Top 100 Health-Care Careers

Your Complete Guidebook to Training and Jobs in Allied Health, Nursing, Medicine, and More

By Dr. Saul Wischnitzer, Edith Wischnitzer

JIST Works, $24.95

In Top 100 Health-Care Careers, Dr. Saul Wischnitzer and Edith Wischnitzer created a comprehensive guidebook to careers in health care. This handy manual contains descriptions of 100 different health care careers, but it goes much further than just giving simple descriptions of these occupations. In the text, the Wischnitzers explain exactly where to find top job opportunities and then walk you through the process of selecting a career path, securing financial aid for your education, and attaining your ideal job.

The process starts with a checklist to assess your specific interests and skill sets. Then Top 100 Health-Care Careers lists thousands of training programs throughout the U.S. that can provide the proper education needed to pursue health care careers-many of which take less than four years to complete.

Finally, the Wischnitzers highlight the right direction to finding one's career path through networking, self-marketing techniques and targeting prospective employers.

The text emphasizes many career opportunities in health care today, and highlights the growing demand for health care workers that the U.S. will face as the population continues to ages at an increasing rate

Health Professions Career and Education Directory, 2005-2006

By the American Medical Association

American Medical Association, $52.50 (AMA member),
$70 (nonmember)

In the 2005-2006 edition of the Health Professions Career and Education Directory, the AMA has added a new section titled the Medical Librarian, which provides data about 22 accrediting agencies for 65 different health care careers. This was a logical progression for a book that contains information on an astounding 6,700 educational programs at 2,500 institutions.

Health Professions Career and Education Directory is a recommended reference for students, career counselors and advisors. It is particularly beneficial for students who have yet to make a career choice because it provides a wealth of information about the history and the outlook for such a wide array of health care professions. This directory describes the background, day-to-day responsibilities, employment outlook, and possible work environments of various health care professions that will aid students in making an informed career choice. The text also lists the educational programs in great detail, and gives contact information for the educational programs.

With it's new Medical Librarian section, Health Professions Career and Education Directory will also be an invaluable reference to established health care providers concerned with staying up-to-date with new accreditations required for continued practice in their field. Experienced workers will find information on typical coursework that their field demands. They will also be able to obtain the most current information on educational programs, class capacities, start dates and tuition, which will allow professionals to keep up with the latest technologies and techniques.

EMS2: The Life of Your Job

By Devin Kerins
Vivisphere Publishing, $16.00

As you pull over to the side of the road to let a speeding ambulance pass by, have you ever wondered what was going on inside? Perhaps you've even wondered if a career in emergency medical service was the right choice for your allied health care career. If so, here is your chance to climb inside that ambulance and get a first-hand look at what is really taking place.

Author Devin Kerins, a nationally registered paramedic and veteran of almost over a decade's worth of emergency medical services, provides personal accounts from suburban volunteer calls to his career runs in one of New Jersey's most dangerous cities.

In EMS2: The Job of Your Life, the sequel to his popular EMS, Kerins recounts even more of his most unforgettable and outrageous experiences while on the job as an EMT.

This is an interesting read for those already working in the ranks or for any up-an-coming EMT/paramedic. It allows an unparalleled peak into the field before you step into the ambulance as a professional EMT.

Careers in Health Care, 4th Edition

By Barbara Mardinly Swanson, McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books, $11.16

Careers in Health Care is similar to Guide to Careers in the Health Professions; both texts provide information on how to pursue a career in health care and both provide job descriptions, education requirements and job outlooks. While Guide toÉ provides extensive contact information for a limited number of career choices, Careers in Health Care covers more career options with less contact information. Careers in Health Care lists 58 career options, but the reader will have to do a little more independent research to find college or university contact information.

Guide to Careers in the Health Professions

By Lynn Borders Caldwell, Princeton Review, $17.47

Guide to Careers in the Health Professions is geared toward readers who are interested in pursuing a career in health care. Caldwell interviewed experts in 19 health care fields to compile information on job descriptions, education requirements, salary potential, and employment outlook of each field.

Also included is an extensive list of schools that offer necessary health care degrees for each profession and contact information for those schools. Guide to Careers in the Health Professions provides referrals to additional publications for further research, as well as addresses of useful Web sites.

Health Care Job Explosion: High Growth Health Care Careers and Job Locator (Third Edition)

By Dennis V. Damp, Bookhaven Press, $17.95

The Department of Labor projects that by 2008 jobs in health care will grow by 26%Ñresulting in 2,800,000 new jobs. Even though plenty of opportunities abound, many allied health care workers are unsure how to narrow down their options and find the best possible positions.

Health Care Job Explosion: High Growth Health Care Careers and Job Locator is a comprehensive health care career guide and job locator that will benefit any health care professional looking to explore their job options or advance their career.

Since the second edition of Health Care Job Explosion was released, many changes have taken place in the health care field and this new edition covers it all. The text provides information on high growth occupations, offers contact information for job vacancies and occupational exploration, and has an appendix that features scholarship and tuition assistance. Medical billing and home health care is also covered extensively in this updated edition.

Health Care Job Explosion includes detailed information for all major health care occupations, including occupational descriptions, required training and education, advancement opportunities, related occupations, qualifications, required certifications and licenses, job outlooks, and average salaries. Numerous employment options are presented including the traditional health care services market, federal occupations and opportunities with corporate America.

Hundreds of job search resources are also provided, including periodicals with job adds, hundreds of Internet Web sites and job links, directories, job hotlines, association contact information, corporate opportunities and contacts, federal job opportunities and agency contacts, and a comprehensive index.

The third edition of the text also includes more interviews with health care workers offering a personal perspective on specific health care occupations.

The Internet for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals (Third Edition)

By Margaret J. A. Edwards, Springer Verlag, $29.95

As a busy health care provider, you need the most up-to-date information at a moment's notice. The best way to stay on top of the latest changes in health care is by using the Internet. The Internet provides a platform to research and discuss cutting-edge methodologies, treatments and medicines with your peers around the world.

For those who did not grow up using email and surfing the Web, however, a little guidance may be necessary. And for those who are comfortable using computers, the sheer volume of online health care information can seem daunting. That's where the newly updated version of The Internet for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals comes in.

This best-selling text is great for health care workers with little or no computer experience but is also an exceptional resource for those with plenty of online experience.

As a jumping-off point, the text describes how the Internet works and how best to use various online tools such as email, newsgroups, telnet and how to search for information.

The Internet for Nurses and Allied Health Professionals offers a list of health-related Internet resources that include reviews and descriptionsÑnot just URLs. The updated third version of the text contains hundreds of new Web links, including the online American Journal of Nursing and the "Virtual Nursing Centre," to name just a few. An expanded section devoted to the use of search engines is also included.

The text also comes with a CD-ROM that provides a directory of information resources available for health care professionals on the Internet.

Stigma and Social Exclusion in Healthcare

By Tom Mason, Caroline Watkins, Caroline Carlisle and Elizabeth Whitehead, Routledge, $29.95

Stigma and Social Exclusion in Healthcare addresses often-hidden prejudices and ideologies that can negatively affect both patients and employees in the field of health care. Written by health care providersÑsome of whom suffered stigmatization in the field of health care themselvesÑthe book offers practical solutions to potential discrimination relating to topics like hearing, sight, sexuality, HIV and AIDS, drug use, teenage pregnancy, breastfeeding and old age. Stigma and Social Exclusion in Healthcare makes recommendations for training and provides a blueprint for the future. It's a valuable reference for health care workers who are attempting to provide the best-possible care for their diverse patients.

