Some people are able to make a career out of helping others. Those in Florida may want to look into the growing opportunity of Florida healthcare jobs.
The United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics notes Florida’s education and health services industry employed 1,036,500 people in June 2008, a 3 percent increase over the previous year. The State of Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation states the education and health services industry employed 998,624 people in 2007, and is expected to employ 1,229,785 in 2015, an increase of 2.89 percent.
In 2001, according to city-data.com, Florida had 202 community hospitals with 216,509 full-time personnel and 51,762 available beds, 2,207,147 admissions, 55,402 full-time registered nurses, 7,003 full-time licensed practical nurses and 280 physicians per 100,000 people. Federal government grants to cover Medicare and Medicaid services in 2001 totaled $5.4 billion and 2,838,345 enrollees received Medicare that year.
The healthcare industry includes: offices of physicians, dentists and other health practitioners, outpatient care centers, medical and diagnostic laboratories, home healthcare services, other ambulatory healthcare services and hospitals.
The largest industries in healthcare in September 2006, according to the AWI, were hospitals with 301,756 jobs and offices of physicians with 160,470 jobs. Hospitals and offices of physicians make up 70.7 percent of healthcare employment in Florida.
In 2005, the average annual salary for healthcare workers was $46,184. Registered nurses are the largest occupation within the healthcare industry, with an average wage of $55,869 per year. Average hourly wages range from $9.60 for home health aides to $76.93 for family and general practitioners, the highest paying occupation in the industry.
Occupations with the most employment include: registered nurses, nursing aides, medical assistants, medical secretaries and receptionists. These make up about 34.5 percent of employment in the industry.
The top 15 healthcare occupations, which are projected to add jobs during the next eight years, include:
- registered nurses
- nursing aides, orderlies and attendants
- medical assistants
- medical secretaries
- receptionists and information clerks
- licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
- general office clerks
- home health aides
- dental assistants
- radiologic technologists and technicians
- family and general practitioners
- secretaries
- executive secretaries and administrative assistants
- billing and posting clerks and machine operators
- dental hygienists
Home health aides are expected to grow the fastest. It is important to note the majority of healthcare careers require postsecondary vocational skills, and only three require only a high school diploma.