If you are on the front lines of health care delivery, you’re undoubtedly noticed the change in your patient population as well.  In order to communicate with Hispanics, it’s becoming increasingly important to have people on your staff who speak Spanish or habla español.  However, not all healthcare organizations recognize the importance of language skills when recruiting, screening and hiring new employees.  That’s particularly true in communities that had relatively low Hispanic populations until just a few years ago.  In those cases, it’s vital for HR departments to recognize the shift in demographics and actively recruit a diverse staff that reflects the local community.

However, healthcare recruiters must also wrestle with the difficult question about what to do when a well-qualified physician, nurse or therapist is more fluent in Spanish - or another foreign language – than English. A candidate who has difficulties in understanding and responding to questions in English faces an uphill struggle in the hiring process – regardless of other credentials and qualifications.  After all, no one wants there to be a misunderstanding about a patient diagnosis, treatment plan or prescription due to a language mix-up.

In this situation, it is essential for the job candidate to focus on improving his English skills and tell the recruiter that any language issues are likely to be temporary.  A candidate who is fluent in Spanish should also emphasize the importance of hiring a professional with that skill set, perhaps citing the local demographic trends.  In any case, it’s important for both healthcare professionals and organizations to understand the importance of multiple language capabilities in providing high-quality patient care.

One reason for the rising demand is that the U.S. population is aging, creating a need for more medical and healthcare professionals in general.  Another factor is that more physicians are becoming specialists, and opening the door to PAs who can provide primary healthcare services.

To become a PA, you first need to earn a bachelor’s degree and then complete an accredited program for physician assistants, which usually takes two years and leads to a master’s degree.  Graduates need to pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) and obtain a state license as well.

But there are both personal and financial awards for completing the PA program.  Most PAs enjoy the challenge of being on the front line of patient care, and assessing and diagnosing patients with a wide range of conditions.  Many PAs also order and interpret lab tests, assist in surgical procedures, prescribe medications and educate patients and families about wellness and preventive health care.

Salaries for physician assistants are also highly competitive.  As of May 2010, the median annual wage for PAs was $86,140, according to the Department of Labor.  If you are interested in a PA career, you can find more information from the American Academy of Physician Assistants at www.aapa.org.

Today, qualified professionals are needed at every point on the continuum of care, including pediatric clinics, adolescent counseling centers, senior living facilities and specialized treatment providers.  For example, nursing homes and assisted living facilities like to hire healthcare professionals who enjoy working with their residents on an ongoing basis.  Unlike a hospital or physician office where the patient population changes every day, an assisted living facility may house the same residents for months or years at a time.  That’s an important consideration for nurses, therapists and other professionals who would like to build long-term relationships with facility residents.

Another option is going to work in the home care sector, which continues to be one of the fastest growing areas of the healthcare industry.  Since home care is typically much less expensive than acute hospital care or 24/7 residential care, staffing demand is expected to increase substantially over the next decade.  Greater independence and flexibility in scheduling are among the advantages of a position in home care.  So if you’re looking at the next step in your healthcare career, be sure to consider the many types of professional opportunities before making a decision.

Here are several steps you should take before sending off a job application and resume:

• Run your spell-check application and correct any typos or other obvious errors (like “shure” in the first paragraph here).
• Read the text again to see if there are any missing words. For example, your spell check would probably say the following sentence is correct: “I applying for the position of nursing supervisor.”
• Double check dates of previous employment, along with names, titles and addresses.  Again, you can’t rely on spell check when it comes to factual accuracy.
• Be consistent in terms of spelling and style.  For instance, try to avoid using “12″ and “twelve” in the same paragraph.   And don’t end half of the bullet points in your resume with a period. Go with all periods or none at all.
• Be able to back up any statistics you cite in your letter or resume.  If you cite the average starting salary for laboratory technicians, for example, be sure to include the source as well.
• Finally, read the letter out loud to yourself.  Your ears may pick up a mistake in grammar or usage that your eyes may have missed.  If a phrase sounds awkward or unclear, then you can go ahead and revise it before sending it out.

All these steps will help you present a professional image, right from the start.  And making a positive first impression on the recruiter is essential if you want to be considered for a new position.

All Medical Personnel Integrates Cama Solutions
Into Nationwide Operations

 
HOLLYWOOD, FL – All Medical Personnel is pleased to announce the integration of Cama Solutions into its nationwide staffing operations. A corporate affiliate for the past decade, Cama Solutions focused on temporary staffing services for the insurance industry.

“This step allows us to leverage our advanced technology platform, staffing database, and national recruiting initiatives so that we can provide an even higher level of service to our growing customer base,” said Neil Bernstein, President & CEO, All Medical Personnel. “Streamlining our operations also allows us to be more consistent in delivering our staffing solutions.”

Founded in 1990, All Medical Personnel is one of the nation’s leading staffing companies. “We consistently place highly qualified personnel, helping our customers achieve their staffing goals in a timely and cost-efficient manner,” said Bernstein. “We understand our customers’ special training, licensing and compliance requirements as well as their continuing need for skilled, motivated and productive employees who fit smoothly into their organizations.”

Through the years, All Medical Personnel has invested in state-of-the-art proprietary technology that allows its customers to make well-informed, cost-effective staffing decisions and manage their ongoing workforce requirements.  All Medical Personnel has an in-depth training and compliance program to ensure that each employee meets customer requirements as well as constantly changing federal laws, state workers compensation requirements, equal employment hiring criteria and other regulations.

