While it’s true that a nurse is a very important part
of any medical facility, there are significant differences between working in
private practice, and working in a hospital environment. Hospital nursing positions can be relatively
similar regardless of which hospital you work in; however, private practices
can range significantly.
Benefits of Working in a Hospital
Working in a hospital has its advantages. The job descriptions for nurses are generally
laid out in a design that is easy to follow.
Hospitals hire nurses very often, so the training and new hire process
is organized, and very routine for the hospital. You will most likely be assigned to a mentor
upon being hired, and the job should be an easy adjustment if you have
previously worked in a hospital setting.
You will always have co workers to rely on for assistance, advice, and
anything else you may need. There is
variety in a hospital. Generally, patients change on a daily, or a semi daily
basis, so if you enjoy meeting new people, a hospital environment could be a
great fit. There are also a variety of coworkers
that may change often as new nurses are hired.
Hospital nursing jobs are great for anyone that enjoys working with a
group of people, and likes change; new patients are generally assigned on a
daily basis.
Benefits of Working in Private Practice
Private practice is considerably different than working
in a hospital. Job responsibilities in
private practice can range depending on the size of the practice. The larger the practice, the more likely the
job will be routine. Private practices
usually assign one or two nurses to one physician. You will work closely with the physician, and
will get to know the patients, as many patients are regular visitors to the
practice. You will most likely need to
call patients with lab results, and doctor's orders, and you may be assigned a
day or portion of a day during the workweek, that you return calls to any
patient that calls in leaving a message on the nursing line. The most appreciated benefit for most nurses
in private practice is the work schedule.
In private practice, you generally work with the same
people, and see the same patients, so if routine is your preference, private
practice would be a great option. A very
small private practice can differ significantly. Working in a small practice, you may be
expected to take on duties other than nurse related. Administrative duties are often common for
nurses in private practices. If the
practice is very small, you could assume the role of receptionist,
administration, and nurse. If you enjoy
different tasks and not nursing 100% of the time, a small practice could be a
good fit.
Satisfaction in Job Choices
The ratio of job satisfaction upon nurses is close to
the same between private practice and hospitals. The turnover ratio, however, is much higher
in hospitals. It is presumed the high
turnover rate in hospital nursing positions may be due to long shifts, and
rotating schedules. Much of the choice
on what type of position to take, depends highly on personal preference. In general, there is a higher probability of
promotion within a hospital setting; there is a limited number of positions for
nurses in private practice. You may also
have more opportunity for attending specialized trainings when working in a
hospital, however, in private practice you can search out opportunities on your
own and take advantage of them. Assess
your personality, and your working goals, this will help you decide which
position to seek out.
Working in the Private Sector
In addition to working in private practice, there are
jobs for nurses working in the private sector.
Some nursing positions outside of a hospital setting and private
practice are:
- Public health department
- Schools- elementary, or high schools
- Private companies- some companies have a regular nurse on staff for their employees
- Centers for disabled adults
- Nursing homes
- Retirement communities
These are a few of the private sector nursing
positions. Most of these positions would
involve working on your own, or with a small group of coworkers. You will be responsible for making more
decisions on your own in the private
sector, if you are comfortable with that, there are some advantages. If you enjoy being in charge, it's more
likely to occur in private practice. If
you dislike any administration work, it's probably not the best choice.
Disadvantages of Working in a Hospital
- Less personal than private practice
- Nights, holidays, and weekends are probable
- High turnover rate (you may have to adjust to new coworkers often)
- Working with more than one physician (it can feel like you are pulled in many directions at times when multiple doctors have requests)
Disadvantages of Working in Private Practice
- Less training may be provided
- Less chance for promotion
- More administrative work
- More phone calls and conversations
- Less variety, fairly routine, regular patients
Both working environments are equally important, and
one is not better than the other, it mainly depends on your work surrounding
preferences. Explore your
opportunities, and decide which is the better fit, and which position is more
likely to work well with your available schedule. The private sector jobs have much less
support than those of a clinic or hospital, and the private sector often puts
the nurse in charge of everything within the clinic, so administrative work
would likely be expected.
In a 2014 survey, out of 15,000 nurses that
participated, the outcome was as follows:
- Prefer working in a hospital 46%
- Prefer working in private practice 45%
- Prefer working in private sector %5
- Undecided %4
It was almost the same for private practice and
hospital nursing, and the reasons noted, were most often based on personality
type, and personal preference of regularity or variety. Nursing is a highly respected position, and
regardless of where you may opt to work, it is very important. Lives depend on you daily, as do the
physicians and coworkers that you work with.
Regardless of what sector you work in, you hold a very important title, as
a nurse.
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