Published Oct 6, 2010
Queen33FutureLPN, CNA
93 Posts
Why is Cna pay so horrible?
TheCommuter, BSN, RN
102 Articles; 27,612 Posts
Some CNAs are paid competitively. Not all are paid horribly.
However, it is a basic rule of thumb in society that the jobs that do not require a great deal of educational preparation generally do not pay well. The state where I live requires CNAs to have attained a 9th grade education and pass the state certification exam. CNA programs are typically a few weeks to a few months in length.
The role that CNAs occupy is of the utmost importance and, while I think they should be paid more money, high pay rates are not a reality in many of their lives.
fuzzywuzzy, CNA
1,816 Posts
I think it's also because it's "woman's work," which is traditionally undervalued.
anonymous1919, LPN
249 Posts
The way it works here is the US is the more education you have the more you get paid... since you can become a CNA in 2 weeks... it doesn't pay much. I personally think that is crap. I think how much you get paid should be based on 1.) Experience 2.) How well you do your job 3.) How valuable your job is. CNA's are the foundation of what makes a nursing home work. If you don't have good, harding working CNA's with a fair load of residents... your nursing home can turn to crap (experience!). Therefore really great CNA's who work hard and make a true difference should be paid 20/hr where as crap CNA's who do the bare minimum should be paid 10/hr (seems to be about what all CNA's make).. but CEO's would rather keep that money in their own pockets instead of giving hardworking people what they deserve.
Dorali, BSN, LPN, RN
471 Posts
Granted, it doesn't take very much schooling to become a CNA, we STILL went to school to do it and therefore we should be making more than someone who dropped out of high school and work at Wal-Mart.
In Oklahoma, you have to have a diploma/GED, or at least I did when I took my class.
classykaren
107 Posts
I noticed they are actually lowering wages for CNA's in my area of Florida . Now see openings for 8 per hour used to be 10 we have high unemployment and they can get away with it.
KB24
200 Posts
You can make over $16/hr at a hospital working as a PCT.
Saysfaa
905 Posts
Because enough people think that job at that pay is better than their next best choice.