In healthcare, certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are very important. They give people the care they need in nursing homes, hospitals, and at home. There is a big need for CNAs, and this job offers many chances to grow in the medical field. This blog post will talk about how much does a nursing assistant make, how pay is decided, and good tips to get more money in this helpful job.
What is a Nursing Assistant?
A nursing assistant, also called a healthcare assistant, is a key part of the nursing team. They are often the first person patients meet and give big help to the rest of the medical staff. A nursing assistant’s usual work can include changing beds, helping patients with meals, and helping with personal care, like washing.
Nursing assistants provide basic patient care under the supervision of nursing professionals. This is a very important job in healthcare. They also perform important daily tasks that keep hospital rooms and medical facilities working well and smoothly.
How to Become a Nursing Assistant
Here are the steps to becoming a nursing assistant:
Earn a high school diploma.
You will need a high school diploma to work as a nursing assistant. If you do not have this certificate, you can also get your General Education Development (GED). Since you do not need a degree from a college to be a nursing assistant, you can go ahead with the training steps below instead.
Prepare your application materials.
A strong cover letter and resume can help you stand out. Both papers should clearly show your training and abilities to a possible boss. Look closely at job descriptions for open nursing assistant jobs, even if you have no past work. Then, use the main words they use in your cover letter and resume. Find ways to show how you learned those skills in past jobs or during schooling.
Check out our online Nursing Assistant Diploma at Unified Course for a recognised certificate to help with your portfolio.
Choose where you want to work.
Once you are a certified CNA, you can think about where you want to work. Nursing assistants can find work in hospitals, clinics, assisted living facilities, and hospice care facilities. To learn more about different healthcare places, think about visiting each of these types of places. This can give you a real feeling for how they are and their way of doing things.
Complete individual clinical training.
Many states actually ask for more teaching hours than the basic rule from the government for nursing assistant training programs, which is 75 hours. States also have their own specific rules for a basic number of hands-on training hours in addition to classroom teaching. This kind of training gives you the chance to work directly with other medical staff and under the guidance of a certified nurse, helping patients with their care and getting better.
How Much Does a Nursing Assistant Make
The average pay for a nursing assistant in the UK is about £22,875. This can change quite a lot depending on many things. Starting out, you should plan to make around £20,000, with the chance to reach £33,000 or more as you get more work experience and take on more duties. Your location, the specific skills you have, the kind of place you work in, and how much work experience you have all play a part in deciding your pay.
Career Path for Nursing Assistants
Nursing assistants have different chances to move up in their jobs based on their work experience, education, and what they like to do. Here’s a basic job path:
Gain experience as a CNA.
Starting as a certified nursing assistant lets you gain hands-on patient care skills and valuable healthcare work experience. Many certified nursing assistants work in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, hospitals, and home healthcare facilities.
Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse.
With more schooling (often a one-year program), CNAs can become Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). This job allows them to take on more duties, including supervising patient care and giving medicine.
Advancing to a Registered Nurse.
Many CNAs decide to get more education and become Registered Nurses (RNs). They get an Associate or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ADN or BSN). This job usually offers more pay, chances to lead, and a wider range of things to do.
Explore healthcare administration or specialities.
Some nursing assistants go on to work in case management, healthcare administration, or special nursing areas like serious care, children’s care, or surgery.
Conclusion
Working as a nursing assistant can be hard on the body. They work closely with nurses and other medical experts to ensure patients get the care and help they need for daily tasks and medical therapy. Having the strength and a strong body to lift patients or help them roll over and stand up will surely help you do well in this job. Their job is to help the people they care for get better and feel good overall by giving kind patient care, carefully helping with medical actions, and good communication.
