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Career overview · SOC 31-1131

Nursing Assistants

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.

Also called: Certified Medication Aide (CMA) · Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) · Certified Nurses Aide (CNA) · Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) · Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) · Nurses' Aide

Median pay (national)
$39,530
$31,390–$50,140 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
1,388,430
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+2.3%
~204,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
Postsecondary nondegree award

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for nursing assistants shows a relatively narrow range: the top 10% earn $50,140 versus $31,390 at the bottom 10% — 1.6x. The median of $39,530 leaves roughly 27% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +2.3% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 204,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, Oregon pays the most for this role (median $48,390, +22% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $20,470 — a 136% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.

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Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Active Listening
  • Monitoring
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Speaking
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Learning
  • Writing
  • Learning Strategies
  • Mathematics
  • Science

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

  • Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff.
  • Undress, wash, and dress patients who are unable to do so for themselves.
  • Record vital signs, such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse, or respiration rate, as directed by medical or nursing staff.
  • Restock patient rooms with personal hygiene items, such as towels, washcloths, soap, or toilet paper.
  • Provide information, such as directions, visiting hours, or patient status information to visitors or callers.
  • Turn or reposition bedridden patients.
  • Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet.
  • Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
  • Supply, collect, or empty bedpans.
  • Gather information from caregivers, nurses, or physicians about patient condition, treatment plans, or appropriate activities.

Tools & technology

  • Apache Spark
  • Epic Systems
  • MEDITECH software
  • Billing software
  • FaceTime
  • GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
  • Health information database software
  • Medical condition coding software
  • Medical procedure coding software
  • Medical record charting software
  • PointClickCare healthcare software
  • Telemetry software
  • Web browser software
  • YouTube
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software

Knowledge areas

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Administration and Management
  • English Language
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Education and Training
  • Therapy and Counseling
  • Psychology