Wage for STNA or CNA

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I am a Staff Development Coordinator for a LTC building. I would like some feed back as to what the starting wage for a New STNA is, and does your building offer shift diffs?

TIA

And I might add, one MUST attend an accredited CNA I course, clinical rotation, and be on the CNA registry in the state of NC before he/she can attend a nursing school...no "fly by night" 3 week crash courses allowed either..which is really a good thing, more states should do that as it would weed out some individuals who have no business in the healthcare field to start with.. But the pay...sheesh. That's why many CNAs here aim higher....at least towards an LPN diploma just to at least be able to make a living...that is if they aren't already financially stable enough to not worry about the money and can be a CNA as a career. In reality, CNA pay in my state vs workload = high CNA turnover rate. High CNA turnover rate = inexperienced, brand new CNAs filling the vacuum and less than stellar care for residents and patients.

Yeah. I admit, I wouldn't want to do this for a living (I'm working on getting into nursing school.)

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Specializes in hospice.
...no "fly by night" 3 week crash courses allowed either..which is really a good thing, more states should do that as it would weed out some individuals who have no business in the healthcare field to start with..

Fly by night 3 week (okay 6 weekends) crash course graduate checking in. I'm an excellent CNA and just finished my first semester of LPN school. What was that you were saying?

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Specializes in LTC.

I did not say saying that "Fly by night" CNA crash courses don't produce great CNAs. I said that NURSING SCHOOLS in my state will not accept their (crash courses) curriculum as a prerequisite. The "good thing" being that you must be on the registry before gaining acceptance into a nursing program. I'm a graduate of a "fly by night" academy too, and had to re-take the course at a program that my nursing school deemed "accredited." Sorry if you misunderstood. I should have been more clear.

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Specializes in CNA, RNA , CHHA.

Never work in hospital or long term care, and never will, I do work for home health agencies or hospice,25 ,30$ per visit.

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I took a one day course and challenged the CNA certification prior to RN school. I have my BSN and am going for my FNP this fall.

To be honest, $ 9.00 an hour is a decent starting pay for any unskilled laborer. I might get burned for making this comment, but CNAs are expendable and are easily replaceable....just like RNs. Administration and upper management aren't concerned about turnover for CNAs or RNs because there is an over saturation in the field. Why pay top dollar when you can hire someone else who is in dire need of a job for less pay. Just saying, it's reality!

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses. Pardon for any misspelled words, I blame it on auto-correct.

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Well at least in ND the CNAs out here make as much 17 hr

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As a new NAR in a LTC facility, I made 10.50/hour. Once my state NAC credential came through, I made 11.50/hour. I work weekend double shifts, so the last 7 hours of my 15-hour day I make 17.25/hour.

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In my state, CNAs start at around $9.00/hr. for most LTC facilities. I'm sorry, but for lack of a better phrase, that's pathetic. Nonetheless, facilities continue to analyze and wonder why turnover rates are so astronomical. When people like my ex felon/drug addict cousin can change oil in the fryers at McDonald's for the same wage, there is a problem. Just sayin'.

Extremely pathetic. The fact that they must pay money, go to school, clinicals, and sit for a certification exam to make minimum wage while doing one of the hardest jobs ever. CNAs are usually the first to alert me when a patient's condition changes which may lead to them being sent out later. CNAs save lives.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiology.

I think the pay rate varies per state and experience. In the past I have made as much as 15 an hour and as little as 7. Washington and Oregon by far are the highest paid. Idaho is the lowest in my opinion. LTC seems to be the highest wages per facility. In home health and Assisted Living are low wages. I have worked on and off as a CNA or NAC for the past 20 plus years.

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Specializes in LTC.

Some areas of the country DO pay their CNAs well, but that is the exception, not the rule in my experience and in my area of the US. There are CNAs in my facility (not me, I'm in nursing school working P/T) that work 16 hour shifts on a regular basis just to make ends meet. Many just get so burned out that they quit. How is that (fatigue and high turnover) good for residents who depend on them for ADLs? Tired and unhappy employees hardly ever equal good employees. If they just paid a little more, the turnover rates would decrease exponentially. I'm not saying CNAs should get $15-$16/hr right after getting on the registry, but min. wage to $9/hr to start is ridiculous in 2015, considering the vetting process and classes/class that are required in this day and age to get certified. Not to mention the hard work once employed.

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This is just a question. Why is it unskilled when you have to go to class and get certified? And pass an exam? I could understand the non certified aids making what I make but I feel I should at least make 15.00 an hr and that's low

Being a CNA is not unskilled labor. Unskilled labor are jobs which require little to no training and can be obtained with less than a high school diploma. A good example would be janitorial work or working in a fast food business.

CNAs fall under the umbrella of mid-skilled labor. It requires more than just a diploma, or in some cases, less than a diploma, but it does require specific training and education as well as certification.

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Some areas of the country DO pay their CNAs well, but that is the exception, not the rule in my experience and in my area of the US. There are CNAs in my facility (not me, I'm in nursing school working P/T) that work 16 hour shifts on a regular basis just to make ends meet. Many just get so burned out that they quit. How is that (fatigue and high turnover) good for residents who depend on them for ADLs? Tired and unhappy employees hardly ever equal good employees. If they just paid a little more, the turnover rates would decrease exponentially. I'm not saying CNAs should get $15-$16/hr right after getting on the registry, but min. wage to $9/hr to start is ridiculous in 2015, considering the vetting process and classes/class that are required in this day and age to get certified. Not to mention the hard work once employed.

If they increase the wages of RNs the turnover rate will decrease as well. Unfortunately, healthcare has changed and is very business driven. Not to mention healthcare systems or healthcare institutions have no loyalty to their employees whatsoever. Now, it's all about profits and cheap labor. They can fire you or get rid of you without a moments notice. It really is a sad situation we live in.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses. Pardon for any misspelled words, I blame it on auto-correct.

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