Nursing Assistant

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  Healthcare Support Occupations

Nursing Assistant

Also Called: Certified Medication Aide (CMA), Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Certified Nurses Aide (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA), Nurses' Aide, Nursing Aide, Nursing Assistant, Patient Care Assistant (PCA), State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA), Certified Medication Aide (CMA), Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Certified Nurses Aide (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA), Nurses' Aide, Nursing Aide, Nursing Assistant, Patient Care Assistant (PCA), State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA)

What they do

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.

$30,020
Starting Salary (2023)
$38,200
Median Salary (2023)
4.1%
Projected Job Growth
1,351,760
Employment (2022)

Typical Tasks

Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
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.
Communicate with patients to ascertain feelings or need for assistance or social and emotional support.
Undress, wash, and dress patients who are unable to do so for themselves.
Change bed linens or make beds.

A day in the life

What kind of work is this?

Social
Working with people
Realistic
Practical, Physical Work
Conventional
Organized, Procedural Work

What personality traits do you need to succeed?

Concern for Others
Dependability
Self-Control
Attention to Detail
Integrity
Stress Tolerance

What key skills are needed for this job?

Service Orientation
Active Listening
Social Perceptiveness
Monitoring
Reading Comprehension
Coordination

Expected Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Common Activities

Assisting and Caring for Others
Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

More Info

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