33102 – Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
Lead statement
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates assist nurses, hospital staff and physicians in the basic care of patients.
Main duties
- Answer call signals; supply and empty bed pans; bathe, dress and groom patients; serve meal trays, feed or assist in feeding of patients and assist patients with menu selection; weigh, lift, turn, and position patients; shave patients prior to operations; supervise patients' exercise routines, set up and provide leisure activities for patients, accompany patients on outside recreational activities and perform other duties related to patient care and comfort
- Take patients' blood pressure, temperature and pulse; report or record fluid intake and output; observe or monitor patients' status and document patient care on charts; collect specimens such as urine, faeces or sputum; administer suppositories, colonic irrigations and enemas and perform other procedures as directed by nursing and hospital staff
- Administer, in emergency situations, first aid to injured or ill individuals within the scope of competencies
- Transport patients by wheelchair or stretcher for treatment or surgery
- Carry messages, reports, requisitions and specimens between departments
- Make beds and maintain patients' rooms
- Maintain inventory of supplies
- May perform maintenance tasks such as assisting with the set-up and maintenance of traction equipment, cleaning or sterilizing equipment, maintaining and repairing equipment, and assembling, setting-up and operating job-related equipment
- May transport patients between care facilities.
Employment requirements
- Some secondary school education and on-the-job training ora personal support worker, nursing aide or health care aide college or private institutional program, or a college nursing orderly program and supervised practical training are required.
- Completion of specialized courses such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid is usually required.
- An appropriate class of driver's licence may be required for medical attendants.
Example job titles
nursing services aide · first aid attendant · first aid attendant - emergency · medical orderly · nursing orderly · orderly · environmental assistant - medical · environmental support person - medical · geriatric aide · health care assistant · hospice worker · hostel service aide - medical · institutional aide · patient service assistant · patient service associate · patient service aide · patient service attendant · patient service worker · personal care aide - medical · personal care provider - medical · personal support aide - medical · registered care aide · resident care aide - medical · resident companion - medical · respite care aide · service assistant - medical · service associate - medical · service attendant - medical · special care worker - medical · support services assistant - medical · unit aide - medical · ward aide - medical · unit assistant - medical · unit support technician - medical · patient care assistant · patient care associate · nursing assistant (non-registered) · emergency room aide · health care aide · hospital aide
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $19.00 | $24.00 | $28.84 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.00 | $18.00 | $25.00 |
| Nova Scotia | $17.91 | $23.00 | $25.18 |
| New Brunswick | $17.00 | $21.50 | $25.00 |
| Quebec | $20.00 | $25.10 | $27.92 |
| Ontario | $19.49 | $24.00 | $30.00 |
| Manitoba | $16.00 | $20.50 | $24.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $17.00 | $23.97 | $25.00 |
| Alberta | $19.00 | $22.55 | $26.46 |
| British Columbia | $22.37 | $27.89 | $29.83 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.