Health Careers
Health Team Relations
2nd & 4th Blocks
Instructor: Melissa Lewis
Types of Education:
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1. Secondary: High school courses
2. Health Occupations Education (HOE):
Courses offered in high school. It prepares one
for immediate employment in many HC or for
additional education after graduation.
3. Post-secondary education: Courses taken
after high school (career-technical school,
community college, or university)
Types of Education cont:
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4. Associate’s degree: Degree awarded by
technical school or community college after 2
years of study.
5. Bachelor’s degree: Degree awarded by
college/university after 4 or more years of study
6. Master’s degree: Degree awarded by
college/university after 1 or more years of study
beyond a bachelor’s degree.
7. Doctorate degree: Degree awarded by
college/university after 2 or more years of study
beyond a bachelor’s/master’s degree.
Certification, Registration, &
Licensure:
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These methods ensure the skill and competency
of HC personnel and to protect the consumer
(patient).
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1. Certification: Person has fulfilled requirements of
education and performance and meets the standards
and qualifications est. by the professional association
or gov’t agency that regulates a particular career.
Examples: Dental assistant, certified lab tech,
certified medical assistant.
Certification, Registration, &
Licensure cont:
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2. Registration: Granted by regulatory
body ( association or state board) that
administers exams and maintains a
current list of qualified personnel.
Examples: Registered dietician,
Registered respiratory therapist, &
registered radiologic technologist
Certification, Registration, &
Licensure cont:
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3. Licensure: Gov’t agency authorizes
someone to work in a given occupation.
Usually this person has completed their
studies, passed state board test, and
maintains certain standards. Examples:
Registered nurse, Physician, Dentist, LPN
Accreditation:
One must graduate from an
accredited program before they can
get their certification, registration, or
licensure
 This ensures that the program meets
established standards
 Make sure that the school you want
to attend is accredited before you
enroll
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Continuing Education Units
(CEU’s):
Required to renew licenses or
maintain certification or registration in
many states
 A person must obtain additional hours
of education in specific HC career
during a specific time period
 Ex. RN’s must obtain 24 to 48
CEU’s every one to two years to
renew their licenses
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Training:
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1. Professional: Usually requires 4 or
more years of college and an advanced
degree (ex. Medical doctor, dentist)
2. Technologist or therapist: Requires 3-4
years of college plus work experience,
usually a bachelor’s degree (ex. Physical
therapist, speech therapist, medical lab
technologist
Training:
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3. Technician: Usually requires 2 year
associate degree, special HOE, or 3-4
years OJT (ex. Dental lab tech, medical
lab tech, surgical tech)
4. Assistant or aide: Usually requires up
to one or more years of training that
combines classroom and/or OJT
experience (ex. Dental, medical, or nurse
assistants
Multi-competent/Multiskilled Worker:
 New
trend in HC
 Workers perform in a variety of
occupations
 Ex. Hiring an EKG tech that
could also perform EEG’s
 This is cost-efficient
Entrepreneur:
 Individual
who owns their own
business
 Examples in the HC field would
be Physician, Nurse practitioner,
Chiropractor, Dentist,
Optometrist, etc.
Health Care Careers
There are over 200 health
careers to choose from.
Dental Careers:
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1. Dentists:
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They are doctors
They examine teeth and mouth tissues
Diagnose & treat disease
Perform surgeries on teeth, gums, & tissues
Work to prevent disease
Supervise work of other dental workers
Most are entrepreneurs
Dental Careers:
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Dental Hygienists:
 Work under the supervision of a
dentist
 Perform preliminary exams of teeth
& mouth
 **Remove deposits & stains from
teeth**
 Take x-rays
2.
Dental Careers:
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3. Dental laboratory technician
(DLT’s)
Make & repair dental prostheses
(artificial devices) such as dentures,
crowns, bridges, & orthodontic devices
 Work under dentist
 Some are entrepreneurs
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Dental Careers:
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4.
