Care for ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled persons in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group homes, and similar institutions. May work under the supervision of a registered nurse . Licensing required.

Observe patients, charting and reporting changes in patients' conditions, such as adverse reactions to medication or treatment, and taking any necessary action. Administer prescribed medications or start intravenous fluids, and note times and amounts on patients' charts. Answer patients' calls and determine how to assist them. Measure and record patients' vital signs, such as height, weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiration. Provide basic patient care and treatments, such as taking temperatures and blood pressure, dressing wounds, treating bedsores, giving enemas, douches, alcohol rubs, and massages, or performing catheterizations. Help patients with bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, moving in bed, and standing and walking. Supervise nurses' aides and assistants. Work as part of a health care team to assess patient needs, plan and modify care and implement interventions. Record food and fluid intake and output. Evaluate nursing intervention outcomes, conferring with other health-care team members as necessary. Assemble and use equipment such as catheters, tracheotomy tubes, and oxygen suppliers. Collect samples such as blood, urine and sputum from patients, and perform routine laboratory tests on samples. Prepare patients for examinations, tests and treatments and explain procedures. Prepare food trays and examine them for conformance to prescribed diet. Apply compresses, ice bags, and hot water bottles. Clean rooms and make beds. Inventory and requisition supplies and instruments. Provide medical treatment and personal care to patients in private home settings, such as cooking, keeping rooms orderly, seeing that patients are comfortable and in good spirits, and instructing family members in simple nursing tasks. Sterilize equipment and supplies, using germicides, sterilizer, or autoclave. Assist in delivery, care, and feeding of infants. Wash and dress bodies of deceased persons. Make appointments, keep records and perform other clerical duties in doctors' offices and clinics. Set up equipment and prepare medical treatment rooms.

English Language -- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. Medicine and Dentistry -- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures. Customer and Personal Service -- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. Therapy and Counseling -- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance. Education and Training -- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. Psychology -- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. Mathematics -- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. Public Safety and Security -- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions. Administration and Management -- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. Chemistry -- Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Active Listening -- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Reading Comprehension -- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Time Management -- Managing one's own time and the time of others. Writing -- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. Monitoring -- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. Critical Thinking -- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Speaking -- Talking to others to convey information effectively. Service Orientation -- Actively looking for ways to help people. Judgment and Decision Making -- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. Active Learning -- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Oral Comprehension -- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Problem Sensitivity -- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. Oral Expression -- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Deductive Reasoning -- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. Information Ordering -- The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). Inductive Reasoning -- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). Speech Clarity -- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. Near Vision -- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). Written Expression -- The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. Speech Recognition -- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Documenting/Recording Information -- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. Assisting and Caring for Others -- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. Making Decisions and Solving Problems -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge -- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work -- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. Getting Information -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates -- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings -- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards -- Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events -- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.