Have you ever thought about a career in nursing, but didn’t know how to get started? Â Or are you interested in nursing, but you aren’t sure if a nursing career is right for you?
If you’re like most people, then you probably don’t even know that there is a job out there that is perfect for you. Â It’s a job where you need little training, and can start working in a hospital within weeks. Â You work in a health care facility and perform tasks that keep elderly patients healthy and comfortable.
This job is called a Certified Nursing Assistant (or CNA, for short).
CNAs help patients by cleaning their beds, moving them around the room, washing them, and even helping with basic physical therapy. Â They don’t perform as demanding jobs like a more highly trained nurse, but their jobs are crucial to keeping elderly patients healthy and comfortable.
What are the benefits of a CNA job?
Because CNAs perform fewer jobs than a more highly trained nurse, they require much less training. Â More advanced nursing jobs, like RNs and LPNs, require up to 4 years of training and a college diploma. Â That’s a lot of time, and usually a lot of money, as well.
But CNA jobs usually require much less training.
In most cases, you can complete your CNA training within 4-8 weeks, and it only costs about $1,000.  In most states, you can actually start working as a CNA without any training at all. If you like the job after you start working, you just get certified later!
For these reasons, many people try to get a CNA job before pursuing a job as an RN or LPN. Â Essentially, you can see if you like a job in health care before committing tens of thousands of dollars (and several years) to nursing school. Â Then, if you like the job, you can stay on as a CNA, or enroll in a nursing school to qualify as an RN/LPN in the future.
Of course, you don’t need to pursue a job as a more highly trained nurse once you get your CNA certification. Â In fact, many people prefer to remain a CNA because they enjoy caring for others, but don’t want all of the responsibility of a more highly trained nurse.
Should you become a CNA?
If you are looking to become a full-time RN or LPN, then starting as a CNA will give you a lot of practical experience. It’s a great stepping stone to start a long and happy career in health care! Becoming a CNA is a great choice for people who want to try a career in health care before committing to years of training and school. Â It is also a good job for people who want to make their living helping others.
Chris Salvato is a regular contributor to US CNA Classes Online, a website dedicated to helping people get all of the information necessary to start their career as a CNA, including a state-by-state directory of CNA classes.
- The Benefits Everybody Should Know About Nursing Aide Jobs - February 14, 2014