Become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is a skilled professional who assists patients under the supervision of registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN). Depending on the work setting and locality, CNAs may also be called nurses' aides, orderlies, hospital attendants, patient care assistants or home health aides.

Certified nurse assistants make a huge difference in the daily live of their patients by assisting with basic living tasks and care services. It's not glamorous, but it's critical and often satisfying work. A nursing assistant job is also a great way to break into the nursing field and find out if continuing on to become an LPN or RN is right for you. A high school graduate needs only a few months of training to become a CNA.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Career Overview

Certified nursing assistants work in hospitals and extended care facilities, as well as home health care. In many ways, certified nurse assistants are the frontline hands and eyes of any health care team. They observe patients' physical, mental and emotional conditions and report any changes to nurses or doctors.

Nursing assistant jobs include many important practical tasks, including:

• Responding to patient call signals
• Turning and repositioning bedridden patients to prevent bedsores
• Measuring and recording vital signs, as well as food and liquid intake and output
• Feeding patients who cannot feed themselves
• Helping patients get dressed or undressed
• Applying dressings to wounds
• Supervising exercise routines
• Preparing patients for surgery, treatment or examination
• Transporting patients in wheelchairs or stretchers
• Tidying rooms and changing linens
• Helping to set up and operate medical equipment
• Assisting with medical procedures

A CNA must also be prepared to respond in an emergency by staying calm and getting appropriate help.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Education

If you have a high school diploma or GED, you can start working as a certified nursing assistant with just 6-to-12 weeks of training through a CNA certificate program. State-approved training programs include a minimum of 75 hours of instruction and supervised clinical training. Theoretical education includes anatomy, physiology, nutrition and infection controls, and clinical training teaches basic nursing skills.

After you have completed your training and passed a competency exam, you will be placed on your state's registry of certified nursing assistants. You will then need to complete at least 48 hours of nursing continuing education every 24 months to maintain your certification. Many employers will provide or pay for this continuing education.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing assistants earned a median wage of $10.67 per hour in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $9.09 and $12.80 per hour, and the highest ten percent earned more than $14.99 per hour.

Certified nursing assistants in hospitals typically receive at least a week of paid vacation after their first year of service. Many hospital employees and some nursing care facility employees earn paid holidays and sick leave, hospital and medical benefits, extra pay for night shifts, and pension plans.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Career Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CNA employment opportunities will continue to increase faster than the average for all occupations through at least 2016. Job openings will be more numerous in nursing and residential facilities than in hospitals. Nursing assistant jobs in the home setting will grow fastest because of the increasing elderly population and the movement throughout the health care system to reduce costs by sending patients home as soon as possible.

Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009