Nurse aides and orderlies assist nurses and other health care workers in the basic care of patients, and transport patients in wheelchairs and on stretchers for treatment or surgery. Orthopedic technologists apply and adjust casts and splints on patients and assist orthopedic surgeons. Pharmacy assistants assist pharmacists in the preparation of prescriptions. Morgue attendants lay out instruments, transfer bodies and assist pathologists at autopsies. Education, Training and Experience People in this group must have some high school or a high school diploma.
Many recent entrants have a community college diploma.
Those who perform duties such as taking X-rays and polishing and cleaning teeth require certification. Over the next five years, this outlook is not expected to change, as the number of job openings is expected to be matched by the number of qualified job seekers. Restructuring of the health care system may decrease opportunities in these occupations. A shift to home care may, however, prove favourable for many of these occupations. The effect of health care restructuring on the occupations in this group will vary widely among the different occupations.