When you chose a medical career, you did so because you care about others. However, you may not have stopped thinking about the risks that accompany your job. If you are considering a medical career or are in the field and moving into a new job, here are four risks that typically go along with medical careers.
Facing a Lawsuit
Whether you are a high-profile surgeon or an administrative assistant sitting at a desk, there is always the chance a disgruntled patient or family member may try to file a lawsuit against you. These lawsuits can focus on many things from medical malpractice to divulging information from a patient’s medical records. While it is not all that common to be sued or to have patients win the lawsuits they file, the ordeal of going through it can be difficult on you and your family.
Exposure to Diseases
When people walk into a doctor’s office or hospital, it is usually not because they feel fantastic. Thus, you run the risk of being exposed to all types of diseases, from COVID-19 to chickenpox, hepatitis to HIV, and countless others. Though you can get vaccinated against most of these and many others, that still doesn’t mean you cannot get infected at some point while on the job.
Burnout and Depression
As you have witnessed during the pandemic, hospital workers on all levels are experiencing burnout like never before. Whether you have a job that focuses exclusively on direct patient care or work in an office that is being swamped with phone calls and paperwork, it is very easy to find yourself getting burned out and depressed. Unfortunately, this can lead to additional problems such as drug or alcohol abuse, marital problems, or even thoughts of suicide.
Patient Violence
Sadly, many healthcare professionals and other workers in medical offices and facilities have been victims of patient violence over the years. This can run the gamut ranging from a criminal who has been brought in by police for medical treatment to someone who walks in off the street and assaults staff members. Also, families of patients may also become violent, especially if their emotions are running high and they are not satisfied with the treatment their family member is receiving.
In these situations, there is typically financial help that you can get for injuries on the job. A job site accident lawyer may be able to help you get the funding and medical treatment related to recovery. It’s ideal to work with someone such as a lawyer compared to only working with your employer. Though your employer may want you to get better, they will still have a conflict of interest since insurance companies will pressure them to deny claims so that cost of insurance for the medical facility can remain lower.
While the rewards you experience as a medical professional are great, the risks that accompany your job should also be kept in mind. By doing all you can to keep yourself safe on the job and to seek help if depression starts to become an issue, your career can be very fulfilling.