All About Nursing Assistants
Position Description Provide basic patient care under direction of nursing staff. Perform duties such as feed, bathe, dress, groom, or move patients, or change linens. May transfer or transport patients. Includes nursing care attendants, nursing aides, and nursing attendants.
What Do Nursing Assistants Do On a Daily Basis?
- Gather information from caregivers, nurses, or physicians about patient condition, treatment plans, or appropriate activities.
- Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
- Provide information such as directions, visiting hours, or patient status information to visitors or callers.
- Prepare or serve food trays.
- Transport specimens, laboratory items, or pharmacy items, ensuring proper documentation and delivery to authorized personnel.
- 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.
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Nursing Assistant Required Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Nursing Assistants say are important on the job.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Hospice Aide
- Nursing Home Aide
- Nurse’s Assistant
- Patient Sitter
- Student Nurse
Nursing Assistant Job Outlook
In the United States, there were 1,510,300 jobs for Nursing Assistant in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 11.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 173,400 new jobs for Nursing Assistant by 2026. There will be an estimated 195,100 positions for Nursing Assistant per year.
The states with the most job growth for Nursing Assistant are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Connecticut, Wisconsin, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Nursing Assistant
The salary for Nursing Assistants ranges between about $21,290 and $39,560 a year.
Nursing Assistants who work in Alaska, New York, or Hawaii, make the highest salaries.
How much do Nursing Assistants make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $24,110 |
| Alaska | $39,830 |
| Arizona | $31,450 |
| Arkansas | $25,080 |
| California | $35,220 |
| Colorado | $32,610 |
| Connecticut | $33,390 |
| Delaware | $30,780 |
| District of Columbia | $33,510 |
| Florida | $26,840 |
| Georgia | $25,870 |
| Hawaii | $35,770 |
| Idaho | $27,400 |
| Illinois | $28,810 |
| Indiana | $27,210 |
| Iowa | $29,120 |
| Kansas | $26,210 |
| Kentucky | $26,800 |
| Louisiana | $22,750 |
| Maine | $28,710 |
| Maryland | $31,310 |
| Massachusetts | $33,630 |
| Michigan | $30,130 |
| Minnesota | $33,710 |
| Mississippi | $23,100 |
| Missouri | $25,930 |
| Montana | $29,110 |
| Nebraska | $28,730 |
| Nevada | $35,130 |
| New Hampshire | $32,200 |
| New Jersey | $30,380 |
| New Mexico | $28,310 |
| New York | $37,010 |
| North Carolina | $25,570 |
| North Dakota | $33,990 |
| Ohio | $27,570 |
| Oklahoma | $25,690 |
| Oregon | $33,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $30,630 |
| Rhode Island | $31,340 |
| South Carolina | $25,390 |
| South Dakota | $26,820 |
| Tennessee | $26,400 |
| Texas | $27,030 |
| Utah | $27,880 |
| Vermont | $30,730 |
| Virginia | $28,770 |
| Washington | $32,130 |
| West Virginia | $26,410 |
| Wisconsin | $29,590 |
| Wyoming | $30,910 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Nursing Assistants
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Nursing Assistants:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- MEDITECH software
- Medical procedure coding software
- Epic Systems
- Medical condition coding software
- Billing software
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- PointClickCare
- Medical record charting software
How to Become a Nursing Assistant
Are there Nursing Assistants education requirements?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Nursing Assistant?
Nursing Assistants Sector
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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