Role standards
Find the standard for your role.
Each standard sets out what a ready hire knows and does, built from the certification frameworks and regulations of its field and reviewed by clinicians.
- Role standards
- 93
- Areas of care
- 11
- Boards, regulators and societies
- 130
- Sources cited
- 301
Most cited: CMS · CDC · ASCP BOC · NCSBN · ARRT · ASRT · HHS · WHO. Every standard reviewed by clinicians, last in .
93 role standards in 11 areas
Front office and patient access13
- Clinical documentation integrity specialistWhat it takes to review an inpatient record concurrently, tell whether a diagnosis is really supported by the clinical indicators, and get the record accurate through a compliant, non-leading query rather than a leading one aimed at a higher DRG.ACDIS · AHIMA · AHIMA and ACDIS · 5 red linesACDIS · AHIMA · AHIMA and ACDIS5 red lines
- Denials and appeals specialistWhat it takes to work a denied claim correctly:AAHAM · CMS · HHS OIG · 5 red linesAAHAM · CMS · HHS OIG5 red lines
- Health information managerWhat it takes to run a health information department:AHIMA · HHS OCR · 3 red linesAHIMA · HHS OCR3 red lines
- Health information technicianWhat it takes to keep a health record complete, matched to the right patient and protected, entering practice:AHIMA · HHS OCR · 3 red linesAHIMA · HHS OCR3 red lines
- Medical interpreterWhat it takes to interpret a clinical encounter, including consent and bad news, without adding, omitting, or softening a word:CCHI · NCIHC · NBCMI · 5 red linesCCHI · NCIHC · NBCMI5 red lines
- Medical receptionist and patient accessWhat the first person a patient meets has to get right:NAHAM · HHS · 3 red linesNAHAM · HHS3 red lines
- Medical schedulerWhat it takes to run a scheduling desk or call queue safely:NHA · NAHAM · 5 red linesNHA · NAHAM5 red lines
- Medical scribeWhat a medical scribe must get right to document a clinician's encounter accurately in real time without crossing into orders, results interpretation, or attestation, benchmarked against the closest published, item-weighted framework for a documentation-support role that processes a clinician's own instructions into the record without originating clinical judgment.NAHUC · The Joint Commission · HHS · 5 red linesNAHUC · The Joint Commission · HHS5 red lines
- Medication access specialistWhat it takes to get a patient started on a high-cost specialty medicine without delay and without breaking the law:PTCB · CMS · HHS OIG · 3 red linesPTCB · CMS · HHS OIG3 red lines
- Patient access representativeWhat competent means at the front door:NAHAM · HHS · HHS OCR · 4 red linesNAHAM · HHS · HHS OCR4 red lines
- Prior authorization specialistWhat it takes to get a medically necessary service approved on the first submission, and to overturn it when it is not:CMS · 4 red linesCMS4 red lines
- Referral coordinatorWhat it takes to move a referral safely from a clinician's order to a completed specialist visit:NAHAM · HHS · CMS · 4 red linesNAHAM · HHS · CMS4 red lines
- Release of information specialistWhat it takes to release the right patient records to the right requester with valid authorisation and nothing more, without breaking patient privacy law.AHIOS · HHS OCR · eCFR · 3 red linesAHIOS · HHS OCR · eCFR3 red lines
Nursing10
- Charge nurseWhat an experienced registered nurse must be able to do to run a shift on a busy inpatient unit:AACN CNC · AHRQ · NCSBN and ANA · 4 red linesAACN CNC · AHRQ · NCSBN and ANA4 red lines
- Clinical nurse specialistWhat a newly certified clinical nurse specialist must do competently across the three spheres of CNS practice:AACN · NACNS · 4 red linesAACN · NACNS4 red lines
- Emergency department triage nurseWhat a registered nurse must be able to do at the front door of an emergency department:BCEN · ENA · CMS · 4 red linesBCEN · ENA · CMS4 red lines
