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Does anyone know a job that...
...helps people? With either mental or physical problems? I don't really want a college degree since I don't want to be in college for long. But I was thinking about a job that I'll have to have a certification on like licensed practical nurse. Or home care aide that also takes certification. It's just I would like to move into my own apartment as soon as I can (I'm 18 atm), and my dream career is to help people, whether they be teenagers, adults or elderly. Do you know any jobs like that?
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I used to be a licensed caregiver. I also worked for an agency and got paid from them. I had the mentally disabled and some elderly adults. The basic training for it is not hard at all. I've never known anyone to fail a question answer test as they make it so easy. But you do need to put in the time and there will be so many hours of training/classes required before you get your basic training license. You'll need to pay for your training, but some agencys if they want to hire you will reimburse part of all. Once I got all of it reimbursed. I was put to work already while going through training or just before it. The agency will train you for anything that can be done that doesn't require an actual nursing degree, such as how to move a person from wheelchair to a dining chair or the potty, how to change bed sheets if a person is bed ridden and how to move their body, how to give them daily ROM range or motion excercise if bed ridden for example. I had one who needed to be strapped into a contraption on the ceiling that would lift her from bed to her potty chair or wheelchair and the same in bathroom for a sit in specially equipped shower. Yes it is rewarding and is best if you get clients for whom you can work good chunks of time like a day at a time or half a day. Some dont get approved for many hours of monthly help by the state and so you end up having 6 different clients over the work week. You don't get paid for gas travel to first client you arrive at and last one you leave to go home but any driving done to take clients if you take a job that requires driving to Dr and shopping, you get paid for. There will always be a need for workers to help with the elderly or mentally disabled. My favorite job was a gal whose mom took drug when she was in utero so she ended up with not only mental problems but physical problems as well taken care of by meds. She was the sweetest person ever and I loved working with her. SHe considered me her friend as well although they teach you not to get too close. I got to work once short term to give respite care to a man so his wife who was his caregiver could get a few hours to herself to get away. He had a rare disease that would slowly kill him and he couldn't converse well, kinda like a stroke patient and one day I showed up and the wife told me he died over the weekend. Yes, I cried with her. Thats the hard part of being a caregiver, having a client die. But its part of life. If you think you can handle it all, then go for it. It's certainly a rewarding experience even though it can be tiring for those who can't do anything at all for themselves.
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Certified LPN's do not pay very well and usually get all the dirty work the nurses don't want to do. Now home health care aids earn a bit more but not much. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) can earn more money and in some states can work in the hospital transporting patients within the hospital or providing Basil Life Support Ambulance Service.
The best job that I think you might like is that of a Paramedic as it opens a whole career field of opportunities. To be a Nationally Certified Paramedic requires a course of study, usually at a local community college over two years and you graduate with an AA degree.
What I suggest is you do if this is attractive to you is that you get your EMT Certification first. Then you can start working and earning anywhere from $10.00 to !5.00 and hour maybe more. Then if you find you like this you can take the bridge course to Paramedic. Depending on what state you live in to become an EMT requires a course of study 80 to 140 hours in length. Classes are usually 4 hours in length 2 times a week with occasional Saturday classes.
OF course there is always jobs with the Police and Fire Departments. These jobs can be very rewarding and they are jobs that do help people. My son is a Paramedic Firefighter who has been on the job 5 years. Last year with a minimum amount of overtime he earned very close to a six figure salary working an 8 day 24 hour shift per month which left him time for a part time job which brought his total income up considerably working 4 days amount 8 to 12 hours a shift.
In general Paramedic earn $21 to $27 an hour starting salary depending on where they live. Even though this would require a bit more schooling than you may be interested in. The financial rewards are much better than those of and LPN even if you start out as an EMT.
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