Nursing Assistants

Job Description

Nursing assistants provide basic care to patients under the direction of a nurse. Nursing assistants help patients eat and bathe. Nursing assistants may dress, groom or move patients. They give medications or treatments and answer patient calls, apply clean dressings or bandages under the direction of a nurse or physician.

Academic Requirements

In order to become a certified nursing assistant, individuals must enroll in a nursing assistant certificate program. These programs are short in duration and can be completed in as little as two months. Certification requires the completion of a state-sponsored training program followed by an exam.