Description
Care for ill, injured, or convalescing patients or persons with disabilities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group homes, and similar institutions. May work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Licensing required.
Interests
- Social
- Realistic
- Conventional
Work Values
- Relationships
- Support
- Achievement
Work Styles
- Cooperation
- Concern for Others
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Integrity
Tasks
- Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action.
- Measure and record patients' vital signs, such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration.
- Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, noting times and amounts on patients' charts.
- Provide basic patient care or treatments, such as taking temperatures or blood pressures, dressing wounds, treating bedsores, giving enemas or douches, rubbing with alcohol, massaging, or performing catheterizations.
- Answer patients' calls and determine how to assist them.
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Getting Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Detailed Work Activities
- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Technology Skills
- Medical software
- Video conferencing software
- Electronic mail software
- Spreadsheet software
- Categorization or classification software
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
Skills
- Service Orientation
- Coordination
- Social Perceptiveness
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Psychology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Administration and Management
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Paramedical Insurance ExaminerCertifying Organization
American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians
Type
Specialty
Certificate name
Associate - Infection Prevention and ControlCertifying Organization
Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.
Type
Core
Certificate name
Point-of-Care TechnicianCertifying Organization
American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians
Type
Core
Certificate name
Drug Collection SpecialistCertifying Organization
American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians
Type
Core
Certificate name
Wound Care CertificationCertifying Organization
National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy
Type
Specialty
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $52,205 |
| Median (50%) | $60,118 |
| High (90%) | $74,723 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $62,290 |
| Mid Level | $64,430 |
| Senior Level | $66,501 |
| Expert Level | $61,549 |
Employability
There are currently 657,800 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 674,700 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 3%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 3%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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