Description
Provide hands-on, non-licensed patient care and support under the direction of registered nurses in hospitals or healthcare facilities. Assist with activities of daily living, mobility, hygiene, observation, and comfort; obtain and record vital signs and intake/output; maintain a safe, clean environment; support clinical procedures and patient transport; and perform delegated tasks per facility policy.
- • Assist with delegated treatments (e.g., catheter care, enemas, irrigations, suppositories) per nurse direction.
- • Respond to call lights and intercoms to address patient needs.
- • Apply clean dressings, slings, or compression stockings as directed.
- • Assist nurses in operating basic equipment and delivering patient care.
- • Change bed linens and make occupied/unoccupied beds.
- • Clean and sanitize patient care areas and equipment per protocol.
- • Collect urine, stool, or sputum specimens per protocol.
- • Communicate with patients to identify needs and provide emotional support.
- • Document and report observations, symptoms, and patient concerns to nursing staff.
- • Assist patients with eating and drinking, including feeding when needed.
- • Receive and clarify care plans and activity orders from nursing staff.
- • Measure and record intake and output, reporting changes promptly.
- • Observe patients for changes (e.g., skin issues, bleeding, pain) and escalate concerns.
- • Position or hold patients for procedures or surgical preparation.
- • Prepare, deliver, and retrieve meal trays.
- • Assist with activities of daily living (bathing, toileting, dressing, grooming, mobility, exercise).
- • Obtain and document patient height and weight.
- • Obtain and document vital signs per protocol.
- • Remind patients to take medications or supplements as ordered.
- • Restock rooms and supply areas with hygiene and care items.
- • Verify diet orders, allergies, and preferences to ensure appropriate meals.
- • Set up basic care or monitoring equipment (e.g., oxygen delivery devices) as directed.
- • Stock and distribute medical supplies and treatment trays.
- • Provide, collect, and empty bedpans and urinals.
- • Transport patients via wheelchair, stretcher, or bed to tests, procedures, or units.
- • Turn and reposition patients to prevent skin injury.
- • Undress, bathe, and dress patients who need assistance.
- • Provide hygiene and grooming; prepare and drape patients for exams or procedures.
- • Assist with range-of-motion exercises and mobility as ordered.
- • Reinforce basic care instructions and safety precautions per nurse guidance.
- • Use safe lifting and transfer techniques and assist with patient moves.
- • Provide directions and general information to patients, families, and visitors; refer clinical questions to nurses.
- • Transport specimens, laboratory items, or medications with proper documentation to authorized personnel.
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Healthcare & Human Services
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Tasks & skills:
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
