CNA questions, pay...

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I'm assuming CNA (cert nurse assist) and PCA (personal care assist) are the pretty much the same thing as far as hospitals are concerned, right?

Do hospitals have job fairs that include these positions so I could find out more?

What is the typical pay range for a CNA? 10-15 an hour? :o

Do most nurses work as a CNA during nursing school for experience or a "foot in the door" at a specific hospital/unit?

I'm a hairstylist now and I make well over 20 an hour...but I'm curious about working part time as a CNA for the experience...the only thing is htat my daycare costs are $8 an hour soI could not work as a CNA for less than 12 once I figure in gas, meals etc. So, I'd only consider it if it really really helped getting a job or getting thru nursing school.:innerconf

Specializes in cardiac, LTC, postpartum.

Hi, I was a hair stylist like you before I began in healthcare. I was just hired on a step down cardiac unit at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, IL. I had no hospital experience whatsoever and they started me at $14.14/hr. Like you, it was a painful pay cut but the benefits are amazing (medical ins. and tuition remebersment) If you begin interviewing at hospitals really emphasize your customer service skills thru doing hair. It is the same concept as being a PCT. Best of Luck to you, hope that helps! Chicagoland has so many wonderful hospitals to work for and the pay is decent to compared to other metro areas!!:w00t:;)

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i am in oklahoma and get paid horribly. if you are thinking 15$ an hour, you must be thinking new york or la! i started at 8.50 and am now making 10.50 at an upstale retirement community.

but when i lived in ohio i made almost 13.00 an hour.

just depends what state you are in...

but definately always underpaid.

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Specializes in Geriatric, post op.

I work for a LTC facility while I am in nsg school and get paid about 17.50 per hour. I don't accept my benefits, or holiday pay and I work 16 hr shifts on Sat's which counts for a weekend differential pay. It really works out for me! I can go to school all week, work on the weekends and make enough $ to cover my bills! I learn a lot at the nursing home, however I would recommend starting out as a tech at the hospital! I personally learned more in that fast pace setting! GOod luck!

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hi! at the hospital i work at they were looking for people who have passed the state cna test for the pca positions, but the posting said "preferred." i am a pca/cna at a hospital on a medical floor in northwest indiana. i make $9.55 hr. and it was a pay cut for me, but as others have said, i wanted the experience for my clinicals and nursing school so it's worth it!

the hospital i work at does offer tution reimbursment after you have been there 6 months, which is great since i don't start the nursing program until fall and i have already been at the hospital for 3 months. there are also quite a few rn's who started there as aides and now have a nursing position, the hospital i work at encourages that.

best of luck!!:D

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it depends on where you work and what time you put in at your job... i work in ct at a level 1 trauma center and i know the pay starts at 14.50 an hour but its only been three years and i make about 20 an hour...

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In my area, Muncie, Indiana...new CNA can typically earn about $8.50-$10.00, depending on what shift you want. I've been working in LTC for almost 3 years at the same facility and I make about $9.31, after my shift differential. I'm hoping to another job, doing weekend option, I think making about $10.45/hr, plus pay for experience and differentials.

Around here, the average wages seem to be a little low compared to other areas. Especially in bigger cities.

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We get $15 for day with 10% diff on evenings and 15% on nights.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

I make 13.50 an hour at an assisted living facility --- it's 14.50 on weekends and 14.50 on the evening shift. If I work night shift, I get paid 17.50 an hour.

My friend works at a hopsital and makes 14.00 and gets 6.00 extra on the weekends! Plus 3.00 more on the evening shift.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

A year ago in LTC I was at $9, now I am in a hospital and started out at $13.00, as for getting your foot in the door. I think that it helps my unit coordiantor has told me I have a job as a RN once I am done with school. When I interviewed with the recruiter for the hospital she said the managers are more likley to hire someone who has hospital experiance.

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I'm gonna be starting the CNA program in August but at the moment I work as Bookkeeper sorta (o.O) but its a very small private company and i get paid $11.75 an hours. I'll be getting a raise in a few months because it'll be 1 year since i've been working here but its a dead end job and theirs no where to go from this position in this company. CNA make a little below that amount or a little more. I'm in chicago so im guessing thats about right.

I tell a lot of my friends that I'm gonna be going to do the CNA program and they tell me well thats, sorry to say this here, the b***h job in healthcare or something like that but for me i see it as the first step into the healthcare career and I know I will be learning a lot before i get into nursing school.

I'm pretty confident with this plan and the pay since its not much different than what i make now and like i said its only the first step if you wish to go further you can and your not stuck.

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Specializes in CNA.

I need to move..lol

When I started working in 06 I was getting 8.35 + .7 cent state raise = sad

Now that I work somewhere else I get $9.50 and thats because of the state minimum going up.

Its better then nothing.

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I need to move..lol

When I started working in 06 I was getting 8.35 + .7 cent state raise = sad

Now that I work somewhere else I get $9.50 and thats because of the state minimum going up.

Its better then nothing.

Of course, you have to keep in mind that for most places the rate of pay has some correlation to the cost of living in that area. Obviously CNA's are going to be paid more in big cities, but that extra money goes back into the cost of living. Overall I think most CNA's maintain the same standard of living regardless of where they live or how much money they make per hour.

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