BlissPoint Analytics

Occupation AtlasOrderlies

O*NET · 31-1132.00

Orderlies

Transport patients to areas such as operating rooms or x-ray rooms using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds. May maintain stocks of supplies or clean and transport equipment. Psychiatric orderlies are included in Psychiatric Aides.

Also called Attendant · Cart Attendant · Clinical Support Associate · Emergency Room Orderly · Hospice Entrance Attendant · Hospital Corpsman · Hospital Orderly · Infirmary Attendant
39 more

Institutional Aide · Medical Orderly · Medical Transporter · New Patient Escort · Operating Room Aide · Operating Room Assistant · Operating Room Orderly · Orderly · Patient Care Assistant (PCA) · Patient Care Associate · Patient Care Technician (PCT) · Patient Escort · Patient Observer · Patient Safety Attendant · Patient Sitter · Patient Transport Aide · Patient Transport Orderly · Patient Transporter · PCA · PCT · PCT PRN · PCT PRN (Patient Care Technician Pro Re Nata) · Psychiatric Orderly · Radiology Aide · Radiology Orderly · Radiology Transporter · Security Orderly · Surgical Orderly · Transport Aide · Transport Tech · Transport Technician (Transport Tech) · Transportation Aide · Transporter · Transporter PRN · Transporter PRN (Transporter Pro Re Nata) · Ward Aide · Ward Assistant · Ward Attendant · Ward Helper

Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCS35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Funeral Attendants

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCSRealistic · Conventional · Social — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic5.42
  • C Conventional4.84
  • S Social4.17
  • I Investigative2.05
  • E Enterprising1.19
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Less than a High School Diploma7%
  • High School Diploma or the equivalent89%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate4%
Related work experience
None (58%)
On-site or in-plant training
Up to and including 1 month (60%)
On-the-job training
Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month (64%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Service Orientation3.42.6Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Social Perceptiveness3.42.5Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Active Listeningbasic3.12.5Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Speakingbasic3.02.1Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Coordination2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Critical Thinkingbasic2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Writingbasic2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Monitoringbasic2.62.0Level 2 looks like: Proofread and correct a letter
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.61.6Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Time Management2.52.1Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.52.0Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Negotiation2.41.6Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
Show the other 23

Tasks

8 core · 14 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Lift or assist others to lift patients to move them on or off beds, examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers.4.8
  2. Clean equipment, such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, or portable medical equipment, documenting needed repairs or maintenance.4.7
  3. Disinfect or sterilize equipment or supplies, using germicides or sterilizing equipment.4.7
  4. Transport patients to treatment units, testing units, operating rooms, or other areas, using wheelchairs, stretchers, or moveable beds.4.7
  5. Change soiled linens, such as bed linens, drapes, or cubicle curtains.4.3
  6. Respond to emergency situations, such as emergency medical calls, security calls, or fire alarms.4.3
  7. Carry messages or documents between departments.4.1
  8. Transport portable medical equipment or medical supplies between rooms or departments.3.9
Show the other 14
  1. Clean and sanitize patient rooms, bathrooms, examination rooms, or other patient areas.4.3
  2. Collect and transport infectious or hazardous waste in closed containers for sterilization or disposal, in accordance with applicable law, standards, or policies.4.3
  3. Transport specimens, laboratory items, or pharmacy items, ensuring proper documentation and delivery to authorized personnel.4.3
  4. Collect soiled linen or trash.4.2
  5. Restrain patients to prevent violence or injury or to assist physicians or nurses to administer treatments.4.2
  6. Provide physical support to patients to assist them to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.4.2
  7. Separate collected materials for disposal, recycling, or reuse, in accordance with environmental policies.4.2
  8. Turn or reposition bedridden patients, alone or with assistance, to prevent bedsores.4.1
  9. Position or hold patients in position for surgical preparation.3.9
  10. Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.3.8
  11. Stock or issue medical supplies, such as dressing packs or treatment trays.3.8
  12. Stock utility rooms, nonmedical storage rooms, or cleaning carts with supplies.3.8
  13. Transport bodies to the morgue.3.8
  14. Serve or collect food trays.2.4

