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Restorative aide vs patient care assistant

The differences between restorative aides and patient care 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 restorative aide and a patient care assistant. Additionally, a patient care assistant has an average salary of $32,799, which is higher than the $31,126 average annual salary of a restorative aide.

The top three skills for a restorative aide include patients, rehabilitation and strength training. The most important skills for a patient care assistant are patients, vital signs, and PCA.

Restorative aide vs patient care assistant overview

Restorative AidePatient Care Assistant
Yearly salary$31,126$32,799
Hourly rate$14.96$15.77
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs54,334261,345
Job satisfaction55
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 28%High School Diploma, 26%
Average age4242
Years of experience33

What does a restorative aide do?

Restorative aides are health-care professionals who are responsible for providing restorative and rehabilitation care for patients to maintain or regain physical, mental, and emotional well-being. They are certified nurse assistants with specialized training in restorative care. Their duties and responsibilities also include performing duties delegated to them by their supervisor, motivating patients to participate and complete their restorative program, and maintaining all the necessary equipment for supplies and treatment.

What does a patient care assistant do?

A patient care assistant is responsible for attending patients' needs with the supervision of a health care professional. Duties of a patient care assistant also include performing basic medical tasks such as taking patients' temperature, monitoring food intake, preparing medicines, recording health conditions, assisting on lab tests and other medical procedures, and providing information and important updates to the patient's family. A patient care assistant must have excellent time-management and multi-tasking skills to perform duties efficiently and accurately.

Restorative aide vs patient care assistant salary

Restorative aides and patient care assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Restorative AidePatient Care Assistant
Average salary$31,126$32,799
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $38,000Between $23,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City-San Diego, CA
Highest paying state-Hawaii
Best paying company-Microsoft
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between restorative aide and patient care assistant education

There are a few differences between a restorative aide and a patient care assistant in terms of educational background:

Restorative AidePatient Care Assistant
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 28%High School Diploma, 26%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common college--

Restorative aide vs patient care assistant demographics

Here are the differences between restorative aides' and patient care assistants' demographics:

Restorative AidePatient Care Assistant
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 15.8% Female, 84.2%Male, 14.4% Female, 85.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 7.6% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 7.3% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between restorative aide and patient care assistant duties and responsibilities

Restorative aide example responsibilities.

  • Recognize by physicians for ability to meticulously prepare patient's chest and attach leads to obtain excellent quality EKG tracings.
  • Administer CPR when need, take vital signs and dietary care.
  • Assist patients with operating mechanical devices; such as crutches, canes, prostheses, walkers and wheelchairs.
  • Perform ADL programs, therapeutic exercise and gait training, also in-service nursing and family members of residents.
  • Utilize and maintain special equipment such as (splints, weights, cycles, and weight machines).
  • Range of motion to upper and lower extremities using gait belts, and walkers to help rehabilitate motor skills.
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Patient care assistant example responsibilities.

  • Conduct and facilitate PCA lead group activities as scheduled
  • Assist patients in achieving independence and increase functional ability.
  • Manage ventilator settings, suction tracheostomy, tube-feeding assistance.
  • Answer call lights, vital signs, EKG'S, transporting patients to other areas, keep rooms clean and orderly.
  • Provide high quality patient care as an in-demand per-diem RCA within, home-healthcare, nursing home settings and memory support care.
  • Work extensively with Alzheimer and dementia patients.
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Restorative aide vs patient care assistant skills

Common restorative aide skills
  • Patients, 31%
  • Rehabilitation, 24%
  • Strength Training, 6%
  • Body Functions, 6%
  • Care Plan, 4%
  • Resident Care, 4%
Common patient care assistant skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Vital Signs, 9%
  • PCA, 8%
  • CPR, 7%
  • Home Health, 6%
  • Customer Service, 5%

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