Nursing Assistants and Orderlies

Career Overview

Nursing assistants (aides) offers patients basic care including cleaning patients, helping them to bathe and use the bathroom, measuring vital signs, helping them to eat meals, and listening to their concerns. Orderlies help patients to move around in the hospital. They may also stock supplies, clean equipment, and change linens.

Education

Nursing assistants must complete a state-approved education program and must pass their state’s competency exam to become certified. Orderlies generally have at least a high school diploma.

Future Outlook

Employment of nursing assistants is projected to grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employment of orderlies is projected to grow 5 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster as the average for all occupations.

Work Environment

Nursing assistants and orderlies work in nursing and residential care facilities and in hospitals. They are frequently physically active and may need to help lift or move patients.

Recommended High School Courses

Chemistry
Biology
Math
Algebra
Physics
Anatomy
English
Physiology

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.
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

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.
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.
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Adjust positions of patients on beds or tables.
Feed patients.
Record vital statistics or other health information.
Hold patients to ensure proper positioning or safety.
Assist patients with daily activities.
Monitor patients to detect health problems.
Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.
Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment.
Dispose of biomedical waste in accordance with standards.
Interview patients to gather medical information.
Prepare medical instruments or equipment for use.
Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals.
Clean patient rooms or patient treatment rooms.
Administer therapy treatments to patients using hands or physical treatment aids.
Stock medical or patient care supplies.
Assist practitioners to perform medical procedures.
Operate medical equipment.
Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
Give medications or immunizations.
Apply bandages, dressings, or splints.
Move patients to or from treatment areas.
Collect biological specimens from patients.
Explain technical medical information to patients.
Transport biological or other medical materials.
Provide basic information to guests, visitors, or clients.

Schools

Abilene Christian Univers...

Academy For Nursing And H...

Adams State University

Adelphi University

Agnes Scott College

Alaska Cna Program

Alaska Pacific University

Alaska Technical Center

Albright College

Alfred State College

Alvernia University

American International Co...

American River College

Angelo State University

Appalachian State Univers...

Arcadia University

Arizona Western College

Arlington Career Institut...

Asbury University

Assumption College

Atlanta Technical College

Austin Community College...

Ave Maria University

Bakersfield College- Pano...

Barry University

Baylor University

Belmont University

Bemidji State University

Berea College

Bethel University

Bethel University (indian...

Birmingham Southern Colle...

Bismarck State College

Bluefield State College-...

Bob Jones University

Boston College

Bowling Green State Unive...

Bradley University

Brenau University

Cape Fear Community Colle...

Carroll College

Central Arizona College

Central New Mexico Commun...

Central Texas College

Centre College

Chaminade University Of H...

Chippewa Valley Technical...

Cincinnati State Technica...

Clackamas Community Colle...

Clark State Community Col...

Coastal Pines Technical C...

Coe College

Colby Community College

College Of Central Florid...

College Of Dupage

College Of Lake County

College Of Southern Nevad...

Colorado Technical Univer...

Columbus State Community...

Cook Inlet Tribal Council

Crown College

Cuyahoga Community Colleg...

D’youville College

Dakota County Technical C...

Dallas College West Dalla...

Daytona College

Daytona State College

Delaware Technical And Co...

Delta State University

Des Moines Area Community...

Desales University

Dickinson State Universit...

Dominican University

Dominican University Of C...

Drew University

Drexel University

Duquesne University

Durham Technical Communit...

East Carolina University

East Stroudsburg Universi...

Eastern Kentucky Universi...

Eastern New Mexico Univer...

Eastern University

Eastern Washington Univer...

Edinboro University

Elmhurst College

Emily Griffith Technical...

Emory University

Evangel University

Everett Community College

Excelsior College

Fairleigh Dickinson Unive...

Fairmont State University

Fayetteville State Univer...

Ferris State University

Florida Atlantic Universi...

Florida Gulf Coast Univer...

Florida International Uni...

Florida Southwestern Stat...

Florida State College At...

Florida State University

Framingham State Universi...

Francis Tuttle Technology...

Franciscan University At...

Gardner-webb University

Georgia Southwestern Stat...

Gulf Coast State College

Herzing University- Orlan...

Hillsborough Community Co...

Idaho State University- M...

Indian Hills Community Co...

Indian River State Colleg...

Jefferson State Community...

Judson College

Kennesaw State University

Kodiak College

Lanier Technical College-...

Massachusetts Bay Communi...

Massachusetts College Of...

Mid-state Technical Colle...

Miller-motte College- Fay...

Minneapolis Community And...

Montana State University-...

Moraine Valley Community...

Moravian College

Nebraska Methodist Colleg...

New York University

North Central Texas Colle...

Northeast Wisconsin Techn...

Northwest Iowa Community...

Northwestern Alaska Caree...

Northwestern State Univer...

Oklahoma State University...

Palm Beach State College-...

Pearl River Community Col...

Pennsylvania State Univer...

Pikes Peak Community Coll...

Portland Community Colleg...

Prince William Sound Coll...

Red Rocks Community Colle...

Saint Anselm College

San Antonio College

Seattle Central College

Siena College

South Suburban College

Southwest Mississippi Com...

St. Catherine University

St. Louis Community Colle...

Stark State College- Akro...

Sullivan University- Cent...

Sullivan University- Loui...

Suny Adirondack

Suny At Delhi

Suny Columbia-greene Comm...

Suny Genesee Community Co...

Suny Jamestown Community...

Suny Jefferson Community...

Suny Mohawk Valley Commun...

Suny Monroe Community Col...

Suny Nassau Community Col...

Suny Onondaga Community C...

Suny Orange County Commun...

Suny Plattsburgh

Suny Tompkins Cortland Co...

Suny Ulster County Commun...

Thomas Nelson Community C...

Ultimate Medical Academy-...

University Of Alaska Fair...

University Of Alaska Sout...

University Of California-...

University Of Charleston

Wake Technical Community...

Walla Walla Community Col...

Washington College

Waubonsee Community Colle...

Weber State University- D...

Wesleyan College

Yuut Elitnaurviat

Assiniboine Community...

Bow Valley College- Do...

Bow Valley College- St...

Brandon University

Canadian Mennonite Uni...

Capilano University- K...

Cdi College- Laval Cam...

Cdi College- Montreal...

Cdi College- Richmond...

Cdi College- Surrey Ca...

College Of New Caledon...

College Of The North A...

College Of The Rockies...

Conestoga College- Doo...

Dawson College

Douglas College- Coqui...

Douglas College- New W...

Durham College- Oshawa...

George Brown College-...

Herzing College- Winni...

John Abbott College

Keyano College- Clearw...

Lambton College

Lethbridge College- Cl...

Lethbridge College- Vu...

Makami College- Calgar...

Northlands College- Cr...

Okanagan College- Kelo...

Okanagan College- Pent...

Red River College- Por...

Red River College- Ste...

Red River College- Win...

Robertson College- Mai...

St. Claire College- Ch...

St. Lawrence College-...

Stenberg College

Thompson Rivers Univer...

Universite De Montreal...

University Of Northern...

University Of The Fraz...

Potential Scholarships

5 Strong Scholarship

Agnes M. Lindsay Scholars...

Dashanna K. Mcneil Memori...

Approx Salary Expectation

Currency:

Low End:

$21,960.00 /yr

Avg/Med:

$29,660.00 /yr

High End:

$40,620.00 /yr

Related Careers

Home Health Aides

Marriage and Family Therapist

Radiologic Technologist

Occupational Therapist Assistant

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.