CNAs are one of the many medical professionals that make the healthcare field so wonderful. The medical field is so popular because of the lucrative salaries that the field offers. Becoming a CNA is one of the most popular career options in the field. The starting salaries are great, and there is so much room to advance as Certified Nursing Assistants.
Certified Nursing Assistant Overview
CNAs provide medical and non-medical care for their patients. These individuals usually work under the care of another medical professional such as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or Registered Nurses (RNs). The job responsibilities of CNAs may include the following:
- Assisting patients with basic needs
- Monitoring liquid and food intake
- Monitoring liquid and food output
- Taking patients’ vital signs
- Feeding patients
- Assisting other medical professionals with medical procedures
- Assisting patients out of bed or into bed
- Providing patient hygiene
- Helping patients walk
- Collecting samples from patients
- Monitoring patients
- Reporting patients’ changes to supervisors
- Assisting patients with home upkeep
- Making beds
- Performing routine medical tasks
- Cleaning patients’ rooms
CNAs provide care in a variety of setting, including long-term care facilities, patients’ homes, clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient facilities, and other medical facilities. They usually have a closer relationship with patients than other medical professionals do because CNAs spend more time with the patients. CNAs must meet certain state and federal requirements before they can receive their licenses. Becoming a CNA offers a wonderful opportunity for future advancement in other areas of the medical field.
How Much Money Do CNA Certified Nursing Assistants Make?
The demand for CNAs continues to increase each day. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an 18% increase in CNA jobs is expected until 2018 for Certified Nursing Assistants. The need for nearly 2 million CNAs will continue to increase the salaries for these individuals.
CNAs usually receive their salaries on an hourly basis. The median hourly wage for CNAs is $11.46. The lowest 10% of CNAs earn an hourly wage of $8.34 while the highest 10% earn $15.97 hourly. The middle 50% of CNAs earn $9.71 hourly.
The industries that hire the largest number of CNAs are employment services ($12.10), general medical and surgical hospitals ($12.05), nursing care facilities ($11.13), community care facilities for the elderly ($10.91), and home health care services ($10.58), respectively.
The salaries that CNAs receive depend greatly on the location, experience, medical facility, education, and need. CNAs working in an area that has a shortage of Certified Nursing Assistants may likely pay more money than other areas do. CNAs living in Boston, Los Angeles, and New York City make higher salaries than CNAs working in other cities across the country.
How to Advance in Your Career as a CNA
All CNAs want to know ways to advance in their careers. When CNAs advance in their careers, they also create additional opportunities for salary increases. Here are a few things that CNAs can do to advance in their careers:
- Work additional hours whenever possible. This opportunity provides a number of opportunities to learn new skills and knowledge to advance as CNAs or other professionals in the medical field.
- Participate in continuing education opportunities. CNAs can stay abreast of new advancements in their field that may provide them with a competitive edge on their jobs.
- Receive advanced degrees. A career as a CNA can provide many opportunities for other jobs in the medical field. Many CNAs choose to advance their careers to become LPNs or RNs by going back to school.
- Apply for positions with more responsibilities. CNAs can significantly increase their salaries by applying for supervisory positions as CNAs.
- Work closely with other medical professionals. Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals depend on CNAs to help them do their jobs. CNAs can learn an abundance of knowledge by working closely with these medical professionals who hold positions that CNAs may want to consider holding in the future when they decide to advance their careers.
- Read medical materials as much as possible. There are medical advancements taking place every day that shape the medical field. CNAs can advance their careers by familiarizing themselves with the medical materials that can help them advance in their careers.
CNAs have many opportunities to advance in their professions by learning new skills and gaining new knowledge about the medical field. CNAs provide a valuable service to patients in need. With great salaries and many opportunities for advancement, CNAs have great promise in the medical field.