Therapeutic Pathways and Careers

Some higher levels of this career required advanced training as well as a certain number of hours on the job. Professionals in this field sometimes transport patients to hospitals and medical facilities. Some workers in this field have special training in cardiology. Workers earn between $19,900 and $53,000 a year.

EMT/paramedic

An EMT is an ________

Emergency Medical Technician

Which of the following is a training program and certification for police, firefighters, and others?

First Responders

This professional helps patients with breathing.

respiratory therapist

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs)

respond to patients' emergency calls in ambulances, perform medical services, and take patients to hospitals and medical facilities.

dental assistant (DA) or certified dental assistant (CDA)

someone who prepares dental tools and materials, assists DHs and dentists, and sometimes works as a receptionist. DAs and CDAs need a two-year associate's degree or a Health Science Technology Education program (HTSE) in order to receive special certification. Dental assistants can earn between $23,000 and $47,000 a year.

Physical therapists can _________ in different areas, such as working with children, adults, or those recovering from injury or illness.

specialize

Care that needs specific training, such as wound care or working with special equipment, is called _______.

specialized care

phlebotomist

specializes in drawing blood from the body.

phlebotomist

specializes in drawing blood from the body. Workers in this field earn around $36,000 per year; entry-level position

Therapy

the process of relieving or healing a disease or condition

Jobs in the fields of phlebotomy and anesthesia are _______ careers.

therapeutic

A ___________ works directly with patients to improve their health status over a period of time.

therapeutic health professional

Which of the following statements best describes the role of a therapeutic health professional?

works directly with patients

radiologic technician

works in the field of radiology, which is the work of obtaining images of the human body. Radiologic technicians earn around $55,000 a year. They operate imaging devices, such as X-rays; entry-level position

paramedic

an emergency medical technician with a greater degree of training than a standard EMT

Dental hygienists (DHs)

are supervised by dentists. They examine and clean the teeth and mouth, perform preventive treatments, and they help educate patients about oral health.A dental hygienist needs a two- or four-year college degree. Master's degrees are also available in dental hygiene. A dental hygienist who is licensed by his or her state is a licensed dental hygienist (LDH). Dental hygienists earn between $46,000 and $95,000.

anesthesia technician

assists with the work of helping patients feel comfortable during surgery or after injury.

anesthesia technician

assists with the work of helping patients feel comfortable during surgery or after injury. They earn a median salary of around $35,000 a year; entry-level position

A(n) _________ is a two-year degree that can be obtained from a college or a community college.

associate's degree

Phlebotomists specialize in drawing _________ from the body.

blood

People working in the field of respiratory therapy help patients _______ better.

breathe

specialized care

care that requires specific training, such as wound care or working with special equipment. Specialized care is offered by workers with specialized training and education.

People working as anesthesia technicians help patients feel ________ during surgery or treatment.

comfortable

This professional examines and cleans the teeth and mouth, performs preventive treatments, and helps educate patients.

dental hygienist

Associate's Degrees

-2-year degree acquired through college or training programs -Acquired after completing high school or its equivalent

Doctorate Degrees

-Follows a master's degree -Provides a highly specialized, expert-level education for a particular career field

Master's Degrees

-Takes approximately 2 years to complete this degree after earning a bachelor's degree -Offered at colleges and universities -Trains and prepares students for careers in particular specialties or studies

Health Science Technology Education (HSTE) programs

-Technical training acquired through special technical schools -Acquired after or during high school -Prepares students for work, or for taking specific certification tests for working as a healthcare technician

Select the qualities that are most useful for therapeutic healthcare workers to possess.

-helpfulness -strength -good communication skills -patience -good people skills

Select the jobs that are considered therapeutic healthcare careers

-paramedic -nurse working at a school -nurse working in a hospital -phlebotomist -dental hygienist -physical therapy assistant

Which of the following are likely to be important qualities for a therapeutic health professional?

-patience -helpfulness -good listening skills

Bachelor's Degrees

4-year degree offered at colleges and universities

These professionals have training and additional education beyond that of a four-year degree. Some of these people are also called nurse anesthetists or nurse practitioners. These professionals can provide advanced care to patients, and their salaries reflect that experience and level of responsibility. Many earn around $100,000. Schools and programs training this type of professional are starting to expect these professionals to attain a doctoral degree.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

Which of the following is an entry-level job in nursing?

CNA

Certified Nurse's Aide (CNA)

CNAs take a training course to prepare for work. Related professions include Nurse Assistant, Medication Aide, and Patient Care Technician (PCT). CNAs help patients with personal care and provide basic healthcare treatments and procedures. The salary range for nursing aides is $18,000 to $35,000 per year.

A ____________, or CNA, helps patients with personal care and provides basic healthcare treatments and procedures.

