Clinical  Laboratory  Science      The  Profession  The  clinical  laboratory  scientist,  also  known  as  a  medical  technologist,  or  medical  laboratory  scientist,  plays  a  major  role  in  the  diagnosis,  treatment,  and  prevention  of  disease.  Clinical  laboratory  scientists  use  sophisticated  laboratory  instruments  to  perform  tests  in  microbiology,  immunology,  immunohematology,  hematology,  and  clinical  chemistry.    Careers The  clinical  laboratory  scientist  has  a  broad  background  in  the  sciences  and  may  find  employment  in  hospital  and  clinic  laboratories,  public  health  laboratories,  and  research  laboratories.  With  experience,  the  clinical  laboratory  scientist  becomes  an  indispensable  top-­‐level  laboratory  worker,  a  supervisor,  a  specialist,  a  researcher,  or  an  educator.      Communication  Disorders    What  is  a  Communication  Disorder?  A  communication  disorder  affects  an  individual's  ability  to  hear,  speak,  understand,  read,  and/or  write.  The  various  types  of  communication  disorders  an  individual  can  exhibit  include:  fluency,  articulation,  voice,  swallowing,  cognitive,  and  language  disorders.    Which  Professionals  Assess  and  Treat  Individuals  Exhibiting  Communication  Disorders?  Speech-­‐language  pathologists  diagnose  and  treat  communication  disorders.  Speech  pathologists  are  employed  in  a  variety  of  settings  including:  public  schools,  hospitals,  rehabilitation  centers,  nursing  care  facilities,  community  clinics,  colleges  and  universities,  private  practice,  health  departments,  home  care,  adult  day  care  centers,  and  research  laboratories.  Speech-­‐language  pathologists  also  assess  and  treat  swallowing  disorders,  cognitive-­‐communication  disorders,  and  auditory  processing  disorders.      Healthcare  Administration    What  is  healthcare  administration?  Healthcare  administration  is  the  study  of  management  theory,  practice,  skills,  and  attitudes  applied  to  healthcare  organizations.  Unique  characteristics  of  healthcare  organizations  include  medical  staffs,  third  party  payers,  and  trusting  customers.  Healthcare  organizations  are  in  the  business  of  caring.    Why  pursue  a  degree  in  healthcare  administration?  

• Because  you  are  a  compassionate  person  and  want  to  make  a  difference  in  the  lives  of  others  by  pursuing  a  career  in  a  growing  service  industry.  

• Because  you  want  career  opportunities  in  the  largest  industry  in  the  U.S.  • Because  you  want  excellent  earning  potential  -­‐-­‐  according  to  U.S.  Bureau  of  Labor  statistics,  salaries  

for  entry-­‐level  healthcare  managers  were  up  to  $48,300  with  senior  executives  earning  significantly  more.  

• Because  you  want  career  flexibility  including  not  only  careers  in  healthcare  management,  but  also  careers  in  pharmaceuticals,  health  insurance,  patient  billing,  and  state  and  federal  agencies.  

• Because  you  want  to  pursue  graduate  education  in  healthcare  administration,  public  health,  business  administration,  law,  and  other  disciplines.  

     

Health  Information  Management    Professional  Definition  Health  Information  Management  improves  the  quality  of  health  care  by  insuring  that  the  best  information  is  available  to  make  any  healthcare  decision.  HIM  professionals  manage  healthcare  data  and  information  resources.  The  profession  encompasses  services  in  planning,  collecting,  aggregating,  analyzing,  and  disseminating  individual  patient  and  aggregate  clinical  data.  It  serves  the  healthcare  industry  including:  patient  care  organizations,  payers,  research  and  policy  agencies,  and  other  healthcare  related  industries.    The  HIM  Profession  Today  Projected  by  the  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics  to  be  one  of  the  15  fastest  growing  occupations  in  the  United  States,  health  information  management  (HIM)  is  an  excellent  career  choice  for  the  person  who  is  seeking  a  healthcare  profession  that  combines  interest  in  computer  sciences,  business,  management,  legal  procedures,  and  healthcare  research.  HIM  professionals  play  a  key  role  in  making  the  healthcare  system  work.  They  perform  the  data  collection  and  analysis  that  doctors,  nurses,  and  other  healthcare  professionals  need  to  provide  quality  patient  care.    These  professionals  work  in  a  broad  range  of  settings  that  span  the  continuum  of  healthcare,  including  office-­‐based  physician  practices,  nursing  homes,  home  health  agencies,  mental  health  facilities,  and  public  health  agencies.  The  growth  of  managed  care  has  created  additional  job  opportunities  in  HMOs,  PPOs,  and  insurance  companies.    Nursing      Students  enrolled  in  the  St.  David’s  School  of  Nursing  at  Texas  State  will  be  full-­‐time  students  and  will  complete  classroom  coursework,  lab  work  in  state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art  simulation  labs  located  in  the  St.  David’s  School  of  Nursing  building  on  the  Round  Rock  campus,  and  off-­‐site  clinical  rotations.      This  BSN  program  prepares  students  to  work  in  varied  clinical  settings  and  prepare  for  the  National  Council  Licensure  Examination  for  Registered  Nurses  (NCLEX-­‐RN).      Radiation  Therapy    The  radiation  therapist  is  a  key  member  of  the  professional  team  which  uses  various  forms  of  radiation  to  treat  cancer  patients.  The  practice  of  radiation  therapy  is  performed  by  competent  radiation  therapists  who  deliver  care  to  the  patient  in  the  therapeutic  setting  and  are  responsible  for  the  simulation,  treatment  planning  and  administration  of  a  prescribed  course  of  radiation  therapy  to  diminish  or  eradicate  malignant  disease.  Radiation  therapists  assume  direct  responsibility  for  the  well-­‐being  of  the  patient.  Because  of  sustained  contact  patients,  the  radiation  therapist  has  considerable  responsibility  in  patient  care,  dietary  counseling  and  treatment  evaluation.  The  radiation  therapist  must  also  appreciate  the  significant  psychological  impact  that  cancer  has  on  patients  and  their  families.    Respiratory  Care    Respiratory  Care  Practitioners  are  important  members  of  the  health  care  team.  The  field  of  respiratory  care  includes  exciting  and  challenging  career  opportunities  in  the  fields  of  acute  care,  critical  care,  home  care,  extended  care,  pulmonary  rehabilitation,  diagnostic  testing,  polysomnography  (sleep  studies),  research  or  education.  Respiratory  therapists  have  a  well-­‐defined  scope  of  practice.  They  are  considered  specialists  in  the  area  of  life  support  equipment  and  its  applications.  The  Bachelor  of  Science  Degree  Program  in  Respiratory  Care  offers  an  intellectually  stimulating  and  demanding  educational  experience.      *Information  listed  in  this  document  has  been  taken  from  the  Texas  State  University  website*