Health CareersHealth Careers

Mortuary, Nursing, and Mortuary, Nursing, and Nutrition and Dietary Nutrition and Dietary

Mortuary CareersMortuary Careers

Mortician (Funeral Director or Mortician (Funeral Director or Undertaker)Undertaker)

EmbalmerEmbalmerMortuary AssistandMortuary Assistand

MorticianMortician

Provide support to the survivorsProvide support to the survivors Interview the family of the deceased to Interview the family of the deceased to

establish details of the funeral ceremoniesestablish details of the funeral ceremonies Review arrangements to deceased person Review arrangements to deceased person

requested prior to deathrequested prior to death Prepare the body following legal requirementsPrepare the body following legal requirements Secure the body following legal requirementsSecure the body following legal requirements Secure information for legal documentsSecure information for legal documents File death certificatesFile death certificates

Mortician continuedMortician continued

Arrange and direct all the details of the Arrange and direct all the details of the wake and serviceswake and services

Make arrangements for burial or cremationsMake arrangements for burial or cremations Direct all business activities of the funeral Direct all business activities of the funeral

homehome Help surviving individuals adapt to the death Help surviving individuals adapt to the death

by providing post-death counseling and by providing post-death counseling and support group activitiessupport group activities

Most funeral directors are also licensed Most funeral directors are also licensed embalmersembalmers

EmbalmersEmbalmers

Prepare the body for intermentPrepare the body for interment Was the body with germicidal soapWas the body with germicidal soap Replace the blood with embalming fluid to Replace the blood with embalming fluid to

preserve the bodypreserve the body Reshape and restructure disfigured bodiesReshape and restructure disfigured bodies Apply cosmetics to create a natural Apply cosmetics to create a natural

appearanceappearance Dress the bodyDress the body Position the body in a casketPosition the body in a casket Maintain embalming reportsMaintain embalming reports Itemize lists of clothing or valuablesItemize lists of clothing or valuables

Nursing CareersNursing Careers

Provide care for patients as directed Provide care for patients as directed by physiciansby physicians

Care focuses on the mental, Care focuses on the mental, emotional, and physical needs of the emotional, and physical needs of the patientpatient

Nursing CareersNursing Careers

Registered Nurse (RN)Registered Nurse (RN)Licensed Practical/Vocational nurse Licensed Practical/Vocational nurse

(LPN, LVN)(LPN, LVN)Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)

Registered NurseRegistered Nurse

Master’s or Doctorate degreeMaster’s or Doctorate degree Bachelor’s degreeBachelor’s degree Diploma programDiploma program Associate’s degreeAssociate’s degree

Registered Nurses (RNs)Registered Nurses (RNs)

Work under the direction of physiciansWork under the direction of physicians Provide total care to patientsProvide total care to patients Observe patientsObserve patients Assess patients’ needsAssess patients’ needs Report to other health care personnelReport to other health care personnel Administer prescribed medications and Administer prescribed medications and

treatmentstreatments Teach health careTeach health care Supervise other nursing personnelSupervise other nursing personnel

Nurse Practitioners (CRNP or Nurse Practitioners (CRNP or NP)NP)

Take health histories, perform basic Take health histories, perform basic physical examinations, order physical examinations, order laboratory tests and other laboratory tests and other procedures, refer patients to procedures, refer patients to physicians, help establish treatment physicians, help establish treatment plans, treat common illnesses and plans, treat common illnesses and teach and promote optimal healthteach and promote optimal health

Nurse Midwives (CNM)Nurse Midwives (CNM)

Provide total care for normal Provide total care for normal pregnancies, examine the pregnant pregnancies, examine the pregnant woman at regular intervals, perform woman at regular intervals, perform routine tests, teach childbirth and routine tests, teach childbirth and childcare classes, monitor the infant childcare classes, monitor the infant and mother during childbirth, deliver and mother during childbirth, deliver the infant, and refer any problems to the infant, and refer any problems to a physiciana physician

Nurse EducatorsNurse Educators

Teach in HOE programs, schools of Teach in HOE programs, schools of nursing, colleges and universities, nursing, colleges and universities, wellness centers, and health care wellness centers, and health care facilitiesfacilities

Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs)Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs)

Administer anesthesia, monitor Administer anesthesia, monitor patients during surgery, and assist patients during surgery, and assist anesthesiologists (who are anesthesiologists (who are physicians)physicians)

Clinical Nurse SpecialistsClinical Nurse Specialists

Registered nurses with advanced Registered nurses with advanced degrees who specialize in specific degrees who specialize in specific nursing areas such as intensive care, nursing areas such as intensive care, trauma or emergency care, trauma or emergency care, psychiatry, pediatrics (infants and psychiatry, pediatrics (infants and children), gerontology (elderly), or children), gerontology (elderly), or neonatology (care of premature neonatology (care of premature infants)infants)

