to make a difference to someone's life, working in the healthcare industry may be an option to consider if you're looking to make a career change.
Studies have shown that healthcare is one of the most rewarding professions to work in for those who enjoy taking care of others, which is why the U.S alone employs over 18 million individuals in the sector.
There are many reasons why working in healthcare has grown in popularity over the last few years, and this certainly isn't set to change any time soon. Here are just a few that you may wish to take a look at:
There are roles to suit all skillsets
Although nurses and doctors are the initial job roles that spring to mind in healthcare, there are, in fact, many more jobs available that suit a wide range of skillsets. Despite the belief that all healthcare workers have spent years studying and stocked with a vast amount of medical knowledge before getting their first job, this isn't always the case. There are thousands of entry-level jobs available that gives candidates the chance to start from the bottom and work their way through the ranks until the end goal is reached.
It's a growing industry
The healthcare industry is one of the largest in the world, and the demand for workers in this sector is rising significantly every year. Due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19 over the past few months, healthcare workers have been in the highest demand of this generation.
However, the reasons for the growing industry stretch beyond this. The population of the United States is dramatically increasing year after year, and the number of aging citizens are growing alongside it. This means that there is no end to the help needed in healthcare both now and in the years ahead.
Making a difference
Regardless of your role in the healthcare sector, you will be partly responsible for making a difference to the life of others. Research has shown that healthcare workers have extremely high job satisfaction. Why? Most likely, because working in healthcare fulfills the desire to take care of the most vulnerable in society, who may potentially remember your actions for the rest of their lives - and there aren't many jobs quite like that.
While you're helping other individuals, you'll also be earning a living at the same time, which a real bonus. You could either be inviting new life into the world or being present when a life is coming to an end, and those are experiences that not many people get.
Job security
One of the many benefits of working in the healthcare sector is that there is always a high level of job security. As mentioned, the demand for healthcare workers is growing as a result of the rising population, and there is certainly no current desire to make cuts to the workforce in medical institutions in the years ahead. Therefore, the fear of losing your job should be very slight, which cannot be said for other industries that are continuously under threat.
With the rising demand to hire healthcare workers in the next few years, it is predicted that many employers will be offering additional coaching and development prospects for career progression. This will work in your favor, as you'll be adding more strings to your bow and enhancing your possibilities, which will allow you to stand out from the crowd as a successful candidate during future job searches.
Further study opportunities
If you're an individual who is keen to continue learning, there are various healthcare courses that you may wish to enroll in to further develop your knowledge and skillset. Regardless of whether you have already earned a Bachelor's degree in nursing or have no educational background in healthcare at all, you can study a DNP FNP course online. There are, however, many different courses available to suit all interests and job prospects, dependent on which sector most interests you. Having the freedom to continue your education on a flexible basis gives you the power to enhance your career options and potentially move into other sectors in the future.
Fast-paced environment
If you're someone who enjoys the buzz of a faced-paced working environment, healthcare is a sector that will be suited to you. As you may expect, no two days are ever the same in this industry, so you can never fully prepare for what is to come, but this is usually the aspect of the job that brings joy and a degree of challenge. By not knowing what is around the corner, it will force you to become more vigilant and remain on the ball with the situations that are progressing around you. What's more, you'll also have the opportunity to meet and spend time with patients from all over the country and potentially even build long-term relationships with those you care for, which is a bonus.
Competitive earning potential
While nursing isn't considered to be the highest-paying job in the world, there are opportunities which can increase your earning potential. As with most other industries, the higher qualified and more experienced you are, the higher salary you will get, so it's always beneficial to keep pushing yourself to potentially earn a higher wage. There are jobs from entry-level through to the highest-level professions such as surgeons, physicians and practitioners, so there is truly an opening for everyone in healthcare.
If you have always had the ambition to work in healthcare, we hope that this guide has come in useful to help you make a better-informed decision on your next steps. It would be advised to carry out as much research as you can to determine whether it is certainly the right industry for you and which career path is best suited to your qualifications, experience, skills and interests. With the privileges mentioned above, it's easy to see why many choose to work in the healthcare industry and don't tend to switch career paths throughout their lifetime.
