An orderly is a male nurse’s aide or attendant who may include both individuals with nursing assistant training, certification, and other credentials and unskilled male healthcare workers who are used primarily for their strength in lifting and transporting patients, according to a popular definition. However, the term specifically excludes certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and nursing assistants as a whole, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. As a result, orderly jobs are mostly low-skilled healthcare jobs held by people with little formal training. There is no need for patient interaction aside from transferring and transporting. The best orderly jobs are typically chosen by identifying positions that best meet the needs of the job seeker in terms of salary, schedule, and job stability.
Overall, due to the unskilled nature of the position, orderly jobs pay some of the lowest wages in the healthcare field. Federal and state hospitals in the United States, such as Veterans hospitals and state mental institutions, typically charge more than private, for-profit hospitals and medical centers. Salaries also differ by location, with the highest amounts being found in densely populated urban areas. Employers who provide additional on-the-job or on-site training may have the best orderly jobs. In these situations, orderlies may be able to complete the clinical requirements for a nursing assistant certification exam and earn a higher salary as a result of their certification.
The most orderly jobs are those that fit the worker’s personal and family schedule the best. The majority of orderly jobs are during the morning and afternoon shifts because most orderly positions require patient transportation, which is usually done during the day. Night shifts, on the other hand, are usually easy to come by due to the unpopularity of this particular work schedule among most employees. Orderlies who work a regular night shift schedule often get a shift differential, or a bonus, automatically added to their hourly pay. Choosing the best orderly position may also entail determining whether a full-time or part-time position is best suited to a worker’s personal and financial circumstances.
Another feature of the best orderly jobs is stability. The number of unskilled workers a facility needs, such as orderlies, is determined by where and how the institution chooses to cut costs. Rather than assigning these duties to more highly trained — and higher paid — personnel, some facilities prefer to keep and pay unskilled workers lower wages. Other companies prefer to keep semi-skilled or skilled workers who can multitask in low-skilled jobs. In most cases, the more training a worker has, the more secure his position becomes.