NURSING AIDES carry out the routine work in the general care of patients. They work under the direction of nursing and medical staff. Nursing Aides' duties depend on training, experience, and type of health care facility. They may be known by titles such as nurse aide, nursing assistant, geriatric aide, hospital attendant, or patient care technician. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is the term used for those Nursing Aides who have completed state certification requirements to work in skilled nursing facilities, especially those that accept Medicare residents.

Nursing Aides often perform the following tasks:

• Feed patients unable to feed themselves.
• Prepare food trays.
• Bathe, groom, and dress patients.
• Assist patient to walk.
• Turn and re-position bedridden patients to prevent bedsores.
• Measure and record food and liquid intake and output.
• Assist patient to use bedpan and urinal.
• Measure and record vital signs.
• Make beds.
• Store, prepare, and issue dressing packs, treatment trays, and other supplies.
• Observe patients’ physical, mental, and emotional conditions and report any change to the nursing or medical staff.

In clinics, public health agencies, and acute care hospitals, Nursing Aides also do the following:

• Help professional staff examine and treat outpatients.
• Process patient documents and schedule appointments.
• Help patients and their families understand instructions given by medically trained staff.

Nursing Aides employed in nursing homes are often the principal caregivers, having far more contact with residents than other staff members. Since some residents may stay in a nursing home for months or even years, Aides develop ongoing relationships with them and interact with them in a positive, caring way.

In patients' homes, Nursing Aides provide nonprofessional nursing care and help with personal hygiene.

Orderlies, sometimes called patient care orderlies or patient escorts, work in acute care hospitals and are trained by the hospital to perform the following tasks:

• Transport patients and equipment to and from wards and departments in hospitals.
• Assist nurses with patients and, if necessary, restrain patients.
• Set up equipment, such as oxygen tents and portable x-ray machines.
• Transport patients to areas such as operating and x-ray rooms.
• Sterilize equipment and supplies.
• Transport bodies to the morgue from nursing areas.

The following skills, knowledge, and abilities are important for Nursing Aides:

• Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react the way they do.
• Static Strength - Exerting maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
• Active Listening - Listening to what other people are saying and asking suitable questions.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowing principles and processes for providing customer and personal services.
• Oral Comprehension - Listening to and understanding information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - Communicating information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Most facilities are well lit, air-conditioned, and have modern equipment. Employers provide or pay for uniforms and supplies. Nursing Aides and Orderlies walk or stand most of the day. They must take precautions to guard against back strain from lifting patients and equipment, exposure to radiation and caustic chemicals, and catching diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. Using proper safety procedures reduces personal risk. The work is emotionally and physically demanding, but can be satisfying to those who value assisting people in need.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is the nation’s largest and fastest growing health care union.

The following information is from the occupational projections produced by the Employment Development Department’s Labor Market Information Division:

The 88,500 Nursing Aides working in 1998 will grow by 19,400 newly created Nursing Aide positions between 1998 and 2008. This number, along with the 13,700 separations estimated for that time period, brings the number of estimated job openings to 33,100 or an average of 3,310 openings a year in California. Employers in 34 California counties reported difficulty in finding both experienced and inexperienced qualified Nursing Aides. This data comes from 1997-1999 employer surveys by the California Cooperative Occupational Information System (CCOIS).

The elderly population, a group with much greater than average health care needs, will grow faster than the total population between 1998 and 2008, increasing the demand for health services, especially for home health care, nursing, and personal care. This ensures continued demand for Nursing Aides to work in the growing number of nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Further increasing the demand for Nursing Aides is the managed health care practice of moving patients from acute care hospitals to skilled nursing facilities as quickly as possible.