Nursing Support Workers
Overview
Snapshot
Summary
Nursing Support Workers provide limited patient care under the direction of nursing staff.
Also known as: Assistant in Nursing.
Specialisations: Paramedical Aide.
Extensive experience or a formal qualification in health services assistance is needed to work as a Nursing Support Worker. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.
Tasks
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Assists patients with their personal care needs such as showering, dressing and eating.
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Assists patients with their mobility and communication needs.
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Participates in planning the care of individuals.
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Follows therapy plans such as interventions to assist those with dementia and behavioural problems.
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Observes and reports changes in patients' conditions, and reports complaints about care.
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Assists with rehabilitation exercises.
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Provides basic treatment and delivery of medications.
Characteristics
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Vocational Education and Training (VET)
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Informal or on-the-job
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Practical
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Administrative
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Helping
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Medium
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Heavy
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Very Heavy
Outlook
JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. Employment projections data are only produced for occupations at the broad four digit Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) level. While data are not available for this occupation, projections data are available for the parent occupation, Nursing Support and Personal Care Workers, under the outlook section.
Earnings and hours
Working arrangements
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Around 35% of people employed as Nursing Support Workers work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 31 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).
Full-time workers work an average of 43 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).
Sources:Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average.
Industries
Main industries
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Most Nursing Support Workers work in the Health care and social assistance industry.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report.
Regions
Employment across Australia
NSW
VIC
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
Employment by State and Territory (% Share)
State | Nursing Support Workers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
NSW | 54.0 | 31.6 |
VIC | 3.3 | 25.6 |
QLD | 32.1 | 20.0 |
SA | 1.1 | 7.0 |
WA | 7.6 | 10.8 |
TAS | 0.5 | 2.0 |
NT | 0.1 | 1.0 |
ACT | 1.2 | 1.9 |
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Around 51% of Nursing Support Workers live outside of capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 38%.
New South Wales and Queensland have a large share of employment relative to their population size.
The regions with the largest share of workers are:
- Sydney - Inner South West
- Sydney - Parramatta
- Gold Coast
- Newcastle and Lake Macquarie
- Sydney - Blacktown.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Worker profile
Age and gender
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The median age of Nursing Support Workers is 39 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.
A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.
Females make up 85% of the workforce. This is 37 percentage points above the all jobs average of 48%.
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.
Age Profile (% Share)
Age Bracket | Nursing Support Workers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
15-19 | 2.7 | 5.0 |
20-24 | 12.8 | 9.3 |
25-34 | 25.4 | 22.9 |
35-44 | 19.5 | 22.0 |
45-54 | 21.5 | 21.6 |
55-59 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
60-64 | 6.1 | 6.0 |
65 and Over | 2.4 | 4.2 |
Median Age | 39 | 40 |
Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Employment Pathways
Education, training and experience
Extensive experience or a formal qualification in health services assistance is needed to work as a Nursing Support Worker. Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university are both common study pathways.
Visit
- My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
- AAPathways website to explore Health Industry and Community Services VET training pathways.
Highest Level of Education (% Share)
Type of Qualification | Nursing Support Workers | All Jobs Average |
---|---|---|
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate | 3.5 | 10.1 |
Bachelor degree | 16.0 | 21.8 |
Advanced Diploma/Diploma | 16.2 | 11.6 |
Certificate III/IV | 42.0 | 21.1 |
Year 12 | 14.0 | 18.1 |
Year 11 | 1.4 | 4.8 |
Year 10 and below | 6.8 | 12.5 |
Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Skills and Knowledge
Employers look for Nursing Support and Personal Care Workers who are caring, compassionate, empathetic and physically fit with good people skills.
Skills
Skills can be improved through training or experience.
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50%
Serving othersLooking for ways to help people.
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46%
SpeakingTalking to others.
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45%
Social perceptivenessUnderstanding why people react the way they do.
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45%
Reading comprehensionReading work related information.
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43%
Active listeningListening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
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43%
MonitoringKeeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.
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43%
Critical thinkingThinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
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41%
Coordination with othersBeing adaptable and coordinating work with other people.
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39%
WritingWriting things for co-workers or customers.
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36%
Judgment and decision makingFiguring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.
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36%
Active learningBeing able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.
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36%
InstructingTeaching people how to do something.
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34%
Complex problem solvingNoticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
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32%
Time managementManaging your own and other peoples' time to get work done.
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32%
Learning strategiesFiguring out the best way to teach or learn something new.
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30%
PersuasionTalking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.
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29%
NegotiationBringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.
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29%
Management of personnel resourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.
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25%
MathematicsUsing maths to solve problems.
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23%
Operation monitoringWatching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Knowledge
These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.
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68%
Customer and personal serviceUnderstanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.
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62%
PsychologyHuman behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.
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48%
English languageEnglish language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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46%
Medicine and dentistryDiagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities, including preventive health-care measures.
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43%
Education and trainingCurriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
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37%
Public safety and securityUse of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.
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35%
Therapy and counsellingDiagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.
