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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Occupational Requirements Survey > Publications > Factsheets

Healthcare support occupations

This occupational group includes nursing, psychiatric, home health aides, occupational therapy and physical therapist assistants and aides, dental, medical, and veterinary assistants, phlebotomists, and medial transcriptionists.

Cognitive and mental requirements

The qualifications that workers need to use judgment, make decisions, interact with others, and adapt to changes in jobs.

Table 1. Percentage of healthcare support workers with cognitive and mental requirements, 2024
Requirement	Yes	No
Adaptability: Work schedule variability	61.0	39.0
Pace: Pause control	29.6	70.4
Working around crowds	<0.5	>99.5
Telework	<0.5	>99.5
Work review: Supervising others	1.0	99.0
Work review: Presence of supervisor	43.7	56.3
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey

Education, training, and experience requirements

The minimum level of formal education required, credentials necessary, on-the-job training, and prior work experience necessary for average performance in jobs.

In 2024, prior work experience was required for 24.0 percent of healthcare support workers and on-the-job training was required for 85.6 percent.

A high school diploma was required for 66.2 percent of healthcare support workers.

Environmental conditions

The various tangible or concrete hazards or difficulties that are in the vicinity of where jobs’ critical tasks are performed.

In 2024, greater than 99.5 percent of healthcare support workers were not exposed to extreme cold, and 97.8 percent were not exposed to extreme heat. Wetness was not present for 6.8 percent, and greater than 99.5 percent were not exposed to heavy vibrations.

Physical demands

Refer to the physical activities required to perform tasks in jobs. The presence and, in some cases, duration of these activities are published.

In 2024, reaching at or below the shoulder was required for 92.9 percent of healthcare support workers and was not required for 7.1 percent. For less than 15 percent of workers, reaching at or below the shoulder was seldom performed, for 73.5 percent reaching at or below the shoulder occurred occasionally, 10.3 percent frequently, and for less than 0.5 percent reaching at or below the shoulder occurred constantly.

Performing work in low postures was required for 88.1 percent of healthcare support workers and was not required for 11.9 percent.

The choice to sit or stand when performing critical tasks was available to 3.4 percent of healthcare support workers. On average, workers spent 34.8 percent of the workday sitting and 65.2 percent of the workday standing.

Table 2. Percentage of healthcare support workers with physical demands, 2024
Requirement	Yes	No
Choice of sitting or standing	3.4	96.6
Driving	31.9	68.1
Climbing structure-related ramps or stairs	40.2	59.8
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey