Read the following passage about health care workers, who help with people's physical needs.
Health Care: Helping the Sick
Candy Stripers
A candy striper works in a hospital or medical facility. They are called candy stripers because of their pink aprons. Candy stripers can work on either a volunteer or paid basis. Candy stripers help sick people feel more comfortable in hospitals. Their duties include delivering newspapers, flowers and mail to patients. Most candy stripers are students. They come to work after classes. Many elderly people also work as candy stripers.
Physical Therapists
Physical therapists help people regain physical mobility after an accident, illness or surgery. A physical therapist works closely with a patient's doctor to relieve pain and increase the mobility of the affected body part. To be a physical therapist you will need a master's degree in physical therapy. Then you must be certified by the state. Physical therapy is a rapidly growing field.
Emergency Medical Technicians
The emergency medical technician, or EMT, is the first level of trained life support a patient is likely to meet following a car accident or an emergency health situation. EMTs are certified to take blood pressure and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They can also give oxygen. Most community colleges offer the minimum requirement of 120 hours of study along with the proper certification. With enough further training, you can become a paramedic.
Paramedics
Paramedics do work similar to that of EMTs, but they are state certified to practice more advanced procedures and have more responsibilities. They can administer specific drugs and intravenous, or IV, solutions. Paramedics report for duty at hospitals. From there they are sent to emergency sites, often along with an EMT, who is second-in-command. To become a paramedic, you must first become an EMT. Then you continue your schooling for another eighteen months or two years. Starting salaries for paramedics range between $25,000 and $27,000 a year.
Medical Assistants
Medical assistants work under the direction of a doctor to assist in the examination and treatment of patients. They interview patients, measure vital signs such as pulse rate, temperature, blood pressure, weight, and height, and record information on patients' charts. They also prepare treatment rooms for examination of patients by draping patients with a covering, and positioning instruments and equipment. During the examination, medical assistants hand instruments and materials to a doctor as directed. After the examination, they clean and sterilise instruments.
Physicians
To become a physician, or medical doctor, you must complete a long course of training. Before applying for medical school, a student must first have a bachelor's degree from a four-year college. Then, a student must attend medical school, which takes four years to complete. Next, the doctor must complete an internship and a residency at a hospital. These are the doctor's first jobs when he or she works in a hospital learning from experienced doctors. These generally take another four years. After several more years of practice and training, doctors are eligible to take the board certification exams. Doctors can work in hospitals, private practice, medical groups, relief organisations or government agencies.