Are you already in the workforce, but looking for a change? Perhaps what you need is a new job, ideally with flexible working hours, a good hourly wage, and the possibility of advancement, both in terms of salary and status? A job where you can help others? For many mature students, a health sciences college becomes a launch pad to a rewarding second career. In fact, it could even be argued that, for some of the professions that a health sciences program can lead to, such as X-ray technician or ultrasound technician, that maturity and life experience can be a major asset. After all, patients seeking diagnostic imaging tests can sometimes feel vulnerable, and worried about their health, their futures and, not to mention, their families. A steady, guiding hand – a good “test-side manner”– can be reassuring, even therapeutic, and a welcome presence in any clinic or emergency room. X-ray tech as a second career choice Graduates of health sciences college who go on to work as an X-ray technician (or radiologic technologist, as it is sometimes called) are equipped to perform certain diagnostic imaging tests on patients. Graduates of this kind of program can expect to make anywhere from $30,000 to $75,000 a year (or an hourly wage of $14 to $32). In health sciences college, aspiring X-ray technicians learn how to perform X-rays, but that is not all. The diagnostic imaging tests taught in health sciences program can include: - CT scans: a test to detect, amongst other problems, tumors and hemorrhaging - MRI scans: a test often used to image cancer in the body - mammograms Judging by the sensitive, stressful and intimate nature of some of these diagnostic imaging tests, it is not surprising that many schools of health science are eager to open their doors to mature students, who will have the people skills as well as the technical skills to shepherd understandably anxious patients through the diagnostic process. Ultrasound technician Many people associate the words “ultrasound” or “sonogram” with pregnancy. We’ve all seen ultrasound printouts of a family’s first glimpse of their infant-to-be, with a charming outline of a foot, or of a silhouette that recalls Mommy or Daddy. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of the mature students enrolled in ultrasound studies at health sciences college actually spawned an interest in the profession by using the services of an ultrasound technician themselves. But, as schools of health science quickly make clear, ultrasound technology has many uses, including: - emergency uses: some graduates go on to perform ultrasounds on patients in emergency - veterinary uses: some graduates of a health sciences program may go on to practice their trade with animals rather than humans. Ultrasound is used, for example, to assess injuries in horses and cattle. Health sciences college can be an attractive option for mature students with experience in another field. Visit Mohawk College for more information on a health sciences program.
When you are sick, you call your doctor. Actually, you call your doctor’s receptionist, who sets up an appointment for you. At the appointment, your doctor may give you a slip for a lab test, an ultrasound or an X-ray. They may refer you to a specialist. Although your doctor is at the helm, your care is clearly provided by a team, whose members boast a wide range of healthcare training, including training in health and technology. Here are some health courses to consider if you are interested in a technology-based healthcare career. Electrocardiography One type of healthcare training that involves technology is learning how to administer electrocardiography (ECG), a noninvasive test used to measure the activity of the heart. In health courses, ECG technicians learn how to use this technology to assess certain parts of the heart for damage. One can easily imagine how many cardiac patients must feel grateful that this kind of healthcare training exists! Ultrasound The decisions that doctors make are often based on such diagnostic imaging tests as ultrasounds. These tests are performed by graduates of health and technology courses. Ultrasound is a sound or wave that exerts pressure on the body to produce images of what is going on within. Ultrasound has a wide range of diagnostic uses, including in prenatal and cardiac care. Graduates of this kind of healthcare training can find employment in a wide range of environments, including public and private clinics. Pacemaker assessments Patients with pacemakers are well positioned to appreciate the important link between health and technology. And, as such, they are dependent on the training of graduates of health courses, who are able to analyze the performance of their pacemakers and detect any malfunction as early as possible. Radiation therapy technology One of our best weapons in the fight against cancer is radiation therapy. Technicians learn in health courses how to operate the equipment that administers cancer-fighting radiation treatments to patients. One important aspect of this healthcare training is learning how to properly protect oneself and others from hazardous materials. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring Your doctor or nurse can take your blood pressure in their office, but, due to patient anxiety, these levels are sometimes not considered trustworthy. In cardiac technology health courses, aspiring technicians learn how to equip patients with a blood pressure monitoring system that can take their blood pressure outside of the clinic, and, in some cases, without them necessarily being aware of it. Whether an ECG, an ultrasound, a pacemaker, radiation therapy or out-of-office blood pressure monitoring, health and technology have become inextricably linked, suggesting that students who undertake technology-based health courses may have bright futures indeed, with many opportunities to help people. Visit Mohawk College for more information on health and technology.