Licensed Practical/Vocational Licensed Practical/Vocational nurse (LPN, LVN) nurse (LPN, LVN)

Work under the supervision of Work under the supervision of physicians or RNsphysicians or RNs

Provide patient care requiring Provide patient care requiring technical knowledge but not the level technical knowledge but not the level of education required of RNsof education required of RNs

Care provided is determined by state Care provided is determined by state laws regulating the extent of dutieslaws regulating the extent of duties

Certified Nurse Assistant Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) (CNA)

aka Patient care technicians, nurse aidesaka Patient care technicians, nurse aides Required under federal law to complete a Required under federal law to complete a

mandatory, state-approved training program and mandatory, state-approved training program and pass a written and/or competency exam to obtain pass a written and/or competency exam to obtain certification or registrationcertification or registration

Work under the supervision of RNs or LPNsWork under the supervision of RNs or LPNs Provide patient care such as baths, bedmaking, Provide patient care such as baths, bedmaking,

and feedingand feeding Assist in transfer and ambulationAssist in transfer and ambulation Administer basic treatmentsAdminister basic treatments Take and record vital signsTake and record vital signs Observe and report changes in a patient’s Observe and report changes in a patient’s

conditioncondition

Geriatric Aides/AssistantsGeriatric Aides/Assistants

Acquire additional education to Acquire additional education to provide care for the elderlyprovide care for the elderly

Perform the same duties as nurse Perform the same duties as nurse assistantsassistants

Home Health Care AssistantsHome Health Care Assistants

Receive special training to work in Receive special training to work in the patient’s homethe patient’s home

Perform the same duties as nurse Perform the same duties as nurse assistantsassistants

May perform homemaking duties May perform homemaking duties such as meal preparation or cleaning such as meal preparation or cleaning

Medication AidesMedication Aides

Receive special training such as a 40 hour Receive special training such as a 40 hour or more state-approved medication aide or more state-approved medication aide course to administer medications to course to administer medications to patients or residents in long-term facilities patients or residents in long-term facilities or patients receiving home health careor patients receiving home health care

Most states require that the aide be on the Most states require that the aide be on the state-approved list for nurse or geriatric state-approved list for nurse or geriatric assistants before taking the medication assistants before taking the medication aide courseaide course

Many states require a competency testMany states require a competency test

Surgical Surgical Technologist/TechnicianTechnologist/Technician

Operating room technicianOperating room technicianWork under the supervision of RNs or Work under the supervision of RNs or

physiciansphysiciansPrepare patients for surgeryPrepare patients for surgerySet up instruments, equipment, and Set up instruments, equipment, and

sterile supplies in the operating roomsterile supplies in the operating roomAssist during surgery by passing Assist during surgery by passing

instruments and supplies to the instruments and supplies to the surgeonsurgeon

Nutrition and Dietary ServicesNutrition and Dietary Services

Workers recognize the importance of Workers recognize the importance of proper nutrition to good healthproper nutrition to good health

Promote wellness and optimum Promote wellness and optimum health by providing dietary health by providing dietary guidelines used to treat various guidelines used to treat various diseases, teaching proper nutrition, diseases, teaching proper nutrition, and preparing foods for health care and preparing foods for health care facilitiesfacilities

Nutrition/Dietary servicesNutrition/Dietary services

DieticianDieticianDietetic TechnicianDietetic TechnicianDietetic AssistantDietetic Assistant

Dietician/NutritionistsDietician/Nutritionists

Manage good service systemsManage good service systems Assess patients’/residents’ nutritional needsAssess patients’/residents’ nutritional needs Plan menusPlan menus Teach others proper nutrition and special dietsTeach others proper nutrition and special diets Purchase food and equipmentPurchase food and equipment Enforce sanitary and safety rulesEnforce sanitary and safety rules Supervise and/or train other personnelSupervise and/or train other personnel Research nutritional needs and develop Research nutritional needs and develop

recommendations base on result of researchrecommendations base on result of research Some dietitians specialize in the care of pediatric, Some dietitians specialize in the care of pediatric,

renal, or diabetic patients or in weight renal, or diabetic patients or in weight managementmanagement

Dietetic TechnicianDietetic Technician

Work under the supervision of Work under the supervision of dietitiansdietitians

Plan menusPlan menusOrder foodsOrder foodsStandardize and test recipesStandardize and test recipesAssist with food preparationAssist with food preparationProvide basic dietary instructionProvide basic dietary instructionTeach classes on good nutritionTeach classes on good nutrition

Dietetic Assistant Dietetic Assistant

Food service workersFood service workersWork under the supervision of Work under the supervision of

dietitiansdietitiansAssist with food preparation and Assist with food preparation and

serviceserviceHelp patients select menusHelp patients select menusClean work areasClean work areasAssist other dietary workersAssist other dietary workers