Nursing Assistants

patient social interests nursing staff bed health customer bathing feeding emotional support

Certified Nurses Aide (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Nursing Assistant, Patient Care Assistant (PCA)

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.
On the job, you would:
  • 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.

Knowledge

Business

  • customer service
  • management

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Health

  • medicine and dentistry
  • therapy and counseling

Safety and Government

  • public safety and security

Skills

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements

Social

  • looking for ways to help people
  • understanding people's reactions

Abilities

Verbal

  • listen and understand what people say
  • communicate by speaking

Endurance

  • exercise for a long time without getting out of breath

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Concern for Others
  • Dependability
  • Self Control
  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity
  • Adaptability/Flexibility

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Medical software

  • Epic Systems Hot Technology
  • MEDITECH software

Video conferencing software

  • FaceTime

Spreadsheet software

  • Microsoft Excel Hot Technology

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 5)
high school diploma/GED or
certificate after high school
usually needed

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Job Outlook

Bright
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about nursing assistants.