Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) help registered nurses and licensed practical nurses with patient care, and assist patients with everyday needs like eating, bathing, getting dressed, and moving around. CNAs can also be responsible for monitoring basic symptoms, asking patients about their comfort and well-being, reporting any deterioration in condition to their superiors.
CNAs can find work in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and rehabilitation care centers. Due to a huge increase in elderly patients as the baby-boomer generation ages, there is expected to be an increase in demand for CNAs in the years to come.
Gaining certification as a nursing assistant takes very little time, sometimes as little as six weeks. There are over 2,000 nursing assistants employed in the state of Alaska, about half of whom work in Anchorage. The average pay for CNAs in Alaska is slightly higher than the national average, at around $35,000 per year.
Some of the top employers for CNAs in the state are PeaceHealth, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and MedPro Staffing.
Decided to start your nursing assistant career in Alaska? Below, you’ll find a list of the best certified nursing assistant programs in the state to help you get started.