Nursing Assistants
At a glance
- Median Salary$29,811
- Local Jobs1,984

Occupation Profile
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 occupationLocal Jobs1,984
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 occupationEntry-level educationCertification
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
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
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.
Educational Programs
Nursing Assistant
Type | Credential | Hrs | Online | Financial Aid |
Certificate | Cert | 160 | Yes | No |
Fundamentals of Certified Nursing Asst.
Type | Credential | Hrs | Online | Financial Aid |
AH | L1 | 17 | No | Yes |
Fundamentals of Patient Care Tech.
Type | Credential | Hrs | Online | Financial Aid |
AH | L1 | 19 | No | Yes |
Certified Nursing Assistant
Type | Credential | Hrs | Online | Financial Aid |
CE | Cert | 144 | No | Yes |
Learn more aboutNursing Assistants
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