Certified Nursing Assitant

I have worked as a CNA at a group home for 8 years. I LOVE my job. But like people have already said it is hard work. Hard DIRTY work. LOL You really have to have a strong stomach and a good heart. You will know right away if you are cut out for this line of work. You either love it or you hate it. Good luck!

Hi Daisy!

I am not a CNA, but WANT to be one! I have a friend who is a CNA, and I asked her a bunch of questions about it, so I think I can help you. She likes her job, but she says it's not for the weak stomach, since the CNA does all the "grunt work," like changing their diapers, wiping their butt, that kind of hygiene stuff. They also help them up from their beds with a special kind of belt, help dress them, help them with whatever they need help with regarding personal hygience, I think with meals, too. CNA's do not draw blood, which I was happy to hear b/c I would not want to do that. Anyway, my friend who is a CNA lives in Wisconsin, and has been doing this for about 6 months and is making $10.50/hr. She works part-time and cannot make her own hours. Her goal is to eventually be a home health aide (and is also my goal whenever I do this someday). A home health aide can probably make their own hours and will work much better hours. My friend said she is doing her "time" at the nursing home now. She said she needed to have a year of CNA experience at a nursing home (or hospital) in order to become a home health aide. I don't know if that is true or not, but that's what she said. I have heard and read that CNA's are very much in demand - any job in the healthcare industry is in demand. My friend got hired as a CNA immediately after she finished her course and took the state exam. Hope this helps. Good luck!

I work as an RN in a hospital in central MN. My previous experience as a CNA paid 10/hour though it was a few years ago. I think our hospital pays between 10+16/hour based on experience. Our (PCAs they are called) are expected to take vitals, do baths and bed changes, take patients on walks and to therapies, take out IVs and catheters and on some floors catheterize the patient. Some floors have PCEs (our Emergency area) which have more responsibility such as splinting or washing out wounds etc. It is a demanding job and our hospital is not hiring much at the moment BUT it is a rewarding career to get your foot in the door to other opportunities if you are looking forward to options in a few years.

Ask yourself some important questions.

*How do you feel about other people's body fluids? You will be in contact with a lot of these as a CNA.

*Can you physically lift a lot of weight? There is a lot of heavy lifting

*Do you have a caring and patient nature? Are you able to answer the same question 30 times a day from the same person with a kind answer?

Being a CNA is incredibly hard work whether you are in a nursing home, hospital, home health care, or private...it is hard, thankless work. I worked as a CNA in Hospital and home health while I was in Nursing school.

As to making your own schedule, in hospital is it not easy. Home health is a feast or famine kind of thing...you take the jobs you can. Privately, you can do it somewhat, but it can also be feast or famine and the families will expect experience and references.

Hope this helps.

I am not a CNA, but I do work in hospitals. I know many, many CNA's.
This is one of those things you're either cut out for or you're not.
In my area, good CNA's are very much in demand and they make pretty good money, but it's all area based. (Nobody in my area makes super good money right now but we are seriously behind everyone else in that).
As far as making your own hours...that depends. Some CNA's like the overnight shifts so they have time during the day to be with their kids. Some like working weekends because that's when their husbands are home to watch the children. CNA's are basically required at facilities around the clock and the new ones don't always get the hours of their dreams.
You have to really have a heart for people. A caring and giving nature. You do deal with people who are very ill in some cases. You have to deal with bodily fluids, chart everything as far as who eats what when, deal with grouchy patients sometimes. It's not an easy job. But, I know many women who've done it for years and wouldn't think of doing anything else.
One thing I know, at least in my area, is that good CNA's don't have too much trouble finding work. Many facilities will take you after you're enrolled in your classes so you can get training.
Look into the college near you so that you can research everything needed to get your license and ask them what the job situation is like.
I know that in my area everybody and their cousin went to dental assisting school but they turn out more of them than there is a market for in the workforce.

I hope you get some great responses!
Best of luck in your endeavors.