As physicians are being  assisted by, and replaced in some places, with nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, so nurses are being assisted by, and sometimes  replaced, by entry-level healthcare workers, as administrators pare expenses in an era of lower reimbursements and increased reporting requirements.  Some of these entry-level folks make little more than the minimum wage.

Indeed, physician practices and hospitals increasingly rely on low-paid licensed practical nurses, nursing assistants.

Among their duties: drawing blood, taking vital signs and gathering information about the patient’s chief ailment. Salaries are $12 to $14 an hour, compared to $21.62 to $46.46 an hour for registered nurses.