Nurse sitter vs patient services assistant

The differences between nurse sitters and patient services assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a nurse sitter and a patient services assistant. Additionally, a patient services assistant has an average salary of $33,879, which is higher than the $31,460 average annual salary of a nurse sitter.

The top three skills for a nurse sitter include patient safety, direct supervision and continuous observation. The most important skills for a patient services assistant are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Nurse sitter vs patient services assistant overview

	Nurse Sitter	Patient Services Assistant
Yearly salary	$31,460	$33,879
Hourly rate	$15.12	$16.29
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	17,768	273,881
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 33%	Bachelor's Degree, 26%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	3	3

Nurse sitter vs patient services assistant salary

Nurse sitters and patient services assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Nurse Sitter	Patient Services Assistant
Average salary	$31,460	$33,879
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $42,000	Between $24,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	-	San Mateo, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Adobe
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between nurse sitter and patient services assistant education

There are a few differences between a nurse sitter and a patient services assistant in terms of educational background:

	Nurse Sitter	Patient Services Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 33%	Bachelor's Degree, 26%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	-	-

Nurse sitter vs patient services assistant demographics

Here are the differences between nurse sitters' and patient services assistants' demographics:

	Nurse Sitter	Patient Services Assistant
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 22.1% Female, 77.9%	Male, 18.2% Female, 81.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 7.1% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 7.1% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between nurse sitter and patient services assistant duties and responsibilities

Nurse sitter example responsibilities.

Increase productivity by voluntarily attending training seminars earning certifications in phlebotomy and urological care that increase overall scope of practice.
Execute all duties strictly adhering to patient's rights and confidentiality under implement HIPPA regulations.
Maintain open communication with patient (s) and patient's family while also staying conscious of HIPPA laws.
Provide behavioral/ emotional support and supervision for those with dementia and Alzheimer's.
Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet.

Patient services assistant example responsibilities.

Conduct and facilitate PCA lead group activities as scheduled
Assist patients with daily care needs such as ADL's, mobility assistance, nutritional support, and emotional support.
Assist the MD during clinic by taking vitals on patients, running EKG's, handling medication reviews/refills.
Perform food, bed and bath needs as well as colostomy and catheter care.
Experience with patents ranging from ambulatory to immobile, specializing in Alzheimer and dementia patients.
Assist PT/OT to provide therapy and cue's on how to ambulate during and after surgery.

Nurse sitter vs patient services assistant skills

Common nurse sitter skills

Patient Safety, 46%
Direct Supervision, 19%
Continuous Observation, 16%
CPI, 5%
Clean Environment, 4%
Vital Signs, 4%

Common patient services assistant skills

Patients, 38%
Customer Service, 9%
Patient Care, 9%
Vital Signs, 6%
CPR, 3%
Medical Terminology, 3%

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Zippia Careers
Healthcare Support Industry
Nurse Sitter
Nurse Sitter vs Patient Services Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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