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Community Health Workers Occupation Detailed Description

Community Health Workers career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Community Health Workers

The main tasks and work activities of Community Health Workers are to provide basic health care services, advise clients or community groups on health issues, advise others on social or educational issues, advocate for individual or community needs. In general, for the Community Health Workers, speaking, active Listening, social Perceptiveness, writing and other 17 skills are required.
Community Health Workers Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related ExperienceA considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
ExampleMany of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Community Health Workers jobs. 7.49% of Community Health Workers have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 67.17% of Community Health Workers have Bachelor's Degree and Above.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
7.49%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
2.63%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
22.71%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
67.17%

Tasks and Work Activities of Community Health Workers

  • Administer immunizations or other basic preventive treatments.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to diagnostic screenings, such as breast cancer screening, pap smears, glaucoma tests, or diabetes screenings.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health, such as diet or exercise.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to risk or prevention of conditions, such as lead poisoning, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), prenatal substance abuse, or domestic violence.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to sanitation or hygiene, such as flossing or hand washing.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to self-care, such as diabetes management.
  • Advise clients or community groups on issues related to social or intellectual development, such as education, childcare, or problem solving.
  • Advise clients or community groups to ensure parental understanding of the importance of childhood immunizations and how to access immunization services.
  • Advocate for individual or community health needs with government agencies or health service providers.
  • Attend community meetings or health fairs to understand community issues or build relationships with community members.
  • Conduct home visits for pregnant women, newborn infants, or other high-risk individuals to monitor their progress or assess their needs.
  • Contact clients in person, by phone, or in writing to ensure they have completed required or recommended actions.
  • Distribute flyers, brochures, or other informational or educational documents to inform members of a targeted community.
  • Identify or contact members of high-risk or otherwise targeted groups, such as members of minority populations, low-income populations, or pregnant women.
  • Identify the particular health care needs of individuals in a community or target area.
  • Interpret, translate, or provide cultural mediation related to health services or information for community members.
  • Maintain updated client records with plans, notes, appropriate forms, or related information.
  • Monitor nutrition of children, elderly, or other high-risk groups.
  • Perform basic diagnostic procedures, such as blood pressure screening, breast cancer screening, or communicable disease screening.
  • Provide basic health services, such as first aid.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersTranslating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
  • Assisting and Caring for OthersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Provide basic health care services.
  • Advise clients or community groups on health issues.
  • Advise others on social or educational issues.
  • Advocate for individual or community needs.
  • Develop working relationships with others to facilitate program activities.
  • Visit individuals in their homes to provide support or information.
  • Confer with clients to discuss treatment plans or progress.
  • Monitor clients to evaluate treatment progress.
  • Provide educational materials to community members.
  • Assess individual or community needs for educational or social services.
  • Interpret cultural or religious information for others.
  • Maintain client records.
  • Monitor nutrition related activities of individuals or groups.
  • Refer clients to community or social service programs.
  • Teach life skills or strategies to clients or their families.
  • Lead classes or community events.
  • Help clients get needed services or resources.
  • Collect information about community health needs.
  • Plan programs to address community health issues.
  • Recommend legal actions.

Skills and Abilities for Community Health Workers

  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Time SharingThe ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Electronic blood pressure unitse.g. Automated blood pressure cuffs
  • Glucose monitors or meterse.g. Blood glucose monitoring equipment
  • Inkjet printerse.g. Computer ink jet printers
  • Laser printerse.g. Computer laser printers
  • Emergency medical services first aid kitse.g. Emergency first aid kits
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Laser fax machinee.g. Laser facsimile machines
  • Mercury blood pressure unitse.g. Manual blood pressure cuffs
  • Special purpose telephonese.g. Multi-line telephone systems
  • Automobiles or carse.g. Passenger cars
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Photocopierse.g. Photocopying equipment
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.