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The differences between health assistants and nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a health assistant, becoming a nurse takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a nurse has an average salary of $57,564, which is higher than the $31,960 average annual salary of a health assistant.
The top three skills for a health assistant include patients, CPR and customer service. The most important skills for a nurse are patients, home health, and CPR.
| Health Assistant | Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $31,960 | $57,564 |
| Hourly rate | $15.37 | $27.68 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 100,084 | 696,124 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A health assistant is responsible for providing quality care for the patients under the supervision of registered nurses and attending physicians. Health assistants perform basic medical procedures, such as collecting specimens for examinations, checking the patients' conditions, and administering required medications. They also assist health care professionals in conducting complex medical processes by preparing the equipment and ensuring the cleanliness of the operating room. A health assistant keeps an organized record of medical charts for the doctor's reference and may also coordinate with the patient's family for medical updates.
Nurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor. Nurses should ensure that patients follow the medical advice given to them. They also assist patients in completing administrative requirements, such as filling out forms, validating details, and endorsing payments.
Health assistants and nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Assistant | Nurse | |
| Average salary | $31,960 | $57,564 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $43,000 | Between $38,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cambridge, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Conviva |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a health assistant and a nurse in terms of educational background:
| Health Assistant | Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | Duke University |
Here are the differences between health assistants' and nurses' demographics:
| Health Assistant | Nurse | |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.9% Female, 82.1% | Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 9.5% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |