What is a nursing assistant?

A nursing assistant is a trained health-care worker who takes care of patients and assists them with their health-care needs. Also known as a patient care assistant, a nursing assistant works in a variety of settings including personal homes, hospitals, nursing homes, correctional institutions and assisted living homes.

An individual must be accredited as a nursing assistant in order to be considered for this position. A nursing assistant works under the administration of a nurse. His daily duties include assisting patients with daily tasks such as feeding, dressing, safety, making beds and bathing. Nursing assistants also keep the nurses who supervise them updated on their patients' statuses.