CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) Average Salary
Average CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) salary varies from US state to US state, and depends on the duties the Certified Nurse Aide has and the institution in which the Certified Nursing Assistant works. Although there are some differences based on the mentioned facts there are nationwide standards for the CNA job description. Certified Nurse Aide after successful completion of CNA Training provides a basic nursing service under the supervision of an Registered Nurse (RN) or an Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). The Certified Nurse Assistant does not have the responsibilities and legal powers of a RN or an LPN, so that is why supervision is needed. The CNA job requires that the Certified Nursing Assistant care for patients or clients and report to the RN or LPN on the patient’s current health condition.
The Certified Nursing Assistant career is often considered as an entry-level point for a long-term career in the health care field. However, many Certified Nursing Assistants that have successfully completed CNA Training in the USA and after that have passed the CNA Certification test, prefer to work at this position for many years, as the CNA career is morally and financially rewarding, and that combined with the fact that relatively little training is required to start a career in the health care filed, makes the CNA job a preferred career choice.
Certified Nursing Assistant duties include patients observation, monitoring of patient’s vital signs, help with meals and feeding when necessary, caring for the patient’s hygiene when required, mobilizing the patients to tests or therapy and catering to other patients needs.
The job description and salary of the Certified Nursing Assistant is often defined by the difference in health care facilities where they work. For instance, in the hospital environment, the Certified Nurse Aassistants’s interaction with patients often are limited to the time spent by the patient in the hospital. On the other hand long-term care facilities, provide an environment where Certified Nursing Assistants can become well acquainted with the patients and their life stories and connect with them on more emotional level. Everyone interested to learn more about how long-term facilities are rated by the government can do so at Medicare.gov. Both the the Federal Nursing Home Star Rating System and State Adult Care Home Star Rating System provide a up-to-date information about the facilities, and were designed to provide both consumers and health workers with information to make informed decisions.
After CNA Training and successful CNA certification and start of CNA career, the only option for higher salary is to stay on the job for more than 4 years and take advantage of experience and cost-of-living pay raises. Further education/ training allows the Certified Nurse Assistant to advance a career into nursing as an RN or as an LPN and start to earn even higher salary.
A typical CNA’s work shift usually lasts about 7.5 hours with a one-hour break. In order to earn additional income, many Certified Nursing Assistants work double shifts. Some Certified Nurse Assistants start a second job and work six up to seven days per week. Since no previous health care experience is required to become a Certified Nurse Aide and only not extremely lengthy CNA training is required, this job usually pays between $8.50 to $12.00 per work hour for the first 4 years. A Nurse Aide who stays in this career for twenty months or more currently makes about $12.00 to $15.00 per hour. The mentioned hourly rates may vary depending on the type of facility and the state where the Certified Nursing Assistant resides. If the Nurse Aide has additional training and CNA certification, the Certified Nursing Assistant can earn higher salary because of that qualification and training.