Healthcare workers play an important role in family life. They offer a level of care and support that sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers cannot always provide for their loved ones during their time of need. This can establish a very intimate connection between families and the healthcare workers that they rely on.
If you are interested in playing a pivotal role in family-specific healthcare, there are many different options available to you. In this article, we take a look at some of the many jobs that are out there.
Home Health workers
While not everyone can afford or access home healthcare services they are an excellent way to receive support in a comfortable setting. Many home health workers are not licensed nurses but specialized technicians who can perform basic health care services. This might involve assisting their patients with medication. Taking vital signs. Even helping with hygienic concerns or small chores around the house.
Patients who require a higher level of medical assistance might be connected with a gerontology nurse. These healthcare professionals are brought in when a patient reaches the point where they are no longer receptive to preventative care. They are not necessarily dying. However, they also are not likely to significantly improve. The gerontology nurse will work to ensure that they remain comfortable often during the last year or two of their lives.
In many cases, they develop close relationships with patients and their family members.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Family nurse practitioners provide general care. Often they replace the services of GPs. To become a nurse practitioner, you must get certified as a regular RN and then go on to graduate school. Nurse practitioners in many states are able to perform diagnoses, write prescriptions, and perform general consultations.
Like any other general practitioner, they play a pivotal role in family life in that they help families understand their unique health histories and develop strategies that are specific to their needs.
What is an Advanced Practice Nurse?
An advanced practice nurse is not a position exactly, but a classification of employment. It refers to a wide range of jobs that go beyond the description of a standard RN. NPs are included within the umbrella of advanced practice nursing but there are other jobs as well. Nurse anesthesiologists. Nurse midwives.
Keep in mind that when it comes to working as an advanced practice, nurse location matters a lot. Some states are considerably better for it than others. Missouri has one of the highest concentrations of nurse practitioners in the country because it also has permissive laws. Ideally, nurse practitioners will be able to work in environments that give them the most freedom.
We mentioned earlier that NPs can write prescriptions and perform other tasks traditionally associated with medical doctors. This is true but only in locations that allow it.
Research your local laws and regulations before committing to a career as a nurse practitioner.
What Do I need to Do to Become a Home Healthcare Worker?
As you might have gathered, home healthcare workers come from a wide range of different backgrounds. To provide the most basic levels of care, you need only an associate’s degree related to medical care.
Many people will use this as an opportunity to test the waters a bit before going on to become fully licensed as a nurse. From there, you will have plenty of opportunities to scale your education upward. You can complete your bachelor’s degree to become licensed as a nurse, and even go on to graduate school for some of these advanced practice positions we described in the last heading.
Not sure if this career path is right for you? Here are some core qualities that every good healthcare worker should have:
- Compassion- Empathy is particularly important in home healthcare situations, where patients will rely on you not just as a healthcare provider, but also as an important component of their support system.
- Attention to detail- Little things can make a big difference in the lives of people with delicate health conditions. You need to be able to take note of small details and figure out solutions in real-time.
- Calm under pressure- More than anything else, healthcare workers need to be calm when the stakes are at their highest. That doesn’t mean never getting nervous. It does mean retaining your focus and staying in the moment.
Notice that we didn’t mention academic prowess at all. Being brainy certainly does not hurt in the world of healthcare. You will need to be able to memorize complicated facts and think on your feet. However, for the jobs described above, you don’t necessarily need to be at the top of your class either. Good students with a willingness to work hard can make a big difference in the world of healthcare.
Conclusion
Ready to get started? There are literally hundreds of online and in-person healthcare educational programs across the country. They come in different formats. Some meet on a predictable schedule, while others are more flexible, consisting of pre-recorded materials that you can complete at your convenience.
Bottom line? There are tons of ways to become a home-healthcare hero. Find the one that makes the most sense to you.
MindOwl Founder – My own struggles in life have led me to this path of understanding the human condition. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy before completing a master’s degree in psychology at Regent’s University London. I then completed a postgraduate diploma in philosophical counselling before being trained in ACT (Acceptance and commitment therapy).
I’ve spent the last eight years studying the encounter of meditative practices with modern psychology.