These 5 important jobs in the Ireland Healthcare system can give you the opportunity to save lives and make a career for yourself.

According to John Hopkins, COVID-19 has infected over 27 million and the pandemic has claimed the lives of more than 890 thousand people around the world.

It seems that no country will be spared. The Ireland healthcare system had already been faced with healthcare reform needs for years, but COVID-19 forced Ireland to take action and address healthcare availability concerns immediately and unequivocally.

For those considering a healthcare career or a career change in Ireland, there has never been a better time than now to get into the healthcare industry. Humanity is currently at war with the COVID-19 virus. Our healthcare professionals are not immune, but for the good of mankind, they fight on.

Those in healthcare around the world are vital soldiers in this horrific war. Read on to learn how you too can be a war hero and join the front lines in Ireland.

Ireland Healthcare Jobs

Demand for healthcare professionals in Ireland has skyrocketed and the government has intervened with fresh funding to mitigate the crisis. Scores of families and individuals are suffering, and there is now concern that there will likely not be enough healthcare workers in Ireland to fill the ever-growing needs of patients.

Health jobs are filling pages of employment classified ads in newspapers in Dublin and throughout the country. Never has the term “Help Wanted” had the same connotation as it does now.

Here are 5 job titles that are desperately needing help in Ireland as the COVID-19 pandemic surges on.

1. Lab Technicians

COVID-19 testing alone has raised the demand for qualified lab technicians to work in hospital labs. Lab technicians are responsible for analyzing the bodily fluids of patients and sometimes collecting samples.

According to payscale.com lab technicians in Ireland earn a median salary of €33,594. Common requirements for medical lab tech positions in Ireland are:

• degree in relevant scientific discipline
• experience with and knowledge of modern medical testing equipment
• strong IT skills
• communication and teamwork skills
• quality assurance and control
• chemistry
• patient care training
• data entry skills
• phlebotomy
• experience testing in a laboratory setting
• health and safety training

Career Path for Lab Technicians

It is possible to get your start in medical labs by taking a vocational course or an internship, but most positions require candidates to have at least a bachelor’s in a relevant scientific field. Lab Technicians are always in demand and enjoy regular salary increases as well as plenty of career advancement opportunities.

2. Hospital Support Staff

When you think health jobs, you think doctors and nurses. But they are only a small fraction of the human resources required to run a hospital. Every role is important and those wishing to enter the medical field without any formal education might consider support roles such as the following:

• clinical assistants (housekeeping)
• nutrition planners and cooks
• clerical and office workers

3. Nurses’ Assistants

On February 21st of 2020, the Northern Ireland Department of Health (DoH) announced that Healthcare Assistants (HCA) will be referred to as Nursing Assistants (NA).

A Nurse Assistant (NA) is basically a nurse in training. NA is a natural stepping stone to becoming a registered nurse (Practice Nurse). Work-study programs in vocational nursing colleges are a good way to break ground on your nursing career.

4. Registered Nurses

There is currently a shortage of registered nurses in Ireland. So much so that there are public pleas to registered nurses that are currently not working to get back to the hospitals and fight the good fight.

Practice Nurses

There are currently around 1,800 Practice Nurses working in Ireland. Nursing is the backbone of the medical profession. Practice Nurses carry out many vital healthcare functions such as:

• giving immunization shots
• performing initial exams and screening
• counseling on health issues
• wound management
• drug and alcohol addiction treatment
• stress and mental health counseling
• hospice and chronic condition management

Nurses are so much of the patient connection that doctors would be extremely hard-pressed to cure the injured and sick without them. If you are a Practice Nurse and interested in working in Ireland, register here to begin the recruitment process.

Triage Nurses

The number of ER visits and calls to hospital emergency switchboards has been increasing as Ireland’s COVID-19 infection rate is on the rise. Triage Nurses are needed to take calls and take the initial patient interviews to determine the best course of action.

Triage nurses are specially trained to assess and manage patient care. It is the triage nurse’s responsibility to get patients the help they need in the most efficient way possible. We have consistent positions to fill for contract and permanent triage nurses.

Required Registration with NMBI

Nurses and midwives that wish to practice in Ireland must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). There are more than 65,000 nurses and midwives registered.

If you are interested in applying for nursing positions in Ireland, Med Doc would be happy to assist you with the registration process. Email nurse@meddoc.ie or contact us for further information.

5. Doctors

In September 2020, the medical supply company P.E.I. reported that 13,364 people on P.E.I.’s patient registry were listed as not having family physicians. Doctor jobs are in high demand as government and private hospitals look to expand their patient capacity.

Doctors in Ireland enjoy a number of professional benefits, including competitive salaries and excellent benefits. Med Doc is actively recruiting for General Practitioners interested in:

• women’s health
• pediatrics
• minor surgery
• other special interests

If you are a doctor from a country outside of Ireland, Med Doc can assist you in the process of IMC registration and obtaining the proper work visa if needed. We have many years of experience when it comes to recruiting and relocating doctors from other countries to work in institutions in Ireland.

Sectors of Healthcare in Ireland

There are a variety of doctor and nurse jobs available in Ireland’s public and private medical facilities. Click here for answers to common questions about working in the healthcare sector in Ireland. Hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities are actively recruiting for the following qualified healthcare professionals.

General Practice

The General Practioner (GP) is a central role in healthcare representing the frontlines of contact with the public. When we feel unwell and need to see a doctor, it is with the GP we trust. There are currently about 2,500 General Practitioners in Ireland.

General Practice doctors see it all. They provide a wide range of services concerning most health issues of patients. When a patient is in need of further expertise, the GP Doctor is skilled in referring their patients to specialist doctors.

HSE Primary Care

There are a total of 8 HSE primary care practices in Ireland. Med Doc works closely with all of them to provide high-quality primary care physicians. We provide placement services for locum, contract, and permanent positions all across the island.

Urgent Care

Urgent care clinics are available for emergencies outside the usual 9-5 Monday through Friday office hours. Doctors that work in urgent care have a specialized skillset requiring experience in emergency medicine on top of GP qualifications.

Corporate Health

The private health sector is also growing in Ireland as more companies adopt new healthcare policies in light of the pandemic. Our corporate clients are always looking for General Practitioners in:

• occupational health
• health screening and early warning signs
• men and women health checks

The health and well-being of employees is an increasing concern for companies, making the private healthcare sector ripe with opportunity. Med Doc works with many corporate clients to provide qualified doctors and nurses for their in-house clinics and outsourced employee medical services.

Student Health

Our children are our future, and the health of our students is a continued concern as lockdowns are lifted and students return to the classroom. School closures for months have left vacancies for medical professionals in educational institutions in Ireland.

Rural Medicine

Outside the city is a thriving Irish rural community. Rural medicine doctors in Ireland have a demanding schedule and are on call at least two nights a week. Many General Practitioners that work in rural medicine find working with the rural population interesting and rewarding.

Include Ireland in Your Job Search

The Ireland Healthcare system needs new blood creating career opportunities for inspiring healthcare professionals. As tragic as the COVID-19 pandemic is, the attention healthcare is receiving in Ireland is strengthening the resolve of the medical profession here.

Are you already in healthcare and considering a change? Med Doc would like to talk to you about the opportunities in the medical profession in Ireland that we are currently recruiting for. Register with us today and we will soon be in touch to discuss your application.