August 11th, 2009 by alexi
Nursing is a virtually recession-proof job that will always be in demand. My Colleges and Careers asked pediatric nurse practitioner SueAnn Hyland (R.N., P.N.P.) of Orange County, Calif., more about what she does on a daily basis.
Fun Fact: Married with two children, Hyland just completed her first triathlon last weekend. No big deal at all…
What made you interested in nursing?
My grandma was a Labor and Delivery nurse and growing up, my family and I always talked with her about her career which made me very interested in health care. As I got older, I recognized I really enjoyed working with and helping people and I was particularly keen on the variety of opportunities and flexibility within the world of nursing.
What are your typical daily responsibilities as a nurse?
Currently I work as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with two pediatrician’s in a pediatric office. I work completely autonomously in the care of children with ages ranging from birth - 21 years. My responsibilities include baby/child/teenage check-up’s and sports physicals, diagnosing and treating illnesses, writing prescriptions, and ordering and interpreting labs, x-rays and other tests.
What is your favorite part of the job?
My favorite of my job is building relationship with the families and children I take care of. I particularly enjoy helping new moms during the challenging transitions with a newborn and watching the baby grow as they visit the clinic regularly during the first 2 years of life. Also I really enjoying working with teens and helping them better understand and take care of their bodies. In my nursing career I have worked in a variety of settings and specialties including pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (ICU), neonatal ICU, pediatric ICU, and general pediatrics. Every area of nursing has its pros and cons, with unforgettable patients in each setting.
Every area of nursing has its pros and cons, with unforgettable patients in each setting.
Tags: health career, medical careers, nursing
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August 5th, 2009 by Kate Lehnhof
What is A Sonographer?
Sonography, or ultrasonography is using sound waves to produce images of organs, tissues, or blood flow inside the body. Layman’s terms: looking at your insides. Sonography is an alternative to radiology, which has been used for years to show pregnant moms their little nuggets. Sonographers operate the equipment, which collects the images that are photographed and examined by doctors. From these photographs physicians can diagnose patients.
By the Numbers
- More than half of all sonographers were employed by hospitals, and most of the rest were employed by offices of physicians, medical and diagnostic laboratories, and mobile imaging services.
- Diagnostic medical sonographers held about 46,000 jobs in 2006.
- Employment of diagnostic medical sonographers is expected to increase by about 19 percent through 2016—faster than the average for all occupations—as the population ages, increasing the demand for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic technology.
Preparation
Sonographers may train in hospitals, vocational-technical institutions, colleges and universities; employers prefer those who trained in accredited programs and who are registered. Colleges and universities offer formal training in both 2- and 4-year programs, culminating in an associate or a bachelor’s degree. Two-year programs are the most common.
Personality Profile
Hands and eyes would be great. Just teasing, but seriously hand-eye coordination is necessary to get good images. An affection or healthy tolerance for math and sciences is prime. People who go into sonography have to participate in continuting education. As technology advances and better images are produced, sonographers must learn about these new techniques and programs.
Perks
- Faster-than-average employment growth is expected.
- Sonography will likely become more popular and more in demand as people search for safer alternatives to radiology.
- Sonography doesn’t have the radioactive side effects taht radiology comes with.
Interesting Tidbit
Different specialities withing sonogrpahy include: Echocardiography (blood flow and blood vessels), Neurosonology (brain and spinal cord) and Gynecology (you guessed it, looking at little baby nuggets in the womb).
Show me the money
Annual earnings differed slightly between doctors’ offices and hospitals in 2002, averaging $50,390 and $47,530 respectively. The median overall earnings for diagnostic medical sonographers were $48,660. The highest and lowest ten percent earned $66,680 and $35,800 respectively, while the middle half made between $41,420 and $56,020.
Tags: health career, radiology, sonographpy
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July 31st, 2009 by alexi
Are you caring, sympathetic and love working with people? Are you emotionally stable, able to withstand human trauma, suffering and other medical-related stresses?
NATURE OF THE WORK
From Ambulatory care to Urology, there is something under the umbrella of nursing that could be right for you. Registered nurses (RNs) tasks include everything from recording patients’ medical histories and symptoms, educating patients on various medical conditions, providing support to patients’ family member, operating medical machinery, or administering medications.
RNs can specialize in various areas of patient care, like operating room nurses who assist surgeons, or according to specific health conditions, like diabetes management nurses. Other RNs specialize working with one or more organs or body systems (like dermatology nurses), or with a specific population demographic (like pediatric nurses who work with children).
Some RNs combine specialties. For example, a ‘pediatric oncology‘ nurse deals with children who have cancer.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: health, health care, health career, nursing
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July 15th, 2009 by Kate Lehnhof
What do Radiology Technician Do?
Radiology is the branch of health care that uses imaging technologies such as x-ray, radiation, ultrasound, nuclear medicine and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Radiologists technicians are trained to use imaging technology to produce images of the appropriate density, detail, and contrast. A senior diagnostic radiologist will then use the images to solve health mysteries. It’s like medical detective work, starting with the bones.
Areas of Specialty Within Radiology
- Computer Tomography (CT Scans)
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Mammograms
- Biopsy
- CAT Scans
- Gastrointestinal Radiology
- Sculoskeletal Radiology (muscle x-rays)
- Neuroradiology (brain x-rays)
- Radiation Oncology (imaging of patients with radioactive material in the body, usually from cancer treatment). Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: health career, radiology programs
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