Certified Nurse's Aid

Which of the following is an advanced nursing career?

DNP

Which of the following is technical training acquired through special technical schools during or after high school?

HSTE program

The term HSTE stands for _______.

Health Science Technology Education

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

LPNs begin work after approximately two years of study and receiving a license in his or her state. LPNs usually report to a registered nurse (RN) or physician. The salary range for LPNs is about $30,000 to $57,000 per year.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

More and more nurses are achieving this doctoral level of training, which differs from other doctoral programs in that it is practice-based rather than research-based. Nursing programs are starting to expect advanced practice nurses to attain this level of education.

Which of the following roles requires the most training and education?

Paramedic

Physical strength

Some careers in therapeutic health, such as physical therapy, require physical lifting of the patient, or other strenuous activities

Patience

Therapy takes time and patience. It is important to realize that some patients will take more time and patience than others, since each patient is unique

Registered Nurse (RN)

There are various routes to becoming an RN. A minimum of two years of schooling — more often, four or more years — are required, as well as receiving state certification. RNs learn more about disease processes and can provide many services and advanced patient care. Registered nurses can earn between $45,000 and $97,000 annually.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)

These nurses have additional education (beyond that of a four-year degree) and training in a specialized area of care. This area of nursing includes nurse anesthetists and nurse practitioners (NPs). APRNs can provide advanced care to patients, and their salaries reflect that experience and level of responsibility. Many earn around $100,000.

physical therapy assistants

They help carry out physical therapy care as directed by the physical therapist. They may help a patient learn special exercises, offer treatment to a patient, and perform other tasks needed to keep a physical therapy practice running smoothly. These professionals have a two-year degree and in most places, a license. Their salaries range from $32,000 to $71,000.

Helpfulness

This can include doing something for a patient or helping patients do things for themselves.

First Responders

This requires a training program and certification for police, firefighters, and others.

EMT-P or EMT-4 (EMT/Paramedic or Paramedic)

This requires all of the above training, plus up to two years' approved training or an associate's degree, six months' experience, and examinations. Some paramedics must earn a bachelor's degree and many have advanced training in cardiology, which is the study of the heart.

EMT-I (Intermediate), EMT-2, EMT-3

This requires all the above training plus 35-55 hours of experience in the field, plus advanced skills

EMT-B (basic) and EMT-1

This requires state certification and registration with the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT) in some states.

Good communication

Understanding what a patient needs, and communicating clearly with patients, is key to a good therapeutic process. This includes having good speaking and listening skills

nurse

a clinical professional who cares for patients when they are healthy, sick, or injured.

What is a technician?

a person who assists higher-level professionals

technician

a person who assists higher-level professionals; entry-level position

This professional works with the teeth and the mouth. A person working in this field needs to have a two-year or four-year college degree. Some have master's degrees in the field. These professionals can be licensed by the state. These professionals also perform preventive treatments and help educate patients about oral health.

dental hygienist

The field of dentistry is therapeutic because dental health professionals work ________ with patients.

directly

Which of the following is a degree that comes after a master's degree and provides a highly specialized, expert-level education for a particular career field?

doctorate degree

respiratory technician

entry-level job in the field. Respiratory technicians do many of the same tasks as respiratory therapists, but have less responsibility and earning power. A respiratory technician position is a way to start a career toward becoming a respiratory therapist.

dentistry

focus on the health of a patient's teeth and mouth

respiratory therapy

help patients breathe better

Respiratory therapists

help patients with breathing and earn average salaries of $55,000 a year. They also help diagnose patients' breathing problems. They typically have an associate's or bachelor's degree in the field.

An advanced degree that can be obtained from a university is called a(n) _________.

master's degree

Therapeutic services

name of the health field where workers and patients engage in therapy

This professional cares for patients when they are healthy, sick, or injured. This field has many levels, from very basic entry-level jobs to advanced and specialized positions. Some of these professionals attain a doctoral-level degree in the field. These professionals provide care in a number of settings, including hospitals, doctor's offices, care facilities, schools, and more.

nurse

Which of the following is an example of a therapeutic health professional at work?

nurse with patient

The field of anesthesiology has a lot of ___________ for people of different educational levels.

opportunities

A(n) ______________ is an emergency medical technician at a high level of training and expertise, often working from an ambulance.

paramedic

These professionals work with patients who have impairments and disabilities. These professionals help patients improve their ability to perform activities of daily living. These professionals can specialize in different areas, such as sports injuries. Education varies in this field; a minimum level of education is a four-year degree but many people in this profession have a master's or doctoral degree. They are also required to be licensed.

physical therapist

This professional helps patients with impairments and disabilities build back their mobility, functional ability, and movement.

physical therapist

Physical therapists (PTs)

professionals who work with patients who have physical impairments and disabilities