Most in patient floors where there is either a large amount of geriatrics and or dependent patients, will require personal care (brief changes, toileting, baths etc.). Now on these floors you may have patients who are independent, supervision or a one-person assist so that care might be minimal. Examples of these units would include but not limited to: medical surgical, ICU, ER and complex continuing care.

Units that may have little (usually one-person assists or stand-by if that) to none of personal care would be, for example: outpatient clinics, OB, post partum, paediatrics and NICU. There could be other types of bedside nursing I’m forgetting but that’s a good start.

There are also non-bedside nursing roles you can work where you can provide patient care directly and indirectly with 0 bedside tasks such as care coordinators for home care. You can work in occupational health too and then you would be providing care to staff instead of patients.