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Nurse Assistants


Overview

Introduction

Nurse assistants (also called nurse aides, orderlies, or hospital attendants) work under the supervision of nurses and handle much of the personal care needs of the patients. This allows the nursing staff to perform their primary duties more effectively and efficiently. Nurse assistants help move patients, assist in patients' exercise and nutrition needs, and oversee patients' personal hygiene. Nurse assistants may also be required to take patients to other areas of the hospital for treatment, therapy, or ...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$29,660

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Employment Prospects

Excellent

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Minimum Education Level

High School Diploma


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Experience

Volunteer or part-time experience


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Skills

Interpersonal
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Personality Traits

Conventional
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Earnings

Salaries for most health care professionals vary by region, population, and size and type of institution. The pay for nurse assistants in a hospital is usually more than in a nursing home.

Certified nurse assistants earned $12.59 per hour ($26,187 annually) in April 2020, as reported by PayScale.com. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, nurse assistants earned a median annual salar...

Work Environment

The work environment in a health care or long-term care facility can be hectic at times and very stressful. Some patients may be uncooperative and may actually be combative. Often there are numerous demands that must be met at the same time. Nurse assistants are required to be on their feet most of the time, and they often have to help lift or move patients. Most facilities are clean and well l...

Outlook

Employment of nursing assistants is projected to grow by 9 percent through 2028, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Because of the physical and emotional demands of the job, and because of the lack of advancement opportunities, there is a high employee turnover rate. Additional opportunities may be available as different types of care facilit...