what jobs can you do with a cna license

3 min read 24-12-2024

Meta Description: Explore the diverse career paths open to Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)! This comprehensive guide outlines various CNA jobs, salary expectations, and advancement opportunities, helping you decide if a CNA license is right for you. Discover roles in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and more. Learn about potential career progression into RNs, LPNs, and other healthcare professions.

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license opens doors to a wide variety of jobs in the healthcare industry. CNAs provide essential hands-on care to patients and residents in a variety of settings. This article will explore the many career options available with a CNA license, helping you understand the potential of this valuable credential.

Types of Jobs You Can Do With a CNA License

The demand for CNAs is consistently high, making it a stable and rewarding career path. Here are some of the most common job types:

1. Nursing Homes and Long-Term Care Facilities

Job Description: CNAs in nursing homes provide direct patient care, including assisting with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They also monitor vital signs, document observations, and assist with medication administration under the supervision of a licensed nurse.
Typical Duties: Helping residents with mobility, providing personal hygiene assistance, serving meals, recording intake and output, changing bed linens, monitoring vital signs, reporting changes in residents' conditions.
Salary: Varies by location and experience, but generally ranges from $14-$20 per hour.

2. Hospitals

Job Description: Hospital CNAs work alongside nurses and doctors, providing direct patient care in various units, such as medical-surgical, intensive care, and emergency rooms. They assist with patient mobility, hygiene, and feeding, and monitor vital signs.
Typical Duties: Assisting with patient transfers, measuring and recording vital signs, collecting specimens, providing basic wound care (under supervision), stocking supplies, answering patient call lights promptly.
Salary: Generally higher than in nursing homes, ranging from $16-$25 per hour or more, depending on location and experience, and often includes benefits.

3. Assisted Living Facilities

Job Description: CNAs in assisted living facilities assist residents with their daily needs, promoting independence and maintaining their quality of life. The environment is often less medically intense than hospitals or nursing homes.
Typical Duties: Assisting with ADLs, providing companionship and emotional support, organizing social activities, monitoring residents' well-being, documenting observations.
Salary: Similar to nursing homes, ranging from $14-$20 per hour, but can vary based on location and facility type.

4. Home Health Care

Job Description: CNAs working in home health care provide care to patients in their homes. This requires independence, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work autonomously.
Typical Duties: Assisting with ADLs, light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders (under supervision), transportation assistance, companionship.
Salary: Can vary widely based on the agency, client needs, and location. Often involves per-visit or hourly pay.

5. Hospice Care

Job Description: CNAs in hospice care provide comfort and support to patients nearing the end of life and their families. Empathy and compassion are vital in this role.
Typical Duties: Providing personal care, emotional support, assisting with pain management (under supervision), facilitating communication between patient and family, providing a peaceful environment.
Salary: Similar to home health care, with potential for higher pay due to the specialized nature of the work.

Career Advancement Opportunities for CNAs

A CNA license is an excellent stepping stone to further your career in healthcare. Many CNAs go on to become:

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs): LPNs provide more advanced nursing care than CNAs, administering medications and performing certain medical procedures.
Registered Nurses (RNs): RNs have a broader scope of practice, managing patient care plans and providing more complex medical treatments.
Medical Assistants: Combine administrative and clinical tasks, assisting physicians in various healthcare settings.
Home Health Aides: Focus on providing personal care and assistance with daily living in patients' homes.

How to Find CNA Jobs

Numerous resources can help you find CNA job openings:

Online job boards: Indeed, Monster, CareerBuilder, and healthcare-specific job sites.
Hospital and healthcare facility websites: Check the career pages of hospitals and nursing homes in your area.
Networking: Talk to friends, family, and former instructors for leads.
Temporary staffing agencies: Agencies specialize in placing CNAs in temporary and permanent positions.

Becoming a CNA is a rewarding career choice with diverse job opportunities. With hard work and dedication, you can build a successful and fulfilling career in healthcare. Remember to research different job settings and choose one that aligns with your skills and interests.