Nursing Assistants and Orderlies

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

usa_school
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
Bethel University
Bethel University (indian...
Birmingham Southern Colle...
Bismarck State College
Bluefield State College-...
Bob Jones University
Bowling Green State Unive...
Bradley University
Brenau University
Cape Fear Community Colle...
Carroll College
Central Arizona College
Central New Mexico Commun...
Central New Mexico Commun...
Central Texas College
Chaminade University Of H...
Chippewa Valley Technical...
Cincinnati State Technica...
Clackamas Community Colle...
Clark State Community Col...
Coastal Pines Technical C...
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
Cuyahoga Community Colleg...
Cuyahoga Community Colleg...
D’youville College
Dakota County Technical C...
Dallas College West Dalla...
Daytona College
Daytona State College
Delaware Technical And Co...
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...
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...
Hillsborough Community Co...
Idaho State University- M...
Indian Hills Community Co...
Indian River State Colleg...
Jefferson State Community...
Jefferson State Community...
Jefferson State Community...
Jefferson State Community...
Kennesaw State University
Lanier Technical College-...
Lanier Technical College-...
Lanier Technical 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...
Northeast Wisconsin Techn...
Northeast Wisconsin Techn...
Northwest Iowa Community...
Northwestern Alaska Caree...
Northwestern State Univer...
Oklahoma State University...
Palm Beach State College-...
Palm Beach State College-...
Pearl River Community Col...
Pennsylvania State Univer...
Pennsylvania State Univer...
Pennsylvania State Univer...
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
South Suburban College
Southwest Mississippi Com...
St. Catherine University
St. Louis Community Colle...
Stark State College- Akro...
Sullivan University- Cent...
Sullivan University- Cent...
Sullivan University- Cent...
Sullivan University- Loui...
Suny Adirondack
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 Fair...
University Of Alaska Sout...
University Of California-...
University Of Charleston
Wake Technical Community...
Walla Walla Community Col...
Walla Walla Community Col...
Washington College
Waubonsee Community Colle...
Waubonsee Community Colle...
Weber State University- D...
Wesleyan College
Yuut Elitnaurviat
canada_school
Assiniboine Community...
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 New Caledon...
College Of New Caledon...
College Of The North A...
College Of The North A...
College Of The North A...
College Of The North A...
College Of The North A...
College Of The North A...
College Of The North A...
College Of The North A...
College Of The Rockies...
Conestoga College- Doo...
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-...
St. Lawrence College-...
St. Lawrence College-...
Stenberg College
Thompson Rivers Univer...
Universite De Montreal...
University Of Northern...
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

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/.