By
Lanee’ Blunt
CNA’s
are known as certified nursing assistants, certified nursing aides, orderlies,
and home healthcare aids. Their duties are to take care of the elderly, and
chronically ill, by assisting them with daily living tasks. According to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the growing population there will be many
nursing aids that will be needed in long-term treatment facilities. If you are
laid-off and thinking of re-examining your career options or you may be
thinking of becoming a RN and wondering if nursing is for you, there are many
benefits for this position.
The Job Outlook
Employment
is high with a growth increase by 2020 faster than the average for all other
occupations, according to BLS.
Employment
Advancement
A
nursing aide may wish to advance to a better position. Many hospitals and
nursing homes offer free tuition reimbursements for that want to become LPN’s
or RN’s or other medical fields.
CNA to RN
This
is an excellent way to enter the medical field even if you aspire to be a
register nurse because registered nurses found that when they worked as a nursing
assistant it actually helped them and was a steppingstone to their RN.
Salary
Another
benefit of starting a career is that the average salary working in the US is in
the range of $24,010 a year. The pay may vary depending on the state and in
some states you may make $27,000 a year. According to the Bureau of Labor and
Statistics, nursing assistants make $11.54 and $13.00 per hour. They get
medical benefits, paid holidays, sick leave and a paid vacation.
Job Security
The
recession has shrunk the job market and eliminated many jobs; however, the
medical field seems to remain unaffected. Healthcare is an important part of
the economy and nursing assistants will be needed in hospitals, nursing homes,
residential care facilities, homecare and hospices. They even have the benefit
of working in any state that they want as long as they update their
certification for the new state they move to.
Certification
Nursing
assistants must be certified. To become a nursing aide you will need to take
classes that lead to your certification, and the state exam. There are many
diverse ways to get your training.
Free Classes
There
are free courses found in nursing homes because they may have a staff
shortage. The benefit is that you will
already have a job lined up once you complete the certification exam.
Online Programs
The
benefit of taking classes online is if you have a full-time job you can take
your classes over the internet. This will give you the opportunity to work at
your own pace. The cost is affordable and most have a versatile payment system.
Another advantage is that there are online forums where you can discuss
coursework with other students.
Red Cross
The
Red Cross has an excellent program that meets Federal and State requirements.
The Red Cross does charge tuition but they have a great reputation and many
employers want to hire certified nursing assistants that have been trained by
them.
Community College
Call
your local community college and ask them if they offer the course. Many community
colleges have a health career department.
Time to Complete
The
class is very fast paced between 6-to-12 weeks in some states. You can take it
and then take the state exam and start working after passing the
examination. The certification exam is a
two part test a written portion, and a clinical test.
Provide Experience
Important
skills that a nursing assistant must have are patience and compassion. Another
benefit is it gives you the opportunity to decide if you want to go back to
school and get a degree in nursing, or become a licensed practical nurse, by
working in the field doing tasks such as cleaning, feeding, bathing patients
and the patience you need to be a nurse.
See also
Reference:
Bureau
of Labor Statistics: Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants
