What Do Community Health Workers Do? Community health workers assist individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors. They also conduct outreach for medical personnel or health organizations to implement programs in the community that promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health. Community health workers provide information on available resources, provide social support and informal counseling, and advocate for individuals and community health needs. Additionally, they may collect data to …Read More
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Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
What Do Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Do? Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (DMSs), also known as ultrasonographers or sonographers, use special equipment that directs high frequency sound waves into a patient’s body to collect images for interpretation by physicians to assess and diagnose various medical conditions (procedures commonly known as ultrasounds, sonograms, or echocardiograms). This diagnostic medical procedure can be used to examine the abdomen, breasts, female reproductive system, prostate, heart, and …Read More
Horticultural Therapists
What Do Horticultural Therapists Do? Horticultural therapy (HT) integrates therapy with gardening for the purpose of physical and mental rehabilitation. Horticultural therapists work with a wide variety of patient diagnoses, such as physical or emotional trauma, and people with mental illness, and with many different populations, from children to teenagers and adults to the elderly. Horticultural therapists evaluate the physical and mental disabilities of patients and tailor programs to promote physical therapy, education, …Read More
Massage Therapists
What Do Massage Therapists Do? Massage therapists use their hands to manipulate and work a client’s muscles and soft body tissues. There are many different types of massage therapies, called modalities, such as Swedish massage, reflexology, acupressure, sports massage, reiki, and neuromuscular massage. Most massage therapists specialize in several modalities, which require different techniques. Massage therapy can offer medical benefits by helping to rehabilitate injuries and be part of a healing process by …Read More
Medical Assistants
What Do Medical Assistants Do? Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, and other health practitioners running smoothly. Medical assistants aid office staff and health care practitioners in daily operations. Administrative duties include answering telephones, scheduling appointments, greeting patients, updating and filing patient medical records, arranging for hospital admissions, and some billing and bookkeeping tasks. Clinical duties vary according to what is …Read More
Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
What Do Medical Records and Health Information Technicians Do? Medical records and health information technicians compile, process, organize, and maintain health information data and medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the health care system. They ensure that health information data is complete, accurate, and secure in both paper and electronic systems. They use various classification systems to code …Read More
Nuclear Medicine Technologists
What Do Nuclear Medicine Technologists Do? Nuclear medicine technologists (NMTs) use a scanner to create images of various areas of a patient’s body. They prepare radioactive drugs and administer them to patients and then monitor the characteristics and functions of tissues or organs in which the drugs localize. The radioactive drugs cause abnormal areas of the body to appear different from normal areas in the images. The particular drugs NMTs are …Read More
Occupational Therapy Assistants
What Do Occupational Therapy Assistants Do? Occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) work under the direction of occupational therapists to provide rehabilitative services to patients with physical, emotional, or developmental impairments. They help patients develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living and working through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. Following a treatment plan developed by an occupational therapist, OTAs may assist patients with activities and exercises designed to …Read More
Patient Care Technicians/Associates
What Do Patient Care Technicians/Associates Do? Patient care technicians or associates (PCTs or PCAs) provide various aspects of patient care under the direct supervision of a registered nurse (RN) or doctor. They provide communication, comfort, and safety for the patient and typically have more clinical responsibility and technical skills than nursing aides. They assist patients with walking, bathing, eating, dressing, and getting in and out of beds, wheelchairs, and stretchers. …Read More
Pharmacy Aides
What Do Pharmacy Aides Do? Pharmacy aides perform administrative duties in pharmacies. Aides are often clerks or cashiers who primarily answer telephones, handle money, stock shelves, and perform other clerical and administrative duties. Pharmacy aides may also assist pharmacists with maintaining patient records, processing insurance claim forms, and taking inventory of prescription and over-the-counter medications. Where Do Pharmacy Aides Work? The majority of pharmacy aides work in retail pharmacies, including …Read More
Physical Therapist Assistants
What Do Physical Therapist Assistants Do? Physical Therapist Assistants (PTAs) work under the direction of a physical therapist (PT) to provide services that relieve pain and improve mobility for patients who are recovering from physical injuries, diseases, or disabilities. PTAs may assist PTs by performing routine treatments such as helping patients with stretching exercises or using exercise equipment, applying hot or cold packs, administering traction and massage, and training in …Read More
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
What Do Radiologic Technologists and Technicians Do? Radiologic technologists and technicians perform diagnostic imaging examinations. Radiologic technologists use imaging modalities such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and mammography, while radiologic technicians perform imaging examinations like x-rays. Radiologic technologists perform more complex imaging procedures. When performing fluoroscopies, for example, radiologic technologists prepare a solution for the patient to drink, allowing the radiologist (a physician who interprets radiographs) to …Read More
Registered Nurses
What Do Registered Nurses Do? Registered nurses (RNs) treat and educate patients and the public about various medical conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their families. RNs record patients’ medical histories and symptoms, help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, operate medical machinery, and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation. In addition, RNs also: — Deliver and supervise patient care; — Give patients medicines and treatments; …Read More
Respiratory Therapists
What Do Respiratory Therapists Do? Respiratory therapists assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing difficulties or other cardiopulmonary problems caused by asthma, smoking, pneumonia, heart failure, cystic fibrosis, chest injuries, and other disorders. They work with all types of patients, ranging from premature infants whose lungs are not fully developed to elderly people whose lungs are diseased. They provide temporary relief to patients with chronic asthma or emphysema and …Read More
Social and Human Services Assistants
What Do Social and Human Services Assistants Do? Social and human service assistants help people get through difficult times or get additional support. They may work with elderly; children and families; people with disabilities, addictions, or mental illnesses; veterans; former prison inmates; homeless people; or immigrants. They assist other health care workers, such as social workers, to provide services to people. “Social and human services assistant” is a general term …Read More