ALL:Health Care Pathways Overview (HST)

Summary

This activity is intended to be presented prior to implementation of health care activities.

Students will be introduced to careers in each of the five pathways of health care to include therapeutic services, support services, diagnostic services, biotechnology research and development, and health informatics.

Materials

1. Introduction to Career Pathways -- Student PowerPoint
2. Crossword Puzzle for Students

Background for Teachers

Utah's Health Science program of study PowerPoint presentation is attached for teachers to gain a greater understanding of Health Science Education in Utah.

Health Care Careers are divided into five pathways - Therapeutic Services, Diagnostic Services, Support Services, Health Informatics, and Biotechnology Research and Development.

• Therapeutic Services Pathways are those careers that help to maintain or change the health status of the patient over time.
• Diagnostic Services Pathway are those careers that help to pinpoint a disease or condition creating a picture of the patient's health status at a single point of time.
• Support Services Pathway are those careers that help to provide a therapeutic environment for the delivery of health care.
• Health Informatics Pathway are those careers supporting and documenting patient care.
• Biotechnology Research and Development Pathway are those careers that use scientific and technical enhancements to enhance diagnostic and therapeutic activities in health care.

According to Utah's Top 10 Health Care Careers published by UHA, AHEC, and USOE-HST, the health care careers with the highest demand include

1. Registered Nurse (Therapeutic Pathway)
2. Pharmacist (Therapeutic Pathway)
3. Radiologic Technologist (Diagnostic Pathway)
4. Clinical Laboratory Technologist (Diagnostic Pathway)
5. Therapy - Respiratory, Speech and Language, Audiologist (Therapeutic Pathway)
6. Dietician (Therapeutic Pathway)
7. Surgical Technologist/Technician (Therapeutic Pathway)
8. Medical Coder (Health Informatics Pathway)
9. Physician (Therapeutic Pathway)
10. Patient Care Support -- Medical Assistant, Certified Nurse Assistant, Home Health Aide (Therapeutic Pathway)

Teachers should review the five National Health Care Pathways and examples of health care careers found in each of the five pathways.

Directions for using the Health Care Careers Pathway PowerPoint Presentation.
Each slide is animated, but you must click to change slides.
There are notes included for each slide you may use during the presentation.
The notes may be printed with the slide if you print one slide per page and click on the notes option.
You may also print out notes individually.
You may use this for your orientation days or you may use it at the beginning of the actual unit.
The Health Care Careers Crossword puzzle may used after viewing the PowerPoint for reinforcement.

Instructional Procedures

Introduction to Health Care Career Pathways

1. Show the attached PowerPoint presentation to introduce students to the five health care career pathways.

2. Discuss various careers within each pathway. Identify assigned pathways.

3. Complete the attached "Orientation Crossword Puzzle."