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What is a health care assistant and how to become one
Health care assistants, otherwise known as auxiliary nurses, or support workers, perform various patient care and administrative duties in medical settings. They assist with taking and delivering blood samples. They help move patients with mobility problems from one place to another. Also, they oversee the proper storage and sterilization of all equipment used in medical facilities. Aside from that, they spend most of their time with patients monitoring and recording changes in their health. Additionally, they oversee the hygiene needs of patients, serve their meals, and check vital signs.
Health care assistants find employment in hospitals, nursing homes, and in-home healthcare facilities. Potential employers require a high school diploma and completion of a certificate program or an associate's degree in medical assistance. This role requires skills such as communication, empathy, multitasking, and patient-care skills. Additional certifications are a plus. This job pays $35,620 yearly, which is between the range of $26,000 and $49,000.
What general advice would you give to a health care assistant?
Jamie Rauscher RVT
Medical Manager, Animal Hospital of Towne Lake and Cat Clinic of Woodstock
Avg. Salary $34,892
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 36%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.11%
Asian 10.47%
Black or African American 23.99%
Hispanic or Latino 23.41%
Unknown 5.40%
White 35.62%
Genderfemale 81.16%
male 18.84%
Age - 51American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 51Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
Health care assistant career paths
Key steps to become a health care assistant
Explore health care assistant education requirements
Start to develop specific health care assistant skills
Skills Percentages Patients 20.09% Customer Service 11.36% Healthcare 10.47% Patient Appointments 7.66% Direct Patient Care 7.56% Complete relevant health care assistant training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New health care assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a health care assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real health care assistant resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed health care assistant usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed health care assistant in most of states. 25 states require health care assistants to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License url Alaska Degree required Third-party exam required Nurse Aide Arkansas Specific course required Both state and third-party exams required Nursing Assistant (Certified) California Specific course required State exam required Certified Nurse Assistant Colorado Specific course required State exam required Nurse Aide Connecticut Specific course required State exam required Nurses Aide Gain additional health care assistant certifications
More About CertificationsHealth care assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific health care assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for health care assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.
Research health care assistant duties and responsibilities
- Monitor / enforce OSHA standards and coordinate / lead daily, weekly, and monthly safety meetings to educate staff.
- Manage ventilator settings, suction tracheostomy, tube-feeding assistance.
- Facilitate physical therapy exercises, positional rotation, monitor medication compliance and effects, provide companionship, carry out ADL's.
- care professional, extremely competent, providing guidance and counseling for rehabilitation of mentally disturb patients.
Prepare your health care assistant resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your health care assistant resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a health care assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable health care assistant resume templates
Build a professional health care assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your health care assistant resume.
Apply for health care assistant jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a health care assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first health care assistant job
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Average health care assistant salary
The average health care assistant salary in the United States is $34,892 per year or $17 per hour. Health care assistant salaries range between $25,000 and $47,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do health care assistants rate their job?
Health care assistant reviews
Very fulfilling and rewarding
Hard work, not enough staff, mandated a lot. Under appreciated!
The ability to show care, love & compassion to those whom have none or family can't give time to show any. It's like being the missing piece to a puzzle we all if lucky enough get to live long enough to experience. It's making someones day by just remembering to watch their hands and face before/ after meals. To give proper attention to teeth, to let dressing am or pm still br a choice they make. I know im a good human with an oversized caring heart and although sometimes its exhausting working extra hrs or having to do all or extra work on short staffed days it's worth it. And slow and steady wins the day. They are people whom have gone through & experienced more then we will ever get too.
All the changes with certification and how you can be on the floor of a facility and know not even common sense. How they have hospitality aides, hca, and people going to start a free class. Back in the day we were called glorified babysitters I never agreed until we have just a warm body with no license(s) whom can't do anything even as small as getting ice waters. I've worked hard tobe where i am and these people take a computer class and pass we would call that our continuing education hrs but what do i know after 23 yrs. I once REALLY loved my job and still do but it's almost like being in grade school with people who have phone's lol It bothers me that many new or non licensed bodies have the audacity to come in these facilities and act like the residents are on their time! We are in their home to help provide ADL's amongst other things like them still trying to be & keep their independence. The ridiculous amount they have to spend to have the care they get from some people makes me wanna die young!! Our system sucks unless its the government making the dollar. I just wish they'd spend an 8 hr shift in these facilities before signing off on some rules & regs. Im not political by any means but those who take the dollar should get to live and experience a day of what our elderly lived ones are forced to experience daily , monthly, yearly! In fact the state hasn't even done the 18 month annual expectation in over 2 yrs at the place im contracted at đź‘Ťway to keep up on stuff and by stuff I mean our elderly living human beans. People who deserve to be served on gold plates or at least gave better food then what they serve daycares and if not that at least for it to be at high minimum warm food !! In 23 yrs of being a CNA I can only try to write a book to get out all the things I've seen ,heard. & witnessed in the years.
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Updated January 8, 2025
