How to become a nurse aide, orderly or patient service associate
Official title: Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
Also called: Orderly, Nurse aide, Medical aide, Hospital aide, Surgical aide, Geriatric aide, Medical orderly, Nursing orderly, Health care aide, Hospital orderly, Psychiatric aide, Patient care aide
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates assist nurses, hospital staff and physicians in the basic care of patients. They are employed in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted care facilities for the elderly and other health care establishments. Emergency medical care attendant are employed by private ambulance services, urgent care centers or other health facilities.
Main tasks
- 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
How to become one
Some secondary school education and on-the-job training or a 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.
Ways in
- College or CEGEP: College or CEGEP program. 41% of workers hold a college or other non-degree diploma (Census 2021). Common fields: Health aides/attendants/orderlies; Registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research and clinical nursing; General health services/allied health/health sciences.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $46,800 a year The middle half earn $40,950 to $50,817.
- About 296,900 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 382,000 are projected by 2033. (+28.7%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: strong risk of shortage.
Related jobs
- Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants
- Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations
- Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants
- Other assisting occupations in support of health services
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Questions people ask
How do I become a nurse aide, orderly or patient service associate?
Some secondary school education and on-the-job training or a 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.
How much does a nurse aide, orderly or patient service associate earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $46,800 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $40,950 to $50,817.
Is a nurse aide, orderly or patient service associate a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 29% by 2033, from about 296,900 to about 382,000 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a nurse aide, orderly or patient service associate?
Usually not. Only 18% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: College or CEGEP program.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03