Special Offer 

Jumpstart your hiring with a $75 credit to sponsor your first job.*

Sponsored Jobs posted directly on Indeed with Urgently Hiring make a hire 5 days faster than non-sponsored jobs.**
  • Visibility for hard-to-fill roles through branding and urgently hiring
  • Instantly source candidates through matching to expedite your hiring
  • Access skilled candidates to cut down on mismatched hires

Nursing Assistant Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines
5 min read

A 119163696122cna83.26cna nursing assistant cna13.78nursing assistant12.76certified nursing assistant5.75caregiver3.61503704957617368.4520.5037.65HOURLY1356711832142025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Nursing Assistant, or a Nursing Aide, provides healthcare and support to patients in a medical facility. Their main duties include offering basic physical assistance to patients, feeding patients according to their dietary needs and recording vital signs.

119163696122cna83.26cna nursing assistant cna13.78nursing assistant12.76certified nursing assistant5.75caregiver3.61503704957617368.4520.5037.65HOURLY1356711832142025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Nursing Assistant duties and responsibilities

Text reads: "A day in the life of a nursing assistant: Providing basic physical assistance to patients, Feeding patients according to their dietary needs, Recording vital signs, Cleaning & bathing patients"

A Nursing Assistant has several duties and responsibilities that they learn through studies and experience. Since their job is to provide basic care for daily living of patients, their work consists of the following:

  • Help patients use the bathroom
  • Clean and bathe patients or residents
  • Maintain patients’ hygiene and change bedding
  • Turn, reposition and move patients between wheelchairs, seats and beds
  • Serve meals and help patients eat their food
  • Measure vital signs like blood pressure and temperature
  • Listen to patients regarding any health concerns they might have and report details to a Registered Nurse or Doctor

Hire your next Nursing Assistant today.

Build a job description

Hire your next Nursing Assistant today.

Build a job description
Close

Nursing Assistant Job Description Examples

Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines
Job Description Best Practices
Optimize your new and existing job descriptions to reach more candidates
Get the Guide

What does a Nursing Assistant do?

119163696122cna83.26cna nursing assistant cna13.78nursing assistant12.76certified nursing assistant5.75caregiver3.61503704957617368.4520.5037.65HOURLY1356711832142025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Nursing Assistants work in medical care facilities or in hospice environments to help Nurses in providing care to patients. They often help patients with basic daily activities, like dressing, bathing, standing or exercising. Nursing Assistants will typically work with Nurses and Physicians to determine a patient’s health issues and receive and follow a treatment plan to help the patients return to stable health.

They’re also responsible for taking note of the patient’s progress and recording their food and liquid intakes for the nursing staff to review. A Nurse evaluates these results and instructs the Nursing Assistant to follow their adjusted treatment plan for the patient.

Nursing Assistant skills and qualifications

There are certain skills and qualifications that are important to be a Nursing Assistant, including:

  • Excellent attention to detail
  • Great written and verbal communication
  • Ability to carefully read and follow directions
  • Flexibility in work duties and schedule
  • Good teamwork skills
  • Ability to lift and move patients
  • Good foundation of clinical skills and knowledge

Nursing Assistant salary expectations

A 119163696122cna83.26cna nursing assistant cna13.78nursing assistant12.76certified nursing assistant5.75caregiver3.61503704957617368.4520.5037.65HOURLY1356711832142025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Nursing Assistant makes an average of $14.02 per hour with an additional $4,500 per year in overtime pay. Pay rate may depend on level of experience, education and the geographical location.

Nursing Assistant salary expectations

2025-10-018.4520.5037.65HOURLY
  • Common salary: 20.50 HOURLY
  • Typical salaries range from 8.45 - 37.65 HOURLY
  • Find more information on Indeed Salaries

*Indeed data – 2025-10-01

Nursing Assistant education and training requirements

Nursing Assistants need to complete an accredited training program and pass a state-issued exam. In order to qualify for a training program, they need a high school diploma or GED. Programs can take one to four months to complete and involve classroom instruction and practical experience. Certified Nursing Assistants should be listed on the CNA registry.

119163696122cna83.26cna nursing assistant cna13.78nursing assistant12.76certified nursing assistant5.75caregiver3.61503704957617368.4520.5037.65HOURLY1356711832142025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Nursing Assistant experience requirements

Since being a Nursing Assistant is usually an entry-level job, they little to no prior experience. Graduates from certified nursing programs complete in-person training, so they have some experience. Some employers may prefer Nursing Assistants with at least one year of experience, especially if they need to work with special types of patients who need extra care. In most cases, Nursing Assistants receive on-the-job training from Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses until they feel comfortable enough to perform their responsibilities with little supervision.

Job description samples for similar positions

If you’re writing a job description for a related position to the 119163696122cna83.26cna nursing assistant cna13.78nursing assistant12.76certified nursing assistant5.75caregiver3.61503704957617368.4520.5037.65HOURLY1356711832142025-10-012025-10-312025-09-012025-09-302025-11-05Nursing Assistant, see our job descriptions for similar roles:

Job Description Best Practices
Optimize your new and existing job descriptions to reach more candidates
Get the Guide

Frequently asked questions about Nursing Assistants

Three individuals are sitting at a table with a laptop, a disposable coffee cup, notebooks, and a phone visible. Two are facing each other, while the third’s back is to the camera. The setting appears to be a bright room with large windows.

Hire your next Nursing Assistant today.

Build a job description

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.

No search results found