A CNA, or certified nursing assistant, is part of the healthcare team. CNAs work under the strict supervision of a registered nurse. They offer hands-on nursing care to patients, clients and customers in various health care settings. For instance, they assist patients while eating and dressing up. They also aid patients in their oral care. Most certified nursing assistants used this career to test themselves if they really want to have a career in nursing. In this field, they are greatly exposed to various members of the healthcare team. So, if you are considering a career in nursing, then you might want to consider becoming a certified nursing assistant first. While working in this field, you can determine if you want to advance to becoming a registered nurse. Or you may also decide to shift to another work within the healthcare or outside this industry.
Annual salary
The annual salary of a nursing assistant will depend on the location, the industry and the type of work he is handling. In the US, CNAs can earn as low as $17,790 to as high as $34,580. If you have more years of experience working as a nursing assistant, your salary will be greatly increased.
There are various industries that offer employment for this occupation. But the top paying industries are the following:
- Federal government. The annual mean wage is $35,730.
- Insurance carriers. CNAs who work here are making an estimated annual mean wage of $33,120.
- Colleges, universities and professional schools. Certified nursing assistants earn an estimated annual mean wage of $31,410 with hourly mean wage of $15.10.
The figures mentioned above are taken from the Occupational Employment and Wages report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2010.
How to become a CNA?
There are many institutions that offer training programs for potential certified nursing assistants. You can apply for a training program at a nursing home, certain tech college or high school.
The cost of training programs may vary from one institution to another. College classes are considered to have the most expensive tuition fees. To obtain training without spending too much, you may opt for online classes.
What to expect during training?
The duration of a training program may depend on the program you are taking. But it usually takes anywhere between 3 weeks to 8 weeks. The courses covered will include the following:
- Medical terminology
- Infection control
- Roles of the healthcare team
- Legal issues of CNAs
- Communication skills
- Documentation skills
Essentially, courses will tackle everything that you need to know to become a successful and competent certified nursing assistant. In this way, it will be easier for you to work in nursing homes, acute care centers and other industries that need nursing assistants that are certified.
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