Medical

Certified 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.

Help patients with activities of daily living in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Take vital signs, serve meals, and help with mobility.

Salary Range

$25,000 – $40,000

per year (10th–90th percentile)

Median Salary

$30,850

per year

Growth Outlook

High Growth

2024–2034 projected

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

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Tasks & Responsibilities

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.

Tools of the Trade

Electronic medical thermometersTherapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packsWheelchairsShower or bath chairs or seats for the physically challengedMobile medical services automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddlesElectronic stethoscopesGlucose monitors or metersPhotocopiersCanesGait belts for rehabilitation or therapyMedical gas cylinders or related devicesArm orthopedic softgoodsPulse oximeter unitsPatient shifting boardsGurneys or scissor liftsClinical hydraulic liftsCrutchesBedpansSpirometersElectronic blood pressure unitsBlanket frames or liftersVascular or compression apparel or supportHospital intercom systemsMedical ultrasound or doppler or pulse echocardiograph or echocardiograph units for general diagnostic useMedical aerosol tentsMedical acoustic stethoscopesMedical exam or non surgical procedure glovesNotebook computersRazorsMercury blood pressure unitsExtremity restraintsExtremities cradlesPatient bed or table scales for general usePatient floor scalesUrinary catheterization kitsWalkers or rollatorsClinical trapeze barsOrthopedic splint systemsSpecial purpose telephonesPatient urinalsPatient care beds for general useSteam autoclaves or sterilizersPatient stabilization or fall prevention devicesMedical oxygen masks or partsSpecimen collection containerOxygen therapy delivery system productsMedical nasal cannulasDesktop computersPersonal computersUrinalysis test strips

Knowledge Areas

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