Nursing Assistants

At a Glance

Median Salary
$29,811

Local Jobs
1,984

Entry-Level Education
Certification

Occupation Profile

Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks. Includes nursing care attendants, nursing aides, and nursing attendants.

By The Numbers

Median Annual Earnings

$29,811

Median Annual Earnings are the midpoint earned by 50 percent of workers who are the lowest paid and 50 percent of workers who are the highest paid in a particular occupation

Local Jobs

1,984

Jobs are any position in which a worker provides labor in exchange for monetary compensation (note: one individual may hold multiple jobs)

Entry-Level Education

Certification

This is the most common education level requested in entry-level job listings.

Daily Tasks

Turn or reposition bedridden patients.
Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients’ needs.
Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink.
Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff.
Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
Remind patients to take medications or nutritional supplements.
Observe or examine patients to detect symptoms that may require medical attention, such as bruises, open wounds, or blood in urine.
Review patients’ dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet.
Undress, wash, and dress patients who are unable to do so for themselves.
Communicate with patients to ascertain feelings or need for assistance or social and emotional support.
Record vital signs, such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration rate, as directed by medical or nursing staff.
Supply, collect, or empty bedpans.
Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
Gather information from caregivers, nurses, or physicians about patient condition, treatment plans, or appropriate activities.
Prepare or serve food trays.
Wash, groom, shave, or drape patients to prepare them for surgery, treatment, or examination.
Change bed linens or make beds.
Exercise patients who are comatose, paralyzed, or have restricted mobility.
Restock patient rooms with personal hygiene items, such as towels, washcloths, soap, or toilet paper.
Assist nurses or physicians in the operation of medical equipment or provision of patient care.
Clean and sanitize patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas.
Record height or weight of patients.
Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.
Collect specimens, such as urine, feces, or sputum.
Provide information, such as directions, visiting hours, or patient status information to visitors or callers.

Occupational Skills

What skills are necessary for Nursing Assistants?

Hard Skills

Activities Of Daily Living (ADLs)
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Linens
Medical Records
Medical Terminology
Nursing
Nursing Care
Patient Assistance
Patient Transport
Vital Signs

Soft Skills

Clerical Works
Communications
Compassion
Computer Literacy
Customer Service
Ethical Standards And Conduct
Leadership
Lifting Ability
Management
Operations

Hard skills are specific, learnable, measurable, often industry- or occupation-specific abilities related to a position.

Soft skills can be self-taught and usually do not necessitate a certain completed level of education. They are essential in many industries and occupations.

Education Programs

Coastal Bend College