Interested in working for Advanced Medical Home Care?

Visit our Career Portal to learn about our current openings!

Skilled Nursing

Skilled Nursing

What does a Registered Nurse do?

Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.

Duties

Registered nurses typically do the following:

• Record patients’ medical histories and symptoms
• Give patients medicines and treatments
• Set up plans for patients’ care or contribute to existing plans
• Observe patients and record the observations
• Consult with doctors and other healthcare professionals
• Operate and monitor medical equipment
• Help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results
• Teach patients and their families how to manage their illnesses or injuries
• Explain what to do at home after treatment

Note:

Some registered nurses oversee licensed practical nurses, nursing aides, and home care aides. For more information, see the profiles on licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses; nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants; and home health and personal care aides.

Registered nurses sometimes work to promote general health by educating the public on warning signs and symptoms of disease. They might also run general health screenings or immunization clinics, blood drives, or other outreach programs.

Most registered nurses work as part of a team with physicians and other healthcare specialists.

Some nurses have jobs in which they do not work directly with patients, but they must still have an active registered nurse license. For example, they may work as nurse educators, healthcare consultants, public policy advisors, researchers, hospital administrators, salespeople for pharmaceutical and medical supply companies, or as medical writers and editors.

Registered nurses’ duties and titles often depend on where they work and the patients they work with. They can focus on the following specialties:

• A specific health condition, such as a diabetes management nurse who helps patients with diabetes or an oncology nurse who helps cancer patients
• A specific part of the body, such as a dermatology nurse working with patients who have skin problems
• A specific group of people, such as a geriatric nurse who works with the elderly or a pediatric nurse who works with children and teens
• A specific workplace, such as an emergency or trauma nurse who works in a hospital or stand-alone emergency department or a school nurse working in an elementary, middle, or high school rather than in a hospital or doctor’s office.

Resources provided by US Dept. of Labor

Speech Therapy

Speech Therapy

What does a Speech-language Pathologist do?

Speech-language pathologists, sometimes called speech therapists, assess, diagnose, treat, and help to prevent communication and swallowing disorders in patients. Speech, language, and swallowing disorders result from a variety of causes such as a stroke, brain injury, hearing loss, developmental delay, a cleft palate, cerebral palsy, or emotional problems.

Duties

When diagnosing patients, speech-language pathologists typically do the following:

• Communicate with patients to evaluate their levels of speech or language difficulty
• Determine the extent of communication problems by having a patient complete basic reading and vocalizing tasks or by giving standardized tests
• Identify treatment options
• Create and carry out an individualized treatment plan

When treating patients, speech-language pathologists typically do the following:

• Teach patients how to make sounds and improve their voices
• Teach alternative communication methods, such as sign language, to patients with little or no speech capability
• Work with patients to increase their ability to read and write correctly
• Work with patients to develop and strengthen the muscles used to swallow
• Counsel patients and families on how to cope with communication disorders

Note:

Speech-language pathologists work with patients who have problems with speech, such as being unable to speak at all or speaking with difficulty, or with rhythm and fluency, such as stuttering. They may work with those who are unable to understand language or with people who have voice disorders, such as inappropriate pitch or a harsh voice.
Speech-language pathologists must also do various administrative tasks, including keeping good records. They record their initial patient evaluations and diagnoses, treatment progress, any changes in a patient’s condition or treatment plan, and, eventually, their final evaluation when the patient finishes the therapy.

Some speech-language pathologists specialize in working with specific age groups, such as children or the elderly. Others focus on treatment programs for specific communication or swallowing problems, such as those resulting from strokes or cleft palate.

In medical facilities, speech-language pathologists work with physicians, social workers, psychologists, and other therapists. For more information, see the profiles on physicians and surgeons, social workers, and psychologists. In schools, they work with teachers, special educators, other school personnel, and parents to develop and carry out individual or group programs, provide counseling, and support classroom activities. For more information, see the profiles on preschool, kindergarten and elementary school, middle school, high school, and special education teachers.

Resources provided by US Dept. of Labor

Home Health Aides

Home Health Aides

What do Home Health Aides do?

Home health and personal care aides help people who are disabled, chronically ill, or cognitively impaired. They also help older adults who may need assistance. They help with activities such as bathing and dressing, and they provide services such as light housekeeping.

Duties

Home Health Aides typically do the following:

• Help clients in their daily personal tasks, such as bathing or dressing
• Do light housekeeping, such as laundry, washing dishes, and vacuuming in a client’s home
• Organize a client’s schedule and plan appointments
• Arrange transportation to doctors’ offices or for other kinds of outings
• Aides may prepare leisure activities, including exercise, to keep their clients active and healthy.
• Aides may be expected to complete tasks such as emptying a client’s bedpan or changing soiled bed linens.

