Ward assistant vs unit secretary

The differences between ward assistants and unit secretaries can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-3 months to become a ward assistant, becoming a unit secretary takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a ward assistant has an average salary of $47,580, which is higher than the $32,153 average annual salary of a unit secretary.

The top three skills for a ward assistant include patients, vital signs and IV. The most important skills for a unit secretary are patients, patient care, and medical terminology.

Ward assistant vs unit secretary overview

	Ward Assistant	Unit Secretary
Yearly salary	$47,580	$32,153
Hourly rate	$22.88	$15.46
Growth rate	9%	-8%
Number of jobs	89,892	69,543
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Average age	42	49
Years of experience	3	2

Ward assistant vs unit secretary salary

Ward assistants and unit secretaries have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Ward Assistant	Unit Secretary
Average salary	$47,580	$32,153
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $71,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Portland, ME
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between ward assistant and unit secretary education

There are a few differences between a ward assistant and a unit secretary in terms of educational background:

	Ward Assistant	Unit Secretary
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 37%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Most common major	Medical Assisting Services	Nursing
Most common college	-	-

Ward assistant vs unit secretary demographics

Here are the differences between ward assistants' and unit secretaries' demographics:

	Ward Assistant	Unit Secretary
Average age	42	49
Gender ratio	Male, 28.4% Female, 71.6%	Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4%
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, 9.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 3.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	7%	9%

Differences between ward assistant and unit secretary 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.

Unit secretary example responsibilities.

Create and maintain confidential patient files; implement EHR systems to automate patient records management.
Manage Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
Manage the medical unit by supervising its activities, accurately transcribing physician orders, and prioritizing tasks.
Conduct 6 mass vaccination campaigns, manage protein-calorie malnutrition, coordinate epidemiological surveillance, and direct health facility rehabilitation
Assist patients with their daily routine, including feeding, cleanliness and basic needs.
Post anesthesia recovery care for ophthalmology, ENT and plastic surgery patients

Ward assistant vs unit secretary skills

Common ward assistant skills

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

Common unit secretary skills

Patients, 25%
Patient Care, 13%
Medical Terminology, 10%
Customer Service, 7%
Patient Charts, 4%
Physician Orders, 4%