- Home health nurseWhat a registered nurse must be able to do alone in a patient's home:BMC Nursing · CMS · 4 red linesBMC Nursing · CMS4 red lines
- Hospice nurseWhat a hospice registered nurse must be able to do alone at the bedside and on the phone:HPCC · CMS · NCHPC · 3 red linesHPCC · CMS · NCHPC3 red lines
- Licensed practical or vocational nurseWhat a newly licensed practical or vocational nurse must be able to do safely for a group of stable patients under the direction of a registered nurse or provider:NCSBN · NCSBN and ANA · 4 red linesNCSBN · NCSBN and ANA4 red lines
- Nursing assistantWhat a newly certified nursing assistant must do safely on their own under a nurse's direction:NCSBN · CMS · 5 red linesNCSBN · CMS5 red lines
- Public health nurseWhat a public health nurse must be able to do without supervision when the patient is a household, a school or a population:Quad Council · CDC · ANA · 4 red linesQuad Council · CDC · ANA4 red lines
- Registered nurseWhat a newly licensed registered nurse must be able to do safely without supervision, drawn from the licensure examination that every US and most Canadian jurisdictions already use to make exactly that decision.NCSBN · WHO · 3 red linesNCSBN · WHO3 red lines
- School nurseWhat a registered nurse must be able to do running a school health office alone:NBCSN · NASN · 4 red linesNBCSN · NASN4 red lines
Clinical support12
- Anesthesia technicianWhat an anesthesia technician must do reliably before anyone is anaesthetised:ASATT · ASA · 5 red linesASATT · ASA5 red lines
- Dialysis technicianWhat a newly certified patient care dialysis technician must do safely under a registered nurse's supervision:NNCC · CMS · CDC · 5 red linesNNCC · CMS · CDC5 red lines
- Endoscopy technicianWhat an endoscopy technician must do reliably on both sides of the unit:HSPA · SGNA · WHO · 5 red linesHSPA · SGNA · WHO5 red lines
- Home health or personal care aideWhat an aide working alone in a client's home must do safely from the first visit:CMS · 5 red linesCMS5 red lines
- Medical assistantWhat an accredited medical assisting programme must prove a graduate can do before they are allowed near a practicum, across both the clinical and administrative halves of the role.MAERB and CAAHEP · CAAHEP · 4 red linesMAERB and CAAHEP · CAAHEP4 red lines
- Medical transport specialistWhat someone moving patients between home, clinic and facility by road must be able to do on their own in a driveway with nobody watching:CTAA · eCFR · 5 red linesCTAA · eCFR5 red lines
- Medication aideWhat a newly certified medication aide must do safely on a long-term-care medication pass under a licensed nurse's delegation:Credentia · NCSBN · 5 red linesCredentia · NCSBN5 red lines
- Medication management assistantWhat a pharmacy technician or assistant must do to take a medication history and adherence information a pharmacist can safely act on:PTCB · 3 red linesPTCB3 red lines
- Patient care technicianWhat a newly certified patient care technician must do safely across a hospital unit under a nurse's direction:NHA · NCSBN · 5 red linesNHA · NCSBN5 red lines
- PhlebotomistWhat a newly certified phlebotomist must do safely without supervision:AMT · NHA · ASCP BOC · 6 red linesAMT · NHA · ASCP BOC6 red lines
- Sterile processing technicianWhat a sterile processing technician must do without being watched:HSPA · OSHA · AORN · 5 red linesHSPA · OSHA · AORN5 red lines
- Surgical technologistWhat a newly certified surgical technologist must do safely in the scrub role without being watched:NBSTSA · AST · AORN · 4 red linesNBSTSA · AST · AORN4 red lines
Emergency3
