Certified Nursing Assistant CNA

If you are interested in getting your foot in the door of the healthcare industry, one of the first steps would be to enroll in a Certified Nurse's Assistant program.

A CNA may go by many different titles depending on what area of healthcare they work in, or in what part of the country the reside. A Nursing career is a very competitive one, and the more experience you have under your belt the better your chances are to land the job you want.

Certified Nursing Assistants have completed a multi-week course, depending upon the state, it could be anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks. During these courses, they have studied courses from basic nursing skills, anatomy and physiology, nutrition and infection control. But their training doesn't stop there. They are also mandated to do a hands-on practicum, a clinical course, putting all of what they have studied into practice with real, live patients.

Many established facilities will advertise for staff, using a standard CNA job description but cna careers are as varied. Since recent graduates have the clinical experience as part of their training, employers are not leery of hiring students right out of school. New graduates can expect to earn between $20,000 and $30,000 depending upon the facility which hires them.

Once on the job, a Cna job description will include basic patient care services, such as bathing, dressing, grooming and feeding. Perhaps the most important part of a Cna's job involves the intimate, day in day out contact which he or she has with the patient or resident. This close connection is an important foundation, particularly in long term care settings. While the nurses and physicians do not have daily contact with patients and residents, the CNA's are on the front lines, and are often the first to note critical changes in behavior and condition among their patients. Relaying this information to medical staff can be lifesaving.

Your certified nursing assistant employment will likely be at a nursing home, assisted living facility, hospitals, and even in private homes. Your dream job is waiting!