There are so many options for places to work in the healthcare field. There are private physician offices, clinics, schools, and hospitals, just to name a few. The “traditional” choice for a nurse or other healthcare worker is to work in a hospital. Before accepting a job offer in a hospital, it's

There are so many options for places to work in the healthcare field. There are private physician offices, clinics, schools, and hospitals, just to name a few. The “traditional” choice for a nurse or other healthcare worker is to work in a hospital. Before accepting a job offer in a hospital, it's important to think about the pros and cons of that choice.

US Hospital Facts

Hospitals are a safe haven and important facility for the sickest of patients. The patient acuity or level of sickness requiring more specialized healthcare is rising in the US. Sicker patients are populating hospitals. Here are a few facts to further explain the magnitude of the US hospital system:

• There are about 10,000 hospitals in the US
• There are over 1.7 million patient beds within those hospitals
• Over 71,400,000 patients are admitted to the hospital beds in the US every year

Hospital bed occupancy is active, especially with the aging population in the US. There are more patients with chronic diseases who are living longer. There are also new strains of flus and other communicable diseases that require hospitalization. Certainly, there is also a younger population who need to be hospitalized for a variety of reasons, but the aging population has the greatest impact on overall hospital bed occupancy.

Pros of Working in a Hospital

Everyone has an opinion about the “right” workplace. Their opinion depends upon the size of the hospital, staffing levels, patient acuity, medical specialties and more. Here are a few ideas about the pros and cons of working in a hospital.

The Pros

• Rewarding and satisfying career working in a hospital
• Having a positive impact on patients' lives
• Job stability, which is not impacted by a recession
• Working in a team environment with other healthcare workers, including MDs, phlebotomists, respiratory therapists, and more
• Good salary, which is dependent upon the specific facility and job title. Hospital nurses usually earn a higher salary than in a private office or other ancillary facility
• Healthcare benefits are usually offered, based on the individual facility
• Stimulating environment, which is non-stop, around-the-clock

The Cons

• Exposure to germs being around many sick people
• Sometimes the parking options are competitive, especially in large urban areas. Staff is usually offered satellite parking because patient-only parking is often adjacent to the hospital
• Frustration when patients do not get better. It is difficult to watch patients struggle or die in the hospital
• Hospital work requires 24/7/365 coverage, which includes weekends and holidays, not typical “office hours.” The expansive hours must be fully covered in order to deliver safe and efficient patient care throughout the hospital
• Exposure to unruly patients (anger, intoxication, belligerent, loud, physically reactive) in the workplace can create a difficult environment
• The unknown factor about what or who will be a patient can make some jobs unpredictable, which can increase the stress factor

Give It Some Thought

Upon entering the healthcare field, a worker is aware of their potential exposure to germs. Choosing to work in a hospital is a commitment to knowledge of the fact that a typical work schedule can include any combination of days, shifts or hours and there will be germs, as well as pain and suffering along the way.

The rewards of caring for someone in need is usually enough to make a hospital employee realize that they made the right choice for employment.