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What is a patient escort and how to become one
A patient escort provides basic patient care under the direct supervision of the nursing staff. They perform tasks such as feed, bathe, dress, and groom the patient. They may also transport patients. They work one-on-one with a patient to manage their immediate needs while freeing medical staff to treat others in their care.
Patient escorts transport patients from one unit or location to the other and help them reach the bed from the wheelchair and vice versa. They attend to the patient's everyday needs from dressing to eating to bathing. They also provide support services such as changing linens and restocking supplies. No formal education is required, but a high school diploma or a GED may be given preference. Some employers may require certain certifications or licenses and previous experience in healthcare.
The average hourly salary for the position is $11.95, which amounts to $24,858 annually. Moreover, the career is projected to grow in the following years to come and result in new opportunities emerging all across the United States.
What general advice would you give to a patient escort?
Jason Mott Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Pre-licensure Program Director/Assistant Dean, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Avg. Salary $33,351
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 9%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.86%
Asian 7.60%
Black or African American 13.39%
Hispanic or Latino 16.72%
Unknown 4.86%
White 56.57%
Genderfemale 50.19%
male 49.81%
Age - 41American 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 - 41Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
Patient escort career paths
Key steps to become a patient escort
Explore patient escort education requirements
Start to develop specific patient escort skills
Skills Percentages Patients 41.68% Customer Service 9.00% Patient Transport 8.44% CPR 6.07% Stretchers 4.30% Complete relevant patient escort training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New patient escorts 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 patient escort based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real patient escort resumes.Gain additional patient escort certifications
More About CertificationsPatient escort 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 patient escort certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for patient escorts include Medical Assistant and Basic Life Support for Healthcare and Public Safety (BLS).
Research patient escort duties and responsibilities
- Conduct and facilitate PCA lead group activities as scheduled
- Perform CPR during emergency Harvey situations.
- Transport patients to and from on ultrasound and XRay
- Ensure patients make timely appointments to MRI and other tests.
Prepare your patient escort resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your patient escort 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 patient escort resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable patient escort resume templates
Build a professional patient escort 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 patient escort resume.
Apply for patient escort jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a patient escort 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 patient escort job
Are you a patient escort?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average patient escort salary
The average patient escort salary in the United States is $33,351 per year or $16 per hour. Patient escort salaries range between $25,000 and $43,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do patient escorts rate their job?
Patient escort reviews
Very fulfilling and rewarding
Knowing that you are supporting Doctor's , Nurses , and other health care providers, helping people recover from illness or injury and if they are in the end stages allowing them to have respect and dignity in the end stages of life, being able to give aid and comfort to their families. Seeing that love ones even if they have no family receive respect. I enjoy helping people when they need it the most.
Talking to the patients
Hearing their stories and not having enough time to really respond it’s heartbreaking
Updated January 8, 2025
