What is a Nursing Assistant?
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.
A Day in the Life of a Nursing Assistant
- Collect specimens, such as urine, feces, or sputum.
- Change bed linens or make beds.
- Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
- Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
- Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.
- Apply clean dressings, slings, stockings, or support bandages, under direction of nurse or physician.
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What a Nursing Assistant Should Know
When polled, Nursing Assistants say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Types of Nursing Assistant
- Certified Nurses Aide (CNA)
- Gericare Aide
- First Aid Attendant
- Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA)
- Nurse Assistant
Job Demand for Nursing Assistants
There were about 1,510,300 jobs for Nursing Assistant in 2016 (in the United States). 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.
Average Nursing Assistants Salary
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.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Nursing Assistants 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 |
What Tools do Nursing Assistants Use?
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 do I Become a Nursing Assistant?
Learn what Nursing Assistant education requirements there are.
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Nursing Assistants Work
The table below shows the approximate number of Nursing Assistants employed by various industries.
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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