Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Certified Nurses Aide (CNA)
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Nursing Assistant
- Patient Care Assistant (PCA)
Alternate Job Titles
- Birth Attendant
- Certified Medication Aide (CMA)
- Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)
- Certified Nurses Aide (CNA)
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Certified Nursing Attendant (CNA)
- Certified Residential Medication Aide (CRMA)
- Clinical Assistant
- Competency Evaluated Nurse Aide (CENA)
- First Aid Attendant
- Geriatric Nursing Assistant (GNA)
- Gericare Aide
- Health Aide
- Health Care Aide
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- 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.
- Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
- Remind patients to take medications or nutritional supplements.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Service Orientation
- Active Listening
- Social Perceptiveness
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Expression
- Near Vision
- Speech Recognition
- Static Strength
- Written Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Extent Flexibility
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Empathy
- Cooperation
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Optimism
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Support
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
- Recognition
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Apache Spark
- Epic Systems
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Adjustable hospital beds
- Anti-embolism elastic stockings
- Automated blood pressure cuffs
- Automated external defibrillators AED
- Bed cradles
- Bladder ultrasounds
- Blood glucometers
- Clinical trapeze traction bars
- Crutches
- Desktop computers
- Electronic patient thermometers
- Electronic stethoscopes
- Foot boards
- Gait belts
- Hospital bedpans
Work Environment
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Spend Time Walking or Running
- Spend Time Standing
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $31,390 |
| Median | $39,530 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $50,140 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 1,388,430
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Home Health Aides
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: Varies
Paramedics
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $58,410
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Education: Some College Courses
Median Salary: $62,340
Registered Nurses
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $93,600
Acute Care Nurses
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $93,600
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.