Other Careers in Health Care

Athletic Trainer

Work Activities

• Structuring training programs designed to prevent injuries
• Treating and rehabilitating athletic injuries as directed by the team's physicians
• Maintaining a good working relationship with coaches, physicians, other health care workers, athletes, and administrators
• Caring for student athletes' physical needs during team sports, recreation, intramurals, and physical education classes
• Using a knowledge of nutrition, hygiene, psychology, conditioning, and protective equipment to help the athlete perform well and to prevent injury

Special Requirements
An undergraduate athletic training program includes a minimum of 800 working hours of clinical experience, with two or more years of experience under the direct supervision of a Certified Athletic Trainer.

Athletic Trainers can be certified by the National Athletic Trainers' Association after successfully completing a certification exami- nation.

Chiropractor

The chiropractic system of health care is a drugless, nonsurgical healing art based on the principle that the nervous system governs the state of health of the human body and that many abnormal functions and disorders are caused by interference with nerve transmission and expression.

Work Activities

• Analyzing a patients condition by questioning the patient and using physical, X-ray, and laboratory tests
• Advising the patient of the course of treatment to be followed
• Performing spinal adjustments working from the base of the skull to the tip of the spine using hand and finger manipulation
• Treating patients using exercise, water, light, and heat therapy
• Recommending nutritionally sound diets along with good sleeping and resting habits
• Keeping accurate case history records of all patients
• Suggesting that patients requiring drugs or surgery contact other health care specialists

Other Chiropractors specialize in athletic injuries, in diseases and disorders of children, women, or the aged, or in mental and nervous disorders. Chiropractors may teach and/or conduct research exclusively or in addition to their regular duties.

Work Settings
Most Chiropractors set up their own practices; however, several Chiropractors may form a group practice in a private clinic or a hospital setting. Some Chiropractors occasionally provide treatment at patients homes. Many employ a nurse, a chiropractic assistant, or a Chiropractic Technician to assist them in performing their work.

Possible hazards of practice include the effects of radiation from X-ray equipment if it is used improperly and the risks of contagious diseases or infection.

Special Requirements
To become a licensed Chiropractor in New Mexico, an applicant must be at least 18 years of age, graduate from a college that is recognized by the New Mexico Board of Chiropractic Examiners, and pass an examination. The educational requirement calls for two years of college-level study in an accredited institution of higher learning and graduation from a college of chiropractic which meets the standards of professional education.

Pre-professional chiropractic programs provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills required for admission to chiropractic colleges. Few chiropractic colleges require prescribed programs for admission. Many pre-chiropractic students elect a major in biology, chemistry, or physics, but other programs may be selected.

Educational Institutions
No program information is available.

Emergency Medical Technician

Work Activities

• Driving and operating emergency vehicles
• Assessing the nature and extent of illness or injury
• Establishing priorities for medical care when multiple patients are present
• Assessing the status of hazardous materials incidents and using decontamination techniques to facilitate patient care
• Providing Basic Life Support (BLS) skills, including airway management, control of bleeding, treatment of shock, oxygen therapy, treatment of environmental emergencies, burn care, splinting and bandaging techniques, vehicle extrication, water extrication, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and emergency childbirth
• Ability to apply interpersonal and patient care skills to all age groups from pediatric to geriatric patients
• Extricating and rescuing patients from automobile crashes, caving accidents, and other confined spaces
• Reporting observations, both orally and in writing, of the patient's condition and the medical treatment rendered
• Lifting, moving, and securing patients using a wide range of immobilization and transportation techniques and devices
• Communicating with medical personnel at emergency facilities via mobile radio and telephone systems
• Working with other emergency services agencies, including law enforcement, fire services, and emergency dispatch centers
• Reassuring patients, families, and bystanders during medical emergencies
• Conducting presentations to the public about the Emergency Medical Services System
• Implementing appropriate infection control procedures, including the use of masks, gowns, gloves, and clean-up and disposal techniques
• Cleaning, maintaining, and inspecting a wide range of medical and rescue equipment, including mechanical and electronic devices

Work Settings
Pre-hospital emergency care personnel usually work in teams of two or more and are part of a rescue squad, fire department, commercial ambulance service, hospital, or industry. EMTs of all certification levels function with the direction of an Operation Medical Director and in compliance with rules and regulations established by the New Mexico Department of Health, Emergency Medical Services.

EMTs work indoors and outdoors and are exposed to a variety of traffic and environmental conditions. In many areas of New Mexico, they provide around-the-clock coverage. Twelve and 24-hour shifts are common, and night work may be required. There is the possibility of injury, particularly from lifting patients, dangerous environments, and exposure to infectious diseases. Specialized training and protective clothing help to minimize these potential risks.

