What They Do
Nursing assistants, sometimes called nursing aides, provide basic care and help patients with activities of daily living. Orderlies transport patients and clean treatment areas.
Duties
Nursing assistants and orderlies work as part of a healthcare team under the supervision of licensed practical or licensed vocational nurses and registered nurses.
Nursing assistants provide basic care and help with activities of daily living. They typically do the following:
- Clean and bathe patients
- Help patients use the toilet and dress
- Turn, reposition, and transfer patients between beds and wheelchairs
- Listen to and record patients’ health concerns and report that information to nurses
- Measure patients’ vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature
- Serve meals and help patients eat
Depending on their training level and the state in which they work, nursing assistants also may dispense medication.
Nursing assistants are often the principal caregivers in nursing and residential care facilities. Nursing assistants often develop relationships with their patients because some patients stay in these facilities for months or years.
Orderlies typically do the following:
- Help patients to move around the facility, such as by pushing their wheelchairs
- Clean equipment and facilities
- Change linens
- Stock supplies
Work Environment
Nursing assistants held about 1.4 million jobs in 2024. The largest employers of nursing assistants were as follows:
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) | 35% |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 33 |
| Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly | 11 |
| Home healthcare services | 5 |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 3 |
Orderlies held about 54,000 jobs in 2024. The largest employers of orderlies were as follows:
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 83% |
| Ambulatory healthcare services | 6 |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 1 |
The work of nursing assistants and orderlies may be strenuous. They spend much of their time on their feet as they care for patients.
Injuries and Illnesses
Nursing assistants and orderlies have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. These workers frequently move patients and have other physically demanding tasks. They typically get training in how to properly lift people, which can reduce the risk of injuries.
Work Schedules
Although most nursing assistants and orderlies work full time, some work part time. Because nursing and residential care facilities and hospitals provide care at all hours, nursing assistants and orderlies may need to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
How to Become One
Nursing assistants often need to complete a state-approved education program and pass their state’s competency exam to become licensed or certified. Orderlies typically have at least a high school diploma.
Pay
The median annual wage for nursing assistants was $39,530 in May 2024.
The median annual wage for orderlies was $37,700 in May 2024.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of nursing assistants and orderlies is projected to show little or no change from 2024 to 2034.
Despite limited employment growth, about 211,800 openings for nursing assistants and orderlies are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.