What Are the Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs? by Karen Williams

The job of a nursing assistant though not the most glorious or desired job, is certainly one of those noble jobs; without them, the patients who cannot care for themselves will have no one to look after them. A certified nursing assistant or a CNA is responsible for rendering the front line services to the patients. The most requisite skills in order to succeed as a certified nursing assistant are lots of compassion, ability to take care of patients, being physically fit, being cheerful and able to easily build a rapport with new patients.

A certified nursing assistant works under the guidance of a registered nurse and is usually responsible for taking care of patient's daily activities such as, helping them with their bath, taking their vital stats, assisting them with their medication, helping them in grooming activities, feeding them, etc. A certified nursing assistant is the direct link between a patient and a nurse or a doctor, since they work closely with the patients and keep a watch on them. They are sometimes referred to as the ears and eyes of a doctor or a nurse. Certified nursing assistants are also responsible for providing emotional support to the patients and their families.

Since a certified nursing assistant is the lowest and the most important level in the health care industry, individuals who start their careers as a CNA tend to become some of the best registered nurses. Hence, it is considered as the basic building block in the nursing career. An entry level CNA can earn anywhere from $19,925 to $29,764 and the best CNAs can earn an annual salary of around $35,377. They can choose from a variety of options to work for. For instance, they can get employed in large medical institutions, clinics, medical facilities, hospitals and they can even provide in house services to those patients who prefer being treated at home.

Female CNAs are referred to as a nursing aides and male CNAs are known as orderlies. Those who take up work at the houses of patients even undertake additional activities such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. Since they indulge in a lot of physical activity, as they have to help the patients in moving around, shifting from bed to chair, lifting them up, etc, they need to be physically active and fit.

Since, they have to take care of almost all the duties related to a patient, they may even have to do unpleasant activities like changing bedpans, hence only those individuals who are truly interested in helping others can sustain in this job. With the population in the elderly group raising steadily, there is an increased demand for CNAs.

Being able to perform the duties of a CNA is definitely not an easy job, but it is one of those jobs that has its own prominence. A successful CNA is one who is good at making quick observations and having presence of mind to act in situations of emergencies. In the current job market, there are a lot of job opportunities for CNAs, unlike the jobs in other fields.