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The differences between geriatric nursing assistants and nurses' aides can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a geriatric nursing assistant and a nurses' aide. Additionally, a geriatric nursing assistant has an average salary of $34,595, which is higher than the $30,496 average annual salary of a nurses' aide.
The top three skills for a geriatric nursing assistant include patients, rehabilitation and vital signs. The most important skills for a nurses' aide are patients, vital signs, and electrocardiogram.
| Geriatric Nursing Assistant | Nurses' Aide | |
| Yearly salary | $34,595 | $30,496 |
| Hourly rate | $16.63 | $14.66 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 137,681 | 157,723 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 23% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 3 |
A geriatric nursing assistant is responsible for assisting elderly patients with their daily activities in a health care institution or private household setting. Geriatric nursing assistants monitor the patients' conditions, maintain an organized record of medical charts, administer medications, and update the attending physician for any health concerns. They also guide the patients with their doctor appointments, process medical documents, and coordinate with medical staff for medical procedures and payments. A geriatric nursing assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills to ensure high-quality care services for the patients and help them improve their lifestyle.
A nurses' aide is responsible for providing healthcare and welfare assistance to patients in long-term care facilities while under the supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed colleague with extensive expertise. A nurses' aide is mostly involved in basic hygienic tasks, such as helping a patient in bathing and dressing, using the toilet, preparing meals, feeding, and performing basic chores. It is also vital for a nurses' aide to coordinate with supervisors, reporting any changes in a patients' condition or behavior.
Geriatric nursing assistants and nurses' aides have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Geriatric Nursing Assistant | Nurses' Aide | |
| Average salary | $34,595 | $30,496 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $46,000 | Between $23,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a geriatric nursing assistant and a nurses' aide in terms of educational background:
| Geriatric Nursing Assistant | Nurses' Aide | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 23% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between geriatric nursing assistants' and nurses' aides' demographics:
| Geriatric Nursing Assistant | Nurses' Aide | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.4% Female, 86.6% | Male, 13.2% Female, 86.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 20.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 9.2% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.3% Asian, 7.6% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |