Focus Activity 2
Job listings in the health sector
Health care Assistant: The professions in this position work in both the hospitals as well as the community setting. Their role is usually very diverse depending on the health sector’s settings. This people are at times known as the nursing auxiliaries. They work with both the nurses as well as the midwives. Their duties include but not limited to serving food to patients and aid in feeding them when necessary, monitor various patients’ conditions such as temperatures and heart rates, and enhancing the comfort of the patient. The healthcare assistants work for a total of 37.5 hours in a week and this usually on a rotational basis and may include nights as well as weekends. They can also work on part time basis in a flexible manner. Qualifications needed include the QCF qualification either at the second or the third level. However, some employees may facilitate the attainment of this qualification during post-employment (Jackson, 2011). There are also possibilities of one enrolling to this position through apprenticeship. One should be caring as well as have an attitude that is compassionate.
A home health aide is a position that is common to those students taking nursing in medical school whereby some may end up working as health aides. Requirements are CPR training, negative TB results, and proof of current vaccination. Nursing Aides on the other hand have limited alternative that is only confined to their work stations. There is anticipation for the increase in their demands to up to 20%. Requirements are employment certification showing that one is a nursing aide; one can secure this position through on job training if he or she lacks the certification for employment. Licensed practical nurse should be highly skilled as compared to the aides and can carry out supervisory roles. On advancements in their training, some become registered nurses. Requirements include a practicing license, high school diploma, and an accomplishment of a training program that is approved by the state (Jackson, 2011). Registered Nurses are those nurses that must have specialized in various areas such as the medical or the patient’s area. They should be capable of performing complex tests as well as exams and also prescribe medicine. Requirements are bachelor’s degree from an institution that is recognized and a national exam on licensing.
In summary, of the five positions stated above such as the health care assistant, home health aide, nursing aide, licensed practice nurse as well as registered nurse, employers usually look for those candidates who fulfill all the set qualifications. In addition, they also ensure that they recruit or hire the best of the best through comparing the qualifications of potential candidates. Employers also seek for such employees as they basically perform the supportive role in their areas of work.
FOCUS ACTIVITY 3
1. What are the major reasons for the nursing shortage? Provide a statistic with the source citation for each answer you provide
Restrictions in enrolment for nursing programs that results of the American association college of nursing showed that the nursing programs in the United States turned off 76,659 applicants who were qualified in nursing programs due to lack of sufficient facilities as well as the budget constraints. Retirement of a larger segment of the nursing workforce and the human resource to health services forecasted that more than a million nurses who are registered will have scored the retirement age between the next 10-15 years (Holland & Roxburgh, 2012). That means that there will be more and more shortage of such professionals as the enrolment into this program is compromised. High rates of nurse’s turnover from where the research by Dr. Kovner showed that 13% of those nurses who were newly registered had already shifted to other jobs without even finishing one year after their registration.37% were also willing to go for other jobs.
2. What is the impact of the nursing shortage on patient care? Provide a statistic with the source citation for each answer you provide
Increased chances of re admission in a hospital as one registered nurse will be accountable for many patients at a time due to the shortage of nurses. The patients will also be negatively affected by the nursing shortage in that this will increase the number of deaths; the rates of infection together with an increment in hospital stay to patients. According to the latest England journal of medicine, 53% (physicians) and 65% of the members of the public claimed that the medical errors are as a result of shortage of nurses (Holland & Roxburgh, 2012).
3. List 5 current strategies to address the nursing shortage. Provide a source citation with each answer
Strategic coalitions among schools seeking support from the private sector to ensure that there is the expansion of the student capacity in nursing. The issues affecting the nursing faculty are addressed in a manner that will ensure that new nurses can complete their degree programmer within a period of 10 years of their licensure (Spann, 2010).Partnerships that link both the private and the public sector have been put in place. This has created an environment that is healthy to work as well as the application of technology in the process of training. The government of the United State under its ministry of labor has allocated some funds that will be used to curb the shortage of nurses. This money is issued in form of grants. The policies that led to shortage of nurses were reviewed and the faculties which offered the nursing course were diversified and their capacity expanded.
FOCUS ACTIVITY 4
Compare and contrast the similarities and differences of the following careers: physician, nurse practitioner, and physician assistant. Thoroughly cover topics of education, work description, work environment, opportunities, etc.
Nurse practitioners are those personnel who were initially registered as nurses but have acquired an additional masters or doctorate degree. They are capable of overseeing the activities of a clinic. Due to this reason, some may end up establishing their own specialties since they are given that opportunity of specializing. Physician assistants by contrast do not carry their activities alone as compared to the nurse practitioners. The doctors may at times be tasked with the responsibility of overseeing the activities of a physician assistant. Physician assistants in most cases do not have any nursing background. They usually advance from areas such paramedics, therapeutics and emergency personnel for them to later upgrade to physician assistant. A physician is knowledgeable on how to carry out correct diagnosis and treatment while a nurse practitioner on the other hand is trained with focus on ongoing treatment after a patient has been diagnosed.
The training period for a physician and that of a practicing doctor are almost the same. For instance, a physician will take a total of 7 years for him to become a full physician as one needs four years of study and 3 years of residence. On the other hand, the nursing personnel will undergo four year training in the nursing school then will also need approximately 2-3 years in pursuing either a masters or doctorate program respectively (Great Britain & Great Britain, 2011). Therefore, it is evident that from the above comparisons and similarities that the physicians tend to have more opportunities as compared to the others. This can be explained by the nature of their work environment in that some nurse practitioners aim at achieving some higher levels of education for them to be of a similar ranking to that of a practitioner so that they may also enjoy the existing privileges.
FOCUS ACTIVITY 5
Compare and contrast the similarities and differences of the following careers: physical therapy, occupational therapy, and recreational therapy. Thoroughly cover topics of education, work description, work environment, opportunities, etc
Physical therapy facilitates the mobility as well as the quality of life of a person through boosting one’s strength, endurance, posture as well as flexibility. Occupational therapy on the other hand is tailored towards enabling a person to meet the expectations of his or her employment. Occupational therapy differs from physical therapy in that physical therapy includes only the physical fitness of one’s body. This can be achieved through lifting of weights as well as doing a series of body exercise with the aim of keeping fit or rather burning body calories. Occupational therapy on the other hand only majorly focuses on dealing with the effects of a particular hazard in a working environment.
Activities such as treating wounds or any other injuries that are related to work are what entail occupational therapy. Both occupational and physical therapy may work hand in hand in that if a person is doing an exercise in a place like a gym room and ends up injuring himself, occupational therapy will be applicable in treatment. This means that occupational therapy can be used to curb the negative effects of physical therapy. Recreational therapy on the other hand is an independent therapy that is conducted in order to improve a person’s level of development in aspects of cognition physical and also emotional elements. This is similar to physical therapy since it also includes the physical elements of an individual’s development (Great Britain & Great Britain, 2011). A medical assistant is responsible for both the administrative as well as clinical work. The administrative work for them may include receiving telephone calls, booking patient’s appointments as well as ordering for office supplies. Their clinical role on the other hand involve assisting physicians, dressing the patients, removing sutures, sterilization of equipment as well as explanation of the intended clinical procedures to the patient. Therefore, it is evident that the medical assistance majorly performs the supportive role. Support is important in the health sector since efficiency is its final product.
References
Great Britain., & Great Britain. (2011). Annual accountability hearing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council: Seventh report of session 2010-12 : report. together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence. London: Stationery Office.
Holland, K., & Roxburgh, M. (2012). Placement learning in surgical nursing: A guide for students in practice. Edinburgh: Baillir̈e Tindall.
Jackson, Carolyn. (2011). Learning in the Workplace in Health and Social Care: A Practical Guide. Open Univ Pr.
Maxfield, M., & Parker, M. (2012). Placement learning in medical nursing: A guide for students in practice. Edinburgh: Baillir̈e Tindall.
Spann.J. (2010). Expanding America's Capacity to Educate Nurses. Washington.Robert Wood
