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Nurse Aide Job Description: Top Duties and Requirements

A Nurse Aide, or a Nursing Assistant, provides basic care to patients according to instructions from a nurse or other medical practitioners. Their duties include assisting with basic medical duties and patient care, reporting a patient’s condition and mental states, and helping with administrative tasks.

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Nurse Aide duties and responsibilities

Nurse Aides need to perform essential duties and responsibilities to excel at their job. These include:

  • Helping patients eat, change clothes, wash, groom and perform other personal hygiene activities
  • Maintaining a clean and safe environment for each patient and making their beds
  • Assisting with administrative tasks like keeping records of patients and collecting medical histories
  • Transporting patients to places in the healthcare facility
  • Collecting and recording a patient’s medical data such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse and specimen
  • Administering medicines to patients and first aid during emergencies
  • Complying with all health and safety regulations of a healthcare facility
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Nurse Aide Job Description Examples:

What does a Nurse Aide do?

A Nurse Aide assists Doctors and Nursing Managers in basic medical duties and patient care. Employers bring them into a hiring organization to help improve the recovery process of patients. They can work in hospitals, clinics, assisted-care facilities, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and other healthcare establishments.

Nurse Aides often work shifts since most healthcare centers are open throughout the day. They may provide basic nursing care to one patient or several simultaneously. Typically, a licensed Nurse or Medical Practitioner in your organization pairs a Nurse Aide with patients, depending on their needs and the Nurse Aide’s experience. Their job requires physical interactions with patients and collaboration with Doctors, Nurses and medical professionals in your healthcare facility.

Nurse Aide skills and qualifications

A Nurse Aide needs a special skill set to excel in their healthcare environment. Some of the necessary skills and qualifications to include in a Nurse Aide job description include:

  • Knowledge of basic healthcare practices such as how to record blood pressure and take temperatures
  • Compassion towards patients to provide the best nursing care
  • Keen attention to detail and time management skills
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Stamina to assist patients with physical activities like climbing, walking, and walking
  • Emotional intelligence skills to assess patients and monitor their symptoms
  • Organization skills to care for several patients simultaneously

Nurse Aide experience requirements

When going through resumes for a Nurse Aide, look for applicants who have practical experience providing direct patient care in a healthcare facility. They must be familiar with basic healthcare procedures and how to use medical tools such as thermometers, weighing scales and pipettes. While some Nurse Aides get this experience from previous roles, others attend programs that provide the clinical experience and knowledge they need to help patients.

Other experience requirements depend on the medical health setting and the patient’s needs.

Nurse Aide education and training requirements

A Nurse Aide must have a high school diploma or GED. Therefore, you should include this educational requirement in Nurse Aide job descriptions. However, a college degree in nursing is a plus. Taking courses in physics, biology, chemistry, and mathematics is key.

Nursing Aides need to complete a nursing program from vocational training institutes or private institutions. You may also ask for a training certificate in first aid, food handling, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Nurse Aide salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, average pay for a Nurse Aide in Canada is $18.30 per hour. The salary may vary based on experience, location and the company.

Job description samples for similar positions

If a Nurse Aide job description is not exactly what you’re looking for, related job description samples include:

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Nurse Aide job description FAQs

What should you look for in a Nurse Aide resume?

Look for a Nurse Aide’s education, personal details, work experience, skills and qualifications. You may also request a cover letter to learn more about a candidate’s motivation for taking a Nurse Aide role in your healthcare facility.

What makes a good Nurse Aide?

A Nurse Aide must know how to care for patients in your medical facility. They need to know how to understand and handle different personalities they meet in their work environment. They must also be good listeners who are willing to take instructions from a licensed Nurse or another medical professional. Finally, a Nurse Aide must be a cautious professional.

Is there any difference between a Nurse Aide and a Nursing Assistant?

There are no differences between a Nursing Assistant and a Nurse Aide. Both professionals work with registered nurses to provide basic medical care to patients. You can use either title when writing a job description for a position in your medical facility.

Can a Nurse Aide perform the duties of a Nurse in their work environment?

A Nurse Aide cannot perform all the duties of a Nurse. All Nurses must register with the regulatory body in their province or territory. However, a Nurse Aide does not need to have a licence from an organization or regulatory body. Unlike Nurse Aides, a Nurse has more training and can provide more medical care to patients. Also, a Nurse Aide must receive instructions from other medical personnel. However, a Nurse can provide basic medical procedures without direction.

Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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