Going Beyond Doctors: Celebrating the Other Superheroes in the Hospital

pharmacist at the drug store

A hospital maintains a specialized ecosystem to be able to manage the chaos of delivering quality health care to patients. It takes different experts working and supporting one another to ensure everything is running smoothly, with the least number of roadblocks. Despite their popularity, doctors alone don’t have the resources or bandwidth to operate a well-functioning healthcare system without help.

Here are the other superheroes essential to giving individuals the level of care they need in a hospital:

Nurses

One can easily justify the significant role nurses play in taking care of patients because of how much time they spend monitoring their assigned wards around the clock. They oversee an individual’s continuous care and treatment after a doctor’s diagnosis. That may include administering prescriptions according to schedule, ensuring vital signs remain normal, and even become avenues for patients to request for other immediate needs. Doctors rely on nurses to notify them when something changes or varies so that treatment can be adjusted.

Technicians

Technicians, whether they are in radiology or surgery, are a fundamental part of the healthcare delivery team. They complete specialty tasks that can enrich the knowledge and diagnosis of other hospital professionals. Consider the biomedical technician who oversees the repair and maintenance of medical equipment. Without them, lives can be endangered if facilities are not ready to be used for time-sensitive operations. There’s also the ultrasound technician who will perform an ultrasound that can give doctors more information about a patient’s symptoms. Technicians of this kind offer direct care and services to patients.

medical professionals

Pharmacists

Can you imagine the amount of medication, from over-the-counter pills to IV drips, needed to treat hundreds of patients that a hospital caters to daily? Pharmacists serve as the gatekeepers of these life-saving medications. They make sure that the inventory is fully stocked and prepared, especially drugs that run out fast. Any delay can be dangerous, especially if the patients need a constant supply of medication to be able to cope with their symptoms. They make it easier for individuals to gain access to high-quality and affordable medicine.

Information Technology Staff

Health information technology has transformed the quality of health care in hospitals. According to a published journal article, some of the field’s impact includes a reduction in costly human errors, improving the efficiency of practices, and facilitating better coordination among units. If the information technology infrastructure fails, it can spell trouble for other professionals as they are cut off from badly needed resources. That is why the role of the information technology staff can’t be underestimated. They serve as the protectors and troubleshooters of this advancement. Often, they also help the technologically challenged individuals get used to the new equipment.

Cleaning Crew

Cleanliness is next to godliness, especially in a hospital. Without the cleaning crew being diligent in their jobs, hospitals can easily turn from a place where sick people come out healthy individuals into the opposite of the spectrum. Their role in infection control can’t be emphasized enough. Sometimes, they also help out in adding personality to some parts of the hospital through holiday light installations and special events decorations.

Like in any organization, hospitals can’t function well with just one kind of role throughout the units. Other professionals are vital to ensure the hospital remains at peak operating capacity.

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