Dental assistants (DA’s):
 Work
under dentist
 Prepare patients for
examination
 Pass instruments
 Sterilize instruments
Diagnostic Services:
 Basic
job duties:
 Perform
tests or evaluations
 They find out what the problem is
 Diagnose the problem
Skill: Height and Weight
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Greet and identify the patient
State your name and title
Explain procedure
Wash hands
Balance scale ***
Raise height bar
Patient to remove shoes and extra clothing
Skill: Height and Weight
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Move weights until scale is balanced
Record weight in pounds
Lower height bar until rests on patients head
Record height in inches
Help patient down from scale
Return weights on scale to zero (left side)
Wash hands
Record in chart/growth chart
Electrocardiograph
technician (EKG tech):
Operate EKG machine which records
the electrical activity of the heart
 Perform stress tests
 Apply Holter Monitors (EKG’s that
last for 24-48 hours)
 Assist with thalium scans
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Cardiovascular
Technologists:
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Assist with cardiac catheterizations &
angioplasty
Monitor patients during heart surgery
Perform tests to check circulation in blood
vessels
Echocardiographers use ultrasound to
diagnose heart conditions
Electroencephalographic
Technologists (EEG’s):
Operate the EEG machine which
records the electrical activity in the
brain
 EEG’s diagnose brain tumors,
strokes, epilepsy (seizures), sleep
disorders
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Medical/clinical
Laboratory Technologist:
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Work under a pathologist (doctor)
Determine presence or cause of disease
by studying tissues, fluids, & cells of
human body
Perform tests
Specialties include: biochemist,
hematologist, histology, microbiology
Medical/Clinical
Laboratory Technician:
Work under pathologist or
medical/clinical lab technologist
 Perform routine tests on tissues,
fluids, & cells
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Medical/clinical Laboratory
Assistants:
Work under medical technologist,
technician, or pathologist
 Perform basic lab tests
 Prepare specimens for testing
 Clean & maintain equipment
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Skill: Measuring & Recording
Apical Pulse
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Wash hands
Clean earpieces on stethoscope with
alcohol swabs
Put earpieces in ears
Warm diaphragm with hands
Locate apex of heart (under left breast and
over light clothing
Listen for heart sounds
Skill: Measuring & Recording
Apical Pulse
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Count heart beats for one full minute.
Note any abnormal sounds, rate, or
rhythm
Record number of beats on notepad
Wash hands
Phlebotomist:
 **Draw
blood**
 Collect blood and prepare it for
testing
Radiologic Technologists
(RT’s):
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Work under radiologist (doctor)
Work with x-rays, radiation, nuclear medicine,
ultrasound, MRI’s
1. Radiographers: take x-rays
2. Radiation therapists: administer radiation for
cancer
3. Nuclear medicine technologists: Prepare
radioactive substances to administer to patients
(ex. Bone scans, thyroid scans, thalium scans)
Radiologic Technologists
(RT’s) cont:
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4. Ultrasound technologists or
sonographer: Use equipment to send
sound waves into body to record images
(ex. Fetal u/s)
5. Computer tomography technologists:
Use CT or CAT scanner to obtain crosssectional images of body tissues, bones,
and organs to help locate tumors
Radiologic Technologists
(RT’s) cont:
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6. Magnetic resonance (MRI) technologists:
use magnets & radio waves to reveal info on
organs inside body (used to identify MS &
strokes)
7. Positron emission tomography (PET)
technologist: They inject radioactive substances
into patient and operate the PET scanner (it
uses electrons to create 3-dimensional image of
body parts)
Epidemiologists:
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Identify and track diseases as they occur
in populations***
Determine risk factors that make a
disease more likely to occur
Develop methods to prevent or control
spread of new diseases
Evaluate statistics related to diseases
Biomedical Engineers:
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Work with different machines used to
diagnose, treat, and monitor patients
Develop artificial organs, heart valves, hip
replacements
Design computer systems
Design and produce monitors, machines,
instruments, lasers, medical equipment
Biological/Medical
Scientists:
 Study
living organisms such
viruses, bacteria, etc
 Assist in the development of
vaccines, medicines, treatments
Emergency Medical
Services:
 1.