The 21st Century Health Care Leader

By Roderick W. Gilkey and Emory University School of Medicine, The Center for Healthcare Leadership
Jossey-Bass, $43.24

The 21st Century Health Care Leader brings together existing leaders from many health care professions to describe the skills and competencies they believe will be pivotal for health care leaders in the coming decades. This book is geared toward administrators and health care providers, and it offers information on how to create organizations and systems that will provide higher-quality and lower-cost clinical care to an ever-
growing population.

Professional Issues in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, 2nd Edition

By Rosemary Lubinski and Carol M. Frattali, Ph.D.
Singular Publishing, $73.95

A comprehensive view of speech therapy aimed at helping entry-level and experienced clinicians understand issues in their field including certification, liability, specialization, policies and quality care are presented in Professional Issues in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. For the established clinician, this is a reference to have at hand when an issue arises. For a student considering the field, it is a candid look at the intricacies of speech and language pathology and audiology.

By Geri-Ann Galanti, University of Pennsylvania Press, $18.95

What is the best way to care for patients with different backgrounds, religions, beliefs and customs? How can you assess a patient’s level of pain if you don’t even speak their language? How do you deal with patients’ various dietary customs, folk medicine practices, and routines surrounding death and dying?

In order to provide the best possible care for all patients regardless of race or background, allied health care providers must comprehend the cultural differences that can create conflicts, misunderstandings, and can result in inferior medical care. Geri-Ann Galanti’s Caring for Patients from Different Cultures is an essential resource for allied health professionals interested in achieving cultural competency.

This 296-page text contains over 200 case studies that highlight important concepts from the fields of cultural diversity and medical anthropology. The studies illustrate cross-cultural misunderstandings and ways to provide culturally competent health care. Chapters cover a diverse range of topics, including birth, end of life, traditional medicine, mental health, pain, religion and multicultural staff issues.

The newly updated Caring for Patients from Different Cultures is even more comprehensive than the first two editions, containing new appendices for quick reference, an expanded and updated bibliography with Internet resources, and a detailed index.

By U. S. Government, Progressive Management, $25.00

Interested in volunteering as a health care provider with the United States Peace Corps, but not sure where to find the most comprehensive information on the program? Check out this 3,405-page electronic book on CD-ROM from the U.S. government. It presents information on every aspect of the Peace Corps program, including the volunteer program, available assignments, the program’s history, famous volunteers, country descriptions, an applicant toolkit, and texts used in programs overseas.

Vital Peace Corp information is easily accessible on this convenient CD-ROM using Adobe Acrobat PDF software that can be viewed on either Windows or Apple Macintosh systems. Reader software is included on the CD.

By Rachel E. Spector, Prentice Hall, $36.95

The Center for Healthy Families and Cultural Diversity has listed Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness amongst its "Diversity Bestsellers." The text provides a comprehensive view of cultural competency in regards to health care thanks to the exhaustive research of author Rachel E. Spector, RN, PhD, CTN, FAAN. Spector has achieved success during her career as an associate professor at Boston College School of Nursing in Chestnut Hill, Mass., and as past president of the Transcultural Nursing Society.
Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness was written primarily for nurses, however, it is appropriate for all allied health care workers interested in providing high-quality, culturally sensitive health care to patients.

The text promotes the importance of cultural awareness among health care workers and covers the complexity involved in caring for people from diverse backgrounds. It covers various ethnicities' traditional views of illness and medicine-a subject all health care workers interested in providing competent care should be familiar with. Each section of Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness is also accompanied by extensive bibliographies.

By Shirley A. Badasch, Doreen S. Chesebro, Jerry S., Weissman Prentice Hall, $69.27

Introduction to Health Occupations: Today's Health Care Worker provides an overview of many health professions and presents core health care skills and information. It's a back-to-the-basics approach meant to assist English-as-a-second-language students or those who have not completed high school through the process of choosing an entry-level health care career.

The text provides descriptions of possible allied health careers and explains the basic skills students will need to achieve success in those fields.

