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アメリカの医療関係の仕事内容と説明

よく、カイロプラクターと理学療法士の仕事の違いを聞かれます。私自身もいまいち分かっていませんでしたが、これを読むと一目瞭然です。アメリカでこれらの仕事に就く場合の単位等も分かります。興味がある方は読んで見て下さい。英文のまま引用します。

Chiropractors
Chiropractors diagnose and treat patients whose health problems are associated with the body’s muscular， nervous， and skeletal systems. Patient care activities include manually adjusting the spine， ordering and interpreting X-rays， performing postural analysis， and administering various physical agents. Chiropractors are required to complete a four-year chiropractic curriculum leading to the Doctor of Chiropractic degree. All states require chiropractors to obtain a license to practice.

Home Health Aides
Home health aides provide health related services to the elderly， disabled， and ill in their homes. Patient care activities include performing housekeeping duties， assisting with ambulation or transfers and promoting personal hygiene. A registered nurse， physical therapist， or social worker is often the health care professional that assigns specific duties and supervises the home health aids. The federal government has established guidelines for home health aides whose employers receive reimbursement from Medicare. The National Association for Home Care offers voluntary national certification for home health aides.

Social Worker
SW help patients and their families to cope with chronic， acute or terminal illnesses and attemplt to resolve problems that stand in the way of recovery or rehabilitaion. A bachelor’s degree is often the minimum requirement to qualify for employment as a social worker， however in the health field the master’s degree is often required. All states have licensing， certification or registration requirements for social workers.

LPN - Licensed Practical Nurses
LPN practical nurses care for the sick， injured， convalescent， and disabled under the direction of physicians and registered nursed. Patient care activities include taking vital signs， performing transfers， applying dressing， administering injections， and instructing parents and families. In some states licensed practical nurses can administer proscribed medications or start intravenous fluids. Experienced licensed practical nurses may supervise nursing assistants and aides. Educational programs for licensed practical nurses are approximately one year in length and include classroom study and supervised clinical practice. All states require a license to practice.

Registerd Nurses
RN work to promote health ， prevent disease， and help patients cope with illness. Patient care activities are extremely diverse including tasks such as assiating physicians during treatments and examinations， administering medications， recording symptoms andreactions， and instructing patients and families. Registered nurse programs include associate’s， bachelor’s， and diploma programs. All states require registered nurses to obtain a license to practice.

Occupational Therapists
OT helps people improve their ability to perform activities of daily living， work， and leisure skills. The educational preparation of OT emphasizes the social， emotional， and physiological effects of illness and injury. OT most commonly work with individuals who have conditions that are mentally， physically， developmentally or emotionally disabling. OT can enter the field with bachelor’s， master’s or doctoral degrees. All states require occupational therapists to obtain a license to practice.

Occupational Therapists Aides
OTAides work under the direction of OT to provide rehabilitation services to persons with mental， physical， developmental or emotional impairments. OT Assistants perform a variety of rehabilitative activities and exercises as outlined in an established treatment plan， To practice as an OT Assistant individuals must complete anassocitat’s degree or certificate program from an accredited academic institution. OTAssistants are requlated in the majority of states.

Physical Therapist
PT provides services to help restore function， improve mobility， relieve pain， and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease. PT engage in examination， diagnoses， prognosis， and intervention in an effort to maximize patient outcomes. PT can enter the field with bachelor’s masters or doctoral degrees. In 2002， all PT programs seeking accreditation will be required to offer a minimum of a master’s degree. All states require physical therapists to obtain a license to practice.

Physical Thrapist Aides
PTAides are considered support personnel who may be involved in support services directed by physical therapists. PTAides revive on the job training under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist and are permitted to function only with continuous on-site supervision by a physical therapist or in some cases a physical therapist assistant. Support services are limited to methods and techniques that do not require clinical decision making by the physical therapist or clinical problem solving by the PTA.

Physical Therapist Assistant
PTA performs components of PT procedures and related tasks selected and delegated by a supervising PT. PTA may modify and intervention only in accordance with changes in patient status and within the established plan of care developed by the PT. PTA is the only paraprofessionals that perform PT interventions. Typically PTA has an associate’s degree from an accredited PTA program. The majority of states require PTA to obtain a license to practice.