Description
Support patient care and unit operations in a hospital under the direction of licensed nursing staff. Assist with basic activities of daily living, patient transport, room turnover, equipment setup, supply stocking, and routine observations and documentation. Maintain a clean, safe environment and communicate patient needs; perform limited clinical tasks as permitted by hospital policy.
- • Perform limited patient care procedures (e.g., non-sterile dressings, hot/cold packs) as directed and permitted.
- • Answer call lights or intercoms to identify patient needs.
- • Apply clean, non-sterile dressings, slings, stockings, or support devices as directed.
- • Assist nurses or physicians with equipment or patient care within scope.
- • Change bed linens and make occupied or unoccupied beds.
- • Clean and disinfect patient rooms, bathrooms, equipment, and common areas per protocol.
- • Collect noninvasive specimens (urine, stool, sputum) as instructed.
- • Engage patients to assess comfort, needs, and request for assistance or support.
- • Document and report observations, complaints, or symptoms to nursing staff.
- • Feed patients or assist with eating and drinking.
- • Receive and relay information from caregivers, nurses, or physicians about care plans or activities.
- • Measure and record intake and output, reporting changes.
- • Observe patients for signs needing attention (e.g., bruises, wounds, blood in urine) and notify staff.
- • Position or hold patients for procedures, exams, or surgical preparation.
- • Prepare or deliver meal trays and assist with setup.
- • Provide physical support for ADLs: getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, toileting, standing, walking, or exercise.
- • Record height and weight per unit standards.
- • Take and record vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respirations) as directed.
- • Remind patients of safety measures or care routines (e.g., call before rising, incentive spirometry) per nursing plan.
- • Restock rooms with hygiene items and linens.
- • Verify dietary restrictions, allergies, and preferences to ensure correct meals.
- • Set up basic patient care or testing equipment as directed.
- • Stock and issue medical supplies, kits, or treatment trays.
- • Provide, collect, and empty urinals and bedpans; measure outputs.
- • Transport patients by wheelchair, stretcher, or bed to procedures, tests, or units.
- • Turn and reposition bedridden patients per schedule and skin-care plan.
- • Assist with undressing, washing, and dressing patients unable to do so.
- • Wash, groom, shave, or drape patients to prepare for treatment or examination.
- • Assist with range-of-motion or mobility exercises as directed.
- • Reinforce basic instructions from clinicians and answer routine questions; escalate clinical concerns.
- • Lift or assist others to lift or move patients safely using transfers or mechanical aids.
- • Provide directions, visiting information, or status updates as appropriate to visitors or callers.
- • Transport specimens, lab materials, or pharmacy items with proper documentation and handoff.
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