You’re always on the computer, but unlike other people, it’s not to chat with friends or to update your profile picture: it’s to create applications or to learn more about the equipment itself. You’ve thought about going into information technology as a career, but wonder if there is anything else that you can do. You particularly like the idea of helping people. Knowing that you were using your innate skills to help others would infuse your life with extra meaning. Sound like you? Then you may want to consider technology-based healthcare training. Someone like you who lives and breathes computers could, for instance, consider taking the following healthcare training: medical computing, ultrasound technician and radiation therapist. Medical computing Medical computing is a broad term that could refer to a wide range of health courses: - medical data processing: e.g., making billing software so simple that it affords a team at a medical clinic more time to apply their skills learned in healthcare training to patient care, rather than leaving them to muddle through long and inefficient administrative tasks. - medical software engineering: imagine creating software that makes the diagnostic imaging process even just a little bit more accurate so that graduates of ultrasound health courses can report back to patients and doctors with that much more confidence - biomedical computing: in this health and technology field, practitioners learn how to apply the problem-solving, pattern-recognizing abilities of computers to improving human health These are just some of the many health and technology opportunities computers present. Ultrasound and computers Students who enroll in health courses to learn how to become ultrasound technicians are asked to have certain social skills, as well as a high level of manual dexterity. But they should also be comfortable with the intersection of health and technology. They should be prepared to master new equipment over the course of their careers, and should be determined to get the most out of their existing technology. Radiation therapist Healthcare training in this sector prepares students for such jobs as X-ray technician or radiation technologist, operating the machines that dispense potentially life-saving radiation therapies to oncology patients. People who take these kinds of health courses must be as interested in machinery as they are in people. Health and technology are here two shared passions! Health and technology have become inextricably linked. A doctor would have trouble correctly diagnosing and treating patients without the help of the graduates of healthcare training who know the ins-and-out of the equipment. We are dependent on ultrasound machines, computer programs, etc.! People with technology skills are needed in all industries, but especially in health care. One way to find out more about health and technology careers is to phone up schools in your area to ask about career options. Good luck! Visit Mohawk College for more information on healthcare training and general health courses.
Knowing that you want to pursue a healthcare career, but not exactly which kind, can be uncomfortable. Should you apply to medical school or dental school? A physical therapy program or a speech pathology program? Or, as we will discuss here, a pharmacy technician program or a nursing degree. At first glance, these two programs may not sound like they have a lot in common. After all: - a graduate of a nursing program can expect to earn a higher salary than a graduate of a pharmacy program. - training to work in a pharmacy as a technician takes less time than training to become a nurse. - graduates of a pharmacy technician program can find work in a supermarket, drugstore, or hospital pharmacy, but nurses are more likely to work in an a hospital or clinical setting, or in a private home. - Becoming a nurse can mean embarking on a path of lifelong learning. Many nurses return to school after graduation to pursue such specializations as newborn nursing or palliative care; to learn about new developments in the field; and, to qualify for better paid positions. But, a pharmacy technician program also has some fairly significant overlap with a nursing program in that both programs attract people who: - want to help others – These are both caring professions. If you prefer the idea of chatting with a customer across the counter, opt for a pharmacy technician program. If you like the idea of participating more directly in the hour-to-hour care of a patient, opt for nursing. - who are willing to work irregular (i.e., not 9 to 5) hours. - can pass a criminal background check with flying colours. - have good communication skills. - are prepared to observe a code of ethics. - are organized. - are responsible. In fact, some people leave nursing to pursue a pharmacy technician program, and vice versa. In a nutshell, nursing pays better, but can be more stressful. But nurses who switch to working in a pharmacy should be forewarned that they may find it difficult to resist the urge to share their past professional knowledge with clients, who must legally be referred to the pharmacist for medical information of this kind. A pharmacy technician program, like a nursing program, prepares students for a career that is: - based on science - but geared towards patients or clients Like nurses, grads of pharmacy technician programs must be prepared to work long hours on their feet. They must be alert for signs of drug-seeking behavior in clients. Like graduates of a nursing program, pharmacy technicians should be able to secure employment fairly easily. So no matter what you decide, you should be able to start earning shortly after graduation. Visit Mohawk College for more information on a nursing degree.
