Nursing Aide
Nursing aides, also known as nursing assistants or patient care assistants, play a vital role in healthcare by providing fundamental health services and patient care under the supervision of licensed medical professionals. Their duties encompass a wide range of tasks including personal hygiene assistance, medication administration, transportation to medical appointments, and support with mobility for patients. Nursing aides work in diverse settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and patients' homes, often accommodating varying schedules that may include evenings, nights, and weekends.
The profession attracts nurturing individuals who exhibit qualities such as empathy, patience, and strong communication skills, and who are comfortable engaging with a broad spectrum of patients, including the elderly, children, and those with disabilities or chronic illnesses. In addition to direct patient care, nursing aides are responsible for maintaining patient records, participating in team meetings, and sometimes performing basic medical examinations. Training for nursing aides typically involves on-the-job instruction following high school graduation, with additional educational opportunities available for those interested in advancing their careers in nursing or related fields. Overall, nursing aides are essential in delivering compassionate care and support within the healthcare system.
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Subject Terms
Nursing Aide
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Health Science
Interests: Health, patient care, anatomy, physiology, nursing
Earnings (Yearly Median): $35,760 per year, $17.19 per hour
Employment & Outlook: 4% (As fast as average)
Entry-Level Education Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nursing or related field
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job-Training Forty hours of clinical supervision
Overview
Sphere of Work. Nursing aides, also called nursing assistants or patient care assistants, provide basic health services and patient care to patients under the direct supervision of licensed medical professionals. The range of services provided by nursing aides includes preventive care, routine medical care, personal hygiene care, and medical appointment transportation. Nursing aides are generally paid hourly and are employed by hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, insurance companies, social service agencies, public health agencies, and individuals.
Work Environment. Nursing aides spend their workdays seeing patients in various settings, including nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, clinics, and patients’ homes. Nursing aides may work with one patient at a time or care for multiple patients in medical facilities. Given the diverse demands of the healthcare profession, nursing aides may need to work days, evenings, nights, weekends, and on-call hours to meet patient or caseload needs. Travel to visit housebound clients may also be necessary.
Occupation Interest. Individuals drawn to the nursing profession tend to be nurturing, competent, and intelligent people who can assess situations quickly, demonstrate caring, and solve problems. Those who succeed as nursing aides exhibit physical stamina, empathy, patience, resourcefulness, responsibility, strong communication skills, time management, and concern for others. Nursing aides should find satisfaction in or be comfortable spending time with a wide range of people, including older adults and individuals who are terminally ill.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. The individual’s specialization determines a nursing aide’s daily duties and responsibilities. Nursing aides may specialize in pediatric care, older adult care, chronic illness management, psychiatric care, Alzheimer’s or dementia care, or hospice (end-of-life) care.
Nursing aides help patients with their personal grooming and hygiene needs, administer prescription medications as needed, and respond to patients’ calls for help or assistance. They assist patients with basic mobility tasks, including getting in and out of beds, wheelchairs, and vehicles, and activities such as showering. They may also accompany individuals with physical or mental disabilities or older adult patients to medical appointments.
In some facilities, nursing aides may be more involved with patient exams and treatment. Some nursing aides perform routine medical exams, including measuring a patient’s pulse, temperature, and respiration rate. Others supervise patients as they perform basic physical therapy exercises.
Depending on the facility’s janitorial support, nursing aides may clean patient and exam rooms and sterilize and prepare medical materials required for exams or procedures. Those working in patient homes may be responsible for performing basic housecleaning chores, such as laundry and vacuuming.
Communication and teamwork are an essential aspect of the nursing aide’s job. Nursing aides participate in patient team meetings and provide patient updates to agency supervisors and client families. In addition, all nursing aides are responsible for completing patient charts and required documentation.
Delivery Nurse Aides (355.674-014). Delivery nurse aides prepare patients for childbirth and clean delivery rooms.
Nursery Nurse Aides (355.674-014). Nursery nurse aides bathe, weigh, dress, and feed newborn babies.
Surgery Nurse Aides (355.674-014). Surgery nurse aides clean, sterilize, and assemble supplies and instruments used in surgery and maintain the cleanliness and order of operating rooms.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. The immediate physical environment of nursing aides varies based on their caseload and employer. Nursing aides spend their workdays seeing patients in hospitals, private homes, social service agencies, public health agencies, and residential facilities such as nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.
Facilities where nursing aides work are usually clean and brightly lit. Nursing aides must avoid injuries, illnesses, or exposure to harmful chemicals from patient care activities.
Human Environment. Nursing aides work with a wide variety of people. They should be comfortable caring for children, older adults, individuals with disabilities, and those with chronic, terminal, or mental illnesses. They must also communicate with patients’ families, colleagues, and physicians.
Patients may be confused, discontented, or even violent at times. Nursing aides should be calm, patient, and emotionally strong to handle these situations effectively.
Technological Environment. Nursing aides use a variety of communication tools to perform their jobs. Nursing aides must also be comfortable using computers to access client records. In addition, nursing aides care for patients using medical equipment, such as glucose monitors, wheelchair lifters, and blood pressure cuffs.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school students interested in pursuing a career as a nursing aide should prepare themselves by developing good study habits. High school-level coursework in anatomy, foreign languages, psychology, and biology can provide a strong foundation for work as a nursing aide or for college-level work. Due to the diversity of nursing aide duties, interested high school students may benefit from seeking internships or part-time employment that exposes them to the nursing community and people in physical and mental need. High school students can secure employment as a nursing aide directly following graduation. Most medical facilities provide on-the-job training for nursing aides.
Postsecondary. Postsecondary students interested in becoming nursing aides should work towards an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field, such as psychology or gerontology. Nursing aide training programs teach beginning patient care, infection control, nutrition, psychology, anatomy, and physiology. Training programs also include at least forty hours of clinical supervision in medical facilities. Postsecondary students can gain work experience and potential advantage in future job searches by securing internships or part-time employment as nursing aides or patient care assistants.
Related Occupations
− Emergency Medical Technician
− Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
− Social and Human Services Assistant
Bibliography
“Nursing Assistants and Orderlies.” Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 6 Sept. 2023, www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nursing-assistants.htm. Accessed 28 Sept. 2023.
“Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022; 31-1131 Nursing Assistants.” Occupational Employment Statistics. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 25 Apr. 2023, www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes311131.htm. Accessed 28 Sept. 2023.