Healthcare Providers
Health care providers play an integral role in ensuring people’s health and well-being around the world. These dedicated professionals specialize in a variety of medical disciplines, from general practitioners and nurses to specialists such as surgeons, radiologists, and psychologists. They are responsible for diagnosing illnesses, prescribing treatments, performing medical procedures, and providing preventative care for individuals of all ages. This can include monitoring patients’ vital signs, educating people about health issues, helping them make healthy lifestyle choices, and providing emotional support during difficult times. Health care providers are often seen as pillars of the community who provide a critical service to society.
The Hospital Team
Hospitalist, Service, or House doctor: A medical doctor who helps manage patients who are admitted
Residents, house-staff and medical students work under the guidance of the medical doctor
Nurses: provide nursing care to patients and inform the doctors when problems arise or a patient’s condition changes
Physician Assistants (PAs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs): received specialized training beyond nursing to aid the doctor. With supervision from the doctor, they may diagnose, treat and prescribe medications
Consultants: doctors qualified in specific medical fields to diagnose and treat challenging and unusual cases. They usually make daily visitation rounds, usually at about the same time of day
Social services: provide assistance with any social issues affecting the patient
Aides and orderlies: These people help in the day-to-day functions of patient care such as patient transfers, hygiene, etc.
Maternity Nurses work with pregnant women
Labor and delivery nurse attends to the mother and her baby during the labor and delivery process
Scrub Nurse prepares the operating room and assists with transferring the patient to the recovery room after the procedure
Circulating Nurse manages patient care inside the operating room
Postpartum Nurse cares for mothers and newborns after delivery
Charge Nurse is responsible for making sure that nursing care is delivered safely and that all patients on the unit are receiving safe and appropriate care
Midwife cares for the woman during pregnancy, birth, and the immediate postpartum period
Neurologists identify and treat ailments affecting the nervous system
Neonatologists are pediatricians who study the development and disorders of sick newborn children
Cardiologists study the heart and its functions
Hematologists diagnose and treat diseases of the blood
Psychologists study the human mind and human behavior
Physical therapist (PT) provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease
Psychiatrist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of thinking, feeling and/or behavior affecting people
Occupational therapists (OTs) help persons improve their ability to perform tasks in their daily living
Anesthesiologists administers medications to numb pain during surgery, labor, or other procedures
Dermatologists treat problems associated with the skin, hair and nails
Nephrologists treat illness related to the kidneys
Gynecologists provide health care to women
Oncologists specialized in providing care to persons with cancer
Ophthalmologists treat conditions related to the eyes
Pathologists examine body tissues and fluids to identify causes of diseases
Radiologists use imaging tests to diagnose diseases
Urologists are surgeons who treat problems of the urinary tract in men and women
Pediatricians provide care to children from birth to young adulthood
Plastic Surgeons or cosmetic surgeons repair the face skin, hands, body and breasts for cosmetic reasons
Obstetricians provide health care to pregnant and postpartum women
Family Physicians provide care for the entire family including checkups, immunization and screening tests
Orthopedic surgeons operate on conditions that affect the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles
General Surgeons use surgery to repair body parts
Registered nurses provide nursing care to patients in various ways
Licensed practical nurses administer medication, assess vital signs and give injections under the supervision of an RN or doctor.
Medical-surgical nurses provide nursing care to patients on the medical and surgical units
Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses work in the intensive care unit to manage patients with very serious illnesses requiring critical care
Emergency room nurses care for persons who require urgent care as well as patients experiencing trauma and injuries
Nursing assistants provide grooming, feeding and clothing care for patients under the supervision of the registered nurse
Operating room (OR) nurses provide care for patients before, during and after a surgery
Home health nurses provide care to patients in the comfort of their homes
Neonatal intensive care (NICU) nurses care for premature and critically ill babies
Oncology nurses provide nursing care to patients with cancer
Nurse managers oversee nurses who provide direct care to patients
Telemetry nurses monitor patient’s vital signs with cardiac monitors and electrocardiograms (ECGs)
Pediatric nurse provides care to children from infants to adolescents
Psychiatric nurse provides nursing care to persons suffering from mental health issues
Radiology nurse provides nursing care to persons undergoing diagnostic imaging procedures or radiation therapy
Nurse anesthetist administers anesthesia to patients and also monitors and provides care before and after medical procedures
Dialysis nurse provides nursing care to patients suffering from kidney failure
Post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) nurse provides nursing care to patients as they regain consciousness from anesthesia after a surgery
Pharmacists are specialized in how drugs work and interact with others
Social workers provide support, information and education to patients
Dietitians help determine a person’s dietary needs and then organize meals to suit the needs and health condition
Interpreters are available to interpret language to translate to hard-of-hearing people and those who are not able to speak the language of the staff
Rapid response team is a group of hospital staff comprising of a doctor, nurse, and respiratory therapist who quickly come to a person’s hospital room if there is any indication that their condition is deteriorating
Phlebotomists draw blood, verify orders, receive and distribute the patient specimens throughout the lab departments for testing
Lab Assistants are responsible for drawing blood, checking orders, receiving samples and distributing specimens throughout the lab departments for testing
Medical Lab Scientists and Medical Lab Technicians load specimens onto the testing analyzers, check the results for accuracy, troubleshoot analyzer issues, perform transfusion services including giving out units of blood or platelets, workup samples from patients
Lab Supervisors oversee the lab scientists, lab assistants and phlebotomists and check reports for the analyzers to make sure they are acceptable to use
Lab Managers manages the day to day issues that arise within the lab
Lab Directors are responsible for overseeing all the lab staff