What does an Acupuncturist do?

According to people in this career, the main tasks are...

TaskImportance
Develop individual treatment plans and strategies.
96%
Adhere to local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and statutes.
95%
Insert needles to provide acupuncture treatment.
95%
Identify correct anatomical and proportional point locations based on patients' anatomy and positions, contraindications, and precautions related to treatments, such as intradermal needles, moxibustion, electricity, guasha, or bleeding.
95%
Collect medical histories and general health and lifestyle information from patients.
94%
Treat patients using tools, such as needles, cups, ear balls, seeds, pellets, or nutritional supplements.
93%
Analyze physical findings and medical histories to make diagnoses according to Oriental medicine traditions.
93%
Maintain and follow standard quality, safety, environmental, and infection control policies and procedures.
91%
Educate patients on topics, such as meditation, ergonomics, stretching, exercise, nutrition, the healing process, breathing, or relaxation techniques.
91%
Dispense herbal formulas and inform patients of dosages and frequencies, treatment duration, possible side effects, and drug interactions.
91%
Assess patients' general physical appearance to make diagnoses.
90%
Maintain detailed and complete records of health care plans and prognoses.
90%
Formulate herbal preparations to treat conditions considering herbal properties, such as taste, toxicity, effects of preparation, contraindications, and incompatibilities.
88%
Apply heat or cold therapy to patients using materials, such as heat pads, hydrocollator packs, warm compresses, cold compresses, heat lamps, or vapor coolants.
87%
Consider Western medical procedures in health assessment, health care team communication, and care referrals.
86%
Evaluate treatment outcomes and recommend new or altered treatments as necessary to further promote, restore, or maintain health.
86%
Treat medical conditions, using techniques such as acupressure, shiatsu, or tuina.
83%
Apply moxibustion directly or indirectly to patients using Chinese, non-scarring, stick, or pole moxa.
73%