Naturally, your regular job is going to have an impact on your overall health, wellbeing, and mood. If you have a job which you don’t find fulfilling and which you don’t enjoy, the chances are high that your mood is going to be low, and your mental health may be severely impacted.When it comes to rewarding career choices, healthcare is one of the most prominent options.
This is due to the amount of support and service you will be offering to those in need daily. Jobs such as becoming an FNP, a doctor or a therapist can be very rewarding career choices which will allow you to work helping people every day.
So, could a healthcare career improve your mood? If your mental health regarding your career relies on a promising career path with a focus on compassionate service and helping others, there is a chance that a healthcare career could be the right one for you.
The Positives of Working in Healthcare
Below are listed the positives of working in healthcare.
- A diverse number of career paths you can go down
What can boost your mood when it comes to your career is knowing that you have a future and knowing that you have many options available. Nothing can dampen your mental health more than feeling as though you have hit a dead end with your work. Luckily, careers in healthcare can see you exploring many diverse working opportunities, within a range of different specializations. For instance, if you have an interest in nursing, there is always the possibility to progress to a master’s level or become an FNP to advance your career.
There is always something more to learn when it comes to healthcare.
- The possibility of working closely with individuals and families to make a positive difference
Some positions, such as an FNP, family doctor or counselor, can see you working very closely with your patients and getting to know them on a personal level. This can be very rewarding when you can offer healthcare support and see just how much it is making a positive difference in the lives of others. It can better help you to form positive relationships within your career.
- It is a stable career path
When you are working within healthcare, there will always be an opportunity for full-time hours and regular working patterns. There is usually a demand for extra work or longer shifts. Healthcare is something which is always needed, which means that any position within healthcare is going to see you with a steady stream of consistent work.
That means that there is limited risk of stress or low mood regarding financial concerns or job security.
Furthermore, the development opportunities, such as progressing to the next level as an FNP, a surgeon at the top of their field or a therapist with a wealth of clients, will always be there.
- A supportive working atmosphere
Healthcare is dependent on good communication and support. Teams need to work together to deliver the best possible care for patients. It is the perfect environment to discuss the best possible care and discuss options as a team, such as an FNP discussing what is best for their patients, or surgical staff discussing an operation.
When you are working within a community atmosphere and with the support of a whole team behind you, this can be a significant mood boost. You will feel confident and positive in the knowledge that your team has your back, and that you always have somebody to go to should you need extra support.
- You are helping people
What could be considered the biggest plus of all is the fact that you will be working to impact the lives of others daily positively. Depending on your role, this could be a compassionate and positive presence in the lives of patients, delivering a much-needed service to help others, or even saving the lives of others. There is nothing which can boost a mood more within a career than knowing that you have made a positive difference in someone else’s life.
Roles such as becoming an FNP mean that you can work closely with families to improve their lives for the better. You get to work with families every day and know that you are helping them.
- You can promote your own wellness through the wellness of others
Some healthcare job roles, such as holistic therapy, becoming an FNP and massage therapy, embrace a focus on overall wellness. This means that, while you’re always concentrating on the health and wellbeing of your patients or clients, you can always apply the same logic to your own lifestyle and circumstance, meaning it can much easier to adapt holistic methods to boost positive mood.
The Negatives of Working in Healthcare
As with any job, there are going to be some downsides. When debating whether a career in healthcare could improve your mood, it is important to understand both sides of the coin. That being said, some of the ‘downsides’ of working in healthcare may be concepts which would not bother you, or else would be worth a little extra stress for a rewarding career overall.
So, what could be the negatives of working in healthcare?
- You will usually be working long hours
Healthcare jobs are notorious for long and arduous hours, a lot of which may be unsociable. However, how these long hours may impact you is personal to you. It may be that you do not mind working long hours as long as you know that the job gets done. Or it may be that you thrive on long hours and feel as though you are rewarded after a long workday.
- It can be very stressful
When you are responsible for the care of patients and for delivering a time-restricted care service, this can be extremely stressful. Any job comes with stress, but it may be that long hours coupled with pressure, sees healthcare positions being a lot more stressful than other jobs.
The amount of stress can be very much dependent on your job role or working environment, however. Working in a busy emergency walk-in clinic, for example, is going to be infinitely more stressful than working on an appointment-only basis, or working in a role which sees you dealing with the same patients consistently, like an FNP.
