Spanning careers from data assistant to medical doctor, the health care field welcomes job-seekers who possess anything from basic certification to advanced degrees. Jobs can include behind-the-scenes responsibilities or more hands-on work with direct patient care. As this volume shows, students pursuing any of several degree paths can make a concrete difference in people’s lives through a health care career. Profiles of jobs in the nursing, dental, medical, and nutrition fields, among others, are included. Also highlighted are the variety of opportunities available to students of varying education levels, as well as the health care field’s fastest growing and most in-demand professions.

Introduction to Health Care & Careers provides students beginning their health care education with the fundamentals they need to develop their personal and professional skills, understand their chosen profession, and succeed in the world of health care.

In today’s technology-dependent world, seeking a career in information technology or information systems is both a pragmatic choice and an exciting, forward-thinking option. The demand for people to fill IT and IS positions is high, and the field is constantly evolving, offering plenty of outlets for creative thinkers. This useful guide walks readers through the educational paths that can prepare them most effectively for a job in information technology or information systems. The author weighs the pros and cons of certificate programs, two- and four-year degree programs, online degrees, and graduate degrees. A helpful, highly informative resource.

Essential Skills for Health Career Success strengthens the basic academic skills--such as reading, writing, science, and math--that students need for a successful career in healthcare. Used for a stand-alone course or as a supplement, this text is ideal for students who need a basic skills boot camp and for students enrolled in bridge courses. In addition to basic skill development, the text provides an overview to the healthcare industry; critical safety and infection control procedures; and legal and ethical considerations. Students are also introduced to basic medical terminology and the body systems that they will study in more detailed A&P courses at a later date. As an added plus, chapters on study skills and employability skills increase students' likelihood for success in the classroom and in the workplace. Real-life scenarios form the basis of practice problems that enhance student math, writing, and reading skills. Self-assessment opportunities allow students to gauge their skill level to determine which skills need further practice. Companion and mobile websites provide a variety of interactive activities to supplement the text and allow students to study on the go.

The Institute of Medicine study Crossing the Quality Chasm (2001) recommended that an interdisciplinary summit be held to further reform of health professions education in order to enhance quality and patient safety. Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality is the follow up to that summit, held in June 2002, where 150 participants across disciplines and occupations developed ideas about how to integrate a core set of competencies into health professions education. These core competencies include patient-centered care, interdisciplinary teams, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and informatics. This book recommends a mix of approaches to health education improvement, including those related to oversight processes, the training environment, research, public reporting, and leadership. Educators, administrators, and health professionals can use this book to help achieve an approach to education that better prepares clinicians to meet both the needs of patients and the requirements of a changing health care system.

The Future of Nursing explores how nurses' roles, responsibilities, and education should change significantly to meet the increased demand for care that will be created by health care reform and to advance improvements in America's increasingly complex health system. At more than 3 million in number, nurses make up the single largest segment of the health care work force. They also spend the greatest amount of time in delivering patient care as a profession. Nurses therefore have valuable insights and unique abilities to contribute as partners with other health care professionals in improving the quality and safety of care as envisioned in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enacted this year. Nurses should be fully engaged with other health professionals and assume leadership roles in redesigning care in the United States. To ensure its members are well-prepared, the profession should institute residency training for nurses, increase the percentage of nurses who attain a bachelor's degree to 80 percent by 2020, and double the number who pursue doctorates. Furthermore, regulatory and institutional obstacles-including limits on nurses' scope of practice-should be removed so that the health system can reap the full benefit of nurses' training, skills, and knowledge in patient care. In this book, the Institute of Medicine makes recommendations for an action-oriented blueprint for the future of nursing.

Spanning careers from data assistant to medical doctor, the health care field welcomes job-seekers who possess anything from basic certification to advanced degrees. Jobs can include behind-the-scenes responsibilities or more hands-on work with direct patient care. As this volume shows, students pursuing any of several degree paths can make a concrete difference in people’s lives through a health care career. Profiles of jobs in the nursing, dental, medical, and nutrition fields, among others, are included. Also highlighted are the variety of opportunities available to students of varying education levels, as well as the health care field’s fastest growing and most in-demand professions.