CNA Jobs in Chicago
Posted on August 13, 2009
If you’re looking for a healthcare job in Illinois, you should know that being a doctor or nurse aren’t your only options. If you’re interested in something different, you might want to see what kind of positions in a CNA job Chicago has to offer.
Certified nursing assistants are responsible for giving personal care to patients in hospitals and nursing homes, according to an article by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
They work under the direction of nursing and medical staff. CNA duties often include giving baths and back rubs; making hospital beds; carrying meal trays; helping patients in and out of bed; taking temperature, pulse, respiration, weight and blood pressure readings; answering calls; writing notes on patients’ charts and taking appropriate action during emergencies.
CNAs also can be responsible for transporting patients in wheelchairs or beds to examining or operating rooms, as well as sterilizing equipment and preparing stock dressings and treatment trays. Nursing assistants also watch patients for changes in mental alertness or emotions and notify the supervising nurse when they see changes.
Throughout Illinois, positions for CNAs are expected to grow through 2010. Nursing assistant is one of the 50 occupations expected to provide the most job openings each year in Illinois. There are plenty of openings because the occupation has a high turnover rate. As of 2000, there were 53,560 CNAs throughout the state.
Nationwide, the number of jobs for nursing assistants is expected to grow faster than average. Most of that growth can be attributed to the expansion of long-term care facilities and programs to meet the needs of the increasing elderly population.
The median wage for CNAs in Illinois is $9.18 per hour, and wages range from $7.30 per hour for beginning assistants to $10.51 per hour for those with experience. Nursing assistants earn a national median wage of $9.27 per hour and half of all CNAs earn between $7.81 and $11.01 per hour.