CNA Pay in Seattle area.

[windmill182]

Hi Guys! So I think I finally found a program that is going to work for me to get my LPN and then advance to my RN. However, I have to get a CNA Certificate to be accepted.

I figured well, if Im going to get it maybe I should use it..

I was considering working part time as a CNA while going to school, but Im curious about the hourly pay for CNAs starting out in LTC..I know thats probably about the only place I'll have luck getting a job at first.

If its too low Ill have to continue working for my current company. I just want to get all the experience I can though in the health field even if its dirty work. I hear it makes you a better nurse down the road anyways!:heartbeat

[Codeda]

This is a good question that I would like to know the answer to also. I don't live in Seattle but am trying to decide if I should move there with my cna and go to nursing school there or do nursing school here and move there when I'm done. Anyway hopefully someone has an answer

[j450n, BSN, MSN, RN]

I am not sure about LTC, but my starting salary at a local hospital as an hourly nursing assistant was about 12.43 an hour. I had minimal experience prior to applying.

[kat7ap]

Two years ago the CNAs in my facility made $11-12/hr

[<3Medical]

Not sure if you are including north of Seattle but I worked at a LTC two years ago in Snohomish at $10.85/hr on eve shift.

[stellasaurus]

I've heard from more than a few nurses that working as a CNA can lead to burn-out. If you want patient care experience, work as an EMT or even a medical assistant. There's also the nurse tech option (=more pay than the CNA) after your first med/surg rotation in nursing school.

[<3Medical]

I've heard from more than a few nurses that working as a CNA can lead to burn-out. If you want patient care experience, work as an EMT or even a medical assistant. There's also the nurse tech option (=more pay than the CNA) after your first med/surg rotation in nursing school.

The problem we have at our hospital is that MAs aren't paid much more (if any) than CNAs. An MA told me recently that he didn't suggest going from CNA to MA because there wasn't much difference in duties or pay to be worth it (more school/training involved). I guess MAs are glorified CNAs here.

[kat7ap]

I've heard from more than a few nurses that working as a CNA can lead to burn-out. If you want patient care experience, work as an EMT or even a medical assistant. There's also the nurse tech option (=more pay than the CNA) after your first med/surg rotation in nursing school.

Well any job in the healthcare field can certainly lead to burn out. As being a CNA and an LPN, I would not say that with being a CNA is there a greater chance for burnout. Both are difficult jobs at times, the CNA job can be a lot more physicial as in heavy lifting and moving. You can become a CNA within a few weeks for a small amount of $$ and it takes about 6 months to 2 years to become a MA and some schools charge thousands of $$$ or it takes 6 months to a year for EMT. I would also consider the hours that those positions normally are. EMT could be flexible, MAs usually work business hours M-F (not very easy to go to school at the same time) unless they work as a tech in the hospital which is basically a CNA anyway. From what I understand, the pay is pretty similar for all of them. You can always go from CNA to nurse tech once you are in nursing school.

[babyNP., APRN]

I got paid $14 at Harborview in 2007 for being a nurse tech. If you can, work at one of larger hospitals--you'll see so much more and it's not all about the physical labor.

[Nurse_Susie]

I just recently began working as a nurse but 2 years ago I started at a large hospital at $12.30 an hour as a CNA. I ended making $14.30 an hour. I also got $1 differential for evenings and $1 for weekends. I had 5 years of CNA experience.