How many times have you stared at the walls in your cubicle, wishing that your professional life was more fulfilling? If you’re like most office workers, this happens to you at least once a day, probably more often than that.
Unfortunately, most of these forlorn daydreamers have no idea that breaking out of their professional rut is probably a lot easier than they ever imagined. If you’re willing to put in a few months or years of schooling, there are plenty of great opportunities for career changes in the healthcare field.
Better yet, you don’t need a bachelor’s degree in biology or physiology to go back to school to learn to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA), medical coder or nurse practitioner. In most cases, the degree you’ve already got is enough to open the door to a new career in healthcare.
Healthcare Career Options
When most of us think of health care career options, we normally focus on doctors nurses. Though those folks are extremely important, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. Behind the scenes at any hospital you’ll find dozens of healthcare assistants and administrators who didn’t have to go through decades of schooling to get their jobs.
If you’re really in a hurry to get working, you’ll want to look at a career as a CNA. These hardworking healthcare heroes are the ones who help care for the elderly in nursing homes – bathing them and making certain they’re being watched out for. While they do provide some basic medical services, such as taking blood pressure readings, most of their work is done on the move.
The good news about this healthcare career choice is that getting a CNA certificate takes just a few months. (Though you can expect to spend a few months working as an intern before securing full-time work.)
Becoming a Nurse
If you’re willing to put in a few years of schooling, you might find that working as a registered nurse is a rewarding avenue for career growth. Most registered nurse (RN) programs can be completed in about two years, if you’re attending full time.
Should you be interested in taking your nursing career further, you can extend your education from an RN to an nurse practitioner (NP) degree takes just a couple more years. NP’s are a step closer to medical doctors than your standard RN. They work closely with patients in a clinical setting and are increasingly in demand by all kinds of hospitals. Please visit www.nursepractitionerschoolguides.org for your guide to nurse practitioner school.
Finally
Most folks are pretty surprised when they find out how easy getting started in a career in the medical industry can be. Even the behind-the-scenes workers, like medical billing coders, enjoy a variety of schedules and some great benefits.
Between the impending wave of Baby Boomers and the long-term impact of Obamacare, we’re going to continue to see a lot of growth in this sector. That means there’s never been a better time for stepping out of your rut and getting into an exciting new healthcare career.