These healthcare workers assist in the care for the ill or injured by practicing basic nursing skills and providing personal care.  They perform patient care under the supervision of registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses.  They have a broad range of duties including bathing, walking patients, feeding patients, making beds, assisting patients in and out of bed, dressing and shaving patients.  They may provide skin care to patients who are in danger of skin breakdown due to immobility.  Aides also play an important role in observing patient’s physical, mental and emotional well-being. 

Work Environment
Nurse’s aides may work in long-term care facilities where they provide most of the care for patients. They may also work in hospitals, doctors’ offices, health departments and home health care agencies. Some duties may be considered unpleasant such as emptying bedpans and changing soiled linens, but all contribute to overall patient care. Nurse’s aides also come in contact with patients who may also be uncooperative or disoriented. Nurse’s aide positions are often considered a building block to other careers in nursing, but can be a rewarding career in and of themselves.