Occupational Therapy Aide

A physical therapist is a healthcare professional that provides patient care for individuals who face mobility challenges that impact their daily life. Physical therapists help patients with hands-on therapy, strengthening and stretching exercises, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, ice/heat therapy, and more. They treat back and neck injuries, fractures, neurological disorders, work or sports injuries, and other conditions. Physical therapists make treatment plans for each patient that are based on their injuries or pain management needs. This position requires a doctorate in physical therapy and licensure in the state where they intend to practice.

An occupational therapy assistant is a licensed medical professional who works with physical and occupational therapists to rehabilitate patients with physical and other limitations. Their job duties include helping to evaluate each client's physical abilities, implementing a long-term treatment program, and assisting the patient with therapeutic exercises to improve their condition. Occupational therapy assistants also create splints and provide assistive devices, instruct patients on how to use adaptive equipment in their everyday lives, document patient progress, and relay status updates to the therapist and other team members. Occupational therapy assistants must take continued education courses to maintain licensure as required by state law. They typically work in hospitals, therapy offices, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, skilled nursing care facilities, and schools.

A medical technician performs and analyzes laboratory tests for viruses, contagions, infection, pathogens, and abnormalities to assist in diagnosing, preventing, and treating disease. They sterilize and organize laboratory equipment to prepare for testing, collect the test tubes with specimens, and process the samples collected to assist pathologists in diagnosis. They work with medical technologists and other laboratory personnel while following strict medical testing, safety, and privacy regulation and policies, including wearing appropriate personal protective equipment at all times. They typically work in a laboratory or clinical environment for a hospital, clinic, blood bank or collection centers, private practice, specimen testing lab, or a specialized clinic.

Medical assistants provide administrative support to healthcare professionals and perform basic clinical duties. They greet patients, schedule appointments, prep examination rooms, record patient medical histories, take vital signs, assist with examinations, collect blood samples, and add information to patient medical records. Medical assistants work part-time or full-time at hospitals, medical practices, urgent care clinics, and other healthcare facilities.

A massage therapist is a trained bodywork and health care professional who specializes in massage services to treat clients. A massage therapist should have excellent communication skills and be well-versed in different types of massage and massage techniques such as Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, sports massage, and therapeutic massage. Massage therapists also provide treatment plans for patients to continue massage therapy short-term or long-term.

A home health aide provides personalized, at-home care for seniors and patients with chronic illnesses, disabilities, or cognitive impairments. They work under the supervision of a registered nurse or home health agency to execute a care plan that is tailor suited to the patient’s needs. Their main objective is to help patients accomplish the activities of daily living to lead more independent lives. In addition to healthcare tasks like taking vital signs, replacing bandages and dressings, and assisting with physical therapy; they may also help to manage medications, and provide companionship and emotional support to patients and family members. Additional duties include light housekeeping tasks like cleaning and vacuuming, providing personal care assistance with bathing and hygiene, and domestic tasks like food preparation, grocery shopping, or scheduling appointments. A home health aide typically works in patients’ homes for a home health agency.

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) works closely with registered nurses to provide hands-on care and direct patient support. Responsibilities include collecting patient data, recording vital signs, and assisting with daily tasks such as dressing, feeding, and bathing. A Certified Nursing Assistant may work in a hospital, physicians’ office, nursing home, home healthcare service center, or a nursing care facility and requires completion of a certificate program to work in most states.

A certified medical assistant has completed an accredited program in medical assisting, which usually requires both classroom education and a supervised externship in a healthcare setting to gain hands-on experience in the field. They provide administrative support to healthcare professionals and perform basic clinical duties. Certified medical assistants greet patients, schedule appointments, prep examination rooms, record patient medical histories, take vital signs, assist with examinations, collect blood samples, and add information to patient medical records. They work part-time or full-time at hospitals, medical practices, urgent care clinics, and other healthcare facilities.