What Do Patient Care Assistants Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for patient care assistants?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what patient care assistants do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Patient Care Assistants Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about patient care assistants by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Patient Care Assistants provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks. Includes nursing care attendants, nursing aides, and nursing attendants.
Popular Job Titles For Patient Care Assistants
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Certified Nursing Assistants
- Nursing Assistants
- State Tested Nursing Assistants
- Certified Nursing Assistants/Home Health Aides
- Certified Nurse Aides/Certified Nursing Assistants
- Nurse Aides
- Medication Aides
- Medication Technicians
- Certified Nurse Aides
- Hospice Certified Nursing Assistants
- Certified Medication Aides/Certified Medical Assistants
- Qualified Medication Aides
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for patient care assistants can be found.
Best Industries for Patient Care Assistants
Patient Care Assistants Jobs By Industry
- Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities): 33.5%
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: 25.3%
- Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly: 10.7%
- Home Health Care Services: 5.9%
- Employment Services: 4%
- Education and Hospitals (Local Government): 3.7%
- Other: 16.9%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of patient care assistants can be found working in the Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) sector. In 2023, about 33.5% of all jobs for patient care assistants were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (25.3%), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (10.7%), Home Health Care Services (5.9%), Employment Services (4%) and Education and Hospitals (Local Government) (3.7%).
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Patient Care Assistants
Build on your nursing knowledge and experiences with our online degree-completion program.
- Class Type: Online coursework
- Cost Per Credit: $398
- Accreditation: CCNE
Certificates & Microcredentials for Patient Care Assistants
Learn to help diagnose and test for cardiovascular issues in this online, comprehensive program that prepares you for the Certified EKG Technician (CET) exam through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
- Class Type: 100% Online
- Time To Complete: 2-3 months
- Cost: $2,000
- Class Type: 100% Online
- Time To Complete: 5-6 months
- Cost: $4,000
- Class Type: 100% Online
- Time To Complete: 4-5 months
- Cost: $4,000
- Class Type: 100% Online
- Time To Complete: 3-4 months
- Cost: $4,000
What Do Patient Care Assistants Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what patient care assistants do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work patient care assistants do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that patient care assistants tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for patient care assistants, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Patient Care Assistants
Based on 318,773 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Patient Care Assistants
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 168,064 | 53% |
| Activities Of Daily Living (ADLs) | 88,616 | 28% |
| Vital Signs | 86,577 | 27% |
| Personal Care | 55,803 | 18% |
| Toileting | 50,422 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Patient Care Assistants
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 71,205 | 22% |
| English Language | 33,906 | 11% |
| Customer Service | 28,957 | 9% |
| Compassion | 25,854 | 8% |
| Management | 21,902 | 7% |
Based on 318,773 job postings related to patient care assistants, nursing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 53% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for activities of daily living (adls), vital signs, personal care, toileting and nursing care were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for patient care assistants, followed by english language, customer service, compassion, management and clerical works.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | 168,064 | 53% |
| Activities Of Daily Living (ADLs) | 88,616 | 28% |
| Vital Signs | 86,577 | 27% |
| Personal Care | 55,803 | 18% |
| Toileting | 50,422 | 16% |
| Nursing Care | 43,194 | 14% |
| Patient Assistance | 39,223 | 12% |
| Housekeeping | 31,641 | 10% |
| Caregiving | 30,452 | 10% |
| Infection Control | 30,051 | 9% |
| Oral Hygiene | 28,046 | 9% |
| Long-Term Care | 26,927 | 8% |
| Home Health Care | 26,823 | 8% |
| Medication Administration | 23,840 | 7% |
| Blood Pressure | 20,516 | 6% |
| Direct Patient Care | 20,376 | 6% |
| Medical Records | 20,044 | 6% |
| Basic Patient Care | 19,818 | 6% |
| Linens | 18,702 | 6% |
| Nail Care | 18,617 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 71,205 | 22% |
| English Language | 33,906 | 11% |
| Customer Service | 28,957 | 9% |
| Compassion | 25,854 | 8% |
| Management | 21,902 | 7% |
| Clerical Works | 20,259 | 6% |
| Lifting Ability | 19,508 | 6% |
| Computer Literacy | 18,557 | 6% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 15,725 | 5% |
| Professionalism | 15,306 | 5% |
| Writing | 13,210 | 4% |
| Detail Oriented | 12,654 | 4% |
| Teamwork | 11,702 | 4% |
| Organizational Skills | 10,496 | 3% |
| Problem Solving | 10,182 | 3% |
| Cleanliness | 10,166 | 3% |
| Tactfulness | 9,883 | 3% |
| Time Management | 9,325 | 3% |
| Leadership | 9,111 | 3% |
| Operations | 8,874 | 3% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Patient Care Assistants
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Nursing Assistants | 365,044 | 52.7% |
| Nursing Assistants | 53,674 | 7.7% |
| State Tested Nursing Assistants | 32,761 | 4.7% |
| Certified Nursing Assistants/Home Health Aides | 20,688 | 3% |
| Certified Nurse Aides/Certified Nursing Assistants | 22,815 | 3.3% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was certified nursing assistants, with 87,275 unique job postings. Nursing assistants were second, with 8,376 postings, followed by state tested nursing assistants, certified nursing assistants/home health aides and certified nurse aides/certified nursing assistants.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to patient care assistants.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Nursing Assistants | 365,044 | 52.7% |
| Nursing Assistants | 53,674 | 7.7% |
| State Tested Nursing Assistants | 32,761 | 4.7% |
| Certified Nursing Assistants/Home Health Aides | 20,688 | 3% |
| Certified Nurse Aides/Certified Nursing Assistants | 22,815 | 3.3% |
| Nurse Aides | 22,894 | 3.3% |
| Medication Aides | 21,403 | 3.1% |
| Medication Technicians | 18,310 | 2.6% |
| Certified Nurse Aides | 17,083 | 2.5% |
| Hospice Certified Nursing Assistants | 12,762 | 1.8% |
| Certified Medication Aides/Certified Medical Assistants | 15,142 | 2.2% |
| Qualified Medication Aides | 13,121 | 1.9% |
| Hiring Managers | 17,655 | 2.5% |
| Geriatric Nursing Assistants | 10,434 | 1.5% |
| Caregivers/Certified Nursing Assistants | 8,717 | 1.3% |
| Certified Medication Aides | 9,689 | 1.4% |
| Patient Care Associates | 10,748 | 1.6% |
| Medical Surgical Registered Nurses | 7,966 | 1.1% |
| Certified Medication Technicians | 6,726 | 1% |
| Home Health Aides/Personal Care Aides | 5,396 | 0.8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for patient care assistants? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for patient care assistants.
How much do patient care assistants make?
Patient Care Assistants: How do you become one?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.