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31%
Computers and electronicsCircuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
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30%
ClericalWord processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.
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28%
Personnel and human resourcesRecruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.
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27%
Administration and managementBusiness principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.
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27%
Food productionPlanting, growing, and harvesting food (both plant and animal), including storage and handling.
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25%
TransportationMoving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.
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24%
MathematicsArithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.
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24%
Sales and marketingShowing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
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22%
Communications and mediaMedia production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.
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22%
Sociology and anthropologyGroup behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
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20%
ChemistryChemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.
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19%
Law and governmentHow our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.
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19%
TelecommunicationsTransmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Abilities
Workers use these physical and mental abilities..
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52%
Oral comprehensionListen to and understand what people say.
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52%
Oral expressionCommunicate by speaking.
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48%
Problem spottingNotice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.
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48%
Static strengthLift, push, pull, or carry things.
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46%
Near visionSee details that are up-close (within a few feet).
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46%
Speech recognitionIdentify and understand the speech of another person.
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43%
Speech claritySpeak clearly so others can understand you.
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43%
Deductive reasoningUse general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.
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43%
Trunk strengthUse your abdominal and lower back muscles a number of times without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
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41%
Written comprehensionRead and understand written information.
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41%
Arm-hand steadinessKeep your hand or arm steady.
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41%
Inductive reasoningUse lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.
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41%
Sorting or orderingOrder or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
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39%
CategorisingCome up with different ways of grouping things.
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39%
Extent flexibilityBend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
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39%
Finger dexterityPut together small parts with your fingers.
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39%
Far visionSee details that are far away.
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37%
StaminaExercise for a long time without getting winded or out of breath.
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36%
Written expressionWrite in a way that people can understand.
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36%
Manual dexterityQuickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Activities
These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.
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75%
Looking for changes over timeComparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.
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71%
Monitoring people, processes and thingsChecking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.
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63%
Helping and caring for othersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, or emotional support.
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62%
Building good relationshipsBuilding good working relationships and keeping them over time.
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56%
Communicating within a teamGiving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.
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56%
Planning and prioritising workDeciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.
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52%
Handling and moving objectsUsing hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, moving and manipulating objects.
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49%
Making decisions and solving problemsUsing information to work out the best solution and solve problems.
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48%
Researching and investigatingLooking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.
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46%
Checking compliance with standardsDeciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
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45%
Assessing and evaluating thingsWorking out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.
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43%
Doing physically active workUse your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.
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42%
Negotiating and resolving conflictsHandling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.
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42%
Training and teaching othersUnderstanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.
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42%
Coaching and developing othersWorking out the needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or helping them to improve.
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42%
Documenting or recording informationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
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40%
Checking for errors or defectsInspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.
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39%
Coordinating the work of a teamGetting members of a group to work together to finish a task.
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38%
Explaining things to peopleHelping people to understand and use information.
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29%
Leading and encouraging a teamEncouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Interests and demands
Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.
Interests
Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.
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95%
HelpingWorking with people. Helping or providing service to others.
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81%
AdministrativeFollowing set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.
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62%
PracticalPractical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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24%
AnalyticalIdeas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.
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24%
EnterprisingStarting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.
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19%
CreativeWorking with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.
Values
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81%
RelationshipsServe and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.
-
67%
SupportSupportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.
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45%
Working conditionsJob security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.
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43%
AchievementResults oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
-
33%
IndependenceWork alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.
-
33%
RecognitionAdvancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.
Demands
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94%
Face-to-face discussionsTalk with people face-to-face.
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93%
Physically close to peopleWork physically close to other people.
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91%
Contact with peopleHave contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.
-
90%
TeamworkWork with people in a group or team.
-
88%
Walking and runningSpend time walking and running.
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88%
Wear common protective or safety equipmentWear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.
-
86%
Disease or infectionBe exposed to disease or infections.
-
86%
Spend time standingSpend time standing at work.
-
83%
Health and safety of othersTake responsibility for the health and safety of others.
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82%
Indoors, heat controlledWork indoors with access to heating or cooling.
-
80%
TelephoneTalk on the telephone.
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78%
Frequent decision makingFrequently make decisions that impact other people.
-
77%
Being exact or accurateBe very exact or highly accurate.
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76%
Bending or twisting your bodySpend time bending or twisting your body.
-
76%
Impact of decisionsMake decisions that have a large impact on other people.
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76%
Unstructured workHave freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.
-
75%
Letters and memosWrite letters and memos.
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74%
Lead or coordinate a teamLead others to do work activities.
-
72%
Time pressureWork to strict deadlines.
-
70%
Making repetitive motionsSpend time making repetitive motions.
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 31-1014.00 - Nursing Assistants.
Links and downloads
Research and reports
The Skills Priority List provides a current labour market rating and a future demand rating for nearly 800 occupations nationally. Current labour market ratings are available for occupations at a state and territory level.
Downloads
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Occupation profiles data are available for download.
The Employment Projections are available for download.