
Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)
Career Highlights
- Help people
- Make a difference
- Avance quickly

Career Summary
Nursing and nurse assisting are increasingly in-demand professions. According to US Labor Bureau statistics, more new nursing personnel will be needed in the next five years than have been needed in the past ten.
Certified nurse assistants (CNAs) serve as a support structure for the rapidly growing nursing sector. They have been called the nurse's "eyes and ears," providing patients with the basic daily care that nurses normally do not have time to provide. They become familiar with their patients, keeping the nurse informed on the patient's status and allowing the nurse to perform the higher-level duties only they can perform.
CNAs can be found in a variety of settings, including hospitals, assisted living facilities, adult day health centers, in personal homes, or in any facility that provides basic nursing care.
Some other certified nurse assistant work settings:
- Hospitals
- Private clinics
- Public schools
- Universities
- Government public health agencies
- Military hospitals
A growing demand
While there are many reasons why certified nurse assistants are in such demand, one of the biggest is the changing population demographic of the United States. As the baby boomer generation ages, they are needing more health care than ever. In addition, many baby-boomer nurses are reaching retirement themselves, creating a vacuum of open positions for personnel who perform nursing duties. This is especially true for hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home health-care facilities.
Of course, the nursing shortage also has a downside. Many nurse assistants will find they are serving many patients at once, which can make the job particularly demanding. However, it is also a very rewarding profession, and statistics show the vast majority of CNAs would recommend the position to others.
There is an enormous range of job opportunities for certified nurse assistants, and the health care industry desperately needs them. Many CNAs even pursue further training to become registered nurses. It isn't a relaxing career by any means, but it is certainly a career that makes a difference in people's lives, every single day.
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Salary
$27,900*
Education
Education for this career involves a short nursing training program taken at either a care facility or a junior or career college, followed by certification and on-the-job training.
Career Skills
- Applying dressings
- Taking vital signs
- Conducting range-of-motion exercises
- Assisting with routines of daily living
Additional Information
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Comments
Posted on 2009-04-09 07:10:39 by shardae
i want b a cna when i get older like mi mom nd aunt
Posted on 2008-06-07 20:36:14 by Jane Dreuitt-Bell
I am already a cna and have been for years,now I will like to go back to school for lpn or rn. I have work in nursing home for years and I do not want to work in them now,I will like to do more with my life as a nurse,maybe in a hosptial or something like that.
Posted on 2008-05-14 14:19:39 by Maryanna Ross
I just graduated for my C.N.A class on Aprli 18,2008 and was searching for employment and hopefully you can help.
Posted on 2008-04-25 15:48:58 by Jose Angel Chavez Barraza
I am interesed to study a medical career (as medical assitant or nurse)
Posted on 2008-03-10 16:29:36 by Marbeli Gonzalez
cna classes