by scott | Aug 10, 2022 | Blog, Job Seekers
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) calls certifications “A fast track to careers.” It’s true that certifications can be an alternative way to earn the credentials you need to start a career. In healthcare, these certifications can also boost your existing experiences and credentials to fast-track you to a better job.
If you’re looking for ways to boost your resume while working in the healthcare field, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we will break down additional certifications you can earn to help you level up your career. If you’re looking for your next role in healthcare, get in touch with the AG Globe Services team today!
Top Resume Boosting Certifications in Healthcare
Healthcare certifications matter to employers. They show that you have the skills employers can rely upon. For healthcare workers who have been in the field for a time, they also show that you’ve made an effort to keep their skills up-to-date. Most credentialed professionals in healthcare are required by law to update their certifications periodically. If you’re looking to break into the healthcare field or modernize your existing skills, here are some certifications that matter to employers:
- CCS-P, Certified Coding Specialist Physician-Based
Coding, of course, is how physicians get reimbursed for their work. That makes the CCS-P designation particularly important if you’re trying to get a job in a physician’s practice or even an extensive healthcare system. This certification teaches you how to assign codes to particular treatments that doctors and midlevel practitioners perform. - CPCT, Certified Patient Care Technician
The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) offers this certification, and these credentialed employees will be incredibly sought after in the coming years. CPCTs work closely with patients to provide the necessary care. This could include everything from bathing and feeding to administering doctor-prescribed medications. As the baby boomer population continues to age, having a CPCT under your belt means you will find meaningful work in the future.
- CET, Certified EKG Technician
EKG techs monitor heart rhythms via an electrocardiogram machine. With this certification, you’ll learn how to explain this vital heart monitoring procedure to patients, how to check blood pressure, place the EKG monitor leads on the patient’s body, and more. This is a quick certification that can add real value to your healthcare resume. - CPT, Certified Phlebotomy Technician
Blood testing is the gold standard during diagnostic medical exams. A CPT is responsible for collecting these samples from a patient. CPTs also work in blood donation centers, collecting from donors for people in need. It’s a very important job that can be challenging to learn, so a CPT designation on your resume is highly valuable whether you are a nurse or a patient aide—or just a CPT. This certification teaches you safe and efficient blood collection procedures. As part of the credentialing process, you will practice drawing blood from patients.
While these are a few of the most important certifications that you can earn in healthcare, there are more available in this highly complex and exciting field.
If you’re thinking about a career move, check out our jobs listings and get in touch—AG Globe Services is here to help.
by scott | Jul 27, 2022 | Blog, Client
Almost everyone has been struggling with employee retention, especially during the dreaded Great Resignation! We’ve learned that the secret to achieving your healthcare hiring goals in this market is to retain your top employees while adding new ones; it’s basic math that far too few employers fail to pull off.
Many nurses, who serve as the backbone of your entire clinical team have struggled with burnout during COVID. One-third now say they’ll leave their positions by the end of 2022. These numbers should make any hospital administrator shake in their shoes. But the reality is that these numbers can be turned around.
We can, and must, turn things around. In this blog, we’ll discuss how to improve your nurse retention rates and overall employee morale.
How to Retain Your Nursing Workforce
Did you know the average turnover cost of a single bedside RN is $44,400? Now couple that number with the nursing shortage and you come up with the perfect storm for healthcare hiring today.
Every industry facing a retention problem knows how costly it is. But nowhere more than in healthcare nursing, where the most experienced professionals are often the go-to resource for the “why” behind why things are done in a unit. Not only are training and onboarding costs going up when a nurse leaves your facility, you will lose some of the precious historical knowledge that makes you—you.
In the current hiring environment, we’re facing challenges that include the reality that the grass really is greener for experienced nursing staffers. Sign-on bonuses alone make leaving a job a lucrative proposition for a nurse these days. Your job is to find ways to counteract the attractiveness of these offers. How can you do it?
- Offer a more flexible work schedule. Nurses are not immune to noticing that the rest of the world has gone remote. While this may not be possible in most nursing roles, offering flexibility in scheduling may help offset the allure of an alternative schedule somewhere else. What if you shortened work shifts and offered floor nurses a telemedicine rotation? Maybe there’s an administrative rotation that allows them to step away from a unit setting and work from home?
