How to become a nursing assistant
Help nurses to provide patients with direct support and services in health and community centres and environments.
What does a nursing assistant do?
Nursing assistants help nurses provide patients with support and services in health and community centre environments. They are understanding and helpful with patients and able to perform a variety of functions and services.Duties and tasks
- Provide specialised care and treatment for elderly, mental health patients and patients with disabilities.
- Assist nurses, doctors, physical and occupational therapists in treatments and rehabilitation movements while treating patients.
- Assist patients with personal requests to ensure they are comfortable and to minimise pain or discomfort.
- Collaborate with nurses to understand individual patient circumstances and plan for recovery.
- Help patients perform basic activities such as eating, showering and changing in hospitals, doctors offices, residential care and convalescent homes.
- Monitor patients and notify nurses and doctors of patients development and reaction to treatments and medications.
- Provide routine sterilisation and cleaning of patient rooms, linens and garments and maintain personal cleanliness and sterilisation to prevent infections from spreading.
Industry bodies
- Carers Australia
- The Australian Healthcare and Hospital Association
- Allied Health Professionals Australia
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