Healthcare is a massive and ever-evolving field with lots of high-demand, high-paying roles to fill. There’s no shortfall of opportunities for career advancement, but you could also easily get lost at sea, overwhelmed or intimidated by the vast range of demanding, highly sensitive roles to choose from.
For some people, it takes years of experimenting and switching between roles to find the best path for them. For others, it’s all about following their passions and childhood dreams.
Be that as it may, career advancement is a long-term commitment that requires deep foresight and diligent planning. However, a few strategies can help make the process easier for you.
Seeking mentorship and career counseling is one. You can also choose to advance either by narrowing down into a specialization or widening your general skills to fill leadership roles like educational and administrative positions.
Regardless of your preferences, fears or dreams, this article will offer plenty of handy tips and advice to guide you in your search.
The possible pathways to healthcare career advancement
The healthcare industry is currently undergoing a period of unprecedented growth. An aging boomer population, increased health consciousness among the public and the fallout of COVID-19 pandemic have all combined to create a perfect storm for tremendous growth in the industry.
Healthcare occupations are expected to expand at a breathtaking average rate of 16% year-on-year over the next decade. Most healthcare workers have been earning well above the national average income for many years running, and their income is expected to increase by 17% yearly, while the average increase for all other professions is a mere 7%.
To get a piece of the action in the healthcare industry, you need a bespoke plan that accounts for factors like your current situation, your willingness to learn new skills and your target salary band.
Your healthcare career advancement options can be grouped under three main paths: specialized roles, educational roles and administrative roles.
Specialization options
Specialized healthcare positions often require specialized or advanced certifications, compared to entry-level jobs that accept diplomas or associate degrees. Excellent communication and leadership skills are also critical to these roles.
Thankfully, there are many online courses today that can make it easy and convenient to pick up all the skills required to land an advanced specialized role.
Some of the most popular specializations include:
- Nurse anesthetist
- Nurse midwife
- Family nurse practitioner
- Clinical nurse specialist
- Informatics nurse
- Trauma nurse
- Nurse educator
- Dialysis Nurse
- Oncology nurse
- Infection control/prevention nurse
- Neonatal nurse
- Acute care nurse
- Geriatric nurse
- Pediatric nurse
- School nurse
Job description:
Your daily routine in these specialized roles may include:
- Examining the patient’s medical history and unique needs
- Testing and diagnosing patients
- Administering treatment
- Monitoring the patient’s condition
- Collaborating with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals
How to advance through specialization
The first requirement for specialized healthcare jobs is usually a specialized or advanced certification. But sometimes, experience and in-house training could be enough. For instance, some facilities prefer to train low-level nurses to fill vacant senior positions rather than hiring an external candidate.
Specialization certifications and postgraduate degrees usually take about two years to complete. With an online degree, you’ll have the flexibility to learn at your pace. You can fast-track your studies to graduate faster or take things slow to create time for other commitments like work and family.
After earning a specialized certification, you might still need to work as a low-level staff to gain some experience before you’re handed more senior roles.
Job outlook for specialized roles
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, specialized nursing jobs are expected to grow by 6% annually between 2019 and 2029. The salary varies based on specialty, level of education and location. However, the median salary is much higher than the national average at $73,300.
Educational career options
You may not need any extra certification or training for a healthcare educator role. You can transition into one by simply learning some tactics and techniques for sharing your knowledge and experience with aspiring nurses and community members as a whole.
As a nurse educator, you could find yourself working in learning institutions, where you impart your specialized knowledge and experience to students, or at community centers, where you teach members of the community how to live a healthier life and prevent or manage various health issues.
To excel as a health educator, you need to have deep knowledge and hands-on experience with specialized skills. Strong analytical skills and problem-solving skills are also imperative. You’ll need to analyze data and find insights on how to help improve the health and well-being of others.
