The Dire Need for Healthcare Workers

Aging Population Causes Healthcare Worker Shortage

The Washington Post recently delivered an alarming piece of news about Maine’s shortage of young healthcare workers. The article included a frightening story: a family was unable to find or afford home care for their aging mother, and had to take on this extra work themselves.

If you’ve ever had to care for an aging relative, you know firsthand that it is not easy – especially not on top of a full-time job. Caretaker fatigue is real, and it can be debilitating when you have no relief.

Yet, caretaking isn’t the only problem when it comes to Maine’s healthcare. Lack of access to physicians, and lack of physicians overall – especially in rural areas – is of grave concern.

“I have relatives that commute 3 to 4 hours to see specialty physicians in order to get the care they need,” said Shawn Thibodeau, resident of Maine, and Director of Direct Placement Operations at Joulé, our Life Sciences division. “Of course, those family members live in rural areas in Maine. Most of those areas aren’t interesting or exciting for new physicians or Advanced Practice Providers. After completing their residency or fellowship, many of these physicians leave the area and move elsewhere in the United States.”

This is the reality for many families in Maine. Indeed, one fifth of the population in that state is older than 65. And the really scary part? By 2026, 15 other states will join Maine in that statistic.

At Joulé, there is a constant search for compassionate people with a true desire to help others. Now is the perfect time to build a career in healthcare (or switch careers into healthcare), helping our population – including our elders – live with dignity and a high level of care.

Job Outlook: Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)

‘Advanced Practice Providers’ is a term that includes Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. NPs and PAs are highly educated and can take on much of a primary care physician’s role (diagnosis, treatment, prescribing medicine, etc.), short of performing surgery. Both are critical parts of our healthcare system, and can lead to many career pathing options. They can work in hospitals, private practices, elder care or long term care facilities, schools, home care, or outpatient care centers.

Nurse Practitioners (NPs)

From 2016 to 2026, the employment of NPs nationally is projected to grow by 31%, which is much faster than the average. Salaries easily breach six figures, with the average ranging from $99,000 to $117,000. View our Nurse Practitioner positions here.

Physician Assistants (PAs)

Even higher than NPs, the employment of PAs is expect to grow by a staggering 37% in the next 7 years. Salaries currently hover a little below $110,000 as a base. View our Physician Assistant positions here.

Job Outlook: Nurse Leaders

‘Nurse Leaders’ may sound like a broad term, but it boils down to nurse managers and directors of nursing. For example, a nurse leader would be the person in charge of all nurses at a hospital. They handle scheduling for all nurses, budgets, personnel issues, supervision, etc. As you can imagine, not only do they need a nursing background, but they also must have strong business skills. They must usually be Master’s-level educated.

At a director level, nurse leaders can earn anywhere from $80,000 to $170,000. It’s a broad range, as the salary will depend on experience, education, the number of staff you supervise, and other similar determining factors. These jobs are great for longtime nurses who want to move to a managerial role as opposed to a direct care position.

Job Outlook: Physicians and Surgeons

Physicians and surgeons are always in high demand, but this is especially true now with our aging population and increased healthcare demand.

Having the MD at the end of your name is a costly – in both time and money – endeavor (with schooling usually costing hundreds of thousands of dollars), but when it comes to job security and salary, it doesn’t get much better than being a doctor.

Physicians and Surgeons

From 2016 to 2026, the employment of physicians and surgeons is projected to grow 13%.

As for salaries, it gets a bit complicated depending on what the doctor specializes in. However, a primary care physician, for example, can easily earn north of $200,000. View our Physician positions here.

Surgeons boast an even higher average salary. They can expect to earn anywhere from $250,000 to $400,000(!). View our Surgeon positions here.

It’s a great time to consider healthcare

If you’re unsure what career path you want to get into, consider a career in healthcare. The advancement opportunities are nearly endless, the pay increases exponentially the more you educate yourself, and no matter which branch of healthcare you decide to follow, it most likely will be in high demand. Healthcare is a safe bet for job security, and it’s one of the most noble career paths – quite literally helping save lives.

If you’re already in healthcare…

Might it be time for a change? If you’re a nurse practitioner, physician assistant, physician, or surgeon, we’d like to speak with you. Our healthcare team at Joulé has many direct hire opportunities that could be the right one for you. We provide a unique, personal touch with the facilities and candidates we work with.

About Joulé
Joulé, a System One division, is a leader in specialized workforce solutions and integrated services. With more than 6,000 employees and roughly 50 offices throughout the U.S., we provide scientific, clinical, engineering, energy, IT, legal, and administrative staffing services. For more than 40 years, we have delivered workforce solutions and integrated services to clients nationally.