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service4.24.2Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Public Safety and Security3.12.2Level 1 looks like: Use a seatbelt
  • English Language3.02.0Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Transportation2.51.9Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Education and Training2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Show someone how to bowl
  • Psychology2.41.8Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Administration and Management2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Communications and Media2.21.5Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
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  • Telecommunications2.21.2Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Foreign Language2.11.2Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Computers and Electronics2.01.3Level 1 looks like: Operate a media player to watch a training video
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.91.3Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Administrative1.81.0Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Mechanical1.80.8Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.70.9Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Biology1.60.6Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Philosophy and Theology1.60.9Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Physics1.60.7Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Production and Processing1.60.6Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Chemistry1.50.9Level 1 looks like: Use a common household bug spray
  • Law and Government1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Mathematics1.50.7Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Therapy and Counseling1.50.6Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Engineering and Technology1.2—
  • Geography1.2—
  • Building and Construction1.1—
  • Design1.1—
  • Economics and Accounting1.1—
  • Food Production1.1—
  • History and Archeology1.1—
  • Sales and Marketing1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Comprehension3.63.1Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Trunk Strength3.53.4Level 4 looks like: Shovel snow for half an hour
  • Oral Expression3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Problem Sensitivity3.42.8Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Speech Recognition3.42.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Static Strength3.43.9Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Near Vision3.33.0Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Extent Flexibility3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Reach for a box on a high warehouse shelf
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  • Speech Clarity3.12.5Level 1 looks like: Call numbers in a bingo game
  • Dynamic Strength3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Explosive Strength3.02.6Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Gross Body Equilibrium3.02.3Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Manual Dexterity3.02.5Level 1 looks like: Screw a light bulb into a light socket
  • Stamina3.02.8
  • Deductive Reasoning2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Finger Dexterity2.92.4Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Gross Body Coordination2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Inductive Reasoning2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Category Flexibility2.82.8Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Far Vision2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Information Ordering2.82.4Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Multilimb Coordination2.82.1Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Written Comprehension2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Written Expression2.82.1Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Control Precision2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Selective Attention2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Auditory Attention2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Depth Perception2.31.6Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Memorization2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Perceptual Speed2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Reaction Time2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Visualization2.31.8Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Flexibility of Closure2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Fluency of Ideas2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Response Orientation2.11.8Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Speed of Closure2.11.9
  • Time Sharing2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Listen to music while entering numbers into a spreadsheet
  • Number Facility2.01.3Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Originality2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Speed of Limb Movement2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Saw through a thin piece of wood
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Mathematical Reasoning1.91.1Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Rate Control1.80.9Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.81.4Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Spatial Orientation1.60.9
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.50.8
  • Peripheral Vision1.3—
  • Sound Localization1.3—
  • Glare Sensitivity1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Assisting and Caring for Others4.35.1Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Performing General Physical Activities4.33.8Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Handling and Moving Objects4.25.8
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.23.4Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.93.0Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.93.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Getting Information3.93.1Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.93.6Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
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  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.74.1Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.43.6Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.43.7Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Processing Information3.22.8
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.12.9
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.12.9
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others3.12.7
  • Training and Teaching Others3.12.1Level 1 looks like: Give coworkers brief instructions on a simple procedural change
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.03.2Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Controlling Machines and Processes2.92.7
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.82.7
  • Developing and Building Teams2.81.8Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Documenting/Recording Information2.81.9Level 1 looks like: Record the weight of a patient during a routine health exam
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others2.62.0Level 1 looks like: Exchange information during a shift change
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.62.4Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.52.1Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Working with Computers2.51.8Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.42.1Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.31.7Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Estimate the size of household furniture to be shipped
  • Thinking Creatively2.21.8Level 1 looks like: Change the spacing on a printed report
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.11.6Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.11.6Level 1 looks like: Make appointments for patients using a predetermined schedule
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.00.9Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.01.2Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates1.90.9Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment1.91.1Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.81.1Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.70.8Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.60.9Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.4—

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Contact With Others4.9
  • Exposed to Disease or Infections4.9
  • Physical Proximity4.9
  • Telephone Conversations4.8
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.7
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.6
  • Spend Time Standing4.6
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.6
  • Spend Time Walking or Running4.6
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers4.5

Technology

7 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (4)

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Windows
Other tools (3)
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
  • Medical record charting software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Nursing Assistants
  2. Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians
  3. Physical Therapist Aides
  4. Home Health Aides
  5. Surgical Assistants
  6. Surgical Technologists
  7. Medical Assistants
  8. Psychiatric Aides
  9. Medical Equipment Preparers
  10. Personal Care Aides

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

Closest occupations

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Other O*NET occupations whose importance ratings on the 35 skills both rate are nearest to this one's, with the biggest differences named. A plain rule, not a hidden score.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.