Note:

Home health aides, unlike personal care aides, typically work for certified home health or hospice agencies that receive government funding and therefore must comply with regulations. They work under the direct supervision of a medical professional, usually a nurse. These aides keep records of services performed and of the client’s condition and progress. They report changes in the client’s condition to the supervisor or case manager. Aides also work with therapists and other medical staff.

Home health aides may provide some basic health-related services, such as checking clients’ pulse, temperature, and respiration rate. They also may help with simple prescribed exercises.

Resources provided by US Dept. of Labor

Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy

What do Physical Therapists do?

Physical therapists, sometimes referred to as PTs, help people who have injuries or illnesses improve their movement and manage their pain. They are often an important part of rehabilitation and treatment of patients with chronic conditions or injuries.

Duties

Physical therapists typically do the following:

• Diagnose patients’ dysfunctional movements by watching them stand or walk and by listening to their concerns, among other methods
• Set up a plan for their patients, outlining the patient’s goals and the planned treatments
• Use exercises, stretching maneuvers, hands-on therapy, and equipment to ease patients’ pain and to help them increase their ability to move
• Evaluate a patient’s progress, modifying a treatment plan and trying new treatments as needed
• Educate patients and their families about what to expect during recovery from injury and illness and how best to cope with what happens

Note:

Physical therapists provide care to people of all ages who have functional problems resulting from back and neck injuries; sprains, strains, and fractures; arthritis; amputations; stroke; birth conditions, such as cerebral palsy; injuries related to work and sports; and other conditions.

Physical therapists are trained to use a variety of different techniques—sometimes called modalities—to care for their patients. These techniques include applying heat and cold, hands-on stimulation or massage, and using assistive and adaptive devices and equipment.

The work of physical therapists varies with the type of patients they serve. For example, a patient suffering from loss of mobility due to Parkinson’s disease needs different care than an athlete recovering from an injury. Some physical therapists specialize in one type of care, such as pediatrics (treating children) or sports physical therapy.

Physical therapists work as part of a healthcare team, overseeing the work of physical therapist assistants and aides and consulting with physicians and surgeons and other specialists. Physical therapists also work at preventing loss of mobility by developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs to encourage healthier and more active lifestyles. For more information, see the profiles on physical therapist assistants and aides and physicians and surgeons.

Resources provided by US Dept. of Labor

Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy

What do Occupational Therapists do?

Occupational therapists treat patients with injuries, illnesses, or disabilities through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. They help these patients develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living and working.

Duties

Occupational therapists typically do the following:

• Observe patients doing tasks, ask the patient questions, and review the patient’s medical history
• Use the observations, answers, and medical history to evaluate the patient’s condition and needs
• Establish a treatment plan for patients, laying out the types of activities and specific goals to be accomplished
• Help people with various disabilities with different tasks, such as helping an older person with poor memory use a computer, or leading an autistic child in play activities
• Demonstrate exercises that can help relieve pain for people with chronic conditions, such as joint stretches for arthritis sufferers
• Evaluate a patient’s home or workplace and identify how it can be better suited to the patient’s health needs
• Educate a patient’s family and employer about how to accommodate and care for the patient
• Recommend special equipment, such as wheelchairs and eating aids, and instruct patients how to use that equipment
• Assess and record patients’ activities and progress for evaluating clients, for billing, and for reporting to physicians and other healthcare providers

Note:

Patients with permanent disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, often need help performing daily tasks. Therapists show patients how to use appropriate adaptive equipment, such as leg or knee braces, wheelchairs, and eating aids. Patients can function independently and control their living environment by using these devices.

Some occupational therapists work in educational settings with children one on one or in small groups. They evaluate disabled children’s abilities, modify classroom equipment to accommodate certain disabilities, and help children participate in school activities.

Some therapists provide early intervention therapy to infants and toddlers who have, or are at risk of having, developmental delays.

Therapists who work with the elderly help their patients lead more independent and active lives. They assess the patient’s abilities and environment and make recommendations, such as using adaptive equipment or identifying and removing potential fall hazards in the home.

In some cases, occupational therapists help patients create functional work environments. They evaluate the work space, plan work activities, and meet with the patient’s employer to collaborate on changes to the patient’s work environment or schedule.

Occupational therapists also may work in mental health settings where they help patients who suffer from developmental disabilities, mental illness, or emotional problems. They help these patients cope with and engage in daily life by teaching skills such as time management, budgeting, using public transportation, and doing household chores. Additionally, therapists may work with individuals who have problems with drug abuse, alcoholism, depression, or suffer from other disorders.

Resources provided by US Dept. of Labor