Nurse Assistant Salary
There are a lot of people who find the idea of working as a nurse assistant to be quite intriguing not just because of the high nurse assistant salary that they can often earn, but also the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives.
A nursing assistant is someone who is given the task of doing clinical work such as taking care of patients in terms of feeding, bathing and dressing. He or she is also the first person that the relatives of the patients turn to since he or she is almost always at the side of the patient day in and day out. Aside from these duties, a nursing assistant is also required to be on hand whenever a task such as setting up the needed tools for surgery or an operation is required. They are even sometimes called upon to help in minor medical procedures.
Nurse Assistant Salary
Truth be told, the nurse assistant salary of an entry level certified nursing assistant is the lowest in the health care industry but it is still competitive enough compared to other jobs. An average annual income of at least $19,500 to $29,000 can be expected at this level with the overall nurse assistant salary in the United States being $26, 472 according to Salary.com.
Salary is dependent on the location, the medical establishment as well as the skill of the nursing assistant. However, some find the challenge to be well worth it especially when they get to help out other people in the process.
Education and Certification Needed To Become A Nursing Assistant
No college degree is needed to become a nursing assistant. To become a nursing assistant, one must undergo proper training however. You can find training programs online and at community colleges, nursing care facilities and vocational technical centers. Training programs are a combination of theory and practice and may take a few months or up to four years depending on the course you take and the level of specialization you choose.
Once completing your initial training, you can opt to become a Certifies Nursing Assistant (CNA) by completing a certification exam. You will need 75 hours of training and then pass a competency evaluation. Additional requirements vary state by state, so be sure to do some extra research online. Becoming certified will increase your base salary significantly.
Job Growth Outlook For Nurse Assistants
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing assistant jobs are projected to increase at a rate of 19% between 2008 and 2018. This is faster than the average of other U.S. jobs.
Because of the increasing age of baby boomers, job openings are expected to be plentiful for nursing assistants, especially for those in home care and assisted living situations.
Growth in hospital nursing assistant positions will not grow as fast as hospitals are discharging patients faster and faster these days.
Remember to do some further online research into certification and training if you are interested in becoming a nurse assistant.
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