Healthcare positions in high demand
Many displaced workers are entering the field, but it's not for everyone

(York Daily Record, August 16, 2004)

By Jennifer Nejman, Daily Record/Sunday News staff

Laid-off workers and people seeking second careers in southcentral Pennsylvania are turning to the healthcare industry for jobs. The industry has lured them with national commercials promoting nursing as a noble profession and regional ones featuring Dr. Wanda Filer, a well-known physician.

"What's happening in healthcare right now is we have high interest, but you do need technical training . . . and the schools that provide technical education can't keep up with the demand," said Doreen Meeker, a case manager at York County Career Link.

Other non-technical positions, such as medical assistants, offer immediate placement. But people might have to start as a temporary worker in order to prove their capabilities to an employer.

WellSpan Health created a list of its top critical-need jobs. On the list are patient care and interaction positions such as nursing and medical assistants. Other positions include imaging technologists and medical coders, who submit information about treatment provided to insurance companies.

When large area manufacturers, Tyco Electronics, York International and Glatfelter cut jobs, many of those displaced workers considered entering the healthcare field, Meeker said.

In some cases, workers have transferable skills. They use computers with ease but need a medical terminology course in order to secure a job in a dentist's office, she said. Sometimes entry-level positions lead to more opportunities because workers will have access to inner-office job postings, she said.

When people try to enter two-year healthcare training programs and they have to wait, they become frustrated, Meeker said.

"And, of course, they are saying, I need a job," she said.

Meeker said a few have chosen different fields when faced with the situation, while others take positions that require less training.Someone could work as a certified nursing assistant, which requires a few weeks of courses, and then go to school to become a licensed practical or a registered nurse, she said.

"The education and industry are trying to solve the capacity issue," Meeker said, "but it's not something you can do overnight."

Right now, the most difficult programs to get into at Harrisburg Area Community College are the nursing degrees, which is true at other places, too, said Bradley Leidich, coordinator of health careers for the college.

One of the limitations is placing nursing students for their required clinical training; there aren't as many placements as there are students, he said. Programs such as radiation technologists are competitive, but not as difficult as nursing degrees, while others such as respiratory therapy are in high demand by the market, but a person could walk in the program now, Leidich said.

The community college has added teachers where needed and is adding sites for clinical training when possible, he said.

Steve Simon, director of employment at WellSpan Health, said he hopes people waiting for training don't lose interest.

"The real need is eight years out," he said.

e said he believes in the future that new technology development will help end shortages.

"I don't know if we've maximized yet the abilities of technology," Simon said. "So we're sort of at the height of our staffing required to take care of a patient."

He pointed to the potential of voice recognition technology to reduce transcription by staff of doctors' oral notes and automated patient records.

Despite the need for people to fill certain positions, fitting someone to the job is important, said Ann Gdovin-Hake, president of Gdovin Personnel Inc., which places people in York County.

Her company is quickly placing medical assistants - many are used in private physicians offices.

Medical assistants may greet patients, take their weight and height measurements and can be trained to give some shots. Certification is preferred, but not required, Gdovin-Hake said. In some cases, a person might be employed within three weeks of coming to Gdovin Personnel.

The job isn't for everyone.

"Knowing your personality is so important," she said. "Either you can work with the public or you can't - and in the medical field, you are working with a cranky public because people are sick."

For manufacturing workers, some healthcare jobs offer a disappointing pay scale.

"You can't compare the factory wages to medical wages," she said. "A lot of those people were (in a factory) for years and making a decent living, and now I'm offering them $9.50 an hour, and they're offended."

She suggests that people considering new careers ask about the salary scale - both entry level and what they can expect to earn in five years - before they train for a particular job.

"In the long run," he said, "we will better serve the community if we get people who are inspired to fill the job."