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Healthcare Workers, Students

Advantages to working in a Hospital Setting vs. Non-Hospital Setting

Treyvon Kurr
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Working in a hospital or non-hospital setting is different depending on the type of certification you hold. Hospital settings allow for more flexibility and convenience – however, working with other medical professionals comes with a set of challenges.  

How Do I Choose the Right Career Path? 

When you are trying to decide whether to pursue a career in a hospital or non-hospital setting, it is vital to consider what you are most comfortable with. The questions below can help you understand your options better. 

1. Where Are You Most Comfortable Working? 

When considering a job, it is important to consider whether you will be comfortable in the work setting and with coworkers. For example, if you get upset easily by sad or difficult situations, you may have trouble working in a hospital or nursing home. 

2. Where Do You Think You Thrive? 

It is important to consider where you will be happiest and most effective when choosing a healthcare workplace. If you like being constantly on the go and prefer dealing with various issues every day, the hospital is the best for you. You will adapt well to such a fast-paced environment. People who like a predictable routine are best suited for clinics. 

3. Will There Be Any Long-Term Effects on Your Lifestyle? 

Consider how the work setting will affect your life outside of work. If you end up in a hospital setting, you may need to work second and third shifts. Also keep in mind that night shifts occur often, which can significantly affect your family. If you are a parent or are still in school, you will be better off in a non-hospital setting. 

The Advantages of Working in a Hospital Setting vs. a Non-Hospital Setting 

Working in a hospital setting as a registered nurse, medical technologist, or physical therapist has many advantages, and here are some of them. 

1. A Big Team with Immense Camaraderie 

In a hospital, you work with many people from different walks of life, unlike in a non-hospital setting. According to Sean Marchese, a registered nurse at the Mesothelioma center, professionals builds a sense of camaraderie in a hospital. People come together when they work on a code to bring someone back to life, and you get to support each other as you save lives. 

2. Job Opportunity 

The best time to work in healthcare is now. The massive baby boomer population is almost reaching the age that requires more medical attention. According to the bureau of labor statistics, the healthcare industry will likely add 2.6 million jobs by 2030. Hospitals are the biggest employer for many careers in the healthcare industry. 

3. Competitive Pay 

Hospitals compete for the strongest candidates in every field, which might favor you depending on your location, ability, and experience. Caleb Gray admits that the pay is much more competitive in hospitals than in private practice for physical therapists. 

4. Fast-paced Work Environment 

Do you thrive on new and exciting challenges? It would be great if you worked in a hospital. Professionals who can work well amid controlled chaos are fit for hospitals. You find patients ranging from minor injuries to severe acute diseases and people giving birth, among others. 

Clinic settings and other private facilities have no such experience as they mainly deal with less extreme conditions, and as such, they only have inpatient and no adequate outpatient facilities.   

5. Coffee Shops and Other Amenities On-Site 

The amenities may not be a guarantee at all the hospitals, but you can find them in the high-density hospital setting. Having those amenities may not be a huge deal, but those are the small things that affect the overall happiness of many healthcare workers.  

Having good coffee will power you through a long hectic day and that is something you are not likely to find in a private facility setting. 

6. More Opportunities to Form Relationships 

Healthcare professionals mention one common theme; their experience with all the people in their hospital setting, patients, or coworkers. Hospitals allow you to connect with more people because they are much bigger than private organizations. 

Bottom Line

No matter where you choose to work, you will have an opportunity to impact the patients’ lives. That is fulfilling but selecting the best work setting makes it more fulfilling. Instead, would you be helping patients, but your working conditions are not fulfilling? 

Choosing to work in a hospital setting comes with the advantages listed above, and again, you will have a referral base from the other physicians in the faculty. You are also at an advantage because you can predict the number of patients you will see every day. In a hospital, you will be free to focus on handling the patients instead of worrying as the hospital is in a position to negotiate the reimbursement levels with the insurance companies. 

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