Basic job duties:
Provide emergency, pre-hospital care
 Provide care to victims of accidents,
injuries, and sudden illnesses
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 Places
of employment: fire/police
departments, rescue squads, ambulance
services, etc.
First Responder:
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First person to arrive at the scene of injury or
illness
Interview and examine the victim
Calls for emergency medical assistance prn (as
needed)
Maintains safety & infection control at scene
Provides basic emergency medical care (ex.
Airway management, bleeding control, CPR)
Emergency Medical
Technicians (EMT):
 Level
one - EMT basic
 EMT
 Level
defibrillator
two - EMT intermediate
 Level three – EMT paramedic
(most advanced)
EMT Basic:
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Provide basic care
Keep scene safe & practice infection control
Administer initial treatment for medical
emergencies (shock, burns, wounds, bleeding,
etc)
Clear airway obstructions & administer oxygen
Provide basic life support
Assist with emergency births
Rescue trapped people
Transport victims to medical facilities
EMT-Intermediate:
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They can do everything an EMT-B can do
Assess patients
Interpret EKG’s
Administer defibrillation prn
Manage shock
Use IV equipment
Administer certain medications
Insert esophageal airways
EMT-Paramedics:
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Can perform all duties of EMT-B and EMTI
Conduct in-depth patient assessment
Provide advanced cardiac life support
Perform advanced airway management
(endotrachial intubation)
Administer more advanced medications
Operate more complex equipment
Skill: Bleeding
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Practice standard precautions (wear gloves)
Apply direct pressure to wound with thick
dressing or sterile gauze
Elevate wound above level of heart
Apply extra dressings over initial gauze
Use roller bandage to hold in place
Tie off ends of bandage by placing ties directly
over dressings
Make sure dressing not too tight by checking
distal pulse or capillary refill
Health Information &
Communication Services:
Job duties: Maintain complete
accurate patient records,
distribute health information, &
use computers
Health Information (medical
records) Administrators:
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Operate & use variety of computer
programs
Ensure confidentiality of patient records
Manage medical records department
Compile statistics
Plan systems for storing & obtaining
information from records
Medical Transcriptionist:
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Use a computer to enter data dictated on
an audiotape recorder by physicians or
other HC personnel
Unit Secretary:
Record information on patient charts
 Schedule procedures
 Order supplies
 Answer telephones
 Operate computers
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Medical Illustrator:
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Use artistic and creative talents to produce
illustrations, charts, graphs, & diagrams
for health textbooks, journals, magazines,
etc.
Related field - Medical photographer:
Takes photos or videos procedures,
conditions, accidents, etc.
Medical Librarian:
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Organize books, journals, to provide
health information to other HC
providers
Hospital/HC Facility
Services:
Duties: These workers operate
support departments of HC facilities
 Includes: Administration, business
office, admitting office, central/sterile
supply, & housekeeping
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HC Administrators:
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Plan, direct, coordinate & supervise the
delivery of HC
Hire personnel
Supervise department heads
Determine budget & finance
Perform PR duties
Manage operation of the facility
Admitting Clerks/Officers:
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Work in admissions department
Obtain necessary info when patient is
admitted to facility
Assign rooms
Maintain records
Process information when patient is
discharged
Central/Sterile Supply
Workers:
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Order, maintain, and supply all the
equipment and supplies
Sterilize instruments and/or equipment
Inventory materials
Maintain equipment
Fill requisitions from other departments
Housekeeping/Environment
al Service Workers:
Maintain cleanliness of HC facility
 Provide pleasant, clean environment
 Observe principles of infection control
to prevent the spread of disease in
the HC facility
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Medical Careers:
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These workers diagnose, treat, and
prevent diseases and disorders of the
human body
Includes physicians (doctors) and those
who work under the supervision of
physicians
Physician:
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Examine patients
Obtain medical histories
Order tests and prescribe medications
Make diagnoses (what is wrong?)
