Guest Post: Springboard a Healthcare Career As A Nursing Aide
Thank you to Chris Salvato for his guest post on "Springboard a Healthcare Career As A Nursing Aide
Have you ever wanted to be a nurse, but didn't know how to get started? Interested in nursing, but you aren't sure if it's right for you?
There's actually a job that's perfect for you - a Certified Nursing Aide (CNA) job. In a nutshell, CNAs help 
patients by cleaning their beds, washing them, helping with basic physical therapy and moving them around the room.
Who becomes a CNA?
Many people become a CNA before pursuing a job as a more highly trained nurse. As a CNA, you can see if you like a job in healthcare before committing tens of thousands of dollars (and several years) to nursing school. Then, if you like the job, you can keep your CNA position, or enroll in a nursing school to move up the nursing ladder.
Of course, you don't need to pursue a job as an RN or LPN once you start working as a CNA. In fact, many people prefer to remain a CNA. People who remain a CNA usually enjoy caring for others, but don't want all of the responsibilities of a more highly trained nurse.
What are the benefits?
There are three huge benefits you should know about CNAs, especially when compared to more highly trained nurses (like LPNs or RNs):
In most states, you can actually start working as a CNA without any training at all. If you like the job after you start working, you just get certified later!
You will spend $500-$1000 for CNA classes, compared with $10,000+ for more advanced nursing jobs.
CNAs perform fewer jobs than a more highly trained nurse so you only go through a few weeks of training, not a few years.
Should you become a CNA?
Becoming a CNA is a great choice for people who want to try a career in healthcare before committing to years of training and schooling. It is also a good job for people who just want to make their living helping others.
You should consider a job as a CNA if you are interested in taking starting a long and happy career in healthcare!
Chris Salvato is a contributor to US CNA Classes Online, an online CNA resource http://www.uscnaclassesonline.com/