Nurse Assistant Salary
With such a high demand for certified nursing assistants in the past years, the pay has been gradually increasing. Hospitals and doctor’s offices say that it is hard to keep quality professionals because most of them want to move further in the medical field. With that said, the following information outlines the salaries for both nurse assistants and medical assistants.
Nurse assistants play an important role in any medical office, living center and/or hospital. They help patients with their daily activities as well as assist the register nurses with bathing, vital signs, dressing, comforting and listening to the patients.
People who wish to become a registered nurse usually become a nurse assistant first. Becoming a certified nursing assistant can be done in as little as 6 weeks, depending on the specific program you enroll. A nurse assistant salary can be anywhere between $20,000-$30,000, with the median being around $24,000 depending on location and the tasks required.
Nurse assistant salary is appealing to most because of the minimal time spent in schooling. Typically, nurse assistant wages will run around $9-$16 an hour. There are several factors that can play a role in a nurse assistant salary.
Nurse assistants in urban areas tend to make more than those in rural areas. The same can be said about CNAs working in large, metropolitan cities because of higher standards and expectations. In addition, salary can depend on what type of medical field the nurse assistant is working in. An added perk of this type of work is the ability to have a flexible schedule. Nurse assistants typically work 5- eight hour shifts with two days off or 3- twelve hour shifts with four days off.
Another popular choice among those interested in the medical field is becoming a medical assistant. There is a wide variety of online medical assistant programs that are available. These programs are typically for those who have busy lifestyles and cannot afford to give up their current job while in school. There are also local medical assistant schools in most cities or surrounding areas that offer a certificate program.
A medical assisting certificate can take anywhere between 9 months-12 months, which tends to be more appealing than getting an Associate’s Degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average medical assistant salary is around $28,300 depending on location. People who hold their medical assistant certification are expected to complete administrative and clinical jobs.
Some of these tasks include: greeting patients, file and update medical forms, complete insurance papers, scheduling, and vital signs, prepare patients for x-rays and other procedures, sterilize medical equipment, distribute medications and remove stitches. While some of the duties of a medical assistant seem comparable to those of a nursing assistant, a nursing assistant will also take part in more of the clinical jobs within a facility. However, the median salary of a medical assistant is slightly more than a nursing assistant.
Depending on what each person hopes to achieve in their career, will decide which program best fits their need. A nurse assistant salary and a medical assistant salary are both appealing because of the little time required to become certified. Both programs require very little time spent in comparison to the time it takes to acquire an Associate’s Degree or Bachelor’s Degree. Nursing assistants get to participate in more of the hands-on jobs in a doctor’s office or hospital where as medical assistants tend to do more clerical work. The salaries of both jobs are close with only a few thousand dollars separating the average salary amount.
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
