Ward assistant vs medication aide

The differences between ward assistants and medication 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 ward assistant and a medication aide. Additionally, a ward assistant has an average salary of $47,580, which is higher than the $40,799 average annual salary of a medication aide.

The top three skills for a ward assistant include patients, vital signs and IV. The most important skills for a medication aide are compassion, resident care, and state regulations.

Ward assistant vs medication aide overview

	Ward Assistant	Medication Aide
Yearly salary	$47,580	$40,799
Hourly rate	$22.88	$19.61
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	89,892	275,582
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	High School Diploma, 23%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	3	3

Ward assistant vs medication aide salary

Ward assistants and medication aides have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Ward Assistant	Medication Aide
Average salary	$47,580	$40,799
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $71,000	Between $33,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	-	Madison, WI
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between ward assistant and medication aide education

There are a few differences between a ward assistant and a medication aide in terms of educational background:

	Ward Assistant	Medication Aide
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	High School Diploma, 23%
Most common major	Medical Assisting Services	Nursing
Most common college	-	-

Ward assistant vs medication aide demographics

Here are the differences between ward assistants' and medication aides' demographics:

	Ward Assistant	Medication Aide
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 28.4% Female, 71.6%	Male, 15.7% Female, 84.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	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%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between ward assistant and medication aide duties and responsibilities

Ward assistant example responsibilities.

Transport patients in a large VA hospital, to and from their various medical and clinic appointments.
Read and score request for proposals (RFP) for city wide programming resulting in the distribution of critical grants.
Maintain an organize and healthy environment for patients under high-stress and fast-pace conditions.
Monitor animals' recovering from surgery and notify veterinarians of any unusual changes or symptoms.
Initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation in emergency situations.
Direct & answer visitors' questions.

Medication aide example responsibilities.

Manage memory unity within facility.
Provide care for patients in need of long term care and rehabilitation.
Administer medication according to state laws and guidelines as well as facility guidelines and assist residents with ADL's.
preserve patient's dignity while providing such duties as bedpan changes, bathing, diapering, emptying catheter and colostomy bags.
Assist with changing colostomy bags.
learned to be more efficient with time restraints!

Ward assistant vs medication aide skills

Common ward assistant skills

Patients, 78%
Vital Signs, 7%
IV, 6%
Patient Rooms, 5%
CNAs, 4%

Common medication aide skills

Compassion, 11%
Resident Care, 11%
State Regulations, 8%
Infection Control, 7%
Incident Reports, 5%
Vital Signs, 5%