Representing over 29 allied health care professions, our highly-skilled AAHP Members apply their expertise daily to help or assist in the treatment of the individuals we work with.

What types of health care occupations do AAHP Members work in?

AAHP Members represent highly-trained and skilled allied health care professionals working in a variety of occupations, including those listed below:

  • Anesthesia Assistants
  • Anesthesia Respiratory Therapists
  • Audiologists
  • Auditory-Verbal Therapists
  • Child Care Services Consultants
  • Clinical Sexologists
  • Creative Arts Therapists
  • Dietitians
  • Education Consultants
  • Genetic Counsellors
  • Hyperbaric Technical & Safety Coordinators
  • Kinesiologists
  • Medical Flight Specialists
  • Mental Health Counsellors
  • Mental Health Program Coordinators
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Orthoptists
  • Pastoral Care Clinicians
  • Pharmacy Specialists
  • Pharmacists
  • Physiotherapists
  • Prosthetists/Orthotists
  • Psychologists
  • Psychometrists
  • Regional Social Work Co-ordinators
  • Respiratory Therapists
  • Social Workers
  • Speech Language Pathologists
  • Technology Resource Consultants

Normally, a post-secondary degree is the minimum qualification AAHP members are required to have to work in one of these allied health professions. Some Allied Health professions are more specialized than others and can require extensive training including post-graduate study and ongoing continuing professional development. Many are also governed by professional regulatory bodies.

What do AAHP Members do?

AAHP members apply their significant expertise to deliver the highest quality of health care for their clients, patients and residents in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of a wide range of medical conditions and illnesses.

AAHP members know that many patients and clients they serve often require services from several different health care professionals. AAHP members promote a team-based, multidisciplinary approach with other professionals in the health care system, including nurses, physicians, technical and support staff and other allied health professionals to help patients, clients and their families achieve the best health outcomes possible.

Some examples of the type of work our Members carry out include:

  • Audiologists identify, diagnose, treat and help prevent hearing and balance disorders. They may dispense and fit hearing aids and participate in prevention and research for hearing disorders.
  • Clinical Sexologists are trained mental health professionals that specialize in the assessment and treatment of a variety of sexual issues and concerns of individuals and couples.  They work in a hospital, community outpatient clinic, or in private practice and use therapeutic skills to educate and counsel clients about sexual concerns.
  • Creative Arts Therapists include Art Therapists and Music Therapists. Art Therapists are professionals trained in both art and therapy who are knowledgeable about human development, psychological theories, clinical practice, spiritual, multicultural and artistic traditions, and the healing potential of art. They use art in treatment, assessment and research, and provide consultations to allied professionals. Accredited Music Therapists use prescribed, structured music and musical elements to promote, maintain, and restore mental, physical, emotional, spiritual health, and well-being.
  • Dieticians are trained food and nutrition professionals with knowledge and skills in therapeutic and regular nutrition, as well as food service systems management. They may advise patients on nutrition for health, weight management or for specific medical conditions.
  • Occupational Therapists plan and carry out individually designed programs to assist people with illnesses or disabilities to help improve and/or maintain their ability to perform activities of daily living whether at home, at work, at play or in the community.
  • Pastoral Care Clinicians assist clients, patients and residents to use their spiritual, faith and religious beliefs to enhance their health and well-being. Some of the services they offer include grief and bereavement support, perinatal loss support, and support in addressing mental health and addictions issues. They also work in collaboration with other healthcare professionals and other pastoral care workers throughout the region and the province to improve the quality of pastoral care through evaluation, research and professional development.
  • Pharmacists interpret and evaluate prescriptions, dispense drugs, monitor drug therapy, and advise on the therapeutic values, content and hazards of drugs.
  • Physiotherapists focus on the diagnosis, management and prevention of movement disorders, injury and physical disabilities. They help evaluate, restore and maintain patients’ physical functions. They have specialized clinical knowledge, skills and a detailed understanding of how the body works and they are trained to assess and improve movement and function of the body to assist in pain relief.
  • Psychologists are trained to assess and diagnose problems in thinking, feeling and behaviour. Psychologists help people to overcome or manage their problems using a variety of treatments or psychotherapies.
  • Respiratory Therapists assist in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with respiratory and cardiopulmonary disorders. This includes performing diagnostic tests, operating, and monitoring respiratory equipment, and performing artificial respiration and external cardiac massage. They give emergency care to people who are victims of car accidents, heart attacks, and strokes; respiratory support for post-operative patients; and continuing care for people with chronic respiratory conditions. As core staff on specialized response teams such as cardiac arrest, high risk newborn delivery, trauma, and critical patient transport, they are skilled in performing life saving techniques.
  • Social Workers help and empower people to resolve problems that affect their social and psychological well-being, on an individual or collective basis. They offer a variety of skills, knowledge and therapies designed to help individuals, families or communities through assessment, remediation and prevention of psycho-social problems.
    Social workers also contribute to the development of healthy public policy and social change, and help to address issues such as poverty, oppression, discrimination, exclusion and violence.
  • Speech Language Pathologists assess and treat patients who have a communication or swallowing disability. They diagnose, evaluate and treat a wide range of communication and swallowing disorders in infants, children, and adults.

What types of organizations and service areas do AAHP Members work in?

AAHP Members work in a variety of health care settings within hospitals, institutions, long-term care and community settings.   They may serve patients and clients on an in-patient or out-patient basis or in the community. They may work independently, but most often they work with a multi-disciplinary health care team applying their skills and expertise to a wide diversity of service areas including, but not limited to:

  • Acute Care
  • Cancer Care
  • Cardiac/Critical Care
  • Cardiology
  • Children & Women’s Health
  • Community & Supportive Services
  • Community Service Programs
  • Emergency Services
  • Genetics
  • Health Promotion
  • Hyperbaric Medicine
  • Mental Health & Addictions
  • Occupational & Rehabilitative Services
  • Palliative Care
  • Paramedicine & Medical Transport
  • Perioperative Care
  • Psychology
  • Pulmonary Function Laboratories
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation
  • Rehabilitation & Continuing Care
  • Social Work
  • Surgery
  • Trauma
  • Long-Term Care

What organizations employ AAHP Members?

Health care organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors hire allied health care professionals.

Current AAHP Members are employed by the Eastern Regional Health Authority and by the Pharmaceutical Services Division, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

AAHP Members employed by the Pharmaceutical Services Division work at the MCP Public Services and Administration building at Major’s Path, St. John’s, NL.

AAHP members employed by the Eastern Regional Health Authority are based out of the following work sites: