Resident care coordinators take care of elderly and disabled people in nursing homes, hospitals, at home or in other long-term care facilities. They oversee the medical needs and personal care required for patients, and write detailed reports on patients' health conditions and prescribed medicines they're taking. If you can see yourself administering care to elderly patients, ensuring they take the right medicines and discussing their health problems with physicians, the job of resident care coordinator may be perfect for you. You can expect to earn an above-average salary compared to most occupations.
Salary and Qualifications
Resident care coordinators earned average annual salaries of $50,000 as of 2013, according to the job site Indeed. To become a resident care coordinator, you need at least an associate's degree in health services or long-term care administration, and at least one year of experience working in a long-term health-care facility. Some employers may prefer that you have an LPN or LPV degree, which is a licensed practical or licensed vocational nurse. These nursing programs usually take a year to complete through technical or community colleges. You must then take the National Council Licensure Exam to obtain your LPN or LPV license, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Other essential requirements include compassion, patience, an attention to detail, and interpersonal, analytical, problem-solving and computer skills.
Salary by Region
Average salaries for resident care coordinators vary significantly by state. For example, according to Indeed, salaries ranged from $44,000 in Maine to $61,000 in New York, $38,000 in South Dakota to $54,000 in Illinois. Resident care coordinators made $35,000 in Hawaii while those employed in California earned $55,000. In Washington, D.C., resident care coordinators averaged $59,000, while their counterparts in Louisiana took home $43,000,
Contributing Factors
You may earn more in certain industries as a resident care coordinator. Medical and health service managers, who may work with resident care coordinators, earned some of the highest salaries of $104,680 in general and surgical hospitals in 2012, based on BLS data. Your salary as a resident care coordinator may also be higher caring for patients at hospitals. You'd also earn more in New York or Washington, D.C., because living costs are higher in that state and district. For example, if you earned $50,000 in Lexington, Kentucky, you'd need to make $119,042 in New York City to maintain the same living standard, according to CNN Money's "Cost of Living" calculator. In Washington, D.C., you'd need to earn $77,965 for the same reason.
Job Outlook
The BLS project a 22 percent increase in jobs for medical and health service managers in the next decade, which is faster than the 14 percent rate for all jobs. Similarly, the BLS forecasts a 22 percent increase in jobs for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses, who make work in this field. An aging population of baby boomers should increase job opportunities for resident care coordinators.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: What Medical and Health Services Managers Do
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics: Medical and Health Services Managers
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: How to Become a Licensed Practical or Licensed Vocational Nurse
- Brookdale: Resident Care Coordinator
- Indeed: Resident Care Coordinator Salary
- CNN Money: Cost of Living: How Far Will My Salary Go In Another City?
- Indeed: Resident Care Coordinator Salary in Maine, and New York
- Indeed: Resident Care Coordinator Salary in Hawaii, and California
- Indeed: Resident Care Coordinator Salary in Louisiana, and Washington, DC
Resources