Special Requirements
Emergency Medical Technicians are licensed at three levels in New Mexico. Applicants for EMT Basic (EMT-B) must be at least 18 years old and successfully complete New Mexico approved EMT-B training and the licensing examination. The EMT-Intermediate (EMT-I) must be at least 18 years old and successfully complete New Mexico approved EMT-I training and the licensing examination. The EMT-Paramedic (EMT-P) must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, and successfully complete the Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification and the EMT-P training requirements and licensing examination. Licensure applicants must also hold a license from the previous EMT level.

Educational Institutions
Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute(P)
Ben Archer Health Center(O/X)
Eastern New Mexico University, Roswell(R/C/A)
Gerald Champion Memorial Hospital(P)
Gila Regional Medical Center(P)
Holy Cross Hospital(P)
Mimbres Memorial Hospital and Nursing Home(P)
New Mexico Junior College(C)
New Mexico State University, Alamogordo(C)
New Mexico State University, Dona Ana Branch Community College(C/A)
Presbyterian Medical Services - Cuba Health Center(R)
Saint Joseph Medical Center(R)
San Juan Regional Medical Center(O)
Santa Fe Community College(C)
Socorro General Hospital(O)
University of New Mexico(R/P/C)

Gerontologist

Work Activities

• Providing services to persons in nursing homes and similar facilities, at senior citizen centers, and in the community
• Conducting research on the aging process and the living environments of older persons
• Teaching at colleges and universities
• Educating older persons by giving oral presentations, publishing books and articles on subjects of interest, or producing relevant television programs and films
• Counseling the elderly and their families
• Advising business, industry, and labor about older workers and consumers

Applied Gerontologists work directly with older individuals. They communicate with and analyze individuals, families, and groups.

Administrative Gerontologists, using their management skills, plan and design programs for the elderly. They then develop and coordinate the services that are necessary to run the programs smoothly.

Work Settings
Gerontologists work in a wide variety of settings. They may work in nursing homes, senior citizen centers, hospitals, clinics, or public health offices. They may visit individuals' homes, or teach in schools and colleges. Often they work with other professionals, such as occupational therapists, physical therapists, dietitians, or lawyers, who also are interested in improving the quality of life of elderly persons.

Special Requirements
Many colleges and universities offer certificate, associate, bachelor, and master-level programs in gerontology. Some schools offer research programs at doctoral and post-doctoral levels. Currently no accreditation or registration is required.

Educational Institutions
New Mexico State University(C)

Mortuary Science Personnel

Embalmers prepare the deceased for burial. They also provide technical support related to the complete funeral service.

Work Activities

• Coordinating and scheduling funeral service arrangements
• Preparing the body of the deceased for funeral services, including embalming, cosmetizing, and dressing, all in accordance with professional standards
• Counseling and interviewing the family of the deceased to determine needed services
• Performing administrative duties, such as completing required paperwork, preparing obituaries, and finalizing clergy and ceme- tery arrangements
• Providing transportation for the deceased to the funeral home and to the burial site

Work Settings
Mortuary Science Personnel work primarily in funeral homes. Embalming procedures require direct contact with corpses in preparation for burial. This profession also involves working closely with bereaved families and members of the clergy. Work schedules occasionally include weekends and evenings. Mortuary Science Personnel with additional education may work in morgues or forensic laboratories.

Special Requirements
To become a licensed Funeral Director, an applicant must complete an accredited postsecondary mortuary science program and pass the Conference of Funeral Services National Board Examination. Most funeral homes in New Mexico require employees to have a public passenger's chauffeur's license.

Programs in mortuary science provide students with information and skills to handle the technical and administrative aspects of funeral service arrangements. Also covered are the psychological and sociological factors associated with death in modern culture.

Educational Institutions
No program information is available.

Orthotist/Prosthetist

Orthotists specialize in planning, making, and fitting orthopedic braces, and similar devices, such as surgical supports and corrective shoes. These are used to support weakened body parts or to correct physical defects.

Prosthetists specialize in planning, making, and fitting artificial limbs.

Work Activities
Orthotists and Prosthetists follow similar procedures in their work although they deal with different abnormalities, designs, and patients. Their duties may include:

• Reviewing prescriptions that specify the types of appliances or limbs to be made
• Examining the patients affected area for factors that could influence the fitting of artificial limbs and appliances
• Measuring and making a plaster cast of the limb or deformity to determine the type of brace or artificial limb needed
• Correcting irregularities and deficiencies in the plaster cast
• Designing the appliance that will function best in meeting the patients needs
• Selecting appropriate materials and components and giving the specifications of the limb or brace to the technician
• Making a limb or brace that requires special attention
• Fitting the appliance to the patient and noting any adjustments for comfort, alignment, or appearance
• Counseling the patient on the use of the device
• Providing routine maintenance and repair of devices

Orthotics Assistants provide care to patients with disabling conditions of the limbs and spine by fabricating and fitting supportive or corrective devices known as orthoses. Orthotics Assistants may supervise Orthotics Technicians.

