Certified Nurse Aides (CNA) in Texas
There are over 105,000 active certified nurse aides who work and reside in Texas. To become a certified nurse aide (CNA) in Texas you must complete an approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program and pass the competency evaluation program examination. CNA education programs cover subjects such as basic nursing principles, patient rights, effective communication, job safety, anatomy and medical terminology, ethics, observation and reporting.
Texas CNA programs include at least 51 hours of classroom instruction and 24 hours of clinical training. Students learn bedside nursing skills such as making beds, bathing and feeding patients, taking vital signs, answering call lights, and preparing and assisting patients for examinations.
CNA education programs also teach regulations and laws associated with the profession, how to work with nurses, doctors and other health professionals, and skills involving specialized supplies, equipment, and procedures. After successfully completing a CNA program, students are eligible to take the Texas Department of Human Services Certified Nurse Assistant exam. Upon passing this exam, individuals are ready for entry-level employment in long-term care facilities, doctor offices and hospitals. In general, certified nurse assistants provide basic care to residents of long-term care facilities and hospitals. Certified nurse aides are responsible for assisting residents in maintaining basic comfort and safety. CNA duties include assisting residents with activities of daily living such as feeding, dressing, bathing, and going to the bathroom.
Certified nurse assistants are also responsible for turning bedridden patients, changing bedpans and urinals, making beds, monitoring pulse, blood pressure, temperature and respiration, taking care of catheters, maintaining intake and output reports, answering call lights, reporting physical and mental changes, and assisting health care staff with various procedures.
The profession continues to have plenty of job openings due mostly to high replacement needs which reflect low salaries, high physical and emotional stress, relatively low entry requirements, and the lack of opportunities for advancement. In addition, many people are reluctant to do the type of work required by the occupation and either do not enter the profession or leave it to pursue training programs for other health care occupations such as LVN or RN. Due to these and other reasons such as the growing number of people in need of long-term care, individuals who want work as certified nurse aides have excellent job opportunities.
Salaries of certified nurse aides vary depending on the area of employment chosen and employer size. In Texas, CNA salaries range from $19,000 to over $24,000 depending upon employee experience and credentials, geographical area, and employer size and type. Certified nurse aides working in large cities are usually better paid than their counterparts in rural areas, with a CNA salary range between $22,000 and $25,000.
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