Interested In Becoming A Surgical Technician?
Are you considering how to get a needed health care career job with a minimal amount of training? Do you want to make sure the job prospects are good no matter what is happening with the economy? Do you need good income?
To become a surgical technologist, as surgical technicians are commonly called, you may be able to get training for a job in as little as 9 months. The longest training takes 24 months. You may receive a certificate, diploma, or Associates degree.
Job growth for the surgical technician is expected to be “faster than normal” through the year 2018 according to the US Labor statistics under the Job Occupational Outlook. This makes the surgical technician training very sought after in a dwindling economy.
Surgical technicians are needed because people continue to need surgery irregardless of what is happening with the economy.
Nature of the Work
Under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel, the surgical tech is a valuable member of the operating room team. Before an operation, the tech will prepare by setting up surgical instruments and equipment, sterile drapes, and sterile solutions. Technologists get patients ready for surgery by washing, shaving, and disinfecting incision sites. They will assist getting patients into the operating room, help position them on the table, and cover them with surgical drapes. They will also observe patients’ vital signs, check charts. During surgery they pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgical assistants. They may cut sutures and count surgical supplies.
Surgical technologists may need to stand for extended periods of time during surgery.
The median annual salary for a surgical technologist in May of 2008 was $38,740. The highest ten percent made more than $54,300. This is quite comparable to Ultrasound Technician Salary also known as a Sonography Technician.
The type of coursework you will need to complete involves classroom as well as supervised clinical experience. You will take classes of pharmacology, microbiology, physiology, anatomy, professional ethics, and medical terminology.
Becoming a Dental Hygienist
Perhaps one of the most important decisions we can make with a difficult economy is how we can make a living for ourselves and our families.
The Dental Hygienist is one of the most lucrative health care jobs available today. But how can a person get the dental hygienist training? How long does this all take? What kind of salary can a person make? Are there going to be dental hygiene jobs available after getting the training?
The wages of the Dental Hygienist are top notch and can be over $100,000 per year working full time. Many Hygienists make their own schedules and many only work part-time. Many work at several dentists offices each week.
Dental Hygiene education programs involve 86 credit hours to achieve a two year Associate degree, or 122 credit hours to achieve a four year Baccalaureate degree.
What About the Jobs?
According to the Job Occupational Outlook Handbook for 2010-2011, the dental hygienist jobs are expected to grow much faster than average through the year 2018 making this an excellent outlook for jobs. Their prediction puts growth for this job profession at 36%.
Since almost all of the population has their own teeth these days, dental work will always be needed. People want to keep their teeth and gums in good condition. Many hygienists are now performing some of the duties that dentists did in the past.
Many dentists have a hygienist in their office part of the week. Dentists view Hygienists as a good source of leads for dental work. How many dentists do you think there are in the US? All of the above equates to many jobs for dental hygienists across the country.
What Exactly Does a Dental Hygienist Do?
A dental hygienist is a licensed health professional who focuses on preventing and treating diseases of the mouth to protect the patients’ total health.
What is the Work Environment Like?
The work environment is a typical dentists office. You will be working with multiple patients each day cleaning their teeth, taking xrays, making recommendations for treatment, and keeping records. You will remain in one position for the period of time it takes to work on each individuals mouth. You will be seated during much of this time.
What is the Dental Hygiene training like?
You will need to be ready for serious study. The training programs have waiting lists in some states to get in. General education courses include English, speech, psychology, and sociology. Basic science courses include anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, and nutrition. Dental science courses include histology, embryology, oral pathology, dental anatomy, head and neck anatomy, radiography, pain control and dental materials.
With over 309 entry level dental hygiene training programs available across the country, you may need to move to attend one if it is too difficult to get in right away. Contacting the dept. head in your local community college that offers the program is a good place to start in getting your class information together.
Becoming A CNA IS Quick
Excellent News for Job searchers!
A Certified Nursing Assistant position shows demand for this job position in the US in 2010, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Job Occupational Outlook for 2010-2011. You will not need to worry about losing a job or finding a job in this field with a dwindling economy.
The CNA, or nurses aide, as some CNA’s are referred to, only requires a few weeks training and sometimes this training is free through local nursing homes. Many community colleges also offer this course. A clean criminal background is important as most employers will do a background check before hiring. CNA training can be a stepping stone to higher education for a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse.
Many nursing assistants work in nursing homes, but they are also employed by doctors offices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, home care facilities, private homes, and many other facilities. CNA’s are performing more duties that the licensed practical nurse used to perform. This is another reason demand for them continues to increase. A large senior US population necessitates them as well.
What is the Work Like?
Most nursing assistants work under the direction of a registered or licensed practical nurse. They work directly with patients and assist with adult daily living activities such as eating, bathing, transferring, dressing, personal hygiene, and companion care. They also take vitals like blood pressure readings and record information. This work can be physically demanding in an environment where you must assist with multiple patients each day.
What is the Pay?
The median hourly pay was $11.46 in May 2008. The highest 10 percent of workers earned $15.97 per hour. This is a pretty decent wage for the amount of time it takes to get certified. Thousands of CNA’s are needed each year to help at all health care facilities around the world. If you are planning on moving into nursing, then this is a perfect field for you to get in to.