subject: Calling for a Better CNA Salary [print this page] Calling for a Better CNA Salary Calling for a Better CNA Salary
Every health care environment requires good certified nursing assistants (CNA) to assist and facilitate many medical routines that a patient requires. Hence, they are crucial to every health care environment. Mundane jobs or tasks like bathing, dressing and feeding the patient as well as making the beds or cleaning up the rooms need to be performed daily.
Scope of Work
Nursing Assistants are usually the first medical contact patients or their family members would encounter. They must be equipped with good communication skills and bedside manners to convey a caring environment to the patients and their families.
While most of the times nursing assistants are at the beck and call of other medical personnel, CNA salaries are on a lower scale than other medical staff. This is due to the position of certified nursing assistants; it is considered an entry level for health care providers. As the starting base of the medical echelon, CNA salaries are expectedly at the bottom of the scale.
Hence, the individuals who take on the position of CNA are definitely not going in for the pay. There is an innate desire or a passion in helping people or to get a feel of the medical environment before going seriously into nursing or medical schools. CNAs work as hard as other entry level medical staff such as the LPNs (licensed Practical Nurses) but their CNA salary is lower.
Current CNA salary
The annual CNA salary may range between $19,500 and $29,000; the actual amount depends on the location or the work experience. The median CNA salary is about $26,300 which barely passes the minimum wage at $2,100 per month. However, there is possible health insurance as well as retirement plan benefits as perks.
Salary Comparison
CNAs may be frustrated to learn that a LPN earns more when they work harder and longer hours. The median LPN annual salary is about $43,000. Yes, the LPN course is longer; about 2 years compared to the 3 weeks for a CNA. The LPNs also take on more responsibilities even though their job seems easier from the CNA perspective.
Health care authorities understand the CNA's frustration and concern over their salaries and are working to upgrade the CNA salary scale. Higher salaries or better increments are offered to those who exhibit higher quality performance and dedication in their job. A good increment will raise the self-esteem and pride in their jobs for many CNAs. As there are many CNAs who really have an altruist attitude, health care authorities should consider offering them better incentives, if not a higher CNA salary, so that these hard workers will stay on to give better service to the patients and bring pride to the care facility while enhancing their self-esteem and personal pride in their being and job. As competition is stiff for CNAs, health care authorities must understand that employees are the organization's assets, especially good employees.
