what is a personal care assistant?

Working as a personal care assistant is a great way to enter the healthcare field and begin caring for patients or clients. The job positions include being self-employed, working for an agency or working for a care facility. Your primary responsibility is to help clients stay safe and comfortable and assist with their overall well-being. Generally, you step in during a time of need due to an illness or patients becoming unable to manage their daily tasks. Your duties vary widely, from helping your clients bathe to preparing meals.

where does a personal care assistant work?

Aging people often need assistance with their daily activities to live independently. As a personal care assistant, you also meet the needs of people with physical or mental disabilities. You assist in their homes, care facilities or a hospital setting. Your job involves working closely with health professionals and the client to complete daily tasks and assist doctors with implementing treatment plans.

Aside from monitoring and recording your client's progress, you help them with simple medical tasks and do rehabilitation exercises. You also provide emotional support and companionship to help them maintain their dignity and self-worth.

Would working as a personal care assistant suit your interest in healthcare? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a personal care assistant role.

view jobs near you
1

average personal care assistant salary

Typically, personal care assistants are paid hourly, and hourly pay can range greatly from $14 to $26. Annually, most personal care assistants in the U.S. will make $30,900. For more experienced care assistants, this salary may be closer to $38,000.

factors affecting personal care assistant salary

While you can work as a personal care assistant without a college degree, most employers require their personal care assistants to have a special certification. This certification may be obtained through a college-level course, and becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA) or qualified medication aid (QMA) can help you get a well-paying job as a personal care assistant. Some employers may also not require a certification, but they will require you to complete on-the-job training immediately after hire.

Your experience also influences your earnings. That's why entry-level personal care assistants earn less compared to experienced professionals in the field. Experience improves your expertise and competency and means you can handle complex duties and tasks.

Your area of specialization also determines your earnings. For instance, if you work in a hospital setting, your responsibilities will differ from working in a nursing home. The complexity of your duties and patient conditions may also improve your salary expectations.

Wondering what you can earn as a personal care assistant? Find out immediately with the Randstad salary checker! You can quickly and easily see what the average salary of a personal care assistant is.

Smiling male looking away.
Smiling male looking away.
2

types of personal care assistants

Personal care assistants differ based on the clients they work for and the type of personal support they provide. Some types of personal care assistants include:

  • personal care assistants (PCAs): Personal care assistants are the health workers who provide the most basic care for their clients, and they typically do not need prior certification to obtain a job as a PCA. These aides provide companionship to clients, and they also can perform tasks such as help with bathing, toileting and room service, whether in a hospital, nursing home or at a client's own home.
  • certified nursing assistants (CNAs): Certified nursing assistants are care aides who have a certification, and therefore they may perform more tasks than PCAs. CNAs typically work in a hospital, nursing home or assisted living facility, and they can do anything a PCA may do plus offer some medical assistance, such as blood pressure checks.
  • home health aides (HHAs): Home health aides are certified nursing assistants with the specialization of working in a client's home. Typically, home health aides are required to hold a CNA certification plus a certification for home health aide work. Home health aides can do the same tasks as both PCAs and CNAs, and they may need to provide extra in-home care, like cooking and cleaning.
  • qualified medication aides (QMAs): Qualified medication aides, or QMAs, are the highest level of personal care assistant recognized in most U.S. states. QMAs are typically CNAs who take an extra certification course to gain the ability to handle medicine. This makes QMAs the only type of personal care assistants that are permitted to give medication to patients and clients.
3

working as a personal care assistant

Working as a personal care assistant involves caring for patients with limited mobility, various health conditions or disabilities. Here's a breakdown of the role's duties, work environments and career outlook.

4

personal care assistant skills and education

Some of the qualifications that a personal care assistant requires may include the following:

  • on-job training that may or may not involve traditional educational courses, including lectures and tests, plus hands-on learning
  • certification as a certified nursing assistant, which can be obtained by a place of higher education through a course that may last from nine weeks to four months
  • certification as a home health aide or qualified medication aide, which typically involves gaining a CNA certification before taking an extra course at an educational institution

skills and competencies

Some of the skills and qualities of a personal care assistant include:

  • empathy: As a personal care assistant, you require empathy to make clients feel cared for and safe. When you understand their situation, you can provide better care and attention.
  • observant: As a personal care assistant, it is important to be observant to identify any changes in a client's condition. Some clients may be unable to articulate what is troubling them, and being observant helps you identify their issues.
  • communication skills: You require good communication skills to communicate with clients and other health care providers. Good communication helps your clients feel safe and in control.
     
smiling female looking away
smiling female looking away
5

FAQs about working as a personal care assistant

Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about personal care assistants.

thank you for subscribing to your personalised job alerts.