Some of the most popular nurse educator roles include:
- Nursing instructor
- Clinical nurse educator
- Professor of nursing
- Lab instructor
- Education program manager
- Family services specialist
- Community outreach coordinator
- District wellness coordinator
- School health educator
- Youth program specialist
- Wellness consultant
- Employee wellness coordinator
- Worksite safety coordinator
- Curriculum development specialist
- Prevention specialist
- Public health inspector
- Epidemiologist
- Environmental health educator
- Violence prevention program coordinator
Job description
Health educator roles may vary in substance and style, but they also share quite a lot in common. A day in the life of a health educator usually involves:
- Creating and teaching healthcare course curricular
- Developing healthcare programs for institutions
- Supervising shifts in a teaching hospital
- Overseeing lab activities
- Carrying out academic activities like lecturing, administering homework, tests and exams
- Conducting research and publishing studies
How to advance as a health educator
Most health educator roles require at least a bachelor’s degree in a health science or health education. You’ll also need some real-life experience. An internship can make the cut in some cases.
Altogether, it will take about six years of training and hands-on experience to fully qualify for a nurse educator job.
Note also that some health educator certifications require continuous training and mandate periodic assessment exams – typically once every few years.
In addition, be prepared to do a lot of research and publish numerous scientific papers.
Job outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, postsecondary nursing educator jobs are expected to grow by an exhilarating 18% between 2019 and 2029. The aging boomer population and increasing health enthusiasm among the public will be the key drivers of this fast-paced growth rate.
In 2019, the average salary of health instructors was $76,000, with the top 10% of earners taking home around $133,000.
Administrative advancement options
If you’re eyeing more senior leadership roles, you can fast-track your career advancement by taking on administrative courses and gaining leadership experiences. Administrative roles cut across the medical and business scene, entailing deep medical knowledge as well as strong business and leadership acumen.
As an administrative official, you’re directly responsible for planning, executing and managing health programs and facilities. Management and organizational skills are essential. You’ll also be overseeing policy creation and implementation, ensuring compliance with standards and protocols across the organization.
More advanced roles like senior nursing officers often require a master’s degree.
You can also enhance your prospects with certifications like the Healthcare Management Certification.
Some popular administrative nursing roles include:
- Director of managed care
- Pharmaceutical project manager
- Clinical manager
- Clinical administrator
- Inventory analyst
- Nursing home administrator
- Health information manager
- Assistant administrator
- Medical office manager
- Medical executive assistant
- Public health department administrator
- Project analyst
- Manager of practice
- Research associate
Job description
Here’s what the daily routine of an advanced administrative healthcare worker looks like:
- Working closely with managers to supervise departments
- Coordinating collaborations between different healthcare experts and departments
- Working on HR-related tasks
- Assessing and tweaking organizational processes
- Devising, implementing and managing management systems
- Supervising budget creation and implementation
- Reviewing and managing projects
How to advance your career using the administrative route
As with most other advancement options, you need an advanced degree to secure an advanced administrative role.
You can opt for advanced studies in familiar terrain, or you can venture into new specialties depending on your preferences. Even more importantly, look for leadership courses that will equip you for the managerial challenges ahead.
Armed with your certifications, you can then proceed to get some practical experience under your belt. You can start with an entry-level position or an internship, and then aim for higher positions as you prove your worth.
Licenses and multiple certifications can also boost your prospects. Some of these include certifications from:
- The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME)
- The American Association of Healthcare Administration Management (AAHAM)
- The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
Job outlook
Administrative healthcare jobs are expected to grow at 32% yearly between 2019 and 2029 – well above average rates, according to the BLS. The report also shows that the average salary of health service admin officials was $100,980 as of 2019.
The growth rate is projected to ripple across the different levels of administrative jobs, from entry-level to mid-level and executive roles.
Career advancement through networking
Networking can facilitate your career advancement in many ways. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to rub shoulders with other like-minded professionals. It’s important not to underestimate any opportunity you come across, whether you run into your colleagues and senior officials during coffee breaks or are being invited to gatherings or networking events.
Networking is one of the most reliable ways to keep abreast with the hottest job openings, best practices and industry news and trends. Join as many professional groups as possible and try to be an active contributor. Here’s a handy list to begin with:
- American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management
- American College of Health Care Administrators
- American College of Healthcare Executives
- American Hospital Association
- Association for Healthcare Administrative Professionals
- Health Care Administrators Association
- Institute for Diversity in Health Management
- Institute for Healthcare Improvement
- National Association of Health Services Executives
- The Professional Association of Healthcare Office Management
- American Health Information Management American College of Healthcare Administrators
- Project Management Institute
Tips for navigating your healthcare career advancement
As a nurse, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to touch people’s lives and promote healthy living in your community while earning a decent income and making a name for yourself. That means that, of all professions, nurses ought to be one of the least worried about upward mobility and finding fulfilling jobs.
