ANN ARBOR – The role of a certified nursing assistant (CNA) is important in healthcare.
While a CNA’s day-to-day work can vary and depends on the setting, they have the opportunity to help patients with daily living activities and other healthcare needs. All of the CNA’s work is done under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).
If you’re interested in healthcare and becoming a CNA licensure, check out these five reasons why you should go for it.
Reason #1: Make a difference
First of all, CNAs get to serve patients and make a difference every day just by doing their work. Whether it’s helping with grooming, toileting, eating, or moving, CNAs help patients live their lives. Each day, you’re working with someone who is a patient and might feel vulnerable. Fulfilling your role and helping your patient with their everyday tasks is compassionate and dignified work.
Read: What is a certified nursing assistant?
Reason #2: Have job stability
Secondly, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 8% growth in CNA jobs through 2029, meaning that you should be able to find work in the field. The average hourly wage for CNAs was $15 as of 2020, and the cost of pursuing a CNA license is low when compared with university tuition.
Reason #3: Explore your own interests within healthcare
Being a CNA is great because you can gain hands-on experience while earning your paycheck. Additionally, working as a CNA lets you explore different specialties within healthcare. For example, Well More highlights a few different specializations you could explore while working as a CNA.
Some of these specializations include:
- Geriatrics
- Psychiatry
- Home care
- Pediatrics
- Cardiology
You’ll feel more confident in choosing a specialty when the time comes if you explore your interests ahead of time.
Reason #4: Becoming a CNA helps you grow your career
Earning a CNA licensure is a great way to enter into healthcare, whether you’re a young professional or looking to pivot in your career.
Learn professional skills.
In order to become a CNA, you’ll need to show that you’re competent in the 25 CNA skills. These are covered thoroughly in your licensure course.
These skills are broken into four main sections:
- Personal hygiene and PPE
- Positioning, transferring, and moving patients
- Assisting with personal care
- Collecting vital signs and measurements
When you start working as a CNA, you’ll have these skills to rely on in order to succeed in your work.
Continue to grow as a professional.
Working as a CNA will give you a good foundation and a skillset that you can continue to grow. For example, CNAs use both critical thinking skills and interpersonal skills each and every day. When you’re caring for a patient who has just had surgery, you need to be thinking critically about that person’s medical needs. You’ll likely have to take their vital signs, make observations, and chart some data on a computer.
However, your patient might feel nervous or a little out-of-it as you’re doing this. You’ll learn how to manage your own tasks, while still showing care and compassion to your patients. In fact, this is one of the reasons people love working as a CNA. They get to be at the patient’s bedside as a key supporter on their care team.
Reason #5: Use the CNA licensure as a step toward other degrees and certificates
Earning a CNA license is a great way to begin your journey toward becoming an LPN, RN, or BSN. Many universities require CNA licensure for admission into the nursing program. This is true at Concordia University Ann Arbor for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
“Not all nursing schools require a CNA, but we find that the skills built through it are essential for every nurse,” says Dr. Cindy Fenske, Assistant Vice-President of Academics and Chair of CUAA’s nursing program. “It provides them with some comfort and confidence as they enter the rigor of our bachelor’s program. The CNA just provides a really nice foundation for students.”
Want more information?
If you’re feeling inspired to learn more about Concordia University Ann Arbor’s CNA program, you can contact Lilnese Hill. Lilnese is equipped to answer your questions and connect you to the information you need.