In this decade of economic upheaval it is good to know careers that are still in top demand.

Here is another great article with deep insight from James O. Armstrong

There are critical shortages of these men and women all over the United States in medical practices [...]]]>

 In this decade of economic upheaval it is good to know careers that are still in top demand.

Here is another great article with deep insight from James O. Armstrong

There are critical shortages of these men and women all over the United States in medical practices and hospitals everywhere.  Therefore, healthcare options provide one of the fastest growing professional fields for Baby Boomers and Active Seniors.  Let’s look at healthcare careers that you can pursue right now.

Healthcare administration worker

There are unlimited possibilities because the hospitals nationally are all adding “new wings,” particularly for cancer and cancer research, heart surgery and other specialties, which different hospitals pursue.

Information Technology knowledge will increasingly be required in most of these positions.  It’s no longer someone laboriously keeping records by hand anymore, but it’s an individual entering the information into a computer at a reception desk, for example.  Today’s medical community is increasingly moving toward a paperless trail of information.  Companies such as Kansas City’s Cerner, which is a New York Stock Exchange company where my son Jim works, are very much on the cutting edge of this type of development. 

Nurse practitioner

This is going to be a growing field in the future.  Walgreens and one of the other major pharmaceutical chains have now established urgent care facilities owned by their respective firms, which feature a nurse practitioner for more routine procedures.  

In the future, a growing number of these clinics will open to treat patients, who may or may not have healthcare insurance, or whose doctor’s office may not be open that day. 

Geriatric care manager

It’s a growing field.  Men and women have all different levels of education and experience leading into these positions.  There are even temporary employment agencies that send people out on assignments, which may take place every day, a few days each week or a certain number of hours per day for three days each week, depending on a given family’s needs. 

Hospital worker

The good news about hospitals is this:  the current AARP list of top employers for men and women over age 50 includes hospitals throughout the U.S.  In fact, two of those hospitals have significant facilities in my home county of McHenry County, Illinois.  One is Centegra Health System and the other is Mercy Medical, which is based in Southern Wisconsin, but they also have a significant presence in northwest Illinois. 

Nurse and nursing assistant

My sister Tanis Caras, who is 59 years old, has been a nurse and a nurse supervisor, principally in ICU, for many years.  In the ICU ward, my sister typically worked three days each week for 12 hours per shift.  However, she was literally able to take off four days each week.  But, on those days when she was working, she really worked long hours.  Please bear in mind that people she monitored were men and women in life and death situations in the Intensive Care Unit of her hospital. 

The American Nurses Association, which is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, estimates the future shortfall for Registered Nurses will be 800,000.  But, there is already a shortfall of nurses all over America.  This analysis also does not include the LPN category of nurses. 

So the overall category of nurses in our society, especially as Baby Boomers continue to age, will exceed a one million nurse shortfall in our society in the future, which makes this a really critical issue in our society.  Fortunately, there are men and women who have been previously trained as nurses, especially women who may have left the profession to raise a family, for example.  The nursing profession today is reaching out to these women to encourage them to come back to their nursing career later in life.

Nurse educator

In order to address the increased demand for nurses, there is also today a crying need for nurse educators, who are willing to go back to school to earn a Master’s degree or PhD so that they can be qualified to teach in a nursing school or at a college level.

Medical technologist and hospital worker

These men and women do all sorts of testing, CT scans and various things having to do with specialized practices in medicine or as workers in a hospital. 

Dental hygienist

This professional also receives high pay in a dental office.  Typically, this individual is a woman, who works as an independent contractor for a dental office or several dental practices. 

This high demand individual has typically pursued a two year curriculum at a local junior college.  But, the sky is the limit in terms of where that woman will wind up working.  Most often, she will be able to choose a dental office or offices close to her home.  Finally, these women normally do not work every single day, but rather they pursue their skill three or four days each week.

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James O. Armstrong, President of NowWhatJobs.net, Inc., also serves as the Editor of NowWhatJobs.net.  NowWhatJobs.net is the resource for job and career transitions for workers 40 years old and over, Baby Boomers and Active Seniors.  Read NowWhatJobs.net for skills training, relocation options, job opportunities and much more.  In addition, James is the author of “Now What?  Discovering Your New Life and Career After 50″ and the President of James Armstrong & Associates, Inc., a media representation firm based in Suburban Chicago.