Nursing Careers: Start Your Career as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

You better like to be with, touch and have close contact helping people if you want to be a certified nursing assistant (CNA). This occupation is one-on-one concentration.

The best example of a CNA is found in many doctor offices. The CNA will take you to your room at the office and do your height, weight and vital signs. The CNA will then ask you some questions about your condition and help you make the transition to your examination by the doctor or a regular nurse. 

As a CNA you will be feeding, dressing and washing patients. You will be attending to bedpans and doing vital signs checks. You may help with catheters and exercising the patients. You will make sure the patients go through the correct exercise routines in relation to physical therapy. You will sometimes care for 

patients in wheelchairs. Alzheimer patients are often attended by CNAs.

You are also responsible for noting observations of the patients to keep a paper trail of all work done. 

Most CNA's work in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, health centers and in the homes of patients. You may find yourself in a hospital setting though that is getting rarer. Another opportunity would be in a hospice where dying people are cared for.

Getting there.

Most CNA's get their education at community colleges where courses are offered in medical terminology, human anatomy and other regular college courses such as math and communication. You will learn how to market yourself by creating your resume and practicing for interviews. Your teacher is likely to be a registered nurse (RN).

A certified nurse assistant can expect to make about $10 per hour ($20,000 a year).