Exercises presented in the text encourage critical thinking skills in medical math, computers and terminology. Introduction to Health Occupations also covers information on standard precautions, blood-borne pathogens and tuberculosis.

The text accomplishes just what the title suggests-it explores the day-to-day tasks and procedures of many allied health professions. Advanced health care students will value the text's overviews of various health professions, although, they may find the skill exercises too basic.

Introduction to Health Occupations is illustrated with four-color art and accompanied by a CD-ROM providing additional exercises.

By Kim Marino, John Wiley & Sons, $14.95

For nearly a decade, the first edition of Resumes for the
Health Care Professional has been a fundamental resource for individuals hoping to get into the health care field. The latest edition covers much more than the title suggests-it lists popular Internet career centers and Web sites geared toward health care professionals and contains updated coverage of the latest job trends. The reader will also find job descriptions of key health care professions and coverage of new trends in health care fields and how to benefit from them.

The author, Kim Marino, is a corporate trainer and founder of Just Resumes based in Santa Barbara, Calif. She has packed the second edition of Resumes for the Health Care Professional with over 100 sample health care resumes for numerous health care professions, as well as sample cover letters and thank-you letters. Job search tips are also included in the text and are geared for the health care field based on a combination of time-tested job search strategies as well as the latest trends.

Resumes for the Health Care Professional also contains interviewing tips and techniques, which are particularly helpful because interviewing in the health care field is quiet a different experience than interviewing for jobs in other fields. Resumes for the Health Care Professional addresses the types of questions asked during health care interviews, how to answer them and suggests questions the applicant will want to ask potential employers during the interview.

The health care field is ever changing and competitive. It's important for health care workers to stay up to date, and Resumes for the Health Care Professional is a cornerstone resource for use in your job search.

By Martha O. Loustaunau, Elisa J. Sobo, Bergin & Garvey, $26.95

Many health care professionals have tackled the complicated subject of cultural competency in medicine. The Cultural Context of Health, Illness, and Medicine, however, stands apart from other texts because its authors provide a unique look at the complex topic. Authors Loustaunau and Sobo are a sociologist and anthropologist respectively. Loustaunau is a medical sociologist in the department of sociology/anthropology at New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, and Sobo is a medical anthropologist in cancer prevention and control at the University of California, San Diego. They've applied their expertise to the medical field and present readers with the challenges of cross-cultural health care treatment from a third party perspective.

The Cultural Context of Health, Illness, and Medicine is a compendium of the vast subject of culture and how it effects medical treatment. The book is written in a clear, logical style that is appropriate for both the layman and the scholar. The text begins with a chapter entitled "The Concept of Culture" and ends with "Application and Integration: Contemporary Challenges."

Loustaunau and Sobo utilize case examples throughout the text to illustrate the potential difficulties in treating individuals across cultural lines. They also explain the measures that should be taken to correct potential cultural misunderstandings before they occur. An analysis and discussion of the impact of class, poverty, illness care-seeking, family life and gender leads the authors to suggest ways health care workers might provide a more culturally sensitive system.

The book also contains an extensive appendix of "Resources for Cultural Assessment and Achieving Cultural Sensitivity."

Health Professions Career and Education Directory 2003-2004 (31st Edition)

For those looking for reliable, up-to-date health care career information—or those helping others plan their professional careers—the Health Professions Career and Education Directory is your best possible source for in-depth information on a multitude of health professions.

Allied health careers covered in the text include: anesthesiologist assistant, cardiovascular technologist, clinical lab technician, dental assistant, emergency medical technician, medical assistant, nuclear medicine technologist, occupational therapist, pharmacy technician, physical therapist, radiation therapist, surgical technologist and many more.

Profession descriptions offer insider information and statistics for students and job seekers alike looking to make successful, informed career decisions. Each description includes information on many areas including the professions' history; job descriptions; employment outlook; workplace characteristics, facilities and locations; education programs; licensure, certification and registration information; and lists of names, addresses and other contact information for nation professional associations and other information sources. The 2003-2004 edition of the Directory also gives information on 6,500 education programs at 2,400 institutions.

