Certified Nursing Assistant
A certified nursing assistant works in hospitals, nursing homes and all sorts of other medical facilities where he/she is responsible for services related to personal care, nutrition, transporting, transferring and taking vital signs. A certified nurse aide has the training to perform CPR, take vital signs like blood pressure and temperature and prepare surgery rooms and the equipment necessary for medical interventions in the unit.
The nurse aide follows the orders of registered nurses, doctors and other high superior medical hierarchies. Knowing everything about communications in hospital and following protocol are essential aspects in the daily activity of a CNA.
Requirements for becoming a certified nursing assistant
The applicant must be a graduate from an approved or accredited nursing assistant program. In case you have completed your education in a different country, you must bring evidence of nursing training, diploma and work experience.
For re-entering practice, 200 hours of active-in-practice are required within 2 years before renewal of the certification/license. The exam is written and it tests your competency in nursing assistant tasks.
How much does a certified nursing assistant earn?
There are two main factors that influence the salary of a nursing assistant: experience and the place of employment. At the beginning of the career, a CNA earns between $8 and $11 per hour, while more experienced nursing aides get between $11 and $14 per hour. Yet, these statistical data refer only to the United States. The wages also depend on the country and the the type of economy.
Healthcare staffs in developing economies and third-world countries are paid less than those in states with solid national economy. The living standards and the overall living expenses actually put their imprint on how well people are paid. Sometimes, a job in a private clinic or in a nursing home is better paid than the same nursing assistant job in a hospital. Lots of private medical facilities offer numerous financial benefits to their employees, in order to keep the standards of work performance high.
Continuation of education
It is mandatory for a certified nursing assistant to follow continuation courses every year in order to maintain the nursing aide certification valid. The regulations and requirements for such professional updates differ from state to state, that’s why you need to check the specifics of the place where you intend to find a job in the healthcare system.
On the average, the requirements are for twelve hours per year of lectures, educational courses, workshops and conferences that are meant to improve the nursing-related skills and knowledge.
A certified nurse assistant could also pursue superior education and become a registered nurse. The payment is a lot better for such a position but so are the educational requirements. In some hospitals and medical facilities, nursing assistants get support to continue their studies. The healthcare facility thus benefits from more qualified staff members. This policy works in the advantage of both parties involved.
In case you decide to work in healthcare, but you are not committed to following a medical school, a career as a certified nursing assistant could be a promising start.