For years, nurses have served as the silent heroes of the hospital environment. Doctors are often so overwhelmed with paperwork, patients and board meetings – in addition to their own personal writings for medical journals – they have such little time to spend with individual patients.
If you’ve been hospitalized at any point in recent years, you’ll notice you may see the attending physician once, perhaps twice, a day if at all, however the uniformed nurse on call visits you regularly. They’re tasked with the dirty work doctors don’t care to do – from feeding and changing intraveneous drips to taking blood samples and checking on your general well being.
Nursing is a job that’s merely stressful on a good day. On bad days, needy or uncooperative patients, local tragedies and an abundance of busywork can make the job nearly unbearable. Nurses need a strong backbone. There are other positions, however, that might be more your speed but still adhere to the basic fundamentals of the job. Here are seven good medical careers similar to nursing:
1. Medical Assistant Jobs
Medical assistants, like nurses, are often responsible for duties both administrative and clinical, but how much of each depends on what field they’re in. Some work more with patients, taking blood samples, keeping track of vital signs and recording medical histories.
Others, however, specialize in the more beaureacratic areas such as organizing and filing charts, making appointments and keeping track of a patient’s insurance status. They’re also responsible for keeping medical areas clean and sterile, properly disposing of needles.
Despite performing many of the same duties of a nurse, a medical assistant earns somewhat less than nurses as the training involved in getting the job is less intensive. These are similar jobs to nursing, albeit with a slightly lower pay scale.
2. Physician Assistant Jobs
If you prefer a job in which you work closer with patients and further away from the desk, then a physician assistant might be more your style. You would work closely with a physican as he treats patients. You will also be capable of diagnosing those you treat and, when the doctor is only working part-time, your diagnosis will contribute to the ultimate path to treatment after you confer with the physician.
The training involved is a little more intense than registered nursing, requiring two years of study post-Bachelor’s degree. As a result, physician assistants earn more than nurses.
3. Dental Hygenist Jobs
Dentists tend to take on a lot of patients, or at least spend several hours of their day focused on just a few mouths. Hygenists are responsible for everything from teeth cleaning, oral X-rays and advice on toothcare. are similar jobs to nursing, except you are now working in the dental office instead of the hospital. Think of it as a nurse exclusively for the mouth. These
As a result, the salary is pretty much on par with that of a registered nurse, and the education required – a post-graduate degree and getting licensed through a written test and clinical exam – is about the same. If you’ve been to the dentist, you’ve surely met a hygenist. They’re on the other side of the dentist, applying anethesia.
4. Certified Medication Aide Jobs
This is a job that’s perfect for those who like to pay special attention to each individual patient. Typically, a medication aide, or technician, is responsible for administering medicine to patients at a care facility, often a retirement or intermediate facility. So it’s crucial you know which patient takes what, and often this requires getting to know each patient. If someone is suffering from senility or dimentia, it’s harder for them to trust a stranger with pills.
5. Medical Assistant Floater Jobs
Most medical assistants remain in a doctor or physician’s office or hospital. A floater is the medical equivalent as a temp. You have all the qualifications, but you get to work under different circumstances week to week or month to month. This is perfect for those interested in medicine, but not being tied to specific organization. Floaters specialize in both clinical and administrative duties, but must be flexible with scheduling and location.
6. Chiropractic Assistant Jobs
A chiropractic assistant works under the direction of a chiropractor treating those with musculoskeletal issues. There’s no formal education required, but having more than just a high school diploma will increase the likelihood of getting a position.
Duties will include the standard administrative tasks such as appointment scheduling and chart filing, but you’re also responsible for making clients or patients feel welcome and escorting them to test areas. It’s probably the easiest sub-nursing positions one can get, but you still feel a part of patient care.
7. Anesthesiologist Assistant Jobs
It’s crucial during surgery for an anasthesiologist to be aware of any allergies, irregularities or other patient issues before inducing sleep. That’s part of the reponsibility of the assistant, but you’ll be by the anesthesiologist’s side from the beginning to patient recovery. You’ll also be responsible for tasks such as inserting catheters, giving medication and basically monitoring the health of the patients.
