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The differences between medication aides and hospice aides can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a medication aide and a hospice aide. Additionally, a medication aide has an average salary of $40,799, which is higher than the $28,632 average annual salary of a hospice aide.
The top three skills for a medication aide include compassion, resident care and state regulations. The most important skills for a hospice aide are home health, patients, and CPR.
| Medication Aide | Hospice Aide | |
| Yearly salary | $40,799 | $28,632 |
| Hourly rate | $19.61 | $13.77 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 275,582 | 163,630 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 23% | High School Diploma, 25% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 3 |
A medication aide is a healthcare professional who is responsible for administering medication to patients daily in a hospital or medical facility. As certified nursing assistants, medication aides should possess knowledge of patient care procedures so that they can coordinate with different nurses to deliver them. They follow written or verbal instructions from physicians on how to manage their patients' medications. Medication aides are also required to observe their patients and document changes in their conditions.
A hospice aide is responsible for assisting patients in their daily activities, usually in a medical institution or private household. Hospice aides monitor the patients' conditions, administer medication, and report updates to the attending physician or other health care professionals. They also manage the patients' food intake, support them with their lifestyle activities, and perform duties that would make the patients comfortable. A hospice aide must have excellent communication skills, especially in responding to the patients' inquiries and concerns and listening to their stories.
Medication aides and hospice aides have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medication Aide | Hospice Aide | |
| Average salary | $40,799 | $28,632 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $50,000 | Between $22,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | Madison, WI | Framingham, MA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | Alive Hospice |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Professional |
There are a few differences between a medication aide and a hospice aide in terms of educational background:
| Medication Aide | Hospice Aide | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 23% | High School Diploma, 25% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between medication aides' and hospice aides' demographics:
| Medication Aide | Hospice Aide | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.7% Female, 84.3% | Male, 9.5% Female, 90.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 7.0% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |