Ever since human beings first inhabited the earth, the sense of physical and even mental well-being of an individual has been part and parcel of daily life. The fight for survival has been ingrained in every person’s mind and genetic make-up.
Healthcare in the modern-day, as one knows, understands, and refers to it, is essentially the sector of modern life that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individual patients, which, when administered successfully, positively impacts and extends the life of members of families, local communities, towns, cities, and populations.
Healthcare professionals, no matter what area of the industry they work in, are dedicated to the development of modern medicine. More specifically, they spend their lives creating and testing new treatments to rid the world of diseases and fight and eradicate illnesses more effectively.
The devastating worldwide coronavirus pandemic of 2020 is a perfect example of this. Healthcare and medical professionals throughout the world were working together to create a vaccine and, therefore, a defense against Covid-19 and protecting the health of as many individual people as possible.
With that being said, if you are considering a career in healthcare, or rather want to remind yourself of your reasons and incredible moral aptitude and quality of character for committing to this vocation in the first place, continue reading for a comprehensive timeline of the history of healthcare and its development and growth today.
Early Medicine & Its Development
Medicine in prehistoric times and early human society was largely centered around religious beliefs. Therefore, early physicians sought to use plants and other naturally occurring elements to fix or alleviate ailments and pain on a rudimental trial and error basis.
Early humans believed that if a person was suffering from a disease or illness that this was a sign of a higher power and their judgment on the individual. Or it was a supernatural entity that had cursed the person in some way. The supernatural influence was largely reserved for more serious and altogether disabling and life-altering diseases and illnesses.
A Timeline of Medical Development Through History
Naturally, the development into the modern medicinal world that one knows today would be impossible to quantify in terms of the hundreds of thousands of people who positively influenced the timeline of medical development. That being said, there are well-known and universally accepted moments in medical history that are known to be ground-breaking discoveries of the time, all of which contributed to the world of modern medicine as one refers to it today.
Such developments and key milestones include:
1670 – 1685 – Anton Van Leeuwenhoek discovers bacteria and its effects on the human body and also discovers the existence of white and red blood cells.
1796 – Edward Jenner discovers a vaccine for smallpox.
1818 – James Blundell performs the world’s first blood transfusion to resounding success.
1853 – The syringe is invented by Charles Pravaz and Alexander Wood.
1857 – Louis Pasteur confirms germs to be the cause of disease.
1879 – 1883 – Cholera, Anthrax, and rabies vaccines are created.
1922 – Insulin is first used to treat diabetes.
1928 – Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin.
1942 – Ultrasounds are developed by Karl Dussak.
1950 – Cardiac pacemakers are invented by John Hopps.
1954 – Kidney transplant is first performed.
1978 – The first test-tube baby is born.
1980 – Smallpox is entirely eradicated.
1983 – The cause of AIDS, HIV, is discovered.
1985 – The first kidney dialysis machine is invented by Willem Kolff
1996 – The first living being is cloned (‘Dolly’ the sheep)
2006 – The first vaccine is discovered that targets one of the causes of cancer.
Medicine In the 2000s
Nowadays, the medical and healthcare industry is a far cry from the early humans using plants and flowers to treat ailments, and the sector is now a worldwide, multi-billion-dollar industry.
There is a wide plethora of incredibly necessary, influential, and altogether vital medical professional careers, vocations, and job roles that are fundamental in ensuring the best possible physical health and mental well-being for the individual.
Working in the modern-day healthcare industry provides the individual with an array of incredible and life-affirming advantages and benefits, not least the admiration and respect from professionals, peers, and loved ones alike.
As with everything else in the modern world, trends and patterns in the areas that become highly saturated and, conversely, in dire need of more professionals within the medical arena vary and change due to other influences. However, the pursuit of an undergraduate and then subsequently a postgraduate degree in your desired specialism of healthcare will provide you with a career for life. Prestigious, respected, and established online universities such as Wilkes University offer a diverse selection of medical postgraduate degrees that will greatly enrich your medical knowledge, expertise, and skillsets.
The Most Sought After Medical Professionals For 2022 & Beyond
As in every other year gone by and as will always be the case in the future, the healthcare and medical industry will continue to grow exponentially. With that being said, there are several key medical specialists that are currently either highly in-demand or else lacking qualified professionals to fill the vacant job roles. Examples of such medical roles that are the most sought after currently, throughout the United States and beyond, include occupational therapists and assistants, health and medical services managers, nurse practitioners, and physical therapists and assistants. However, this list does extend. This is what you can expect from each role that is in demand now and will continue to be in the future:
Physical therapist
Physical therapist assistants specifically work with people who have health conditions and illnesses that prevent them from carrying out their normal, daily activities and therefore need help and assistance to develop their skills to do so. You don’t have to work in a hospital to get a job like this. You may do at-home visits or if you get the appropriate licenses and knowledge, open up your own clinic where you can practice.
