Personal fulfillment and a multitude of career opportunities are available for skilled health care professionals.

In the nursing and dietetics field, the number of jobs is expected to grow by almost 21% through 2008. The fastest growing occupation will be licensed practical nurses, which will grow by 25.2% and will provide 36,080 job openings over the next decade. The registered nursing occupation will grow at 19.4% and will provide 36,080 job openings over the next decade.

Other areas with greater than average career opportunities include dental hygiene, surgical technology, radiologic technology and respiratory therapy.

Radiographer - This pathway includes skills required for diagnostic examinations and therapeutic procedures using x-rays and related radiations performed under the supervision of radiologist. Technical skills should include, but not be limited to:

• conducting x-ray procedures
• operation and maintenance of equipment
• evaluating radiographic images
• applying anatomy, physiology, positioning, and radiographic techniques
• determining exposure factors to achieve optimum radiographic results
• providing education related to radiologic procedures and safety
• monitoring quality assurance

Respiratory Care Therapist - This pathway builds skills related to therapeutic and life-support procedures using respiratory equipment under the supervision of a physician. Technical skills should include, but not be limited to:

• administering medications/oxygen via mist, mask, tent
• managing ventilators and other intensive care therapies
• managing emergency procedures and airway assessment
• equipment operation and maintenance
• storage and sterilization methods
• patient education
• medical ethics
• basic pharmacology
• infection control methods
• assessing patients
• documentation skills

Physical Therapist Assistant - The pathway develops skills used to assist with patient examinations and administer and monitor treatment under the supervision of a physical therapist. Technical skills should include, but not be limited to:

• therapeutic exercises and massage
• heat, light, sound, water, and electrical modality treatments
• helping patients learn and improve functional activities in daily life
• fitting, adjusting, and training patients in the use and care of assistive devices
• observing patient during treatments and reporting progress to physical therapist
• demonstrating therapeutic exercises, modalities, and rehabilitation
• medical ethics

Registered Nurse - This pathway builds skills to promote health, assess patient condition, establish care plan based on diagnosis, implement safe, effective, comforting, collaborative nursing care, and evaluate outcomes. Technical skills should include, but not be limited to:

• assess condition of the patient and support systems
• confer with physician on care plan
• implement physician orders including prescribed treatments and medications
• evaluate treatment outcomes and nursing interventions
• report and document observations and findings
• apply management, supervision, and delegation principles in planning and evaluating care
• teach and counsel patients and caregivers
• apply legal and ethical principles

Medical Laboratory Technician - This pathway builds skills in standard clinical laboratory procedures and examinations under the direction and supervision of a pathologist, qualified physician or laboratory director. Technical skills should include, but not be limited to:

• laboratory instrument operation, calibration, and maintenance
• principles and methods of clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology, immunohematology, and microbiology
• medical laboratory safety procedures
• medical laboratory testing, procedures, examinations, and analysis
• microscopic and chemical analysis of body fluids
• test analysis and reporting
• infection control methods

Emergency Medical Technician - This pathway builds skills used in initial patient assessment and management of medical and trauma patients. Technical skills should include, but not be limited to:

• disease, disorder, and injury symptomology
• emergency medical procedures
• equipment operation and maintenance
• radio communications
• emergency pharmacology
• emergency vehicle operation
• mass casualty incident management

Dental Hygienist - This pathway builds skills used in teeth cleaning and related oral health therapies performed either independently or in collaboration with dentists. Technical skills should include, but not be limited to:

• patient examination
• preventative oral health care
• oral health education
• dental hygiene therapy
• initial periodontal therapy
• dental radiography
• prosthetic cast creation

Medical Assistant - This pathway builds administrative and clinical skills used in the ambulatory care setting under the supervision of a physician. Technical skills should include, but not be limited to:

• assess condition of the patient and support systems
• implement physician orders including treatment and medications
• report and document observations and findings
• apply legal and ethical principles
• teach and counsel patients and individuals in support system including caregivers
• coding of diseases, procedures, operations and therapies
• transcription of medical report
• collect and prepare patient record

Occupational Therapy Assistant -