Certified Nursing Assistant

Certified Nursing Assistant

Alt Names:  CNA, Certified Nurse Aide, Medical Orderly, Nursing Attendant

Career Description

Certified Nursing Assistants provide general and basic patient care under supervision of nursing and medical staff.

 Job Responsibilities

  • Clean, bathe, and dress patients or residents

  • Help patients to eat

  • Change linen

  • Prepare and serve meals to patients

  • Move and reposition bedridden patients

  • Help patients travel from one location to another

  • Observe and report patients’ physical, mental, and emotional conditions

Education & Training  

  • Must earn postsecondary award or certificate indicating individual learned basic principles of nursing as well as completed clinical work course

  • Must complete State approved Nurse Aide training program

Important Courses & Info:

  • CNA programs may be found in (some) high schools, vocational and technical schools, community colleges

License and/or Certification

  • After completion of program and competency exam, graduated earn Certified Nursing Assistant certificate

Salary

2010 Median Pay: $24,010 per year ; $11.54 per hour [Source: BLS.Gov]

Valuable Skills & Qualities

This career is good for people who are:

  • Empathetic

  • Self motivated

  • Good communicators

  • Not opposed to having flexible schedules (you will sometimes have to work later, or cover for people)

  • Quick learners

Work Environment/Setting

  • Hospitals, home health care, employment services, nursing and residential care facilities

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