Graduates of nursing in schools in Canada know that they are facing a bright future, with an in-demand job. What makes this future even brighter though, is the possibility of picking up extra work from time to time, to meet a financial goal. 1. Work in a rural or remote area. Graduates of nursing schools in Canada have a special way to make extra money: The government offers extra benefits to nurses who chose to work in rural or remote areas, which are traditionally under-served by trained healthcare professionals. The Canadian government offers the following incentives for graduates of nursing college who set up practice in rural or remote areas: - a $4,500 recruitment allowance paid in two equal installments when the contract begins and one year into the contract - graduates of nursing schools in Canada who take part-time or full-time work in remote First Nations communities may qualify for a retention allowance starting in their second year of employment - graduates of nursing college who work full-time in certain remote communities can see up to three return trips per year reimbursed by Health Canada These initiatives, which are meant to ensure equal access to health care for all Canadians, regardless of where we live, have an added benefit for graduates of nursing college, in that they can make it easier for graduates to meet their financial goals, whether it is to pay off their student loans, save for a maternity or paternity leave, or to buy a first home. 2. Take on extra shifts. One advantage of shift work is that it often allows you the flexibility to play with your schedule. Hoping to make a lump sum payment on your mortgage this year? Got a child whose overbite demands braces? Nursing college graduates have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that in the event of a financial crisis, they can speak to their manager about picking up extra shifts. 3. Teach a class in your community. As a graduate of nursing school, you have specialized knowledge. Perhaps you can take advantage of this knowledge by offering a class, for example, on preparing for childbirth or on supporting an ageing parent as they move into a nursing home. Boost your résumé and your bank account at the same time! 4. Sign up with a temp agency. Can’t get any extra shifts at your existing organization? Some temp agencies are more than happy to have graduates of nursing school on their call list. 5. Be a baby nurse. Some new parents aren’t content to have simply a nanny on staff for their childcare needs. Some prefer to have a registered nurse watch over their infants, especially at night, at least during the newborn stage. Graduates of nursing school can sell themselves as highly specialized newborn nighttime nannies. Happy moonlighting! Visit Mohawk College for more information on nursing schools in Canada.
Breast cancer is one of the oldest forms of cancer that we know about. This is because unlike most other cancers of the internal organs, breast cancer can be felt and sometimes seen without the use of technological equipment. Sadly, however, simply because it is easier to diagnose breast cancer does not mean it is easier to treat. When breast cancer becomes plainly noticeable, there is a great likelihood that it is already in later stages of development. Today, we are aware that the best fight against any cancer is early detection. In regards to breast cancer, mammograms are the most common form of regular testing and are recommended for all women over 40 years old to get tested every few years. Mammography utilizes low-energy X-rays that detect irregularities in the breast tissue. Up until not long ago, film was used as a way of detecting and recording the mammogram results, known as film-screen mammography. Today, with the advancements of digital technology, film is being replaced with digital detectors, otherwise known as full-field digital mammography. What are some of the differences between the two systems and what are some of the advantages of digital mammography? Density Digital mammography is far more sensitive when it comes to creating images than film mammography. Because the X-rays must penetrate breast tissue, which can be very dense, the more sensitive the detector the better the quality of the image. More importantly than image quality is the digital capability of perceiving or picking up on things that would be concealed under tissue density with film. Radiation Digital mammography uses lower doses of radiation than its predecessor. There is always a slight risk that when undergoing regular X-ray examinations, that radiation could cause cancer, although this risk is negligible compared to non-detection of tumors. Nevertheless, the lower the radiation, the better. Storage and Transmission Digital mammograms create digital images which can be altered or modified whereas film images cannot. This means that factors like lighting, blurriness, and magnification can be easily manipulated with digital images. Also, because they are digital, they can be copied, stored and sent electronically much easier than with film. The speed and ease of patient information-sharing plays a strong role in the optimal treatment of cancer. Full-field digital mammography is an example of how health and technology work together to provide more accurate and more efficient detection of breast cancer, which results in fewer cases of breast cancer mortality. The one significant disadvantage to digital mammography is the cost of the equipment, and thus fewer people have access to this equipment for the time being. But in the long run, the considerations of cost are far less important than providing the best medical services and ultimately saving lives. Healthcare training should continue to maximize the use and understanding of digital technologies as much as possible. With the progress made in mammography as an example, digital technology should extend beyond cancer detection into all aspects of the healthcare industry. Visit Mohawk College for more information on health courses.
