By
Lanee’ Blunt
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A
certified nursing assistant is sometimes called nursing aides, and nursing
attendants. They perform basic care and provide basic living activities for
their patients. They work in nursing homes, hospitals, home health care
services, and employment agencies. The job outlook for them is good according
to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, because there is growth in the elderly
population and there will be a great need for many nursing assistants.
Salary
They
are paid by the hour. According to PayScale.com they earn between $8.45 to
$16.22 per hour. They generally work full-time, may work nights, weekends and
some holidays. The average salary is $24,010 a year. The pay may vary depending
on the amount of experience they have. They usually get benefits such as paid
holidays, medical, sick leave and a vacation. The average wage is about $10.00
per hour to $12.00.
Education
- A nursing assistant is required to have a high school diploma or GED.
- You must complete an accredited program. Training can be found in community colleges, vocation and technical schools, the Red Cross, and online.
- A nurse aide must complete the course and pass their state competency written examination test and a clinical skills test before you receive your certification.
- After passing both tests you will be issued a certificate which will allow you to work as a certified nurse aid.
Courses Needed
The
class is fast paced and can be completed in 6 to 12 weeks. Course work includes
medical terminology, introduction to health care, nursing arts I, II, III and clinical
courses. You will lean all aspect of patient care through lectures with
demonstrations and practice. The clinical class consists of working directly
with patients in health care facilities.
References:
The
Red Cross: Nurse Assistant Training (NAT
[Image of CNAs]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://whatisa-cna.com
