Where do CNAs work?

CNAs work in various healthcare settings, including general and specialty hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living establishments, and rehabilitation facilities. In some cases, their non-routine duties may be somewhat dependent on where they work.

The patient populations CNAs work with can also vary along with the work setting. CNAs in hospitals might work inwards with specific age groups, such as infants or young children. They may work in specialty hospitals with cancer patients or patients with other specific health conditions.

CNAs who work in nursing homes deal with elderly patients, while those who work in rehabilitation facilities may interface with patients of all ages with various ailments or diseases. CNAs in memory care facilities have the challenge of working with patients who have Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

As a CNA, you have an abundance of options. You can work in environments and with populations that you are interested in and most comfortable with.

What Does a CNA Do?

CNAs ensure the wellbeing of their patients by performing a variety of tasks that help with daily living activities. Because CNAs typically spend more time with patients than nurses or doctors, they understand their behaviors and health statuses.

They get to know each patient, their typical behaviors, and their general state of health and are often the first to notice physical or emotional changes. Whether identifying decreased mobility, increased pain, or memory issues, CNAs play important roles in the early detection of symptoms and may identify issues that other healthcare personnel do not.

CNA Duties

Individual tasks can vary based on where a CNA works and the type of patients they serve, but typical responsibilities include:

  • Answering call buttons and alerting nurses to emergencies
  • Monitoring patient needs and reporting any issues to other healthcare personnel
  • Helping patients with their daily needs, such as eating, bathing, dressing, and toileting
  • Ensuring patient comfort by changing bedding, filling water jugs, and positioning items so they are in reach
  • Repositioning patients in beds
  • Helping patients move from a bed to a chair or wheelchair and back
  • Assisting with lifting patients from their beds to examination tables, surgical tables, or stretchers

Depending on state regulations and facility requirements, some CNAs may perform additional advanced duties that include:

  • Measuring and recording food and liquid consumption
  • Accompanying patients to off-site doctor appointments
  • Stocking or issuing medical supplies, such as dressing packs or treatment trays
  • Measuring vital signs, including blood pressure, oxygen level, and temperature
  • Explaining medical procedures and tests to patients and their families
  • Dispensing medication as prescribed
  • Changing dressings and bandages
  • Setting up equipment such as oxygen tents, portable radiograph (X-ray) equipment, or IVs
  • Assisting in minor medical procedures

Is CNA Considered a Nurse?

As their titles imply, certified nursing assistants “assist” nurses and other physicians rather than working as official nurses themselves. That said, CNAs are vital members of the nursing profession. For CNAs to practice, they must be under the supervision of registered nurses or licensed practical nurses. Because they are not legally responsible for the medical care of the patients, they must practice under those who are.

How much do CNAs make?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for nursing assistants was $28,530 as of May 2018 (most recent data available). However, the specific salary for a CNA will vary slightly based on the following factors:

Type of Employer

Certified nursing assistants may work in a variety of job settings providing basic patient care such as feeding, dressing, and bathing patients, helping with activities of daily life, and taking vital signs. They may find jobs in government organizations such as the Department of Veteran Affairs and local departments of health, hospitals, nursing care facilities, home health organizations, and retirement and assisted living communities for the elderly. According to BLS data, nursing assistants working for government organizations make slightly more ($3,750) than average annually nationwide and than those who work for other types of healthcare organizations such as hospitals; state, local, and private, and $5,270 more than the median annual pay as an industry.

The median annual wages for nursing assistants in the top industries in which they worked were:

  • Government organizations: $33,800
  • Hospitals: $30,050
  • Nursing care facilities: $27,840
  • Home healthcare services: $27,290
  • Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly: $27,200.

Geographic Location

In general, jobs in larger cities and more populated areas tend to offer higher salaries than in smaller towns and rural areas to compensate for higher costs of living. However, in some cases, if there is a high demand for nurses in a more remote area, salaries will increase to attract new employees. Currently, the states with the highest-paid nursing assistants are Alaska ($39,830 annual mean salary) and New York ($37,010 annual mean salary).

CNA Salary Table

LocationTotal EmploymentAnnual Salary
United States1,450,960$28,540
Alabama22,590$23,290
Alaska1,820$38,500
Arizona14,750$30,540
Arkansas18,060$24,610
California99,440$33,070
Colorado21,070$32,000
Connecticut22,150$32,620
Delaware4,850$30,020
District of Columbia3,500$31,190
Florida89,860$26,020
Georgia36,780$24,680
Hawaii4,800$34,870
Idaho7,300$26,770
Illinois61,140$27,860
Indiana30,220$26,830
Iowa20,890$28,520
Kansas22,290$25,670
Kentucky24,060$26,080
Louisiana20,690$22,070
Maine9,580$28,350
Maryland27,980$30,230
Massachusetts39,100$32,310
Michigan49,760$29,710
Minnesota31,640$33,350
Mississippi13,850$22,480
Missouri38,560$24,350
Montana5,760$28,820
Nebraska14,580$28,280
Nevada6,660$34,060
New Hampshire7,980$31,280
New Jersey56,500$29,470
New Mexico6,200$27,890
New York91,400$36,610
North Carolina63,010$25,260
North Dakota7,080$33,980
Ohio65,860$27,040
Oklahoma17,120$24,530
Oregon12,880$32,350
Pennsylvania76,260$30,080
Rhode Island10,200$30,000
South Carolina20,950$24,190
South Dakota6,010$26,300
Tennessee28,340$25,680
Texas87,750$25,760
Utah10,680$27,650
Vermont3,040$29,910
Virginia39,320$27,270
Washington32,690$31,220
West Virginia8,330$25,180
Wisconsin32,310$29,240
Wyoming3,310$29,970
Guam330$28,110
Puerto Rico360$19,200
Virgin Islands180$29,280

Table data are taken from 2018 BLS (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes311014.htm)

Prior Experience

While many CNA positions do not require prior professional experience beyond the required training hours set by the state nursing board, a nursing assistant may make a higher starting salary if he or she has some previous healthcare experience, for example as a candy striper or volunteer at a local hospital.