Whether that’s the case for you or not, some important tips can help you make sound decisions and keep it all together in your quest to find more fulfillment in your career as a nurse.
Set clear goals
Sometimes, you could get caught up in the thick of things and lose focus on your main goals and dreams. You should always be on the lookout for this. It’s important to reappraise your career from time to time.
Step out of your comfort zone
Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks and bold steps, whether it’s applying for jobs with intimidating descriptions or committing to memberships of professional bodies. Don’t wait around for all your stars to align before you take a shot at something.
Think with your head and heart
Most nurses are driven by a deep level of empathy and a desire to improve the lives of others. But many often lose touch with these motivators along the way, especially when the going gets tough. No matter where you find yourself, it’s important never to lose your moral compass or the empathy that fuels your nursing ambitions.
Cultivate your intuition
Intuition is that strong gut feeling you have about something even when there’s no sound evidence to back it up. As a nurse, you can develop a ‘sixth sense’ for everything work-related, and this can help give you an edge when making career decisions.
Find a mentor
You can always learn a thing or two from the time spent with a mentor. You can follow one or numerous mentors, from your superiors at work to industry thought leaders on social media. Each mentor can cater to a different aspect of your career, from role choices to leadership skills, technology, etc.
Solicit feedback
Sometimes, it can be difficult to see things objectively, and a different perspective can help shed more light on your path. Always ask for feedback from anyone you work with about your performance, from patients to your coworkers, supervisors and mentors.
Don’t be afraid to ask further questions to help clarify issues. Take every response in good faith, whether good or bad.
Ask away
Nursing is a respected profession that commands attention and reverence – if you are interested in the field of nursing, Caron-Newman University offers flexible online programs.
You can leverage your position as a nurse to ask for things that’ll help advance your career, whether it’s sponsorship for your training, more flexible work hours or even a raise.
You can even ask after your dream position. Even if you don’t end up landing it, you might pick up on a thing or two that could help you get there sooner.
Earn advanced degrees
Most healthcare facilities prefer to fill senior positions with advanced degree holders. Besides, learning is a lifelong commitment, so why stop at just a bachelor’s degree? Even one postgraduate degree can boost your chances of securing advanced roles significantly.
Be honest and genuine
Always stay true to everything you do. Be honest and straightforward in your conversations with patients, even if the truth might hurt them. However, try to use a more positive tone when bearing bad news. If there’s been an error or mistake, address it directly and don’t try to cover up things.
Hone your leadership skills
Most advanced roles involve managing and organizing people and resources. You’ll need to tap deep into your leadership toolbox now and then in your day-to-day activities as a senior healthcare official.
Learn from failures
Take every failure as an opportunity to learn something that will help you succeed in your future endeavors. Don’t let the fear of failure limit you from taking bold career steps. Besides, you might need to experiment with multiple ideas every now and then to find what works best for you.
Respect professional boundaries
Keep your patient’s information confidential, including the things they say during casual conversations unless you have their permission to share it with others. Maintain a good work ethic and a high level of professionalism at all times.
Maintain your balance
You can only perform at your best when you’re in a good frame of mind. Always try to moderate every aspect of your life, from your work-life dynamic to your habits and lifestyle. Cultivate self-discipline, self-esteem and self-awareness.
Get proactive
Your experiences can help you get ahead in your healthcare career. Always be on the lookout for any opportunity to prove your worth and gain some valuable experience. Staying proactive also helps keep you abreast with industry trends and best practices. When caring for patients, building a good relationship and following up on them regularly can also significantly boost their chances of recovery.
Earn your stripes with bold moves in your healthcare career
As a nurse, you’ll have an abundance of opportunities to demonstrate your values, show empathy and elevate the lives of people in your community as a whole.
With the healthcare industry projected to grow in leaps and bounds over the next decade, now is a great time to join the field and begin building a name for yourself.
Start by examining your current situation and where you’d like to be. Create well-thought-out plans to help get there. Seek assistance from mentors and other professionals. Be sincere in everything you do and respect professional boundaries. Most importantly, stay proactive in order to gain more knowledge and experience to boost your chances of success.
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