What Does it Take to Be a Nursing Assistant?
Nursing Assistant Job 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.
Life As a Nursing Assistant: What Do They Do?
- Observe or examine patients to detect symptoms that may require medical attention, such as bruises, open wounds, or blood in urine.
- Set up treating or testing equipment, such as oxygen tents, portable radiograph (x-ray) equipment, or overhead irrigation bottles, as directed by a physician or nurse.
- Communicate with patients to ascertain feelings or need for assistance or social and emotional support.
- Supply, collect, or empty bedpans.
- Wash, groom, shave, or drape patients to prepare them for surgery, treatment, or examination.
- Administer medications or treatments, such as catheterizations, suppositories, irrigations, enemas, massages, or douches, as directed by a physician or nurse.
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Things a Nursing Assistant Should Know How to Do
These are the skills Nursing Assistants say are the most useful in their careers:
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
- Birth Attendant
- Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA)
- Nurse Assistant
- Hospice Aide
- Infirmary Attendant
Is There 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. The BLS estimates 195,100 yearly job openings in this field.
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.
What is the Average Salary of a Nursing Assistant
The average yearly salary of a Nursing Assistant ranges between $21,290 and $39,560.
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
Becoming a Nursing Assistant
Are there Nursing Assistants education requirements?
What work experience do I need to become a Nursing Assistant?
Who Employs Nursing Assistants?
Below are examples of industries where Nursing Assistants work:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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