How To Become An Inpatient Nursing Aide: What It Is and Career Path

What is an inpatient nursing aide and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Shanna Chapman DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, APRN

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an inpatient nursing aide. For example, did you know that they make an average of $19.98 an hour? That's $41,560 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 9% and produce 137,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to an inpatient nursing aide?

Shanna Chapman DNP, FNP-C, FAANP, APRN

Director of Nursing Programs, Website

People like being a nursing assistant for a lot of reasons similar to those listed in #2. It is rewarding and gives the nursing assistant a sense of purpose. It gives them the opportunity to directly impact patients. There is a large variety of settings that the nursing assistant can choose to work in and there is definitely job stability. There is a high demand that will not be dissolving with an increase in the baby boomer population into geriatrics. There is opportunity for the knowledge gained to be utilized if the nursing assistant wants to go to nursing school and a lot of nurses will use it as a stepping stone to learn. The dislikes about being a nursing assistant is that it can be mentally and physically challenging. Some facilities may work shorthanded causing the nursing assistant to have higher patient loads resulting in stress as well as physically challenging. I also recommend that nursing assistants do their research on the facility before applying for a job. Make sure that the facility expectations, mission, and values are congruent with the nursing assistant's personal beliefs.

ScoreInpatient Nursing AideUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $41,560

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.5

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

10.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.98%

Asian 7.55%

Black or African American 10.74%

Hispanic or Latino 13.14%

Unknown 5.17%

White 62.42%

Gender

female 85.03%

male 14.97%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

8.5

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an inpatient nursing aide

Explore inpatient nursing aide education requirements

Most common inpatient nursing aide degrees

Bachelor's

41.3 %

Associate

41.1 %

Master's

8.8 %

Start to develop specific inpatient nursing aide skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	44.90%
CPR	10.43%
Compassion	7.92%
Quality Care	4.06%
Infection Control	3.47%

Complete relevant inpatient nursing aide training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New inpatient nursing aides learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an inpatient nursing aide based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real inpatient nursing aide resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming an licensed inpatient nursing aide usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed inpatient nursing aide in most of states. 25 states require inpatient nursing aides to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License url
Alaska	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse Aide
Arkansas	Specific course required	Both state and third-party exams required	Nursing Assistant (Certified)
California	Specific course required	State exam required	Certified Nurse Assistant
Colorado	Specific course required	State exam required	Nurse Aide
Connecticut	Specific course required	State exam required	Nurses Aide

Research inpatient nursing aide duties and responsibilities

Assess patients in active withdrawal and provide interventions to manage physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms.
Perform EKG's, blood draws, prescription refills and assist the doctors with procedures.
Perform bone marrow biopsies, lumbar punctures, ommaya reservoir taps, and administer intrathecal chemotherapy.
Work as an RN floating amongst 3 inpatient units: rehabilitation, comprehensive, and ventilator units.

Prepare your inpatient nursing aide resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your inpatient nursing aide resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an inpatient nursing aide resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable inpatient nursing aide resume templates

Build a professional inpatient nursing aide resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your inpatient nursing aide resume.

Apply for inpatient nursing aide jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an inpatient nursing aide job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do inpatient nursing aides rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Inpatient nursing aide reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2023

Pros

Very fulfilling and rewarding

Cons

Hard work, not enough staff, mandated a lot. Under appreciated!

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022

Cons

All the changes with certification and how you can be on the floor of a facility and know not even common sense. How they have hospitality aides, hca, and people going to start a free class. Back in the day we were called glorified babysitters I never agreed until we have just a warm body with no license(s) whom can't do anything even as small as getting ice waters. I've worked hard tobe where i am and these people take a computer class and pass we would call that our continuing education hrs but what do i know after 23 yrs. I once REALLY loved my job and still do but it's almost like being in grade school with people who have phone's lol It bothers me that many new or non licensed bodies have the audacity to come in these facilities and act like the residents are on their time! We are in their home to help provide ADL's amongst other things like them still trying to be & keep their independence. The ridiculous amount they have to spend to have the care they get from some people makes me wanna die young!! Our system sucks unless its the government making the dollar. I just wish they'd spend an 8 hr shift in these facilities before signing off on some rules & regs. Im not political by any means but those who take the dollar should get to live and experience a day of what our elderly lived ones are forced to experience daily , monthly, yearly! In fact the state hasn't even done the 18 month annual expectation in over 2 yrs at the place im contracted at 👍way to keep up on stuff and by stuff I mean our elderly living human beans. People who deserve to be served on gold plates or at least gave better food then what they serve daycares and if not that at least for it to be at high minimum warm food !! In 23 yrs of being a CNA I can only try to write a book to get out all the things I've seen ,heard. & witnessed in the years.

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2021

Cons

For profits places, that understaffed under schedule, Nursing staff, do not provide proper equipment nor keep it in repair. Do not allow staff breaks lock the bathrooms, do not even give lunch breaks, Call you on your C phone when you are changing a diaper from in side the ward to tell you to go help another ward. No between shift report. not providing the names of R.N. or L.V.N. to changes in Clients conditions. I have worked as a L.N.A. I love my choice for a career But due to the conditions of Phoenix Arizona facilities I will not be looking for a job in the field. You have to go to an add agency to find a job, Some jobs have wonderful advertisement and then after two week you learn what they are really like .Not Good All they care about is profit. no dignity no respect for pat6ients,clints or staff. I pray to god there are some good places in or around Phoenix Arizona I have not found one yet and the agency are not very honest. God Bless the Clients in their care keep them safe and healthy

What is an inpatient nursing aide and how to become one

What general advice would you give to an inpatient nursing aide?

Inpatient nursing aide career paths

Key steps to become an inpatient nursing aide

Explore inpatient nursing aide education requirements

Most common inpatient nursing aide degrees

Start to develop specific inpatient nursing aide skills

Complete relevant inpatient nursing aide training and internships

Obtain the necessary licensing

Research inpatient nursing aide duties and responsibilities

Prepare your inpatient nursing aide resume

Choose from 10+ customizable inpatient nursing aide resume templates

Apply for inpatient nursing aide jobs

How did you land your first inpatient nursing aide job

Average inpatient nursing aide salary

How do inpatient nursing aides rate their job?

Inpatient nursing aide reviews