Orthotics Technicians make and repair braces and other orthotic devices, such as surgical corsets and corrective shoes, according to the specifications of the Orthotist.

Prosthetics Assistants provide care to patients with partial or total absence of a limb by fabricating and fitting artificial limbs or devices known as prostheses. Prosthetics Assistants may supervise Prosthetics Technicians.

Prosthetics Technicians make and finish artificial limbs by gluing and laminating (uniting superimposed layers of one or more materials) according to the specifications of the Prosthetist.

Work areas in private offices and institutions may have formal offices, fitting rooms similar to examination rooms, and workrooms. Workrooms may be noisy and dusty because of the machines and materials used. There may be fumes from solvents, lacquers, and heat treatment processes present. In addition, the possibility of injury from moving machinery exists.

Special Requirements
Some employers may require that Orthotists, Prosthetists, Assistants, and Technicians be certified by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics. To become a Certified Orthotist (CO), a Certified Prosthetist (CP), or a Certified Prosthetist-Orthotist (CPO), the applicant must have a bachelor degree in prosthetics and orthotics.

Educational Institutions
No program information is available.

Perfusionist

Work Activities

• Operating the heart-lung machine, which circulates blood outside of the body during surgery
• Monitoring the patients circulation while he or she is being perfused
• Anticipating abnormal situations and taking corrective action
• Informing the surgeon and the anesthesiologist about the patients condition
• Providing long-term support of the patients circulation after the operation

Special Requirements
To become a certified Perfusionist, an individual must complete a one- or two-year perfusion educational program that has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs and must pass an examination given by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP).

Many programs prefer students who have a background in the biological sciences or are trained in medical technology, respiratory therapy, or nursing.

Educational Institutions
No program information is available.

• Currently, entry-level salaries for new perfusion graduates, without experience, are well above the national mean income level. In most cases additional compensation, usually in the range of 10-25% of base salary, will be earned for "on-call time" and shift differential.
• The profession is almost equally comprised of men and women. Many people have become aware of the field of perfusion while working as other medical specialistsrespiratory therapists, operating room nurses and technicians, critical care nurses, physician assistants, and medical technologists.

Surgical Technologist

Work Activities

• Helping the surgical team scrub and put on gloves and masks
• Arranging the sterile setup for surgery
• Washing, shaving, and disinfecting the area of the patient's body to be operated
• Assisting the surgical nurse
• Assisting in positioning the patient for the surgical procedures
• Passing instruments, sponges, sutures, and needles to surgeons or their assistants
• Holding retractors and cutting sutures
• Operating lights, sterilizers, suction machines, and diagnostic equipment
• Maintaining specified supplies of fluids, such as plasma and blood
• Transferring the patient to the recovery room
• Preparing operative specimens for laboratory analysis
• Cleaning the operating room following surgery
• Washing and sterilizing used equipment
• Completing an inventory of sponges, needles, and instruments used during an operation
• Assisting the anesthesiologist during the administration of anesthetics

Work Settings
Surgical Technologists are supervised by registered nurses and physicians. They work as part of a surgical team of nurses, surgeons, assistants, and anesthesiologists. These technologists usually work in hospitals, but can be employed in other institutions that have operating room facilities, delivery room facilities, and emergency room facilities.

Certain anesthetics used in the operating room are explosive, but are not critically hazardous because of the safety measures followed.

Special Requirements
Surgical Technologists can become certified by passing an examination given by the Association of Surgical Technologists. The exam covers basic sciences, surgical procedures, safe patient care, aseptic techniques and environmental control, pharmacology, weights and measures, and supplies and equipment. Most hospitals require certification for employment. In other locations certification is preferred but not necessary.

Job applicants may be required to take aptitude tests and pass a physical examination. Hospitals may prefer hiring persons with work experience as nurse aides/orderlies or licensed practical nurses.

Educational Institutions
Artesia General Hospital(O)
Lovelace Health Systems(O)
Memorial Medical Center(O)
Plains Regional Medical Center(O)
Saint Joseph Medical Center(R)
Union County General Hospital(O)

More Careers . . .

Ambulance Attendant/Driver
Animal Caretaker
Chemical Technician
Chemist
Clergy/Religious Worker
Dispensing Optician
Food Preparation Worker
Food Service Manager
Health Sciences Librarian
Health Sciences Library Technician
Institutional Housekeeper
Insurance Adjuster
Personnel Manager/Specialist
Physicist
Stenographer
Substance Abuse Counselor
Teacher of the Visually Handicapped
Unit Clerk
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor/Teacher
Word Processor