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The differences between nursing attendants and nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-3 months to become a nursing attendant, becoming a nurse takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a nurse has an average salary of $57,564, which is higher than the $30,630 average annual salary of a nursing attendant.
The top three skills for a nursing attendant include patients, vital signs and blood pressure. The most important skills for a nurse are patients, home health, and CPR.
| Nursing Attendant | Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $30,630 | $57,564 |
| Hourly rate | $14.73 | $27.68 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 192,622 | 696,124 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 2 |
Also called a nursing aide, a nursing attendant provides fundamental patient care in residents and hospitals of long-term care facilities. Nursing attendants are supervised by registered nurses and follow physician or registered nurses' care instructions. The attendants monitor important signs and dispense medication, which depends on the experience level and the environment. They should have a good foundation of clinical knowledge and skills. Among the other skills for this job include attention to detail, good teamwork, work schedules and duties flexibility, and great verbal and written communication.
Nurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor. Nurses should ensure that patients follow the medical advice given to them. They also assist patients in completing administrative requirements, such as filling out forms, validating details, and endorsing payments.
Nursing attendants and nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Nursing Attendant | Nurse | |
| Average salary | $30,630 | $57,564 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $47,000 | Between $38,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Conviva |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a nursing attendant and a nurse in terms of educational background:
| Nursing Attendant | Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | Duke University |
Here are the differences between nursing attendants' and nurses' demographics:
| Nursing Attendant | Nurse | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% | Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 6.9% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 9% |