Is there a need for more highly qualified healthcare staff in a post-pandemic world?

Healthcare remains one of the most important sectors on a global scale and one that plays a key part in every developed country’s economy. Not only does the healthcare sector look after the general population’s overall health, but it also provides jobs too. When you think of the many small businesses involved in supplying surgeries and hospitals in healthcare, its importance is clear.

Considering that around 1 in 8 Americans work in this industry, it is obvious not only how big it is but also how many people think of it when choosing which career path to pursue. But what makes healthcare such a great sector to work in and why might we see even more qualified medical professionals needed in future?

 

Healthcare is a great sector to move into 

When choosing which career path to pursue, healthcare is always one that ranks highly. If you love to help people and have a compassionate nature, then it can be a really rewarding career to embark on. When you also consider the large variety in terms of roles, it gets even better. Healthcare is also a sector which offers excellent job security and allows you to work in an industry which is always needed.

But how do you get into a healthcare career? As you would expect for such a key sector, education is important and having the right qualifications is a must. This is also true if you have already qualified to work in one role but wish to move on to another within healthcare.

For example, working nurses who have a Master’s degree in Nursing will need to complete a Doctor of Nursing Practice qualification if they plan on moving into more leadership-based roles. Marymount University is one of the best places around to complete a DSN course if you plan to do this and offers world-class, online learning for working healthcare professionals.

 

What traits do you need to work in healthcare? 

If great job security and a rewarding set of roles to move into, has you thinking about joining this sector, you might wonder what kind of traits you need to be successful. Although getting the qualifications you need is important, this is not the only thing to consider.

It is just as crucial to have the right characteristics and temperament to work in this environment. To begin with, you should have a calm, compassionate nature with lots of patience. This is very true if you work mostly in child health or with seniors or young adults. This will help you deal with the people you care for in a kind way and without becoming frustrated with them.

For those not yet in healthcare who might be thinking of switching over, you should also be a team player and someone who works well with others. You will most likely be liaising with a range of people within your healthcare setting at work, so you will need to be able to do this effectively. It is also important to be organized and have high attention to detail.

It is critical for trained healthcare professionals to control their emotions and not become too affected by what happens in their role. This career can often lead to you being exposed to some upsetting situations, such as a patient you got to know well dying. It is crucial that you can handle instances like this without it impacting you negatively.

We have already mentioned that this sector offers good job security, and many people are predicting an increased demand for qualified medical professionals. But why might this be true looking ahead?

 

The post-pandemic world needs qualified healthcare staff 

Everyone knows what a huge impact the recent Covid-19 pandemic had not only in the US but also around the whole world. Although we have thankfully moved past this now to some extent, the post-pandemic world we live in does need even more qualified healthcare staff to function.

But why is this the case? To begin with, you need to look at the impact of the pandemic and the measures which were taken to combat its effect on people. For example, it has been reported by the World Health Organization that the Covid pandemic triggered a huge 25% increase in depression/anxiety on a global scale, mainly due to the social isolation lockdowns brought.

It is likely that a large portion of people negatively affected in this way still need help from qualified healthcare professionals in the post-Covid world. This means that more qualified staff than ever will be needed to care for the mental health of people still suffering in the future.

Of course, analyzing the need for greater numbers of qualified healthcare staff looking forward is also about people’s physical health. The pandemic may have left large numbers of people with long-term conditions that require treatment, whether that is obesity from not being able to go out during lockdown, long Covid or specific illnesses contracted as result of getting Covid. With more strain than ever placed on the healthcare sector right now, more qualified staff will be needed to meet this challenge.

 

Aging population has its part to play 

Any analysis of the need for more high quality, accredited healthcare staff also has to look at the impact of an aging population. In simple terms, people tend to live longer now due to advances in treatment and how we care for them. This means the general population is aging as a result and more of us are living to a ripe old age.

A quick look at some recent stats from the US shows how this is panning out. In 2020, it was estimated that there were 54 million people aged 65 or over living in the country. This figure is expected to jump to around 78 million by 2035 and 80.8 million by 2060. This represents a continuing upward trend in terms of our aging population and means more qualified healthcare staff will be needed to look after all these older adults in society.

This is only common sense when you think about it a little more. Older people tend to be more prone to falls for example which need treatment, and more prone to developing medical conditions which require regular check-ups. In addition, a greater number of seniors in society means we will need more qualified nurses in hospitals to look after them. All this means that there seems to be a real need for more qualified healthcare staff looking ahead.

 

Growing population, a factor 

Although an aging population is one of the major reasons more highly qualified healthcare professionals are needed, it is not the only thing to consider. The very fact that population figures in general are growing means more trained professionals will be needed to care for all these extra people.

In the USA, the population figure in 2022 is estimated to be around 338 million. This is up from just over 311 million in 2010 and around 282 million in 2000. This clearly shows that population numbers in general are rising in the country and more qualified healthcare staff are needed to support this growing population. If the number of people in the US has jumped up massively again in five to 10 years, then more nurses and doctors will be required to look after this expanded population.

 

Shortfall in healthcare workers to fill 

Although it doesn’t make for great reading, more trained healthcare professionals will be needed to not only care for greater numbers of people but also to address the current shortfall in the sector. It was estimated that the US healthcare industry was short of around half a million workers in 2021 – many of whom had left due to the excessive workloads the pandemic caused or who had been laid off during the pandemic.

