Where to Work as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Jun 14, 2023
When entering into a profession like a Certified Nursing Assistant, you have some flexibility in where you choose to work. There are pros and cons to the different work environment options available, as there would be within any healthcare facility.
How do you pick one that's best for you? If you're looking for work as a Certified Nursing Assistant, then this guide will help you determine which environment is best for you and your needs.
What are the job responsibilities of a CNA?
Certified Nursing Assistants play an important role in whatever healthcare facility they find themselves in. If you're looking to enter this profession, here's what you can expect to see in your job description when you become a CNA.
- Bathing and grooming patients
- Turning or moving patients where needed
- Checking vital signs like blood pressure and heart rate
- Answering patient calls
- Documenting and recording information
- Cleaning rooms and bed linen
- Taking care of patient wounds
- Transporting patients to and from appointments
- Stocking supplies
- Assisting with medical procedures
- Feeding and documenting their intake
What are the educational requirements of a CNA?
In order to become a certified nursing assistant, you'll need to have the right education requirements. Firstly, you'll need a high school diploma or GED before you go on to do the state-approved training program and state-approved certification exam.
After 120+ hours of training, you'll become a state-approved CNA. While it's a lot of hours to invest, it's well worth it for the salary available.
The time to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) can vary depending on the individual and the program they choose. Typically, CNA training programs last anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks. Our Nursing Assistant Program typically takes 6 weeks for classes held from Monday through Thursday, with class hours from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
Facilities where CNAs can work
So what facilities are available to work in when you become a CNA? You have the choice of a number, whether it's assisted living facilities, a hospital setting, or nursing homes to name but a few.
Choosing one, in particular, will come down to where you feel most comfortable. To help you find the right work environment, we've put together some pros and cons of working in each setting.
CNAs have the flexibility to work in various healthcare facilities and even transition into different career paths, such as home health aides or medical assistants. Exploring the differences between home health aides vs CNAs, as well as medical assistants vs CNAs can be beneficial in determining which role aligns best with your interests and aspirations.
1. Hospitals
Hospitals tend to be the most popular of settings for certified nursing assistants to live in. They see a variety of patients and within a hospital setting, you're likely to get a fast-paced environment and an opportunity to learn more.
Hospitals want CNAs that have experience and therefore you may be required to work elsewhere before trying out for this setting. Let's take a look at some of the pros and cons that hospitals have.
Pros of working in this setting
- A greater variety of tasks
- A multitude of patient types
- Better salaries available
- Caring for patients is less intensive
Cons of working in this setting
- Challenging to get work if you've not got prior experience
- Connecting with individual patients is challenging due to time limitations
- Schedule can vary vastly from day to day
- Shift work can be stressful
While job availability is limited depending on work experience, there are plenty of hospitals always looking for certified nursing assistants. As far as medical professionals go, this environment often offers the most exposure and learning experiences.
2. Nursing homes
Nursing homes are always in need of nursing assistants, especially because these patients require full-time care. There will always be people that require nursing homes to be available too, so it's a working environment that will always need staff.
There's a lot of emotion that comes with working in these environments, especially as patients tend to deteriorate, rather than get better. Let's take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages that the nursing care facilities bring.
Pros of working in this setting
- A great go-to position for first-time nursing assistants
- Plenty of job availability
- Offers career path stability
- Similar day-to-day tasks and shift times
- Seeing the same patients every day
Cons of working in this setting
- A fairly challenging environment
- Assisting patients with higher needs
- Labor intensive care
- Emotional toll watching patients deteriorate and die
- Salary is not as competitive
While this setting is an easier one to get into, it may not be the most suitable if you want to be exposed to a lot of death. However, it can also be a helpful introduction to the work of nursing assistants by working in a nursing home.
3. Assisted living facilities
Assisted living facilities are those that require CNAs to work with patients who are otherwise independent but require some assistance. This may be mobility assistance and emotional support.
As medical professionals, this is a role that's likely to be more intimate as you get to know those patients more. Here's what you can expect with assisted living centers as a nursing assistant.
Pros of working in this setting
- Emotionally available to connect closer with patients
- Low-stress job
- A great workforce culture
- Job security
- Great benefits
Cons of working in this setting
- Requires physical endurance
- Challenging emotionally
With assisted living facilities, the relatively low-stress job and the emotional connection you get with patients are what bring many CNAs to this work environment. It does require physical endurance and it's important to be emotionally strong.
4. Home care agencies
Home care agencies hire nursing assistants to help with home health care. That means patients stay in their own homes while receiving personal care from CNAs.
In comparison to nursing homes, being able to live in their own environment means a lot to patients who want to maintain as much independence as possible. There are also plenty of great perks to working in this environment.
Pros of working in this setting
- Low-stress working environment
- Fewer patients to deal with
- Earn as much as hospital CNAs
- Flexible working
Cons of working in this setting
- Long hours
- Demanding and labor-intensive
- You may have some rude patients to deal with
- May have limited facilities depending on the patient's home
The flexibility of this working environment is great for some but the demand that comes with the job in its labor intensity, might not be for everyone. The perk of this environment though is that it provides a healthy CNA salary.
5. Rehabilitation centers
For some healthcare facilities, rehabilitation is required. From drug and alcohol addictions to other medical-related issues, rehabilitation centers play a pivotal role in supporting these individuals.
As a CNA, this is a particular setting that can prove fairly unique. That also means it can have its own mix of pros and cons.
Pros of working in this setting
- Variety of duties
- Assist patients to recover from life-threatening addictions
- Doesn't require a nursing license for some tasks
- Patient satisfaction
Cons of working in this setting
- May see relapses which can be demoralizing
- Likely to deal with abusive or explosive interactions
- Takes an emotional toll
While the environment can be somewhat tense and emotionally draining at times, when you do rehabilitate patients successfully, it's a highly rewarding experience.
6. Medical clinics
Medical clinics offer more regularity and consistency in workflow, which can make for a fairly pleasant work environment. While they may not be the most fast-paced environments, nor the most exciting, they do provide medical professionals with stability and a number of other benefits.
Pros of working in this setting
- One-to-one patient care
- Work is typically more routine
- More dependable shift patterns
- A community feel with a smaller working environment
Cons of working in this setting
- Overtime is limited within these clinics
- Predictable routines can be boring for some
- Pay is typically lower than in some other medical facilities
Despite what might be a more monotonous working environment, if you're looking for a relatively low-stress, routine working environment where you can confidently handle nursing interview questions, then this is the one for you.
Where can a CNA work FAQs
1. What types of CNA positions are available in each healthcare facility?
Depending on the healthcare facility will depend on what CNA positions are available. For example, CNAs can become patient care technicians within hospitals. There may be a role for critical care technicians too for hospital environments. Travel CNAs are ideal for those looking at home care agency services and home health aides can help in assisted living environments.
2. Do all healthcare settings require the same certifications to work as a CNA?
Most healthcare settings will require the CNA to have a certification but depending on the duties, there may be some positions that don't require as much experience. For example, nursing homes are ideal for those with little to no experience as a CNA.
3. What additional training or certifications are required to work in specialized healthcare facilities?
Most hospitals will require CNAs to have a year's experience before they apply. As a CNA working in a rehabilitation facility, you can become a rehabilitation technician with enough hours under your belt.
4. How can CNAs gain experience in different healthcare settings?
Every healthcare environment offers a different experience for the CNA in question. For those with experience, a position in a hospital might provide you with further insight and learning opportunities. In comparison, some environments provide more of a relaxed setting, which may be ideal for those who want a quieter working life. Like a medical clinic, for example.
