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First aid nurse vs registered nursing assistant

The differences between first aid nurses and registered nursing assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a first aid nurse and a registered nursing assistant. Additionally, a registered nursing assistant has an average salary of $50,644, which is higher than the $30,521 average annual salary of a first aid nurse.

The top three skills for a first aid nurse include first-aid, EMT and emergency situations. The most important skills for a registered nursing assistant are patients, BLS, and surgery.

First aid nurse vs registered nursing assistant overview

First Aid NurseRegistered Nursing Assistant
Yearly salary$30,521$50,644
Hourly rate$14.67$24.35
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs34,701231,224
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Associate Degree, 38%
Average age4242
Years of experience33

First aid nurse vs registered nursing assistant salary

First aid nurses and registered nursing assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

First Aid NurseRegistered Nursing Assistant
Average salary$30,521$50,644
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $44,000Between $31,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City-Kaneohe, HI
Highest paying state-Hawaii
Best paying company-Huntington Hospital
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between first aid nurse and registered nursing assistant education

There are a few differences between a first aid nurse and a registered nursing assistant in terms of educational background:

First Aid NurseRegistered Nursing Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Associate Degree, 38%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common college--

First aid nurse vs registered nursing assistant demographics

Here are the differences between first aid nurses' and registered nursing assistants' demographics:

First Aid NurseRegistered Nursing Assistant
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 35.0% Female, 65.0%Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 7.5% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between first aid nurse and registered nursing assistant duties and responsibilities

First aid nurse example responsibilities.

  • Graduate from EMT training class.
  • Participate as a first aid responder during football and basketball games.
  • Work with the local fire department and EMT teams to provide first aid for the local community.
  • Volunteer for numerous public duties, including concerts and sporting events, as part of a first responder team
  • Set up rooms with suctioning device, temperature probe, pressure cuff, EKG, and respiratory monitoring for new admissions.
  • Educate students and professionals on the importance and techniques of providing CPR and first aid to those experiencing a medical emergency.
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Registered nursing assistant example responsibilities.

  • Train in Phlebotomy, CPR, EKG, blood draws and train new staff.
  • Provide ACLS care to patients.
  • Learned how to use a Hoyer lift, sit-to-stand, and automatic blood pressure machine.
  • Select to train new staff in resident care, resulting in more team cohesion/increas collaboration and compassion for residents.
  • Maintain strict monitoring, diagnosis, and troubleshooting of specialize hemodialysis equipment to ensure patient safety.
  • Provide one-on-one rehabilitative physical therapy care to geriatric, orthopedic, and neurological cases in a home healthcare setting.
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First aid nurse vs registered nursing assistant skills

Common first aid nurse skills
  • First-Aid, 32%
  • EMT, 10%
  • Emergency Situations, 8%
  • BLS, 6%
  • Patient Care, 5%
  • Safety Equipment, 5%
Common registered nursing assistant skills
  • Patients, 20%
  • BLS, 12%
  • Surgery, 7%
  • Quality Care, 5%
  • Home Health, 4%
  • CPR, 4%

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