How to hire orderlies
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 • Carry messages or documents between departments. • Change soiled linens, such as bed linens, drapes, or cubicle curtains. • Clean equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, or portable medical equipment, documenting needed repairs or maintenance. • Disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment. • Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers. • Respond to emergency situations, such as emergency medical calls, security calls, or fire alarms. • Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds. • Transport portable medical equipment or medical supplies between rooms or departments. 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: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong active listening 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 $18.41 an hour ($38,290 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for orderlies
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 carry messages or documents between departments. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to change soiled linens, such as bed linens, drapes, or cubicle curtains. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to clean equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, or portable medical equipment, documenting needed repairs or maintenance. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment. 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?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- 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 orderlies do
- Carry messages or documents between departments.
- Change soiled linens, such as bed linens, drapes, or cubicle curtains.
- Clean equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, or portable medical equipment, documenting needed repairs or maintenance.
- Disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment.
- Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.
- Respond to emergency situations, such as emergency medical calls, security calls, or fire alarms.
- Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.
- Transport portable medical equipment or medical supplies between rooms or departments.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for orderlies
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: None (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +4% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 7,200 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay orderlies
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| California | $49,920 |
| New York | $46,600 |
| Oregon | $45,120 |
| Colorado | $43,570 |
| Wisconsin | $41,380 |
| Kentucky | $35,260 |
| Tennessee | $31,840 |
| Louisiana | $27,330 |
See orderlies pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Nursing Assistants
- Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians
- Physical Therapist Aides
- Surgical Assistants
- Surgical Technologists
- Medical Assistants
- Psychiatric Aides
- Medical Equipment Preparers
- 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.