The first pharmacies, or drugstores, can date all the way back to the Middle Ages in Baghdad. This is not to say that chemical compounds from plants were not used prior to this in ancient times. But with the development and recording of botanical studies and chemistry in the Islamic world of the Middle Ages, the time had become ripe for the proper classification and subsequent merchandising of medicine for everyday commercial use. Europe trailed behind the Middle Eastern world for several centuries until drugstores began springing up across the continent in the 13th century. Today, drugstores are everywhere, from strip-malls to airports, from bustling urban centres to small-town general stores. And they are no longer limited to just prescription medicine, but one can find all sorts of over-the-counter drugs, not to mention toiletries, cleaning products, greeting cards and food. But this isn’t the only type of pharmacy to endure since Medieval times. Pharmacies today can be divided into two categories: community and institutional. Community Pharmacies This is the case where pharmacists as healthcare professionals simultaneously act as retailers, as in shop-workers. The basic design of one of these pharmacies is a store divided into two sections, a general store area where consumers can shop freely as in any supermarket, and a back area which acts as a dispensary. This restricted area houses the prescribed medications and it is where pharmacists help customers understand the proper usage of their prescriptions. This type of pharmacy is rightly named because it is truly integrated into the community, with as much of an emphasis on drug preparation as customer relations. Undertaking pharmacy technician training prepares one equally for both aspects of the job as these qualities must come together to provide the best service for the community. Institutional Pharmacies We are much less familiar with institutional pharmacies as opposed to community ones. This is mostly because as regular, everyday consumers, we are well-provided for by our community drugstores. Institutional pharmacies normally handle the pharmaceutical and medicinal needs of other industries in healthcare that aren’t based on a single customer relationship. Examples of institutions these pharmacies deal with are hospitals, nursing homes and even military facilities. Sometimes institutional pharmacies are located on the site of these other institutions. Otherwise, they may have their own facilities and utilize regular courier and delivery services to distribute medication. Along with the massive production and distribution of medicine, institutional pharmacies can also apply statistical analysis. This means that they keep constant records of the efficacy of certain medicines, its frequency of usage, its consumptive demographics, as well as other resource, manufacturing and cost considerations. This information is then shared and integrated with other healthcare specialists in a constant effort to improve the quality, efficiency and availability of prescription drugs. Not only can hospitals and pharmaceutical manufacturers benefit from this information, but schools of Health Science can as well. Becoming a pharmacist gives one many options for the exact nature of work and work environment. Whether one is interested in working with a community or working at an institutional level, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians will always serve a valuable role to society. Visit Mohawk College for more information on applying to a Health Science college.
The human body comes with several anatomical openings. Since our initial trips to the family doctor, we have become accustomed to having lights, tongue-depressors and thermometers placed near or inside our mouths, ears and other orifices. Having this natural access to the inner workings of our body is a great way to monitor, regulate and heal the everyday functioning of the body, its temperature, pulse, and susceptibility to infections. Many medical procedures are not possible without some form of surgical entry into the body. These procedures can range from minimally invasive procedures to full open surgery. Skin must be broken and new anatomical openings must be carried out for these procedures. Although the extent of invasion ranges, most often there will be some damage to biological tissue. Risks with these kinds of procedures are bleeding, infection, internal organ injury, blood clotting and could sometimes lead to death. Fortunately, modern technology has produced some wonderful instruments and devices that allow for what is known as non-invasive medical procedures. Although the origins of non-invasive procedures goes back centuries and involves some of the simplest forms of examination, like pulse-taking and the use of stethoscopes for lung sounds, the range of internal organs that can be examined today has vastly increased. Proper healthcare training has now become intimately tied to the knowledge of such technological devices, for example, the electrocardiography machine (ECG). Compared to the stethoscope, which allows a physician to hear the heart beating and make temporal judgements based on the beats per minute, the ECG machine uses advanced electrical signals to monitor the activity of the heart. Because the device works by placing electrodes to the outer-surface of the skin, the procedure is one hundred per cent non-invasive, and carries zero risk of invasive procedures, such as endovascular surgeries which monitors the heart by accessing major blood vessels. It is however important to keep in mind that simply because the medical risk is significantly lower with ECGs and other non-invasive procedures, that careful and thorough training is still absolutely necessary. Health courses in ECG theory and practice must cover a wide range of topics, such as: · equipment maintenance · error-recognition · signal-averaged ECG · trans-telephonic monitoring · ambulatory ECG monitoring · Holter hook-up techniques · analysis of rate, rhythm, axis, blocks, hypertrophy, ischemia, injury, infarction, pacemakers and electrolyte imbalance · and much more Aside from the technological training required to operate this machine, the practitioner must be familiar with ethical and legal aspects of its use. Again, simply because it is not an invasive surgical operation, one cannot neglect the proper procedure for attaining patient consent, privacy, and confidentiality regarding the patient’s health. It is certainly advantageous to employ technology if it helps us avoid having to physically enter the body for a medical procedure. As long as we do not lose sight of the complexities of machines like ECG monitors and devote sufficient training to its application, technology will only continue to be at our service. Visit Mohawk College for more information on programs related to health and technology.