For more information about All Medical Personnel visit www.allmedstaffing.com.

Demand for PTs and PTAs is already high and expected to rise in the next decade. A recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of physical therapists will increase 39 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations.  During that same period, demand for PTAs is expected to rise 46 percent.

One reason is that the aging baby boomers, now heading toward retirement, are staying active later in life than previous generations did.  That means more sports and recreational injuries, as well as chronic disabilities that lend themselves to PT and PTA services. At the same time, there is a bulge in the PT population, with approximately one-third of current professionals now between 50 and 64, according to the American Physical Therapy Association.

In general, physical therapists work closely with physicians, physician assistants, nurses and other healthcare professionals in developing treatment plans.  Both PTs and PTAs provide patient-specific services, such as improving balance and mobility, rebuilding muscle strength and increase flexibility.  Typically, these professionals help patients perform their activities of daily living (ADLs) and maintain a healthy, independent lifestyle.

To become a PT or PTA, you will need to complete an accredited educational program and obtain a license from your state.  PTs usually have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and PTAs have at least an associate’s degree.  In 2010, the median annual pay for PTs was $76,310 and for PTAs the median annual pay was $49,690.  So, if you find healthcare appealing, you may want to learn more about these related in-demand professions.

• What are my biggest achievements of the past year?
• What new skills have I learned?
• Has there been a change in my salary or benefits?
• Have I taken any training, certification or other educational programs?
• Am I satisfied with my current job or is it time to start looking for a new position?
• How can I advance my career in the next year?
• Where would I like to be working a year from now?

If you have a good supervisor, mentor or coach within your healthcare organization, take advantage of your birthday to spend a few minutes together.  Sometimes the advice and opinions of someone you respect can help clarify your own thinking.  Even in a brief discussion over coffee or tea, you can get valuable feedback about your progress, identify any current challenges and perhaps set new goals for the coming year.

So, on your birthday – regardless of where it falls in the year – take time to celebrate your success  and think about the future!

To answer those questions, talk with All Medical Personnel’s staffing professionals at Internal Medicine 2012, the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Physicians April 19-21 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

For more than 20 years, All Medical Personnel has been finding temporary or long-term locum tenens placements for physicians and other healthcare professionals.  For internists, the major advantages include:

• Variety.  You have a chance to practice your skills in a new clinical setting and serve a different patient population.  Many locum tenens physicians also enjoy a change of pace in their lifestyle, such as spending a month or two in a seaside, mountain or other vacation-oriented community.
• Flexibility.  You can choose a schedule that meets your needs.  That might mean working a new shift, taking a temporary assignment for several weeks or moving to a new location for several months or longer.
• Work-family balance.  A locum tenens assignment can help you find a healthy balance between work and family responsibilities.  For instance, it can be difficult for two medical professionals to find appealing jobs in the same location.  A locum tenens placement can provide a temporary solution while you search for the right step to advance your careers.

Internal Medicine 2012 will feature more than 250 sessions on internal medicine, its subspecialties, and issues in practice management and health care policy. And if you’re interested in exploring locum tenens opportunities, visit All Medical Personnel at Internal Medicine 2012, Booth #624.  For more information on this conference, go to: http://im2012.acponline.org/.

Therefore, it’s important for hospitals, physician groups, laboratory companies and other organizations to have strategies in place for reducing employee burnout.   A good example is providing a variety of professional education, training and career development opportunities.  These programs provide employees (and employers) with three key benefits: “taking a break” from day-to-day stressful activities, learning new career skills, and improving engagement.  Professionals often feel recharged by these programs when they “re-enter the trenches.”

Job rotation is another approach to reducing employee burnout.  For instance, a nurse or therapist can get a fresh perspective on the workplace by switching to a new department or working a different shift.  Another strategy is to include professionals for organizational committees or task forces that tap their leadership skills or special talents.

In implementing these types of strategies, temporary staffing services can play a vital supporting role.  Having quality “fill-in” professionals ready to step into the shoes of permanent employees, allows healthcare organizations to focus on implementing their training and development, job rotation or other career enrichment strategies.  In that way, flexible staffing can help an organization preserve and protect its human capital – its most important asset.

Since there are significant differences among largest social media sites, you should adapt your job-hunting strategy to each one. For instance, Twitter is best used for updates about your professional activities and accomplishments.  No one wants to get a series of tweets about your interviews or plans – that gets old very quickly.

Now, Facebook is ideal for posting a direct appeal to your closest friends, like “Help me find a job now!” But you don’t want to broadcast your request to everyone – especially if your boss or co-workers are also your Facebook friends. Instead, you may need to tweak Facebook’s privacy controls or send out individual messages. That can be a time-consuming process, and there’s always the risk that someone will post an embarrassing message that others can see: “Now you can leave that terrible place you work, because I’ve found the perfect job for you.”

Those kinds of risks are why many job candidates use LinkedIn, which has a different, professional ambiance.  By posting new information about your activities and updating your profile, you can build visibility with everyone in your LinkedIn network.  For instance, if you’re looking for a nursing manager position, you could add a line about your supervisory skills and qualifications to your profile.

It’s a subtle way to catch the eye of a potential recruiter without having to tell everyone that you’re looking for a new job. You can also join LinkedIn groups related to the healthcare sector and take an active part in those discussions. Again, this will raise your profile with potential employers, and build new online relationships. Good luck with your job search!