Every hospital, clinic, and nursing home relies on a team of skilled staff to provide personal care to patients; nursing assistants and orderlies are an important part of that team. Under the supervision of nursing staff, nursing assistants provide basic care for patients, while orderlies transport patients and clean treatment areas. Nursing assistants answer patient call signals, turn or reposition bedridden patients, and ensure each patient receives the appropriate diet. They help patients with daily living activities such as getting out of bed, using the bathroom, bathing, and walking. Nursing assistants measure vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature. They observe and listen to patients’ health concerns, then document and share them with supervising nurses. Orderlies move patients between bed and wheelchair or gurney, change bed linens, stock supplies, and clean facilities. Most nursing assistants work in nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities, and in home health care. Most orderlies work in hospitals. Nursing assistants and orderlies typically work full time. Their work is physically demanding, with long hours spent on their feet and lifting and moving patients, so injuries are a risk. Work schedules that include nights, weekends, and holidays are common. Nursing assistants must complete state-approved training, lasting from a few months to a year, then pass their state’s certification exam. Orderlies typically have at least a high school diploma or equivalent and receive on-the-job training.
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.
Business
customer service
management
Arts and Humanities
English language
Health
medicine and dentistry
therapy and counseling
Safety and Government
public safety and security
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
Verbal
listen and understand what people say
communicate by speaking
Endurance
exercise for a long time without getting out of breath
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
You might use software like this on the job:
Medical software
Epic Systems
Medical condition coding software
Video conferencing software
FaceTime
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
high school diploma/GED or certificate after high school usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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