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