- Emergency medical dispatcherWhat an emergency medical dispatcher must be able to do on a live 911 medical call with nobody listening in:APCO · IAED · 5 red linesAPCO · IAED5 red lines
- Emergency medical technicianWhat a newly certified EMT must be able to do on a call without a more qualified clinician standing over them:NREMT · CDC · 5 red linesNREMT · CDC5 red lines
- ParamedicWhat a newly certified paramedic must be able to do as the senior clinician on a call:NREMT · CDC · 5 red linesNREMT · CDC5 red lines
Imaging and diagnostics9
- Cardiovascular technologistWhat a cardiovascular technologist must do safely in the catheterisation laboratory without being told:CCI · SCAI · 4 red linesCCI · SCAI4 red lines
- CT technologistWhat a newly credentialed CT technologist must do safely without supervision on a busy list:ARRT · ACR · ASRT · 4 red linesARRT · ACR · ASRT4 red lines
- Diagnostic medical sonographerWhat a newly credentialed sonographer must do without supervision:SDMS · ARDMS · 4 red linesSDMS · ARDMS4 red lines
- MRI technologistWhat a newly certified MR technologist must do safely without supervision:ARRT · ACR · RSNA · 4 red linesARRT · ACR · RSNA4 red lines
- Neurodiagnostic technologistWhat a neurodiagnostic technologist must do without supervision:ABRET · ASET · 4 red linesABRET · ASET4 red lines
- Nuclear medicine technologistWhat a newly credentialed nuclear medicine technologist must do without supervision in the hot lab and at the camera:ARRT · NRC · ASRT · 4 red linesARRT · NRC · ASRT4 red lines
- Radiation therapistWhat a newly certified radiation therapist must do without supervision:ARRT · ASRT · NRC · 4 red linesARRT · ASRT · NRC4 red lines
- Radiologic technologist (radiographer)What a newly certified radiographer must do safely without supervision:ARRT · ASRT · AAPM · 4 red linesARRT · ASRT · AAPM4 red lines
- Sleep technologistWhat a sleep technologist must do alone on a night shift:BRPT · AASM · 4 red linesBRPT · AASM4 red lines
Laboratory6
- Blood bank technologistWhat a blood bank technologist must do without supervision on any shift, including nights alone:ASCP BOC · AABB · CMS · 5 red linesASCP BOC · AABB · CMS5 red lines
- CytotechnologistWhat a cytotechnologist must do without supervision:ASCP BOC · CMS · CAP · 5 red linesASCP BOC · CMS · CAP5 red lines
- Histotechnologist or histotechnicianWhat a histotechnician or histotechnologist must do without supervision at the bench:ASCP BOC · CMS · OSHA · 5 red linesASCP BOC · CMS · OSHA5 red lines
- Medical laboratory scientistWhat a newly certified medical laboratory scientist must do safely on a hospital core lab bench without a second pair of eyes:NAACLS · ASCP BOC · eCFR · 5 red linesNAACLS · ASCP BOC · eCFR5 red lines
- Medical laboratory technicianWhat a newly certified medical laboratory technician must do safely on the bench:NAACLS · ASCP BOC · eCFR · 5 red linesNAACLS · ASCP BOC · eCFR5 red lines
- Pathologists' assistantWhat a newly certified pathologists' assistant must do safely under a pathologist's direction:NAACLS · AAPA · eCFR · 6 red linesNAACLS · AAPA · eCFR6 red lines
Pharmacy2
- PharmacistWhat a newly licensed pharmacist must do without a second pharmacist behind them:NABP · ACPE · DEA · 5 red linesNABP · ACPE · DEA5 red lines
- Pharmacy technicianWhat a newly trained pharmacy technician must get right on every prescription:ASHP and ACPE · PTCB · DEA · 4 red linesASHP and ACPE · PTCB · DEA4 red lines
Therapy and rehabilitation12
- AudiologistWhat a newly certified audiologist must do safely on their own:ASHA · ETS · AAO-HNSF · 4 red linesASHA · ETS · AAO-HNSF4 red lines
- ChiropractorWhat a newly licensed doctor of chiropractic must do safely on their own:NBCE · CCE · 5 red linesNBCE · CCE5 red lines
- Clinical exercise physiologistWhat a clinical exercise physiologist must do safely without supervision:ACSM · AHA · 4 red linesACSM · AHA4 red lines
