Will AI Replace CNAs (Nursing Assistants)?
Short answer: no. About 34% of a nursing assistant's tasks, logging vitals and answering calls, are AI-doable. Lifting, feeding, cleaning, and being the constant hands a patient depends on stays human.
What AI can do, and what stays human.
Every task this job is made of, grouped by the ability it draws on, and tagged for what today's AI can actually do.
- AI can do thisRecord vital statistics or other health information
- AI can do thisAnswer telephones to direct calls or provide information
- AI can do thisExplain technical medical information to patients
- AI assistsProvide basic information to guests, visitors, or clients
- AI assistsStock medical or patient care supplies
- AI assistsCollect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals
- AI assistsAssist practitioners to perform medical procedures
- AI assistsGive medications or immunizations
- AI assistsPrepare medical instruments or equipment for use
- AI assistsInterview patients to gather medical information
- AI assistsHold patients to ensure proper positioning or safety
- AI assistsTransport biological or other medical materials
- Stays humanAdjust positions of patients on beds or tables
- Stays humanClean patient rooms or patient treatment rooms
- Stays humanFeed patients
- Stays humanApply bandages, dressings, or splints
- Stays humanDispose of biomedical waste in accordance with standards
- Stays humanMove patients to or from treatment areas
- Stays humanOperate medical equipment
- AI assistsAdminister basic health care or medical treatments
- AI assistsAdminister therapy treatments to patients using hands or physical treatment aids
- AI assistsAnalyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals
- Stays humanAssess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment
- Stays humanAssist patients with daily activities
- Stays humanCollect biological specimens from patients
- Stays humanMonitor patients to detect health problems
This is a capability estimate, not a prediction that anyone loses a job. It measures how much of the work overlaps with what AI can do, not what practices have adopted or what happens to the role. Roles built around talking and analyzing can read higher than feels right, because the model counts "explain" and "analyze" as things AI can do.
See how this job compares to 900+ others, or read exactly how the numbers were built.
Open the full tool › · How this was measured ›
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