Day in the life
A Day in the Life of an Orderly
What orderlies actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for an orderly?
Check the transport queue. From there, the day usually includes transport patients, help move and reposition patients, and deliver equipment and supplies. Shifts cover days, nights, weekends and holidays.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for an orderly working full time.
- Check the transport queue.
- Take a patient to radiology.
- Help nurses turn a patient.
- Deliver a specimen to the lab.
- Transport a patient to surgery.
- Clean and stock a room.
- Help with discharges.
Where orderlies work
Orderlies work in hospitals and nursing facilities, walking much of the day.
Hours and schedule
Shifts cover days, nights, weekends and holidays.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Transport patients
- Help move and reposition patients
- Deliver equipment and supplies
- Clean and set up rooms
- Deliver specimens
- Respond to unit requests
- Follow safety and infection rules
Tools you’ll use every day
- Wheelchairs
- Stretchers
- Patient lifts
- Transport tracking systems
- Cleaning supplies
- Radios and phones
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Quick entry into healthcare
- Active job
- See many departments
- Path to clinical roles
What’s hard
- Modest pay
- Physically demanding
- Shift work
- Exposure to illness
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I want to start in healthcare
- I like being active
- I’m kind and dependable
- I can work shifts
- I like teamwork
- I might go into nursing
Not sure? Take the free Orderly fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Use proper lifting and lifts
- Lock brakes
- Follow isolation precautions
- Watch for fall risks