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Nursing attendant vs hospital corpsman

The differences between nursing attendants and hospital corpsmen can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a nursing attendant and a hospital corpsman. Additionally, a hospital corpsman has an average salary of $34,357, which is higher than the $30,630 average annual salary of a nursing attendant.

The top three skills for a nursing attendant include patients, vital signs and blood pressure. The most important skills for a hospital corpsman are patients, emergency medicine, and vital signs.

Nursing attendant vs hospital corpsman overview

Nursing AttendantHospital Corpsman
Yearly salary$30,630$34,357
Hourly rate$14.73$16.52
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs192,6222,714
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 32%Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Average age4242
Years of experience33

What does a nursing attendant do?

Also called a nursing aide, a nursing attendant provides fundamental patient care in residents and hospitals of long-term care facilities. Nursing attendants are supervised by registered nurses and follow physician or registered nurses' care instructions. The attendants monitor important signs and dispense medication, which depends on the experience level and the environment. They should have a good foundation of clinical knowledge and skills. Among the other skills for this job include attention to detail, good teamwork, work schedules and duties flexibility, and great verbal and written communication.

What does a hospital corpsman do?

Hospital corpsmen are U.S. Navy enlisted medical specialists who perform the initial treatment during combat. The medical specialists serve as assistants in injury and disease prevention and treatment. They assist the health care professionals in the medical care of the Marine Corps and Navy personnel. Among their duties and responsibilities include preventive care, maintenance of patient treatment records, and administration of injections and medications. Also, it is their job to carry out emergency dental or medical treatment to marines and sailors.

Nursing attendant vs hospital corpsman salary

Nursing attendants and hospital corpsmen have different pay scales, as shown below.

Nursing AttendantHospital Corpsman
Average salary$30,630$34,357
Salary rangeBetween $19,000 And $47,000Between $24,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between nursing attendant and hospital corpsman education

There are a few differences between a nursing attendant and a hospital corpsman in terms of educational background:

Nursing AttendantHospital Corpsman
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 32%Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common college--

Nursing attendant vs hospital corpsman demographics

Here are the differences between nursing attendants' and hospital corpsmen' demographics:

Nursing AttendantHospital Corpsman
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 24.8% Female, 75.2%Male, 70.3% Female, 29.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 6.9% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 6.9% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between nursing attendant and hospital corpsman duties and responsibilities

Nursing attendant example responsibilities.

  • Insert straight catheters and manage Foley catheters.
  • Maintain guidelines of OSHA and HIPPA standard requirements.
  • Initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation in emergency situations.
  • Initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation in emergency situations.

Hospital corpsman example responsibilities.

  • Manage medical and dental records according to JHACO and HIPPA standards.
  • Lead and train junior sailors on general military training, including hazardous materials and safety clinical procedures.
  • Educate and teach basic physical therapy exercises to staff and patients to prevent or manage occupational/work relate injuries.
  • Provide both sick call, and emergency medical services at a BLS and ALS level.
  • Preform multiple medical procedures, including triage and order entry and chart making in a high pace emergency room setting.
  • Train new personnel on standard operating procedures, proper use of personal protective equipment, phlebotomy skills, and medication administration.
  • Show more

Nursing attendant vs hospital corpsman skills

Common nursing attendant skills
  • Patients, 32%
  • Vital Signs, 8%
  • Blood Pressure, 7%
  • BLS, 7%
  • Cleanliness, 6%
  • ADL, 5%
Common hospital corpsman skills
  • Patients, 18%
  • Emergency Medicine, 9%
  • Vital Signs, 8%
  • Direct Patient Care, 6%
  • Clinical Laboratory Tests, 6%
  • Laboratory Specimens, 4%

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