Will “Patient Care Assistant (PCA)” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

Unknown Chance of Automation

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Job Description

Provide basic patient care under direction of nursing staff. Perform duties such as feed, bathe, dress, groom, or move patients, or change linens. May transfer or transport patients. Includes nursing care attendants, nursing aides, and nursing attendants.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 31-1014.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 27,650.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 13.00
Currently, there are 1,443,150 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Nursing Assistants”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Patient Care Assistant (PCA)”

Clean and sanitize patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas.
Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.
Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet.
Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
Exercise patients who are comatose, paralyzed, or have restricted mobility.
Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.
Turn or reposition bedridden patients.
Assist nurses or physicians in the operation of medical equipment or provision of patient care.
Wash, groom, shave, or drape patients to prepare them for surgery, treatment, or examination.
Observe or examine patients to detect symptoms that may require medical attention, such as bruises, open wounds, or blood in urine.
Prepare or serve food trays.
Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
Supply, collect, or empty bedpans.
Undress, wash, and dress patients who are unable to do so for themselves.
Transport specimens, laboratory items, or pharmacy items, ensuring proper documentation and delivery to authorized personnel.
Change bed linens or make beds.
Provide information such as directions, visiting hours, or patient status information to visitors or callers.
Communicate with patients to ascertain feelings or need for assistance or social and emotional support.
Gather information from caregivers, nurses, or physicians about patient condition, treatment plans, or appropriate activities.
Collect specimens, such as urine, feces, or sputum.
Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff.
Stock or issue medical supplies, such as dressing packs or treatment trays.
Position or hold patients in position for surgical preparation.
Record vital signs, such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration rate, as directed by medical or nursing staff.
Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
Restock patient rooms with personal hygiene items, such as towels, washcloths, soap, or toilet paper.
Record height or weight of patients.
Administer medications or treatments, such as catheterizations, suppositories, irrigations, enemas, massages, or douches, as directed by a physician or nurse.
Set up treating or testing equipment, such as oxygen tents, portable radiograph (x-ray) equipment, or overhead irrigation bottles, as directed by a physician or nurse.
Explain medical instructions to patients or family members.
Remind patients to take medications or nutritional supplements.
Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink.
Apply clean dressings, slings, stockings, or support bandages, under direction of nurse or physician.

Related Technology & Tools

Pulse oximeters
Manual blood pressure equipment
Foot boards
Oxygen masks
Medical gurneys
Orthopedic splint sets
Electronic patient thermometers
Automated blood pressure cuffs
Urinary catheters
Oxygen tents
Hydraulic patient lifts
Patient transfer boards
Shower chairs
Tympanic thermometers
Photocopying equipment
Patient walkers
Medical examination protective gloves
Medical scales
Laptop computers
Incentive spirometers
Blood glucometers
Urinalysis test strips
Gait belts
Patient arm slings
Oral thermometers
Steam sterilizers
Oxygen tanks
Patient transport wheelchairs
Automated external defibrillators AED
Bladder ultrasounds
Desktop computers
Oxygen nasal cannulas
Urinals
Oxygen therapy equipment
Protective patient restraints
Mechanical stethoscopes
Walking canes
Multi-line telephone systems
Therapeutic cold packs
Patient limb restraints
Anti-embolism elastic stockings
Rectal thermometers
Therapeutic hot packs
Bed cradles
Safety razors
Personal computers
Adjustable hospital beds
Patient bed scales
Electronic stethoscopes
Crutches
Hospital intercom equipment
Specimen collection containers
Hospital bedpans
Clinical trapeze traction bars

GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
Microsoft Excel
Medical record charting software
Microsoft Office
Medical condition coding software
Billing software
MEDITECH software
Microsoft Word
Health information database software
Medical procedure coding software