For a long time, we have used X-Ray technology to get a better glimpse inside the body. This has helped us not only get a better understanding of our biology, but to diagnose and further treat cancer and various other internal diseases, as well to pinpoint the location and severity of physical damage mostly related to bone fracture. There was one simple short-coming with this old method: the images produced by traditional X-Rays were two-dimensional, and the physical world, including the body, is three-dimensional. Clearly, any resulting images that lacked this third dimension would limit our complete view of the internal body. Then along came X-Ray technology that made use of tomography. In simple terms, tomography, or a tomograph machine creates images by cross-scanning a three-dimensional object and producing image sections, which would later be reassembled to form a three-dimensional representation of the scanned object. This technology has become widely used in many areas of research industry aside from radiology, for example in fields as diverse as archaeology, oceanography and astrophysics. Today we are familiar with the process of CT scans and CAT scans. We’ve seen it in hospitals and often on television and in movies. It looks like the long, white, sterile bed that passes the patient through the opening of a large machine with a circular aperture, practically out of a science fiction film possibly dealing with teleportation. Once the scan takes the sectional images, or slices, a certain meshing process known as digital geometric processing generates a three-dimensional image of the inside of the patient. Learning to read and understand these images is a vital part of healthcare training in radiation sciences. Since computed tomography uses X-Rays and literally passes the human body through this high-powered radiation machine, most people may have their fears that it can include a risk of cancer. This is not entirely unfounded, but the actual amounts of documented cases of cancer from CT and CAT scanners are extremely low. Nevertheless, the proper health and technology background is necessary to understand all of the various risks of this procedure, before simply endorsing its benefits. Exposure to radiation is a risk, but for those who already have cancer, the chances of being able to locate and treat the cancer with a CT scan far outweigh the chances of the cancer increasing. Other negative side-effects are that the patient can have a negative or even allergic reaction from the iodine, which is used as a contrast material which is distributed throughout the body for the process of imaging. The iodine, or other contrast agents, can sometimes also produce kidney problems, since the kidneys are used to flush out the iodine. Overall, the benefits certainly do outweigh the risks. Computed tomographic scans are a relatively quick and painless procedure, and while it is not a cure or treatment in itself, it greatly facilitates the diagnostic process. This is important because CT and CAT scans are generally used to detect severe and life-threatening illnesses, which no doubt trump the discomfort or allergic reactions caused by the contrast agents. In these cases, time is a crucial factor, and any technology which buys us more time is worth the drawbacks. Visit Mohawk College for more information on health courses.
A pill isn't always just a pill, and a dose isn't always as simple as taking a dose. There are times when our medical and pharmaceutical needs require extensive organization. The risk of over or under dosing, or taking the wrong pills can sometimes be quite serious. Some medication cancels out others, while others can have very bad reactions when taken with others. While we are normally responsible for being aware of our prescription medicine procedures, it is good to know that there are healthcare professionals out there who have the training to help us keep our drugs organized. This is why our healthcare specialists, like pharmacy technicians, get more than theoretical and practical knowledge of the science of prescription drugs. Being able to properly communicate with patients about their doses and procedures is a large part pharmacy practice. It is often considered part of the pharmacist's community training, and it has several key components: - The proper use of dossettes: while this sounds like a cute, diminutive word meaning 'little doses,' you may have seen these special compartmentalized pill cases divided by days of the week, or even times of the day. Knowing how to demonstrate proper use and accuracy when dispensing medication in dossettes is a key factor when a patient will be using many drugs over extended periods of time and may not have the chance for further consultation with the pharmacist. - Identifying and labeling a variety of products: based on shape, color, size and engravings, these visual and tactile devices are extremely useful for distinguishing between different medications. The pharmaceutical technician needs to have a good familiarity when working in the lab or the back of the pharmacy, as well as when explaining the medication to patients. - Listening and taking verbal orders: while pharmaceutical technicians are not doctors, there is still a fair amount of communicating with patients and customers, listening to any concerns or personal problems and understanding specific circumstances. - Checking completed prescriptions: prescription drugs undergo various stages from the lab to the pharmacy to the patients themselves. Because of the sensitivity and possible health repercussions of these products, it is a vital part of pharmacy technician training to know all the steps and to be able to make a final confirmation of the exactness of a prescription before giving it to a patient, being familiar with a series of checklists and proofing the labels and instructions. Knowing how to help a patient and customer stay organized and avoid mistakes begins with formal education in schools of health science and is continued on the job. Just as being a great student starts with being organized, so is organization a continual factor in being a great pharmacist and ensuring that people get the best pharmaceutical assistance. Visit Mohawk College for more information on attending a health science college.
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