- Massage therapistWhat a newly licensed massage therapist must do safely on their own:FSMTB · 5 red linesFSMTB5 red lines
- Occupational therapistWhat a newly certified occupational therapist must be able to do without supervision:NBCOT · AOTA · 4 red linesNBCOT · AOTA4 red lines
- Occupational therapy assistantWhat a newly certified occupational therapy assistant must be able to do under an occupational therapist's supervision:NBCOT · AOTA · 4 red linesNBCOT · AOTA4 red lines
- Physical therapistWhat a newly licensed physical therapist must be able to do without supervision:FSBPT · APTA · 4 red linesFSBPT · APTA4 red lines
- Physical therapist assistantWhat a newly licensed physical therapist assistant must be able to do under a physical therapist's direction:FSBPT · APTA · 4 red linesFSBPT · APTA4 red lines
- Prosthetist or orthotistWhat a certified prosthetist or orthotist must do safely on their own:ABC · 4 red linesABC4 red lines
- Registered dietitian nutritionistWhat a registered dietitian nutritionist must do safely without supervision:AND and CDR · CDR · 4 red linesAND and CDR · CDR4 red lines
- Respiratory therapistWhat a respiratory therapist must be able to do safely at the bedside without supervision:NBRC · 4 red linesNBRC4 red lines
- Speech-language pathologistWhat a speech-language pathologist finishing the clinical fellowship must do safely on their own:ASHA · IDDSI · 4 red linesASHA · IDDSI4 red lines
Behavioral health8
- Behavioral health technicianWhat a behavioral health technician must do safely on an inpatient mental health unit from the first shift:California BVNPT · CMS · 4 red linesCalifornia BVNPT · CMS4 red lines
- Clinical mental health counselorWhat a clinical mental health counselor must be able to do when they first carry an outpatient caseload:NBCC · ACA · 4 red linesNBCC · ACA4 red lines
- Clinical social workerWhat a licensed clinical social worker must be able to do in independent practice:ASWB · NASW · 4 red linesASWB · NASW4 red lines
- Marriage and family therapistWhat a marriage and family therapist must be able to do when first licensed:AMFTRB · AAMFT · 3 red linesAMFTRB · AAMFT3 red lines
- Peer support specialistWhat a certified peer support specialist must do on their own with the people they support:IC&RC · SAMHSA · 4 red linesIC&RC · SAMHSA4 red lines
- PsychologistWhat a licensed psychologist must be able to do without supervision:ASPPB · APA · 4 red linesASPPB · APA4 red lines
- Social workerWhat a master's-prepared social worker must do without supervision in a health or social care setting:ASWB · NASW · 4 red linesASWB · NASW4 red lines
- Substance use counselorWhat a certified alcohol and drug counselor must do safely on their own caseload:IC&RC · SAMHSA · ASAM · 4 red linesIC&RC · SAMHSA · ASAM4 red lines
Dental and vision8
- Dental assistantWhat a dental assistant must get right from the first day:DANB · CDC · ADEA · 4 red linesDANB · CDC · ADEA4 red lines
- Dental hygienistWhat a newly licensed dental hygienist must do safely:ADEA · JCNDE · ADHA · 4 red linesADEA · JCNDE · ADHA4 red lines
- Dental laboratory technicianWhat a dental laboratory technician must do so that a crown, denture or appliance fits the dentist's prescription the first time and is safe to put in a mouth:NBC · ADEA · FDA · 5 red linesNBC · ADEA · FDA5 red lines
- Dispensing opticianWhat a certified dispensing optician must do without supervision:ABO-NCLE · FTC · FDA · 4 red linesABO-NCLE · FTC · FDA4 red lines
- General dentistWhat a newly licensed general dentist must do safely on their own:JCNDE · ADEA · 5 red linesJCNDE · ADEA5 red lines
- Ophthalmic assistantWhat an entry-level ophthalmic assistant must do reliably under an ophthalmologist's direction:IJCAHPO · CDC · 4 red linesIJCAHPO · CDC4 red lines