Perform surgery
Treat diseases/disorders
Teach preventative HC
Classifications of
Physicians:
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MD - Doctor of Medicine: Diagnose, treat, and
prevent disease**
DO – Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine: Place
emphasis on nervous, muscular, & skeletal
systems
DPM – Doctor of Podiatric Medicine: Examines,
diagnoses, & treats diseases of feet/legs below
the knee
DC – Doctor of Chiropractic: Concentrates on
structure of spine and nervous system
Physician Specialties:
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Anesthesiologist
Cardiologist
Dermatologist
Gastroenterologist
Gerontologist
Gynecologist
Neurologist
Radiologist
Urologist
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Obstetrician
Oncologist
Ophthalmologist
Orthopedist
Otolaryngologist
Pathologist
Pediatrician
Psychiatrist
Thoracic surgeon
Physician Assistants (PA):
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Work under the supervision of the physician
Take medical histories
Perform routine physical exams
Order basic tests
Make preliminary diagnoses
Treat minor injuries
Prescribe and administer treatments &
medications
Medical Assistants (MA):
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Work under physicians
Prepare patients for exams
Take vital signs
Record medical histories
Assist with treatments/procedures
Prepare & maintain equipment
Perform secretarial duties
Mental & Social Services:
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Mental services deal with
mental/emotional disorders or mental
retardation
Social workers help people will illness,
employment, or community problems
Both of these workers try to help
individuals function to their maximum
capacity
Psychiatrists:
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Physicians who specialize in
diagnosing and treating mental illness
Psychologists:
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Study human behavior
Use knowledge to help individuals deal
with problems of everyday living
Counsel individuals and families
Social Workers:
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Aid people who have difficulty coping with
various problems
Help individuals make adjustments to changes
in their lives
Refer individuals to community resources for
assistance
Provide emotional support for
individuals/families
Evaluate charges of abuse
Mortuary Careers:
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Job duties include: Performing
ceremonies that honor the deceased and
meets the spiritual needs of the living
Cremation or burial of remains
Funeral Directors or
Morticians:
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Provide support to survivors
Make funeral arrangements
Prepare the body for burial
File death certificates
Embalmers:
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Prepare the body
Wash the body
Replace the blood with embalming fluid
Reshape disfigured bodies
Apply cosmetics
Position body in casket
Most funeral directors/morticians are licensed
embalmers
Skill: Writing an Obituary
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Includes:
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Full legal name
Date of birth, date of death, & age at death
City/town of residence
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Do not include exact address
Relative listing
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Survived by spouse, parents, sons, daughters,
grandchildren, great grandchildren, sisters,
brothers
Skill: Writing an Obituary
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Work history
Place and time of funeral
Place of burial
How to make memorial contributions
A recent photograph
Optional info: special interests,
associations, military service, special
achievements, special pets
Nursing Careers:
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***Job duties include: Provide total
care for patients under the direction of
a physician***
Direct care at mental, emotional, and
physical needs of a patient
Nursing Careers cont:
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1. Registered Nurse (RN)
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Master’s or Doctorate degree
Bachelor’s degree
Diploma program
Associate’s degree
2. Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
3. Nurse assistant (CNA)
Certified Nursing Assistant
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Work under Registered Nurse
Take vital signs
Give baths
Make beds
Skill: Hand washing
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Wash hands with warm water
Keep fingertips pointing down
Wash hands for a minimum of 15 seconds
Turn off faucet with dry paper towel
Do not touch the sink or cabinet while
washing
Use friction while washing hands
Hand washing is the #1 thing that you can
do to prevent the spread of infection
Skill: Hand washing cont…
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Push sleeves up and wash 4-5 inches up
arm
No splashing
Rub hands in a circular motion
Make sure to wash between fingers and
under nails
Surgical Technician
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Work in the operating room passing
instruments to the surgeon
Must maintain a sterile environment
Must know all of the names of the
instruments and how they look
Minimal schooling
Good stepping stone for other careers
Nutrition/Dietary Services
They promote wellness and optimum
health by providing dietary guidelines
used to treat various diseases,
teaching proper nutrition, and
preparing foods for HC facilities.
Dietician
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Bachelor’s degree***
Manage food service departments
Assess patient’s nutritional needs
Make recommendations
Dietetic Assistant
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Work under dieticians
Assist with food preparation
Help patients select menus items
Skill: Feeding a Patient
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Allow hot foods to cool
Use straw for liquids
Use tip of half-filled spoon
Tell patient what they are eating
Provide time to chew
Alternate solids and liquids
Wipe mouth prn
Encourage patient to eat as much as possible
Remove gloves and wash hands
Skill: Feeding a Patient
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Wash hands
Apply standard precautions
Position towel/napkin/bib under chin
Prepare food by opening cartons,
removing covers, cutting meat, buttering
bread
***Assist if needed, while encouraging
patient to do as much as possible***
Therapeutic Services
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Occupational therapist (Bachelors/Masters)
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Occupational assistant (1-2 years)
Pharmacist (Masters 5-6 years)
Pharmacy Technician (OJT)
Physical therapist (Bachelors/Masters)
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Help people deal with physical, developmental,
mental, or emotional disabilities
Provide treatment to improve movement
Physical therapy assistant (2 years)
Therapeutic Services cont…
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Massage therapist (3m-1yr)
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Recreational therapist (Bachelors)
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Treat patients with speech disorders
Athletic trainer (Bachelors/Masters)
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Treat patients with heart and lung diseases
Speech-language therapist/pathologist (Masters)
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Plan leisure activities to minimize symptoms and increase
general well-being
Respiratory therapist (Associates/Bachelors)
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Use massage to relieve pain
Prevent and treat athletic injuries
Perfusionist***(Bachelors)
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Run the heart-lung machine in the operating room
Skill: Body Mechanics
HC professionals needs to use correct body
mechanics to prevent injury to themselves (ex.
back strains)***
Maintain broad base of support
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Feet 6-8 inches apart
One foot slightly forward
Points toes in direction of movement
Skill: Body Mechanics
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Pick up heavy object
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Keep object close to body
Bends from hips and knees
Carries object close to body
Changes direction
Places heavy object
Pushes heavy object with weight of body
Always keep back straight
Veterinary Careers
Focus on providing care for all
types of animals
Veterinarian (DVM)
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Doctor
Works to prevent, diagnose, and treat
diseases and injuries to animals
Perform surgeries on animals
Veterinarian Technician
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Work under veterinarian
Assist with handling animals
Collect specimens
Take x-rays
Perform lab tests
Assist with surgery
Veterinarian Assistant
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Feed, bathe, and groom animals
Exercise animals
Clean cages
Vision Services
Provide care to prevent and treat
vision disorders
Ophthalmologist (MD)
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Medical doctors
Specialize in diseases of eye
Diagnose and treat disease
Perform surgery
Optometrist
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Examine eyes for vision problems
Prescribe corrective lenses
Ophthalmic Technician
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Work under ophthalmologist
Prepare patient for examination
Take medical histories
Optician
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Make and fit eyeglasses or lenses
prescribed by ophthalmologists and
optometrists***
Skill: Vision Screening
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Snellen Chart should be 20 feet from patient
Patient should remove glasses/contacts
Patient should cover one eye with an occluder (index
card)
Both eyes should be kept open during exam
Patient should identify letters verbally
Record the smallest line patient able to read comfortably
OD = Right eye
OU = Both eyes
OS = Left eye
THE END!!!