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Studies & Degrees in Nursing Assistant

Nursing assistants give patients the basic, hands-on care that fills most of a day in a hospital ward or care home. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes them as workers who provide basic care and help patients with activities of daily living, as part of a healthcare team supervised by nurses. The job has many names: nursing assistant, nursing aide or Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in the United States, healthcare assistant in the United Kingdom, and auxiliar de enfermería in Spain, where the official title is Técnico en Cuidados Auxiliares de Enfermería (TCAE).

Training is short and practical. Students typically learn to:

  • wash, dress and feed patients and help them use the toilet
  • turn, reposition and transfer patients safely
  • measure vital signs such as temperature, pulse and blood pressure
  • record patients' health concerns and report them to nurses
  • clean and prepare equipment, instruments and the patient's surroundings
  • communicate with patients and support them psychologically

Qualifications and levels

This is vocational training, not a university degree, and each country organises it differently.

  • Spain. The Técnico en Cuidados Auxiliares de Enfermería is an official intermediate vocational training (FP) qualification of 1,400 hours. Students need the compulsory secondary education certificate (ESO) or a higher qualification, or must pass an entrance test. The modules cover basic nursing techniques, hospital hygiene and cleaning of materials, health promotion and psychological support, administrative operations and health documentation, and dental assistance techniques, followed by a work placement. CCC Centro de Estudios in Madrid, for example, teaches the cycle on site with 400 hours of placement in health centres; Campus Training prepares it by distance learning.
  • United States. According to the BLS, nursing assistants typically complete a state-approved education programme and pass their state's competency exam. These programmes are offered in high schools, community colleges, vocational and technical schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Those who pass are placed on a state registry, which is required to work in a nursing home. Titles and rules vary by state.
  • United Kingdom. NHS Health Careers states that there are no set entry requirements to become a healthcare assistant. Employers expect good literacy and numeracy and may ask for a healthcare qualification. Once in post, healthcare assistants work towards the Care Certificate and may study for a level 2 or level 3 qualification in healthcare support through an apprenticeship.

A nursing assistant qualification is not a nursing degree and does not lead to registration as a nurse. Outside the official routes above, private centres also sell their own courses. Ask the school what recognition the qualification has before enrolling.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 26 active schools for nursing assistant studies. Eleven are in Spain and ten in the United States; Australia, Canada, Ukraine, Russia and Colombia have one each.

In Spain the list includes vocational training centres such as CCC Centro de Estudios, CEU FP Madrid, Campus Training and Aranda Formación in Madrid, Edisur Multimedia in Granada, Formas Almería, Churruca Formación in San Sebastián and Imásd Forma in Vigo. Teaching is in Spanish. In the United States the schools are mostly community colleges, among them Northeast Community College in Nebraska, Nunez Community College in Louisiana, Labette Community College in Kansas and the College of Southern Idaho. Teaching is in English.

International students should check two points before applying. The Spanish cycle requires ESO or a higher qualification, so ask the centre how a foreign school certificate is recognised for admission. Nurse aide courses in the United States are tied to state rules, so ask the college whether the course is open to international students.

Careers

Nursing assistants work in hospitals, care homes, health centres and home care. In the United States they held about 1.5 million jobs in 2025, according to the BLS: 36% in nursing care facilities and 32% in hospitals. The BLS projects employment of nursing assistants and orderlies to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 203,300 openings each year, many of them to replace workers who leave the occupation.

The job is also a first step in healthcare. In the United Kingdom, experienced healthcare assistants can become senior healthcare assistants and then apply to train as assistant practitioners or nursing associates. In Spain, holders of the TCAE qualification can continue to another vocational training cycle or to the Bachillerato.

Frequently asked questions

How long does nursing assistant training take?

In Spain the official cycle lasts 1,400 hours. In the United States the length depends on the state-approved programme; ask the college and the state registry. In the United Kingdom healthcare assistants are trained on the job.

Is a nursing assistant a nurse?

No. Nursing assistants give basic care under the supervision of nurses. Becoming a nurse requires a separate nursing qualification.

What do I need to enter the Spanish auxiliary nursing cycle?

The compulsory secondary education certificate (ESO) or a higher qualification, a basic vocational training certificate, or a pass in the entrance test for intermediate cycles, for which candidates must be at least 17.

Do nursing assistants need a licence in the United States?

Often, yes. After an approved programme they usually must pass a competency exam and are then placed on a state registry, which is required to work in a nursing home. Requirements vary by state.