For more information or to order Health Professions Career and Education Directory 2003-2004, go online to www.amapress.com or call (800) 262-3211.

Clinical Procedures for Medical Assistants (Fifth Edition)

By Kathy Bonewit-West W. B. Saunders, $49.95 (hardcover, includes CD-ROM)

This best-selling text is written at a level appropriate for students training to become medical assistants. The most recent edition of Clinical Procedures for Medical Assistants includes a chapter on the components of the medical record, legal aspects of medical records, preparing a medical record for a new patient and charting progress notes.

The text provides a real world perspective on clinical procedures by highlighting actual medical assistants who are currently practicing in the clinical area. Also covered is up-to-date information on the drugs, chemical disinfectants and antiseptics most commonly used in this field.

Clinical Procedures for Medical Assistants includes nearly 800 illustrations—750 of which are in full color. These illustrations provide students with realistic, step-by-step views of various procedures. A growth and development table for pediatric examinations as well as a childhood disease table is also provided.

This edition also contains an interactive CD-ROM that simulates realistic clinical situations.

Therapeutic Communications for Health Professionals (Second Edition)

By Carol D. Tamparo, Wilburta Q. Lindh Delmar Learning, $43.95

The goal of Therapeutic Communications for Health Professionals is to teach health professionals theories and practical applications of therapeutic communication with patients in a variety of situations. Information provided in this text is helpful in any allied health profession.

This thorough book presents everything from basic communication skills to effective communication for all age groups. The communication tips taught throughout the text are easily transferred and applied in to real-world patient-caregiver situations. Cutting-edge issues important in today's work world—such as the impact of the information age on communications, human relations and physician-assisted suicide—are all covered in depth.

Therapeutic Communications for Health Professionals presents readers with a diverse sample of possible client profiles and explains the proper therapeutic responses for each, including how to deal with patients struggling with stress, anger, suicide, depression, drug dependency, abuse, grief, and even Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Post-Partum Depression. Learning is enhanced with extensive practical exercises.

Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist: A Positive Care Approach

Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist is a text that will benefit surgical technology educators, professionals and students alike. It provides comprehensive information on surgical technology—particularly benefiting students in their understanding of both the information and the processes involved in surgical technology.

The main focus of the text is to help surgical technologists develop the required knowledge and cognitive skills they need to predict both patient's and surgeon's needs.

Comprehensive chapters cover a wide range of topics—basic surgical technology information; physical environment and safety standards; general surgical patient care and safety; surgical pharmacology and anesthesia; instrumentation, equipment and supplies; diagnostic procedures and much more.

Surgical procedures are presented by surgicaspecialty in an illustrative format throughout Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist. Brief introductions to diagnostics precede each of these sections. Case studies and questions for further study appear in every chapter, which helps readers apply the new concepts they've learned to real-life situations. Color inserts provide an overview of select anatomic systems and illustrate practical aspects of surgical technology. And “Pearls of Wisdom” (tips from the author's experience) give students insider information on specific procedures.

By Anna P. Ciulla and Georganne K. Buescher Pearson Education, $44.00

Gearing up for your certification exam in clinical laboratory science? If so, check out the Question and Answer Review of Medical Technology/Clinical Laboratory Science. This guide was specifically designed for certification exam preparation, and it covers exam materials and emphasizes current practices, technology and terminology. Sections concentrate on clinical chemistry, hematology, homeostasis, immunology, immunohematology, microbiology, urinalysis, molecular diagnostics, laboratory calculations, general lab principles, lab management, education and laboratory informatics.

Clinical case studies are used throughout the text to illustrate major points, and 60 color plates are included. A companion CD-ROM contains a mock exam with realistic sample test questions, so users can test themselves before taking the real examination. There is also a companion Web site link that provides an exam review in addition to the CD-ROM.

