What does a care associate do?
Patient care associates typically work at different healthcare settings where their primary job is to provide basic patient needs and comfort. They are also responsible for several patient care tasks, including bathing patients, changing the pillows and bedsheets of patients, and serving patients' meals. They should comply with safety protocols when performing these tasks. Some of them can give patients medication depending on the level of their training. To become a patient care specialist, one should possess several skills, such as good communication.
Care associate responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real care associate resumes:
- Manage ventilator settings, suction tracheostomy, tube-feeding assistance.
- Provide direct care to patients in intensive care unit with empathy, compassion and enthusiasm.
- Utilize strong interpersonal skills to educate patients on procedures, rehabilitation and contraception methods.
- Care for patients requiring telemetry monitoring and work collaboratively with telemetry technician/nurses to detect and report abnormalities to physicians.
- Coordinate with clinicians to meet the specific needs of patients and perform clinical care in an ICU.
- Assign to new ER and ICU departments by leadership to maintain quality of patient care and increase patient satisfaction.
- Complete training programs, CPR, CPI and medication class to ensure safety and health are maintained at all times.
- Assist in answering telephones, ensures pull down desks are in upright position after posting EKG strips on patient charts.
- Initiate basic CPR measures in the event of cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest and respond to emergency situations relate to patient treatment.
- Complete residents ADL s. Perform activity of daily living, communicate effectively through the process of charting in each residents files.
- Assist with housekeeping, ROM, medication reminders, ADL's, meal preparation, providing a clean and neat atmosphere.
- Work under the supervision of an RN providing bedside care and support to both patients and families on the oncology unit.
- Collect patient vital signs, chief complaint, allergies (to include drug and food allergies), and update medications.
- Provide patients with necessities such as food and comfort measures, and maintain patient hygiene and cleanliness during their ER stay.
- Monitor cardiac telemetry for in-patient unit.
Care associate skills and personality traits
We calculated that 24% of Care Associates are proficient in Patients, Vital Signs, and PCA. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Compassion, and Patience.
We break down the percentage of Care Associates that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 24%
Cared for patients requiring telemetry monitoring and work collaboratively with telemetry technician/nurses to detect and report abnormalities to physicians.
- Vital Signs, 11%
Facilitated proper medical care including medication administration for clients, recorded vital signs, and accompanied to medical appointments.
- PCA, 7%
Lead PCA Employee round table leading to new methodology for patient coverage, resulting in decrease call bell response time.
- Phlebotomy, 7%
Assisted nursing staff with patient procedures; including phlebotomy and indwelling catheter insertions.
- CPR, 7%
Initiate basic CPR measures in the event of cardiac and/or pulmonary arrest and respond to emergency situations related to patient treatment.
- Customer Service, 5%
Provide outstanding customer service by ensuring each customer has been helped within their satisfaction and business requirements.
Most care associates use their skills in "patients," "vital signs," and "pca" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential care associate responsibilities here:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a care associate to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "nursing assistants and orderlies must communicate effectively to address patients’ or residents’ concerns." Care associates often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "maintained open communication other medical staff to ensure appropriate and continuous patient care. "
Compassion. Another essential skill to perform care associate duties is compassion. Care associates responsibilities require that "nursing assistants and orderlies assist and care for the sick, injured, and elderly." Care associates also use compassion in their role according to a real resume snippet: "job duties: provide excellent, compassionate, timely patient care to those assigned. "
Patience. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of care associates is patience. This skill is critical to many everyday care associate duties, as "the routine tasks of cleaning, feeding, and bathing patients or residents can be stressful." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "practice patience, compassion and empathy in all interactions with residents. "
Physical stamina. care associate responsibilities often require "physical stamina." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "nursing assistants and orderlies spend much of their time on their feet." This resume example shows what care associates do with physical stamina on a typical day: "document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses and in the emr. "
The three companies that hire the most care associates are:
- RWJBarnabas Health130 care associates jobs
- Tenet Healthcare112 care associates jobs
- Northwell Health108 care associates jobs
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Compare different care associates
Care associate vs. Attending, ambulatory care
An attending, ambulatory care is responsible for providing patient care, supporting ongoing treatment of health issues, and managing recovery through coordinating with attending physicians or other medical professionals. They evaluate medical records, including history and consultation purposes, develop a necessary care plan, keep an accurate medical chart, and schedule laboratory tests and follow-up as needed. An attending, ambulatory care must have extensive knowledge of the medical principles and disciplines to monitor the patients' condition and observe medical measures.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between care associates and attending, ambulatory care. For instance, care associate responsibilities require skills such as "pca," "phlebotomy," "direct patient care," and "medical terminology." Whereas a attending, ambulatory care is skilled in "good judgment," "direct care," "cleanliness," and "data entry." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Attendings, ambulatory care earn the highest salaries when working in the government industry, with an average yearly salary of $30,236. On the other hand, care associates are paid more in the health care industry with an average salary of $31,845.attendings, ambulatory care tend to reach similar levels of education than care associates. In fact, attendings, ambulatory care are 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Care associate vs. Patient sitter
The primary job of a patient sitter is to provide patients with care and companionship. You will be responsible for a few duties that always include supervising patients, assisting them with basic personal hygiene and care, and monitoring their vital signs. As a patient sitter, you are expected to refrain from doing unauthorized or additional functions, identifying changes in patient's conditions, and maintaining patient information confidentiality. You are also expected to comply with relevant standards, procedures, and policies.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that care associate responsibilities requires skills like "pca," "phlebotomy," "direct patient care," and "medical terminology." But a patient sitter might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "bls," "patient observation," "continuous observation," and "direct observation."
On average, patient sitters earn a lower salary than care associates. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, patient sitters earn the most pay in the health care industry with an average salary of $29,697. Whereas care associates have higher pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $31,845.In general, patient sitters achieve similar levels of education than care associates. They're 1.9% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Care associate vs. Patient escort
A patient escort assists health care staff in providing patient care by managing a patient's immediate needs. Typical duties that you will perform include organizing and coordinating the transport of patients, assisting patients in personal hygiene such as dressing and bathing, and engaging with patients. As a patient escort, you are expected to create good relationships with patients by treating them with dignity and respect. You may also provide support services such as restocking supplies and changing linens.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a care associate is likely to be skilled in "pca," "phlebotomy," "direct patient care," and "medical terminology," while a typical patient escort is skilled in "patient transport," "reception desk," "osha," and "transport equipment."
When it comes to education, patient escorts tend to earn similar degree levels compared to care associates. In fact, they're 1.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Care associate vs. Home health care
Home health aides are healthcare professionals who are responsible for providing support and personal services to patients. These aides are required to monitor their patients by observing the physical and mental condition of their patients. They must provide services such as housekeeping and laundry, buying food and other household requirements, and preparing and serving meals and snacks. Home health aides must also help the family members of their patients by teaching them the appropriate ways to lift, turn, and re-position their positions.
Types of care associate
Updated January 8, 2025
