There are plenty of traits that make a career as a certified nursing assistant attractive to those going into the medical field, including how quick and cost-effective it is to begin the career as well as the job’s positive future outlook. One of the attributes that makes it especially appealing is the variety of job settings in which you can work as a CNA.
Nursing Homes
Often a perfect jumping-off point for CNAs beginning their careers, nursing home jobs are plentiful and expected to rise in the coming years. Nursing homes provide around-the-clock care for elderly patients, often those with health conditions and dementia. Careers in nursing homes usually provide stability with regular hours and solid job security.
Assisted Living Facilities
Assisted living facility and nursing home are two terms often used interchangeably. While assisted living facilities have similarities to nursing homes, they present several dissimilarities, including what’s involved in care. While assisted living facilities also cater to an elderly clientele, those residing in assisted living facilities often don’t have as complex health problems as those in nursing homes and often require only basic daily assistance with mobility and general check-ins. As with nursing home positions, these jobs offer a good deal of stability.
Hospitals
Hospitals are another common and highly desirable position for CNAs. Hospitals usually provide the best pay for CNAs as well as excellent benefits. Hospital work has often been described as less intensive for CNAs as it is in other settings but provides a greater amount of diversity of work. There are a greater number of patients with a greater variety of needs and profiles, but they are usually more independent than those in nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
In-Home Aide
When considering the best job settings for CNAs, the conversation usually swings between being a CNA in a nursing home or a hospital, but many people don’t consider the option of being an in-home aide. In-home aides, as the name suggests, provide elderly or disabled patients aid within their own homes, which usually improves their quality of life. This includes typical CNA duties like washing, helping patients with exercise, and monitoring vitals, but may also include tasks like light housekeeping and meal preparation. When it comes to job growth, in-home aides are quickly rising—not only among CNA careers but among medical careers in general.