The new third edition of the book has been updated to reflect current practices and includes even more clinical case studies. The revised text also highlights the latest technology and terminology and features new coverage of molecular methods.

By integrating technology, realistic test questions and dependable content, Question and Answer Review of Medical Technology/ Clinical Laboratory Science will help users achieve success on their boards.

Pocket Guide to Radiography (Fourth Edition)

By Phillip W. Ballinger and Eugene D. Frank Mosby-Year Book, Inc., $24.95

If you're a professional or student in the field of radiography, the fifth edition

of the Pocket Guide to Radiography will be a helpful text for you. This spiral-bound, pocket-sized guide aids radiology technologists and technology students by describing appropriate patient positioning for standard radiographic views and providing approximately 400 illustrations.

This handy companion concisely explains radiographic essentials in a quick reference format that is ideal for the clinical setting. Users can reference bulleted, step-by-step explanations that illustrate how to position the patient for 190 of the most common radiographic projections. The Pocket Guide to Radiography also includes an exposure technique chart for each projection and provides space for users to make notes.

The book was written by Phillip W. Ballinger, assistant professor emeritus of the Radiologic Technology Division at the School of Allied Medical Professions , Ohio State University , Columbus , Ohio , and Eugene D. Frank, director of the Mayo Radiography Program, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mayo Clinic/ Foundation and the assistant professor of radiology at the Mayo Medical School , Rochester , Minn.

Human Anatomy (Fourth Edition)

By Frederic H. Martini, Michael J. Timmons and Robert B. Tallitsch Prentice Hall, $125.00 (hardcover)

Since its first edition, Human Anatomy has been well known for its straightforward presentation and outstanding illustrations. Readers will be able to quickly and easily understand anatomical structures. This new edition is an excellent choice for anyone looking to learn more about anatomy. Health care professionals of all kinds, including massage therapists, forensic medical examiners and athletic trainers, will find useful information.

Human Anatomy includes extensive visual illustrations to support the written material. The oversize textbook format (10.75” x 12”) provides a clear representation of the components of the human body in line drawings and paintings, as well as cadaver dissection photos and photomicrographs. In 27 chapters, the book provides an introduction to anatomy and covers cells, the tissue level of organization, integumentary system, the skeletal system, the muscular system, surface anatomy, the nervous system, the endocrine system, the cardiovascular system, the lymphatic system, the respiratory system, the digestive system, the urinary system, the reproductive system and human development.

The fourth edition not only has updates and revisions, it also features images from the Visible Human project of the National Library of Medicine and 3-D anatomical simulations on the CD-ROM that accompanies the book.

Past editions of Human Anatomy have won many awards, such as the Textbook Excellence award from the Text and Academic Authors Association and the award for Illustration Excellence by the Association of Medical Illustrators.

Occupational Therapy for Children (Fourth Edition)

By Jane Case Smith Mosby-Year Book, Inc., $69.95

Occupational Therapy for Children is Mosby's top-selling occupational therapy book and has a long-standing reputation as an exceptional source for occupational therapy information for undergraduate students, graduate level students and practitioners.

This fully updated fourth edition contains many new features and continues its focus on children at many ages and stages in development. The text addresses at length treatment techniques and diagnoses in various types of settings. The fourth edition also contains improvements in the individual organization of each chapter and has updated photos and illustrations. This edition also has more case studies and expanded and revised information on many topics.

Known by many students and professors as “The Yellow Book”, new pedagogy has been added to Occupational Therapy for Children. It is divided into sections: Knowledge Base of Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, Occupational Therapy Assessment in Pediatrics, Occupational Therapy Intervention: Performance Areas and Arenas of Pediatric Occupational Therapy Services. New information on ecological assessment, assistive technologies, early intervention, family-centered care, and the changing roles of the COTA and the OT have also been added.

While the book contains predominantly black-and-white illustrations, some two-color illustrations have recently been added to improve visual impact and clarity.

By Valerie Anderson