- Ophthalmic technicianWhat an ophthalmic technician must do without close supervision:IJCAHPO · CDC · 4 red linesIJCAHPO · CDC4 red lines
- OptometristWhat a newly licensed optometrist must do safely on their own:NBEO · AAO · FTC · 4 red linesNBEO · AAO · FTC4 red lines
Providers10
- Certified anesthesiologist assistantWhat a newly certified anesthesiologist assistant must do safely within the anaesthesia care team:ASA · NCCAA · 5 red linesASA · NCCAA5 red lines
- Certified nurse-midwifeWhat a newly certified nurse-midwife must do to manage low-risk pregnancy, labor, birth and the postpartum period safely, and to consult, collaborate or transfer the moment risk rises, drawn from ACNM's Core Competencies for Basic Midwifery Practice, the document the AMCB certification examination is built on.ACNM · AMCB · ACOG and ACNM · 5 red linesACNM · AMCB · ACOG and ACNM5 red lines
- Certified registered nurse anesthetistWhat a newly certified nurse anesthetist must do safely on their own:COA · NBCRNA · ASA · 6 red linesCOA · NBCRNA · ASA6 red lines
- Family nurse practitionerWhat a newly board-certified family nurse practitioner must do to assess, diagnose, prescribe for and follow a primary care panel across the lifespan without a physician in the room, drawn from the ANCC Family Nurse Practitioner board certification test content outline.ANCC · NCSBN · 4 red linesANCC · NCSBN4 red lines
- HospitalistWhat a hospitalist is expected to do competently on an inpatient service:SHM · 4 red linesSHM4 red lines
- Medical fellowWhat an internal medicine subspecialty fellow must do competently when running a consult service with graduated autonomy:ACGME · ABIM · 4 red linesACGME · ABIM4 red lines
- PhysicianWhat a physician must do competently when they are the one responsible for an undifferentiated patient:ACGME · USMLE · 4 red linesACGME · USMLE4 red lines
- Physician associate or assistantWhat a newly certified PA must do to take histories, examine, diagnose and prescribe safely as part of a physician-led team in any setting, drawn from the NCCPA PANCE content blueprint and the four PA organizations' Competencies for the PA Profession.NCCPA · AAPA, ARC-PA, NCCPA and PAEA · 4 red linesNCCPA · AAPA, ARC-PA, NCCPA and PAEA4 red lines
- Resident physicianWhat a resident physician must do safely when covering patients overnight under supervision:AAMC · ACGME · USMLE · 5 red linesAAMC · ACGME · USMLE5 red lines
- SurgeonWhat a surgeon must do competently when a patient is theirs from the decision to operate to recovery:ACGME · WHO · 5 red linesACGME · WHO5 red lines
What every standard sets out.
The same parts in every role, so a candidate knows what to prepare and an employer knows what a pass stands for.
Five dimensions
Clinical skills, Workflow and tools, Patient communication, Compliance and safety, Role knowledge. The same five for every role, so standards read alike.
10 expectations
What a ready hire does, written as plain statements a candidate can prepare against and an employer can hold up.
Safety red lines
3 to 6 for each role: the actions that hold a pass back, however strong the rest is.
Where the role ends
What the role does not do on its own authority, and what a safe practitioner does instead.
- Expectation · Clinical skills
- Recognises and analyses cues that a patient is deteriorating, prioritises the most urgent hypothesis, and acts before instructed to.
- Safety red line
- Plans to recheck later, or wait for the next scheduled observation, when the patient shows signs of acute deterioration, instead of escalating now.
- Outside the role
- Does not prescribe, or change a prescribed dose, on their own authority. Holds a dose they believe is unsafe and contacts the prescriber.