If you're interested in becoming a 
What exactly is a nurse assistant?
A certified nursing assistant, or CNA, has a wide variety of responsibilities within a diverse number of health care settings. These settings include nursing homes, private homes, mental health institutions, hospitals, doctor's offices, and more. Responsibilities generally revolve around helping registered nurses (RN), doctors, and other healthcare professionals with the multitude of tasks that need to be completed on a day to day basis in medical facilities. These tasks can include, helping to move patients to new locations, taking notes for doctors, checking on patients, and more.
What are the different types of degrees in this field?
To obtain a nursing assistant job, a CNA most often needs to have at least a high school diploma, or GED, and at least some form of post-secondary nursing instruction. This can be obtained from a variety of institutions, including online schools, community colleges, trade schools, and so on. From there, it is a simple matter of taking, and passing, a CNA Exam.
- Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting: This degree program usually takes less than two years to complete and will allow students to become certified nurse assistants.
- Nursing Assistant Programs: These types of programs are specifically geared towards students who are interested in becoming certified nursing assistants. Having a high school deploma or equivalent is a requirement for admission into such a program.
- AA In Healthcare Administration: One excellent way to jump start a nursing assistant career is to obtain a degree in health administration. Nursing assistants often are in charge of administrative duties, with the responsibility of keeping medical offices running smoothly. This 2 year degree can help students with this goal.
- MS in Health Communications: As new technologies continue to emerge, and the world becomes a smaller place in terms of communication, this degree will have increased value. Prospective students interested in learning about communications, marketing, and other specializations with a focus on health should consider this 2 year degree program.
- AS in Clinical Medical Assisting: This degree program focuses on teaching nursing students the best methods for supporting physicians in health care settings. Students will also receive training that will enable them to assist with direct patient care. This makes this degree a great fit for one who is interested in becoming a CNA.
- BA in Healthcare Administration: While a bachelors degree is not required for most nursing assistant positions, it can still be a tremendous help for employment. This program focuses on the administrative side, which is helpful for those seeking a job in the nurse's assistant field.
What is the average salary of a certified nursing assistant?
Certified nursing assistants who have obtained their nursing assistant certificate have very competitive salaries that match their level of education and experience. CNAs are most often paid by the hour, and obtain raises based on the amount of years in the field, or if the CNA obtains more schooling and certification. CNAs generally start out in the $9.00 to $10.50 an hour range. Those who have much more experience and training can make as much as $15.00 per hour. More info.
What schools offer degrees for nurse assistants?
There are a plethora of academic institutions that offer certificates and degrees for persons interested in a certified nursing assistant career. Some schools offer specific medical assisting degrees, while others offer degrees in healthcare management and administration which can still be used to obtain certification as a nursing assistant:
- University of Phoenix: The University of Phoenix offers an excellent degree program for students interested in medical assisting. The AA Degree in Health Care is a well rounded program designed to prepare students to face new and exciting challenges in the medical field.
- Kaplan University: Kaplan University offers students the opportunity to obtain an AAS Degree in Medical Assisting. This degree program will give aspiring CNAs the knowledge and skills needed to meet the needs of the healthcare providers they assist.
- University of Washington: The University of Washington in Seattle is considered by many to be one of the best nursing schools in the world. While they don't offer a specific nursing assistant degree program, there are many healthcare field programs that are a good option for those seeking to become a CNA.
- University of Pennsylvania: This Ivy League institution, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has what many consider to be the best nursing program in the country. Penn offers a variety of nurse practitioner programs in different medical fields including Pediatric Nurse Practitioning, Adult Acute Care, Family Health, and more.
- University of California - San Francisco: Recently ranked as the best university for nursing in the United States, this institution has a variety of nursing programs tailored to fit the needs of students. Degree programs include nurse practitioning, advanced nursing practice, trauma nursing, and much more.
- Keiser University: Keiser University offers students the opportunity to pursue an AS Degree in Medical Assisting. This program is perfect for those who may not want to be doctors or nurses, but still would like to help care for people in need of medical attention.
- The University of Michigan: Ann Arbor is home to one of the top academic institutions in the country. Michigan's nursing school is well regarded and offers a variety of programs that include RN studies, master's and post master's programs, a BSN, and more.
- San Joaquin Valley College Online: While not as well known as some of the other schools on this list, SJVC offers a well rounded program for students to obtain an AS in Clinical Medical Assisting.
- The University of Illinois at Chicago: UIC offers a wide variety of highly regarded nursing programs. These programs include a BSN program, an RN to BSN program, a PhD program, and much more.
What kinds of financial aid are available for schools offering nurses assistant degrees?
Financial aid is almost always available for those who demonstrate need. The first thing any prospective student seeking aid should do is fill out a FAFSA to see what sort of federal grants and loans may be available. From that point, most of the work comes down to simple research. There are many nursing scholarships available to students who meet the requirements. Some of these scholarships include, SGNA RN General Education Scholarship, Miriam Fay Furlong Grant, Scholarships of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Midwest Alliance for Nursing Informatics Scholarship, and many more. The requirements for these scholarships vary, but most require you to be pursuing a degree in nursing. Others simply require that you demonstrate the proper lineage or that you write a compelling essay. The best idea is to start the search early, applying for as many scholarships as possible.