Nurse practitioners
Nurse practitioners are entirely different and are registered nurses who have chosen to advance their careers by undertaking a postgraduate degree in the science of nursing. There are wide plethora of reasons why you could make a great nurse, but if you are a parent, then there is even more reason to take this type of role on. You will make a fabulously empathic, compassionate, and committed registered nurse. Here are reasons why you should pursue this:
- The successful acquisition of a highly paid job that can provide for you and your family
- The ultimate flexibility of working as a registered nurse
- Taking extended time off or a leave of absence is relatively easy
- You will be a fabulous and inspirational role model to your children
- You are also equipped with knowledge surrounding parenthood, childbirth, and child development
- You can choose to work part-time or even two or three days a week
- You will considerably expand your friendship and social circle
- You will be afforded impressive health and other benefits
Whether your children are now grown, independent and have flown the proverbial nest or else you are in the position where your partner is working from home on a full-time basis, and you are ready to either enter or re-enter the world of professional vocational work, becoming a nurse is one of the most rewarding decisions you could possibly make, for both your personal and professional life.
Occupational therapist
Occupational therapist assistants develop treatment plans and document patient progress for those who are undergoing sessions of occupational therapy.
Health and medical services managers
Health and medical services managers are in charge of the coordinating, planning, and directing of healthcare services in one or more practices.
Midwifery
Naturally, for incredibly obvious reasons, a career as a nursing midwife is another fantastic choice for those looking to enter or to re-enter the professional, vocational working environment. Nursing midwifery is a fascinating and extremely life-affirming role within professional nursing. Midwives provide valuable care and much-needed advice for both mothers and babies during the entirety of pregnancy, labor, and throughout the post-natal period.
Usually, the successful acquisition of a three-year nursing midwifery program will adequately prepare you for a career as a midwife, which, amongst a host of other roles, involves the following responsibilities:
- Addressing a wide variety of sensitive and personal issues, including sexual intimacy, domestic abuse, sexual health issues, and bereavement-related issues.
- Performing a thorough range of gynecological examinations and scans on expectant mothers.
- Offering and providing guidance and information on looking after newborn babies and, of course, everything to do with breastfeeding
- Providing treatment and care for both the mothers and the unborn babies during pregnancy and then subsequently afterward
- The guiding of the mother through the entire process of labor and the delivery of the new baby, ensuring the safety of both
There is a wide plethora of associated skills, personality attributes, and key qualities required of a person who wants to train to become a nursing midwife. Nursing midwives are required to be fully competent in the ability to evaluate existing, innovative, and current research and studies in all areas. Furthermore, they are required to apply the relevant sections of research to individual expectant mothers in a practical way and often under intense pressure.
Midwives should also have excellent teamwork skills, as part of the job involves communication and liaison with the relevant medical doctors and physicians. Additionally, midwives often communicate extensively with families of the expectant mother. Emotional strength and resilience is absolutely vital when considering whether you are the right personality type to handle incredibly emotional and often particularly stressful situations during both post-natal care and the labor itself.
Other key attributes that are important for the successful acquisition of a career as a midwife include empathy and good decision-making skills. If you are interested in exploring the training and pre-requisite attributes and skillsets required to become a midwife further, there is a wide range of available materials to peruse online to ensure midwifery is the right professional vocational career choice for you.
Pediatrics
Perhaps particularly obviously, one of the primary nursing specialisms that you may want to explore is that of pediatrics. Pediatrics is, essentially, dedicated to the medical care, diagnosis, and treatment of patients who are children aged eighteen or under. Pediatric nurses, as with any other registered professional nurse, are bound to complete either a two-year or four-year nursing program before they can practice, as well as obviously passing their licensing state exam.
There is a wide plethora of roles, duties, and responsibilities of a pediatric nurse which include, but are certainly not limited to:
The Doctor to Family Liaison Role: One of the most important roles of a registered pediatric nurse is that of being the liaison, the proverbial ‘middleman’ between the patient’s doctors and physicians and the family members and loved ones of the patients. Any health concerns, developments in their treatment, or procedures involved in a patient’s care are directed towards the pediatric nurse rather than the doctor themselves. The former works closely with the latter to ensure that any and all information provided is entirely correct, accurate, and up-to-date.
The Administering of Shots: One of the more unpopular roles and responsibilities of a pediatric nurse with the patients in their care is the administering of related shots. Toddlers, young children, and even babies endure a wide selection of immunizations and important vaccinations that, in some states, are absolutely necessary for the admittance of that child into elementary school.
Additionally, the role of the pediatric nurse also concerns itself with the administration of allergy shots, flu shots, and other treatment shots related to specific childhood illnesses.
Physical Treatments of Wounds & Ailments: Alongside the general patient care and treatment, pediatric nurses have the crucial responsibility of administering shots to their patients as well as splinting broken bones and bandaging and cleaning wounds.
In some cases, depending entirely on the hospital, specific ward experience, and knowledge gained from being a nurse, pediatric nurse practitioners can also either assist the doctor with more intricate treatment or else carry out the examination and treatment of the patient themselves.
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