Job description Prosthetic-orthotic Technician in Alberta

Find out what work is like for a prosthetic-orthotic technician in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health) (NOC 32129).

Other medical technologists and technicians

Description

Other medical technologists and technicians include medical technologists and technicians, such as dietary technicians, ocularists, prosthetists, orthotists, prosthetic technicians and orthotic technicians. Dietary technicians are employed in health care and commercial food service establishments such as hospitals, extended care facilities, nursing homes, schools, cafeterias and fast food outlets. Ocularists are employed in custom ocular prosthetic laboratories, or they may be self-employed. Prosthetists, orthotists and prosthetic and orthotic technicians are employed in hospitals, clinics, prosthetics and orthotics laboratories, and prosthetic device manufacturing companies. Prosthetists and orthotists may also be self-employed.

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Other medical technologists and technicians have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Dietary technicians
  • Assist dietitians or nutritionists to plan and supervise food service operations
  • Plan menus and diet for individuals or groups under the direction of a dietitian or nutritionist
  • Assist in the supervision of personnel who prepare and serve food
  • Help patients select menu items
  • Assist dietitians with research in food, nutrition and food service systems.
  • Ocularists
  • Design, fabricate and fit ocular prostheses and conformers, and may design and fabricate implants
  • Paint the iris and pupil of artificial eyes
  • Clean and restore ocular prostheses
  • Advise patients concerning the loss of depth perception and the care and use of ocular prostheses
  • Repair and maintain fabrication and laboratory equipment
  • Consult with ophthalmologists concerning insertion of ocular prostheses.
  • Prosthetists and orthotists
  • Design, fabricate and fit prosthetic and orthotic appliances such as artificial limbs, braces or supports
  • Interpret physicians' specifications and examine and measure patients to develop working sketches of appliances
  • Make and modify plaster casts of areas to receive prostheses or orthoses
  • Fit, adjust and repair appliances
  • Advise patients in the use and care of prostheses and orthoses
  • Supervise and direct the activities of prosthetic and orthotic technicians.
  • Prosthetic and orthotic technicians
  • Assemble or build prosthetic and orthotic appliances according to drawings, measurements and plaster casts using a variety of materials such as metals, plastics and leathers
  • Repair, rebuild and modify prosthetic and orthotic appliances or orthopaedic footwear
  • May take the body or limb measurements of patients.

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 32129), and a list of similar occupations:

  • dietary technician
  • food and nutrition technician - dietetics
  • ocularist
  • ocularist technician
  • orthotic technician
  • orthotist
  • prosthetic technician
  • prosthetist

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Other medical technologists and technicians in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey
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