Healthcare Support
Nursing Assistants
Also called: Certified Medication Aide (CMA), Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Certified Nurses Aide (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
US median pay
$42,260
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+2.6%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
196,200
1,505,900 employed
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to 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.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Service Orientation4.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.6/5
- Coordination3.1/5
- Time Management2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.6/5
- Instructing2.5/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.2/5
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service3.9/5
- Administration and Management3.3/5
- English Language3.3/5
- Public Safety and Security3.2/5
- Medicine and Dentistry3.1/5
- Education and Training3.1/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): Postsecondary nondegree award.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma39%
- Post-secondary certificate24%
- Some college12%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.