TechnicalSchool.org » Healthcare

Pharmacy Technicians

Lesley Sproles — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:02:29 +0000

A lot of people don’t realize that most work done in the pharmacy is done by pharmacy technicians and not the pharmacists. The pharmacists do a very important job, without them we couldn’t have medications, but the pharmacy techs also do an important job. When you visit your local pharmacy you don’t often deal with the pharmacists. Often the one helping you behind the counter is the pharmacy techs. What exactly do they do? Well, they get the prescriptions ready to be signed off by a pharmacist. They contact doctor’s offices for prescriptions and help you with any questions. According to the US Bureau on Labor Statistics they make an average of $12 and $20 per hour depending on where and when they work. Hospitals employ pharmacy technicians to distribute and prepare medications within the pharmacy. It usually only takes a semester or two worth of classes to become a pharmacy tech.

Find a pharmacy technician schools today!

Work From Home

Lesley Sproles — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:08:06 +0000

My stepfather had spent thirty years working as a radiology technician at a hospital before he decided to retire. That only lasted about a month before he started to drive my mom crazy. She suggested he look for a small job. He decided to become a medical billing coder. He took an online course and was certified. Then the jobs came rolling in. Unfortunately for my mom, he’s still hanging around the house but at least he’s doing something.

Many doctor’s offices and other medical services outsource their medical billing coder specialist, often looking for those who work from home. A medical billing coder uses special codes for diagnoses and services for billing purposes. This system is used in every doctor’s office and hospital. Medicare also requires physicians to submit coded bills to be reimbursed. For example, the Medicare diagnosis code for an acute appendicitis is 540.0.

Medical biling coders work in a variety of health care settings from hospitals and doctors offices to claims departments at insurance companies and Medicare reveiw offices.

The certification programs are usually set up in series. There are many schools that offer the certification courses, including Heald and Everest College. The online class may require more discipline and study time then a class that you physically attend. Medical billing coders, also referred to as Health Information Technicians, and, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, can make anywhere from $28,000 to $45,000 per year. The job prospects are excellent for this line of work. Jobs are expected to increase 18% over the next few years.

This is type of job is great for stay-at-home parents, those with disabilities, and anyone else interested in working from home. There are also ample job opportunities within hospitals and doctors’ offices.

Search for a school now to find a medical billing and coding program just for you.

Pharm D.

Lesley Sproles — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 02:20:53 +0000

Did you know that pharmacists actually have their doctorate? It’s called a Pharm D. and takes between six and seven years to complete. Until recently pharmacists only needed a bachelor’s degree but that has changed. If you were great at chemistry in high school then you would probably make a good pharmacist because drugs are chemicals after all. If you are interested in becoming a pharmacist you will probably need to get a few gen eds. out of the way first. You can do a simple search on this site to locate a pharmacy school and then learn what the prerequisites are for entrance into a Pharm D. program. Getting into a pharmacy school can be pretty competitive. It’s no wonder since pharmacists make $83,000 to $120,000 per year, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The job prospects look pretty great too. In the next several years there is expected to be a 22 percent increase in available pharmacy jobs. Don’t get me wrong the work to get there is pretty hard but I would tough out six years of school for $120,000 a year. Sweet!

Can you see me now?

Lesley Sproles — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 02:38:56 +0000

A few years ago I broke my pinky during a softball game. It hurt like crazy and I actually passed out on the pitcher’s mound on my way to the in-field. Pretty embarrassing since it was just one little finger. A friend drove me to an urgent care center where a radiology technician took xrays of my finger. Yep, it was broken. In several places. Did you know they don’t give you casts for your fingers, only splints?

So this radiology technician, what exactly did she do? Well she took an xray of my finger. My step-dad spent twenty five years as a radiology technician. He said it was pretty tough work and he’s seen some pretty awful things but he also said it was very rewarding.

Radiology technicians prepare and take xrays in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and other out patient facilities. An xray can save your life.One guy I knew was in a car accident. He was having trouble breathing and the ER docs couldn’t figure out why. An xray showed that a broken rib had punctured and collapsed his lung. They inserted a chest tube and he was all better. Rad Techs, as they’re known in the field, usually get certified in two to three years. Many trade schools offer these programs. Rad Tech jobs are expected to grow 15% in the next few years. According to the US Bureau on Labor Statistics they make anywhere from $40,000 to $70,000 per year. Rad Techs can also go on to become certified CT techs, US techs and a variety of other diagnostic imaging technicians.

