How to hire nursing assistants
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs. • Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses. • Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink. • Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff. • Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising. • Remind patients to take medications or nutritional supplements. • Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet. • Turn or reposition bedridden patients. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Postsecondary nondegree award] • Strong active listening, monitoring, critical thinking, reading comprehension and speaking skills • Working knowledge of customer and personal service • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $20.32 an hour ($42,260 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for nursing assistants
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What nursing assistants do
- Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.
- Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
- Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink.
- Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff.
- Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
- Remind patients to take medications or nutritional supplements.
- Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet.
- Turn or reposition bedridden patients.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for nursing assistants
- Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 3 months (O*NET)
- Job outlook: +2.6% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 196,200 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay nursing assistants
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $49,830 |
| Washington | $49,180 |
| New York | $48,590 |
| New Hampshire | $47,870 |
| District of Columbia | $47,700 |
| Alabama | $34,140 |
| Mississippi | $31,520 |
| Louisiana | $30,510 |
See nursing assistants pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Paramedics
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Registered Nurses
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Psychiatric Aides
- Surgical Assistants
- Medical Assistants
- Physical Therapist Aides
- Nurse Practitioners
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.