Even more alarming is the predictions made in 2018 that around 600,000 more qualified healthcare staff would be needed by 2025 to cope with the demands placed on the sector. When you combine both these situations, then it is clear to see that more trained healthcare professionals are needed to provide the level of service demanded by the people who use it.

 

Healthcare leaders will be needed more than ever 

When looking at the demand for qualified healthcare professional in the future, it also seems likely that more leaders will be needed to shape policies and deliver innovative primary care models. Touching on the pandemic again, it seems only sensible to think more leaders in healthcare roles will be needed to map out robust policies now in case another pandemic occurs in the future.

While this might be at executive levels in the boardroom, it should also result in more demand for people who have qualifications such as a Doctor of Nursing Practice. Healthcare professionals like this after all have the knowhow to influence key medical policies and make a real impact on how the sector responds to future crises.

More qualified leaders in healthcare roles are also needed to improve patient care even further moving ahead and to prepare the sector for the demands placed on it. With the American College of Nursing itself calling for increases in the number of nurses holding doctoral degrees, it seems obvious that there is a real need for highly trained healthcare professionals. This is because practitioners with these advanced qualifications have the skills needed to help healthcare evolve effectively.

 

Shift in healthcare treatments and tech requires trained, specialized staff

An analysis of why more qualified healthcare staff are needed in society also has to touch on how sophisticated caring for patients has become. Compared to even 30 years ago, healthcare professionals must use a much wider array of tech, devices and platforms in their roles. This will only increase in the future as more technology comes into healthcare.

There are also new pieces of equipment to use competently and new standards of caring for people to implement. Only people who have been trained to the highest standards possess the skills needed to work in modern healthcare. As a result, the demand for trained healthcare professionals will only increase in future.

This is also true when considering the specialized medical knowledge that is needed to treat specific conditions. With more and more specialized conditions cropping up within modern healthcare, more trained professionals with the exact knowledge needed to treat patients are required. This is also true for staff who are trained to specialize in one area or to deal with one demographic of patient. If one area within healthcare suddenly starts increase in demand, more specialized workers will be needed to meet it.

 

Tech should not be a danger to healthcare workers 

We have noted above that the modern healthcare industry is more tech-heavy than ever before. This ranges from the increasing use of electronic patient record systems to healthcare professionals using tablets or computers more often in their daily roles. When you also factor in how new innovations such as AI software could soon make their mark, it could leave you wondering if all this tech in healthcare could actually reduce the need for trained human staff.

Although it is easy to see why people might think this, tech is no danger to the need for qualified, trained human workers at present. Technology in healthcare is more of a tool to help trained staff work more efficiently, access the information they need quickly and provide better patient care. It is not there to replace human workers, which means it presents no threat to the number of qualified professionals the sector requires.

For this reason, the growing adoption of tech in healthcare should not negatively impact the demand for qualified professionals. Indeed, it could actually create jobs within the industry because more people will be needed to build, maintain and troubleshoot the technology that medical professionals use.

 

What sort of healthcare staff are needed? 

While the above factors show why more trained, qualified staff are needed in healthcare, they do not show the kind of roles which make up a key part of the sector. While all roles in healthcare have their part to play, some seem set to become increasingly critical as time moves on.

Nurse Practitioner is a great example and one role in healthcare which is set to see a spike in demand of around 28% by 2028. This shows how much demand there is for this role and just how central it should be in the industries future. The basic duties involved in this job include conducting physical exams, ordering blood tests, analyzing test results and prescribing medications.

Nurse Practitioners usually specialize in a certain area, such as geriatric health or mental health, and there is certainly a need for more of these specialized professionals in specific areas of healthcare.

Another highly qualified role which is set to need more staff moving ahead is Physician Assistant. This job involves diagnosing illnesses, assisting in surgery, drawing up treatment plans and performing certain procedures. With an average salary of around $115,390, this is not only a rewarding career path to take but also a well-paid one.

As you might expect, Registered Nurse is a core role across a wide range of healthcare settings and is key to giving patients the best care. As the demands on the sector grow ever more pressing, it seems we will certainly need more nurses to cope. Basic duties of Registered Nurses involve administering medications, performing observation checks on patients and looking after the patients in their care.

Another very important healthcare role that should become more in-demand moving ahead are Physicians. This is a primary care position which usually requires a Doctorate to move into. With a median salary of around $208,000, it is also one of the better paid healthcare careers.

 

Future for healthcare remains bright 

Although some of the challenges healthcare is set to face and the factors we have looked at might seem difficult, the sector should still be in for a bright future. People will always need looking after and there will always be a need for qualified medical professionals to do this. Coupled with the growing and aging population, and the impact of the pandemic on people’s future health, this makes it easy to see that this is an industry which is set for growth.

The need for qualified healthcare staff across every facet of the industry is clear and this makes it a career choice with great prospects. The key really will be filling the shortfall in US healthcare workers and ensuring there are enough staff to maintain the quality of service. With people seeming to appreciate caring professions such as nurses more after the pandemic though and decent salaries, this should not be an issue.

When you consider the projected job growth for Nurse Practitioners above, it is clear to see the growing demand for highly trained healthcare staff. As the factors we have looked at illustrate, the modern healthcare sector is facing greater pressure to deliver top-class service to more people than ever. It can only do this with more qualified staff, which is why the demand for healthcare workers should grow moving forward.

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