- Bring in travel nurses or per diems to help reduce mandatory overtime. Or, since some nurses want the OT, perhaps sitting down with each nurse.
- Level up your salaries. Here’s a thought. If your healthcare facility pays a hefty hiring bonus to new nurses, what about offering a retention bonus for the nurses that stick around. When you eliminate the attractiveness of earning more money elsewhere, does it lessen the chances that a recruiter will steal your skilled talent away?
- Meet with your nurses and talk about care development. When was the last time you created a career roadmap for your clinical teams? Probably never, right? Work with your employees at every level to create a goal to improve and advance. You will give them a reason to stay on board.
If you’re still struggling to retain your nurses, maybe it’s time to partner with a quality healthcare staffing first like AG Globe Services today! We help healthcare organizations find the talent they need. Contact us to find out more.
by scott | Jul 6, 2022 | Job Seekers
So, you have an interview coming up for a new role in healthcare? Congrats! Even as the interviewee, you should still come prepared with a couple of questions for your interviewer. By asking engaging questions, you’ll be able to learn more about the company and position while also standing out from the crowd.
Here are some of the best questions to bring to your next healthcare interview that will help you understand exactly what you’re walking into if you end up in that job.
Best Questions to Ask your Healthcare Interviewer
Whether you’re a clinician or work on the backend of healthcare, you should come prepared with interview questions. Most hiring teams expect this of you and many will judge you as less-than interested if you don’t bring a handful of questions to every interview. You should be emboldened by the fact that, in today’s hot job market, the candidate is interviewing the company as much as they are the other way around. This is especially true in healthcare, where labor shortages have fueled the urgency of recruiting teams to fill roles at every level of the service delivery paradigm.
During these interviews, inevitably the hiring manager will turn to you and ask, “Now, what questions do you have for me?” What you ask at this point can literally make or break your decision to take the job and possibly tip the hiring scales in favor of the employer making you an offer. What are the best questions to ask your interviewer at this point?
Tell me about the team I’ll be working with?
Even the largest hospitals operate in smaller units within the facility. Sometimes your fit within this micro-culture is more important to the job description itself. Try to find out more about the people you’ll be working elbow-to-elbow with. How long have they been in the organization? Who do you report to? How would the interviewer describe the daily interactions of these individuals?
What would the ideal candidate look like for this role and how do I compare?
In this case, how the interviewer answers the question is almost as important as the answer they give. You’re looking for an organization that is fairly transparent, candid, but also professional. Too, if you know what skills the organization values, you can get a better sense of culture feel before you ever step foot in the door.
What is your favorite part of working here?
This question is a good way to build camaraderie with an employer. After all, who doesn’t like to talk about themselves? The longevity of the interviewer in the organization and what makes them stay on the team can help determine whether it’s a place that you would also want to call home.
What are the next steps in the hiring process?
This question should be a no-brainer for any candidate. It shows your engagement. It’s the sign of an organized mind. It also can unveil organizations who are less than organized. While many healthcare organizations have lengthy hiring processes, this question will help you spot any disorganization in the team.
AG Globe works closely with candidates just like you to find the best healthcare organizations to make good use of your skills. We have a wide range of openings. Start your search for a new role today!
by scott | Jun 22, 2022 | Healthcare, Job Seekers
We’ve never seen a healthcare job market like this. The demand for clinical and even administrative candidates has been outrageously high. Even with a low unemployment rate this year, we still will fall far short of filling the jobs that are currently open. There’s never been a better time to work in the healthcare field.
But what about healthcare contracting? One of the most notable developments over the past few years has been the rise of more contracting positions; from per diem and locum tenens to travel nursing, there is a new level of flexibility in the kinds of jobs you’ll find in healthcare today. Contract jobs have some unique benefits. What are they? Why would you consider a contract healthcare role this summer? We have answers that will help inform your decision-making this year.
Benefits of Considering a Healthcare Contract
If you’re on the job hunt and have healthcare skills right now, it’s time to stop and consider your options. Joining a full-time role this summer may interfere with your vacation plans. But have you considered contracting your skills? Healthcare organizations are desperately looking for talent during the months when their workforce is desperately seeking time off—and they’re paying top dollar and signing bonuses for your expertise and willingness to help. Why would you consider taking on a temporary position when there are so many open full-time roles this summer?
