1. Health Care Careers

2. Four Main Categories of Health Care Careers
Therapeutic
Diagnostic
Informational
Environmental

3. Therapeutic Provides treatment to patients Physical Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Nursing
Speech/Language Pathology
Respiratory Therapy
Medical Psychology
Social Services
Pharmacy
Dietary
Sports Medicine

4. Physical Therapy
Provides treatment to improve large muscle mobility and prevent or limit permanent disability
Treatments may include:
Exercise
Massage
Hydrotherapy
Ultrasound
Electrical stimulation
Heat application

5. Occupational Therapy
Goal of treatment is to help patient regain fine motor skills so that they can function independently at home and work
Treatments may include:
Art/crafts to help with hand-eye coordination
Games/recreation to help patient development of balance/coordination
Social activities to assist emotional health

6. Speech/Language Pathology
Identify, evaluate, and treat patients with speech and language disorders
Aid patients in coping with problems created by speech impairments

7. Respiratory Therapy Treat patients with heart and lung diseases
Chronic diseases such as asthma, emphysema, COPD
Prevention of disease
Post-op patients to prevent development of pneumonia or atelectatsis

8. Respiratory Therapy Treatment may include: Oxygen Medications
Breathing exercises
Ventilators (care of)

9. Medical Psychology Concerned with mental well-being of patients
Treatment might include:
Group or individual therapy
Behavior modification
Muscle relaxation
Medications
Recreational therapies (art, music, dance)

10. Social Services
Aid patients by referring them to community resources for living assistance
Housing, medical, mental, financial
Social Worker responsibilities also include:
Child welfare
Geriatrics
Family
Correctional

11. Pharmacy
Dispenses medications per written orders of physicians, dentists, etc.
Provides patients with information on drugs and correct ways to use them
Ensures drug compatibility

12. Dietary Helps patients maintain nutritionally sound diets
Provides meals for patients in hospitals
Counsels patients with specific dietary needs
Diabetics
Low sodium diets

13. Sports Medicine Provides rehabilitative services to athletes
Teaches proper nutrition
Prescribes exercises to increase strength and flexibility or correct weaknesses
Applies taping/padding to protect body
Administers first aid for sports injuries

14. Nursing Registered Nurses (BSN/AD)
LPN or LVN (Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurses)
Specialties include:
Labor and Delivery
Neonatology
Emergency Room
Surgical
Pediatric

15. Diagnostic Services Medical Laboratory
Studies body tissues/fluids to determine if abnormality exists
Specialty areas include:
Microbiology
General
Histology
Virology

16. Diagnostic Services Imaging
Take images of body parts to determine abnormalities
Specialties include:
Diagnostic or General Radiology
MRI CT
Ultrasound
Special Procedures

17. Support Services Central Supply
Responsible for ordering, receiving, stocking and distributing all equipment and supplies used by healthcare facility
Sterilizes instruments or supplies
Packaging of surgical packs

18. Support Services Laundry
Responsible for providing clean linen for healthcare facility
Patient gowns
Bedding
Towels/washcloths

19. Biomedical Technology
Designs and builds biomedical equipment
Diagnose and repair defective equipment
Provide maintenance to all hospital equipment
Pilot use of medical equipment

20. Housekeeping and Maintenance
Maintain clean and safe environment
Include:
Housekeepers
Electricians
Carpenters
Gardeners

21. Informational Services
Documents and processes information
Admissions:
Usually first public’s first contact with hospital personnel
Checks patients into hospital and usually assigns patient rooms

22. Information Services Billing and Collections
Responsible for billing patients for services rendered
Insurance companies
Patient’s responsibility for bill

23. Information Services Medical Records
Maintains copies of patient’s records
Collates medical records
Transcription of dictation
Coding of diagnostic/billing information

24. Information Services Responsible for staff and patient education
Required in-services for staff
Yearly infection control in-service
Continuing eaducation units
Patient education
New parent inservices
Labor (lamaze) classes
Baby care
Health Education (Staff, Patient, Community)

25. Administrative Services
People who run the hospital
Hospital Administrators
Manage and oversee the operation of departments
Establish hospital policies and procedures
Perform public relation duties
Generally include: Hospital President, Vice-Presidents, Executive Assistants, and Department Heads

26. Traditional Organizational Chart

27. Board Administration Information Services Therapeutic Services
Diagnostic
Services
Support
Services
Admissions Billing, etc. Med. Records Computer Info. Health Ed. Human Resour.
PT, OT Speech/Lang. Resp. Therapy Pharmacy Nursing Dietary
Med. Lab Radiology Nuclear Med ER Cardiology Neurology
Central Supply Biomedical Housekeeping Maintenance Dietary Transportation

28. Pyramid demonstrates a symbolic organizational structure of a hospital.

29. Board Admin. Services Information Services Therapeutic Services
This is a simplistic organizational structure of a hospital. It allows the student to see the structure in a less abstract fashion. Explain that the line between Diagnostic and Therapeutic services is sometimes blurred due to new technological advances. (Example is interventional radiology.) Provide additional information on the role of physicians in acute care facilities. Point out that “Support Services” is at the bottom of the pyramid and thus supports the entire structure. Have the students note that the pyramid forms a hierarchy (in terms of levels of services). Food for thought might be: “Do you believe that these service levels could represent monetary compensation and occupational status?”
Diagnostic Services
Support Services