Trades
Nursing Assistants
Medical

Nursing Assistant

Nursing assistants provide basic care for patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and similar institutions
Nursing Assistant
Are you a compassionate person? Ever helped care for a sick friend or family member? Learn how to do it professionally to make a big difference in people's lives every day.
Why Should You Consider This Career?

Make a difference in people's lives every day, help patients with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. Help patients with their medication and other treatments

TYPICAL SALARY
$80k
That's $3,300 per bi-weekly paycheck
CAREER OUTLOOK
Growing
That's 2000 new jobs in Utah per year (30% growth)
Less Physical                                         More Physical
—————|————
Less Training                                          More Training
—————|————
More Structure                                     Less Structure
—————|————
ALTERNATIVE JOB TITLES:
Certified Medication Aide (CMA), Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Certified Nurses Aide (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA), Nurses' Aide, Nursing Aide, Nursing Assistant, Patient Care Assistant (PCA), State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA

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.

At A Glance in US
2028 JOB GROWTH
Wage loader
398,000 (35%)
SALARY RANGE
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AVG. JOBS / YEAR
398,000 (35%)
TIME TO JOURNEYMAN
398,000 (35%)
ALTERNATIVE JOB TITLES:
Certified Medication Aide (CMA), Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Certified Nurses Aide (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA), Nurses' Aide, Nursing Aide, Nursing Assistant, Patient Care Assistant (PCA), State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA
A Typical Day Icon

Your Typical Day:

  • 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.
  • Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff.
  • Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
  • Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
  • Remind patients to take medications or nutritional supplements.
  • Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet.
  • Undress, wash, and dress patients who are unable to do so for themselves.
  • Observe or examine patients to detect symptoms that may require medical attention, such as bruises, open wounds, or blood in urine.
wage icon

Wages in the US:

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$
20.25
Per Hour Base Income
$TBD
Total Compensation
Your Responsibilities Icon

Your Responsibilities

  • 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.
Your Knowledge Icon

Knowledge You Will Learn

  • 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. 73/100

  • 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. 59/100

  • English Language

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. 57/100

  • 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. 54/100

  • 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. 54/100

  • 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. 53/100

  • 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. 51/100

  • Psychology

Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. 49/100

  • Sociology and Anthropology

Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins. 43/100

  • Personnel and Human Resources

Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems. 42/100

Tools of the Trade Icon

Tools of the Trade

  • Electronic medical thermometers
  • Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packs
  • Wheelchairs
  • Shower or bath chairs or seats for the physically challenged
  • Mobile medical services automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddles
  • Electronic stethoscopes
  • Glucose monitors or meters
  • Photocopiers
  • Canes
  • Gait belts for rehabilitation or therapy
  • Medical gas cylinders or related devices
  • Arm orthopedic softgoods
  • Pulse oximeter units
  • Patient shifting boards
  • Gurneys or scissor lifts
  • Clinical hydraulic lifts
  • Crutches
  • Bedpans
  • Spirometers
  • Electronic blood pressure units
  • Blanket frames or lifters
  • Vascular or compression apparel or support
  • Hospital intercom systems
  • Medical ultrasound or doppler or pulse echocardiograph or echocardiograph units for general diagnostic use
  • Medical aerosol tents
  • Medical acoustic stethoscopes
  • Medical exam or non surgical procedure gloves
  • Notebook computers
  • Razors
  • Mercury blood pressure units
  • Extremity restraints
  • Extremities cradles
  • Patient bed or table scales for general use
  • Patient floor scales
  • Urinary catheterization kits
  • Walkers or rollators
  • Clinical trapeze bars
  • Orthopedic splint systems
  • Special purpose telephones
  • Patient urinals
  • Patient care beds for general use
  • Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
  • Patient stabilization or fall prevention devices
  • Medical oxygen masks or parts
  • Specimen collection container
  • Oxygen therapy delivery system products
  • Medical nasal cannulas
  • Desktop computers
  • Personal computers
  • Urinalysis test strips
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