Even though most of us hope we don’t have to visit them very often, hospitals offer an essential service to the wider community. But have you ever wondered what it’s like to work in a hospital?
In a hospital, teams of people work together to treat and care for patients. They provide a place for people to seek treatment, undergo surgery, and rest and recover until they are ready to return home. Unlike a doctor’s office, most ailments people present to hospital with are generally severe or life-threatening. Hospitals are open 24/7, 365 days a year, as accidents and illnesses can occur at any time.
While every hospital is different, they tend to have a few things in common:
- There’s a sense of urgency – most cases need to be dealt with in a timely matter, as it can often be a case of life and death.
- Safety is vital – from strict infection and disease controls to dealing with patients who can behave erratically, you’ll be expected to keep a clean and safe work environment.
- You’ll be dealing with people from all walks of life – so you’ll need good people skills and the ability to help people feel as safe and comfortable as possible while they visit.
Key Outcome – treating the sick and injured
Public hospitals don’t operate to make a profit, and while some private hospitals may make money, the main focus is to provide care for people in need. Hospitals treat all kinds of illnesses and injuries, from complex cases requiring delicate surgery to setting broken bones.
Key Tasks –
- Attend to and provide care for patients
- Keep rooms and equipment clean and sanitary
- Communicate treatment options and procedures to patients
- Rehabilitate patients and provide them with aftercare guidance
You can find hospitals in the healthcare industry
The healthcare industry includes hospitals, aged care facilities, GP clinics, physiotherapy studios, pathology clinics, and more. This industry provides essential services, so the main focuses are being accessible to everybody and providing top-notch care.
Work Environment
You can expect shifts and on-site work in a range of locations
Shift work | Work on-site | Jobs in all locations, including metro, regional, and rural | Very strong job growth
Because hospitals are operating 24/7, they always need staff on-hand to care for patients and in case of emergencies. This means there are lots of workers who need to be there outside of the regular 9 to 5, as well as on holidays.
Almost all the work in a hospital is done hands-on, so it might be difficult to find roles where you can work from home. However, some roles, like admin and IT, might be able to be done remotely.
Because hospitals offer a vital service, they’re found in cities all around the country, even in regional and rural areas. This means there are a huge variety of places you can find work. Hospitals in regional and rural areas also often struggle to find enough staff, so there are always lots of opportunities for work.
The Career Clusters you’ll find in a hospital
Hospitals might be mostly known for providing healthcare, but they are huge operations that require people from all Clusters to operate successfully. You’ll find lots of Guardians, but there are roles from every Cluster to be found in a hospital.
