A Certified Nursing Assistant or CNA, is someone who has completed the requirements to be able to work in a hospital or various other health facilities providing basic care for many different types of patients. They are working under the direct supervision of Registered Nurses (RN's) or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN's) and are an important part of the health care team.
Some of the main duties you would be doing in this job are attending to the daily needs of patients, like dressing, bathing and other personal hygiene type of care that is needed. Many of your patients may be elderly, disabled, or recovering from an illness or disease and unable to go home yet. You would be taking vital signs, like their temperature, blood pressure readings, and other necessary duties to assist the nurses in providing the best care for the patient, as well as being compassionate and caring.
A lot of nurses started as CNA's prior to going to nursing school, as it is an excellent way to gain experience and get your foot in the door of the medical field. This is a very rewarding field to be in, even if you don't want to go on and become a nurse, as your skills will help you to be successful. Helping people can be very satisfying and your contributions are valued by many.
Most CNA training takes between four and six weeks to complete, then you take the certification test through the state board before you can start working as an aide. Even though your job is as an aide, you are still a value to the team aspect of caring for patients, and that is definitely appreciated.
There are several places you can obtain the necessary training, the best of which include retirement/skilled nursing homes and hospitals. Many will offer free or reimbursed training for your agreement to work at their facility for a set amount of time to protect their investment for training you for free or at a reduced cost.
The wages for a CNA varies from state to state, but according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical hourly wage is anywhere from $10-$14 per hour, with overtime likely in many areas, due to the high demand. Hard work and dedication can definitely help you to earn more with the more experience you gain in this field.
With the demand for skilled medical care of all phases skyrocketing daily, especially with the baby boomers reaching retirement age, there will always be a need for aides, so job security is a definite plus to becoming a Certified Nursing Aide.
Some of the main duties you would be doing in this job are attending to the daily needs of patients, like dressing, bathing and other personal hygiene type of care that is needed. Many of your patients may be elderly, disabled, or recovering from an illness or disease and unable to go home yet. You would be taking vital signs, like their temperature, blood pressure readings, and other necessary duties to assist the nurses in providing the best care for the patient, as well as being compassionate and caring.
A lot of nurses started as CNA's prior to going to nursing school, as it is an excellent way to gain experience and get your foot in the door of the medical field. This is a very rewarding field to be in, even if you don't want to go on and become a nurse, as your skills will help you to be successful. Helping people can be very satisfying and your contributions are valued by many.
Most CNA training takes between four and six weeks to complete, then you take the certification test through the state board before you can start working as an aide. Even though your job is as an aide, you are still a value to the team aspect of caring for patients, and that is definitely appreciated.
There are several places you can obtain the necessary training, the best of which include retirement/skilled nursing homes and hospitals. Many will offer free or reimbursed training for your agreement to work at their facility for a set amount of time to protect their investment for training you for free or at a reduced cost.
The wages for a CNA varies from state to state, but according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical hourly wage is anywhere from $10-$14 per hour, with overtime likely in many areas, due to the high demand. Hard work and dedication can definitely help you to earn more with the more experience you gain in this field.
With the demand for skilled medical care of all phases skyrocketing daily, especially with the baby boomers reaching retirement age, there will always be a need for aides, so job security is a definite plus to becoming a Certified Nursing Aide.
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