About This Career

Cares for individuals with mental or emotional conditions or disabilities, following the instructions of physicians or other health practitioners. Monitors patients' physical and emotional well-being and reports to medical staff. May participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, help with personal hygiene, and administer oral or injectable medications.

This career is part of the Health Science cluster Therapeutic Services pathway.

A person in this career:

• Provides nursing, psychiatric, or personal care to patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
• Encourages patients to develop work skills and to participate in social, recreational, or other therapeutic activities that enhance interpersonal skills or develop social relationships.
• Restrains violent, potentially violent, or suicidal patients by verbal or physical means as required.
• Leads prescribed individual or group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures.
• Monitors patients' physical and emotional well-being and reports unusual behavior or physical ailments to medical staff.
• Observes and influences patients' behavior, communicating and interacting with them and teaching, counseling, or befriending them.
• Takes and records measures of patients' physical condition, using devices such as thermometers or blood pressure gauges.
• Aids patients in performing tasks, such as bathing or keeping beds, clothing, or living areas clean.
• Collaborates with or assists doctors, psychologists, or rehabilitation therapists in working with patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities to treat, rehabilitate, and return patients to the community.
• Develops or teaches strategies to promote client wellness and independence.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Rotating shift work
• Weekend work