- You may have to deal with challenging patients
There is no doubt that you cannot control the type of patients you have to deal with. Furthermore, high-pressured circumstances, such as patients who are struggling or who are in pain, may mean that positive interactions are a lot more difficult.
There are many roles within healthcare which can allow you to get a better control on the type of patients who you liaise with, however. For example, you could choose to specialize in childcare or young adult care if you wish to avoid awkward adults. Or you could become an FNP to work more closely with the same patients throughout their lifetime, and therefore have more opportunity to form more positive relationships.
- The salary may not be the best, at first
A lot of healthcare positions require you to work your way up to a certain role, as well as put in the training hours to learn on-the-job. Your training may go unpaid or at a very low wage, or particular roles may take a while to develop a higher pay grade. Nevertheless, working towards a higher role and earning a higher pay, such as taking your nursing qualification to a master’s level as an FNP, can be very rewarding for those who are career-oriented and want to see their hard work pay off. This can be a big mood booster if you can see what all your hard work has achieved.
The Various Jobs in Healthcare
To find the most rewarding position in healthcare, and therefore feel your best within your career as often as you can, it’s important to know which options are out there for you, and which career position would be best for you.
There are so many options when it comes to healthcare regarding a career path. What you might want to choose depends on your own career goals, working environment preferences, qualifications and more.
Pharmacist
This role entails using medical expertise to assist with minor health concerns. These concerns will usually be less serious than what you would need to visit a doctor for, such as those which can be prescribed over-the-counter medication. A qualified pharmacist will offer clinical advice and certain medicines for minor illness or ailments. This might be a preferred role if you would enjoy dealing with and treating patients, but do not want to work in a busy clinic or would prefer to deal with minor illness and issues.
Nurse Practitioner
A nurse practitioner can assess and diagnose a range of illnesses and conditions, as well as order medical tests or prescribe medications. Nurse practitioners will usually work with a variety of different patients and can work within many different environments, such as hospitals, clinics, or home visits.
There are also specializations to consider within a nursing career path if you want to progress, like becoming an FNP.
Dentist
Dentists will diagnose and treat conditions with the teeth and the mouth. They will also be responsible for general dental hygiene and health administered through regular patient checkouts. Dentists can also provide advice regarding general oral health and prevent future problems from occurring.
Dentists will usually work in their own clinics.
Physician
A physician is responsible for the medical care and treatment of patients. Doctors will diagnose and treat a variety of issues and illnesses, which could be physical, mental, and emotional.
Most physicians will work to have a specific specialty and progress within their own field, but general physicians can practice in local clinics and healthcare settings. Doctors will usually prescribe alternative treatment if required, such as treatment for emotional issues.
Surgeon
Surgeons are responsible for treating patients through physical operations. This will have a focus on injury or disease treatment which requires surgery. Surgeons will operate using equipment, with a focus on patient care when under anesthesia.
Therapist
Working as a therapist will see you treating and supporting patients on a mental health level. Therapists will work with patients, usually on a one-to-one basis, to help them overcome personal or emotional distress, or improve their cognitive and emotional function. Therapists can help to support patients through illness recovery, or through coping with their own personal challenges.
Veterinarian
Working in healthcare does not have to mean human patients, after all! Veterinarians are responsible for the care and treatment of animals. This could be on a local surgery basis for household pets like dogs and cats, or it could be on a more specialized basis, such as working with wildlife or working with farm animals.
If you are an animal lover, then there is no doubt that spending time helping animals as a career choice can be a huge mood booster.
As you will also be working closely with pet and animal owners, it can also be rewarding knowing that you have helped to treat a beloved pet and support an owner through what can be a difficult time.
Final Thoughts
There are a huge number of benefits when choosing a healthcare career path. The rewards of working closely with others on a professional and compassionate level can certainly result in a huge mood boost and personal achievement when it comes to your career.
Knowing that you are working every day to make a difference in some capacity can improve mental health and positivity, and healthcare is certainly one of the main career choices if you are looking for personal fulfilment and reward.
To ensure that you feel the most positive about your career choice and make sure that your health is the best it can be, always explore job roles which would be best suited for you and which make you happy.
Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
