So you’ve completed your Certified Nursing Assistant training, maybe you have even landed a job at a medical facility, but the pay is not quite what you had hoped for. What can you do to command a higher CNA salary? The simple answer is more education. The more education you have, the more valuable you are to employers and as a CNA you have many options available to you to expand your health care career.
I’ve Received my CNA Certification, What’s Next?
Congratulations! You have completed the first step towards a long and prosperous career in the health care industry, now it’s time to determine your next move.
Start Working as a Certified Nursing Assistant
The most common next step is to find a job. As an entry level position, there are usually a lot of CNA jobs available. Jobs can be found in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, doctor’s offices, and many other medical facilities. The abundance of jobs is based on several factors, most notably is the high rate of turnover for CNA’s. The CNA position is the gateway to most nursing careers since it is one of the quicker certifications you can earn, because of this advancement can be rapid as CNA’s move on to jobs as LPN’s, Medical Assistants, RN’s, etc.
Start A CNA to LPN Bridge Program
A CNA to LPN or LVN bridge program is an accelerated training program that allows a CNA to transfer credits earned during CNA training to a current LPN training program. This will shorten the amount of time it would normally take to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. A traditional LPN training course would normally take nine to twelve months, a bridge program will cut that by about three months.
Start a CNA to RN Bridge Program
Much like the CNA to LPN programs, CNA to RN bridge programs are designed to speed up the process of a Certified Nursing Assistant becoming a Registered Nurse. A typical RN program would take approximately two years not including the preparation for the NCLEX-RN which can add as much as six months to the licensing process. A bridge program can shorten the training by six months or more.
Earn Your Home Health Aide Certification
The quickest way to boost your value to potential employers is to earn your HHA Certification. Becoming a Certified Home Health Aide typically only requires an additional 40 hours of training on top of the CNA training you have already completed and is normally offered at the same place you took your CNA courses. HHA training will create more job opportunities for you by making you available to provide health services at patients’ homes instead of at medical facilities.
A little education can go a long way and help you achieve massive success in your health care career. With hard work and commitment you can easily increase your CNA salary and make a better life for you and your family.