Job description Acupuncturist in the Halifax Region

Find out what work is like for an acupuncturist in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Practitioners of natural healing (NOC 32200).

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists

Description

Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners and acupuncturists assess, treat and prevent diseases, conditions, disorders or imbalances of patients’ using various forms of treatment including acupuncture, herbology or other holistic health approaches. They usually work in private practice, including group or team practices, clinics, extended care facilities, rehabilitation centres and health clubs.

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners
  • Diagnose within the framework of Traditional Chinese Medicine the diseases, physiological disorders and injuries of patients
  • Explain procedures, risks and benefits of treatments to patients
  • Prescribe and administer treatment such as acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), scraping (Gua Sha), cupping therapy, moxibustion, acupressure, and auriculotherapy
  • May prescribe and administer Chinese manipulative therapy (Tui Na), energy control therapy (Qi Gong) and laser therapy
  • May suggest home care instructions and provide information about life therapies including energy control therapy (Qi Gong), Chinese shadow boxing (Tai Ji Quan) and Chinese food cure recipes (Shi Liao)
  • Maintain patient records
  • Prescribe and administer treatment using raw or granule herbs and other medicines or dietary supplements
  • May collaborate with other health care professionals such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, physicians and psychologists when developing treatment plans for patients.
  • Acupuncturists
  • Diagnose symptoms, imbalances, physiological disorders and injuries of patients according to Chinese medicine traditions
  • Educate patients on risks and benefits of treatments
  • Develop and implement treatment plans including acupuncture, acupressure, moxibustion, cupping, scraping or electrical current
  • Evaluate and document patients' progress
  • May provide dietary and lifestyle advice including information on life therapies such as energy control therapy (Qi Gong)
  • May develop treatment plans in collaboration with other health care professionals.

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 32200), and a list of similar occupations:

  • acupuncturist
  • traditional Chinese medicine practitioner

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists 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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