To find a radiology technician school in your area, visit our school search page.

More Than Just Nursing

Lesley Sproles — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:48:58 +0000

You’d be surprised at how many jobs there are at a hospital. And the majority of them aren’t nurses. Respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, radiology technicians, and medical coding/billing specialists are just a fraction of the types of jobs at a hospital. Many of them only require two years, or less, of schooling but they pay excellent. Like I’ve said before, health care is growing at a ridiculous pace and there is an increasing shortage of job applicants for these jobs.

You can train for some of the jobs, like a medical coding/billing, with an online program or through certificate programs offered at some community colleges.

Search for a school now to find a successful and rewarding career in health care.

Financing Your Nursing Career

Lesley Sproles — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:42:16 +0000

One of the biggest hurdles of going to school is finding the money. Fortunately, there is a lot of financial help out there for nursing students. Scholarships, grants, loans, and tuition reimbursement all help pay for school. If you start working part-time or fill-time at a hospital many of them offer tuition reimbursement programs. They will give you money to go to school.

Some bigger hospitals are offering big sign-on bonuses for nurses because there is such a huge nursing shortage. Some hospitals will offer as much as $20,000 to help you pay off student loans. Federal loans are another great option. Once you have applied to a school visit www. fafsa.gov to apply for financial aid.

As Seen On TV: Not So Much

Lesley Sproles — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:23:46 +0000

Have you ever watched Grey’s Anatomy or any of the old Er reruns? The nurses are pretty much pushed into the back ground and the doctors do all the work. This is a total misrepresentation of what nurses actually do. When a patient is admitted to the hospital nurses provide the primary care and the doctors visit the patient for a few minutes daily. The nurses call the physicians for orders but they facilitate most of the care.

Nurses insert foley catheters and feeding tubes, they do dressing changes and monitor critically ill patients. Nursing today isn’t like it was fifty years ago. Nurses don’t wear white dresses and caps (maybe on graduation day) they wear scrubs and lab coats. They start IVs and other simple procedures.

There are so many different types of nursing jobs available. You could care for preemies or the elderly. You could be a home health nurse or work in the ER at a hospital. The advancement opportunities are out of this world. You could become a nursing director or a Nurse Practitioner.NPs work with doctors, performing many functions of a physician. They see patients in an office setting and in hospital settings. They can also write prescriptions. While this type of nursing requires an advanced degree, you only need your Associates degree to become a certified nurse.

Do you think you could handle the heat? Search for nursing programs now!

Want to be a Nurse?

Lesley Sproles — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:03:31 +0000

The other day I talked about the great job opportunities for CNAs (Certified Nursing Assistance). What I didn’t mention was that almost all nursing programs require their students to become CNAs first. This is where many nursing students get their first clinical experiences in hospital settings.

If you’re kicking around the idea of becoming a nurse becoming a CNA first is a great start. It’s usually one class and sometime spent in a clinical setting. A clinical setting is just hands-on experience taking care of patients. This is a really great place to start and will allow you to see if you’re really cut out for the nursing profession. It’s mostly guts and not so much glory but it can be highly rewarding for the right person.

There are several schools that offer CNA courses and many community colleges offer the programs also. You can do a quick search on this website to find CNA programs in your area. Visit our Find Schools page to begin your search now.

Too Cool For School?

Lesley Sproles — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:47:18 +0000

Did you know that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics that technical jobs will have an average growth of 50% by 2016? It makes blue collar look pretty good considering some guy with his MBA was ringing up my groceries today. One of the biggest jumps will be in home health and personal care aides.

The baby-boomers are aging and many of them need full or part-time care. Nursing homes are busting at the seems and agencies are scrambling to find qualified CNA (certified nursing assistant) to fill the positions. This is a really great way for people to give back to the community by caring for the disabled and elderly. It also pays pretty well too. The average salary for a home health aide is around $14 an hour with a high of almost $20 an hour depending on where you work.

It only takes one semester or less of training to get certified to become a CNA. CNAs work in nursing homes, hospitals, home health agencies, and even in private homes as personal aides.

If you’re compassionate and have a knack for caring for others then this could be a great place to start. Check back tomorrow for more info on becoming a CNA.