- First, contract roles are incredibly flexible. You can take on short-term assignments that allow you to get the time off you need this summer with your family. That schedule flexibility is incredibly valuable and a huge perk of contracting. For example, in addition to scheduling your contract job around an already-scheduled family vacation, maybe you want a job in a cooler climate to get out of the summer heat this year. There are all kinds of perks and bonuses found in the general flexibility that a healthcare contract brings.
- We mentioned compensation, but it’s so lucrative now to contract that it’s worth mentioning again. Some specialty areas in healthcare make even more money; for example, traveling nurses have fantastic salaries, signing bonuses, and the employer will put you up somewhere and pay for your travel. Generally, if you have certain specialties, you stand a better shot of making a very high income as a healthcare contractor.
- You’ll also be able to try out a brand-new healthcare environment. New working environments are risky if you’re going in full-time. A contract job this summer gives you the opportunity to try out a workplace before committing to a full-time role. It may even allow you to try out different teams within a larger employer to see where you might fit. Because there are so many jobs right now, you should have no problems targeting a specific employer to come back to in a full-time position.
Today’s healthcare job market is much different than in the past. There are dozens of lucrative contract roles that offer you flexibility during the summer months or even beyond that time. Our team works hard to pin down these roles and then make sure you find the one that fits your goals. If you’re ready for your next summer contract assignment, get in touch with the AG Globe team today!
by scott | Jun 8, 2022 | Healthcare, Job Seekers
Certified nursing assistants (CNAs), also known as nursing aides, are in-demand. That’s because healthcare doesn’t happen without a CNA somewhere in the mix. CNAs provide direct care to patients, whether they are in their homes, in a skilled nursing facility, or in other in-patient settings. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts these jobs will grow at a rate of 8% annually through 2030. As the baby boomer population continues to age and needs skilled nursing care, CNAs will play an important role in meeting these needs. In this blog, we’ll share important information on the CNA/nursing aid role. What education do you need to become a CNA? What skills will you need to take on this work? We have answers that can help you decide if a CNA position is right for you.
What is a CNA?
Certified nursing assistants take care of patients directly under the supervision of a professional nursing team. This is an entry-level role perfect for anyone seeking to break into steady work in the healthcare industry. On a typical day, a CNA will:
- Help multiple patients with a variety of health concerns.
- Aid patients with mobility issues with basic life skills such as eating, bathing, dressing, and even movement and exercise.
- Monitor and record the patient’s food and beverage intake.
- Update the nursing team on any changes in the condition of the patient.
In a hospital, the CNA may do all of these things, but also, they may:
- Deliver patient meals.
- Answer phones at the nursing stations or assist patients in making calls.
- Clean patient rooms by wiping down surfaces, sweeping, and taking out the trash.
- Provide emotional support to patients who are feeling sad or discouraged by simply listening to them.
- Helping push equipment from one room to another or even transporting a patient to a testing location.
What Skills Will You Need To Be a CNA?
A CNA job is physical. You’ll be on your feet and moving around. You may be required to lift or move patients. During this you will also need to exhibit caring and compassion for the patient. You’ll need to notice small patient details and report on them in the charting. Communication is critical in these positions. You will also need:
- Patience, optimism, and a sense of humor will help with stress.
- Some knowledge of medical phrases and terminology
- Flexibility; each day will be as different as the patients you serve.
Interestingly, you can jump right into these positions. There are some great programs out there that are low cost (but high return). Completing one will set you up to break right into healthcare—fast. What kind of training and education will you need to land your first CNA job?
What Education and Training Will You Need?
CNA certifications can be obtained in as little as 90-days. This usually includes about 75 hours of classroom work plus on-the-ground training in the clinical skills you’ll need. There is a CNA examination required in the state where you’re working. You don’t need a college degree, either. That means there is a low barrier to entry for CNA positions and the certifications themselves are quite affordable. For about $1,300, you can have the certifications you need to take on this role.
If you’re ready to explore a career as a nursing aide, browse our open roles today!
