Nursing assistant salaries are higher than average in Hawaii.
Nursing assistants, also called nurse aides, help patients with personal hygiene and other daily activities, and they provide basic health care such as taking blood pressure readings. Hawaii is experiencing a shortage of health care support staff, including nursing assistants, according to Nursing Assistant Central. The average salary of a nursing assistant in Hawaii is significantly higher than the national average for this occupation.
Job Duties
Nursing assistants help patients with taking sponge baths, shampooing their hair and dressing. They help a patient eat if assistance is necessary. They answer "call" lights, move bedridden patients to prevent bedsores and help patients move from the bed to a wheelchair or help them stand. They administer oral medication as directed, noting the amount and time given on the patient's chart. Nursing assistants also apply hot and cold compresses, provide enemas, monitor catheters and change bedpans.
Certification
Federal law requires nursing assistants to have professional certification to work in nursing homes. Employers often also require or prefer certified nursing assistants. Training to become a certified nursing assistant usually involves 200 hours of classroom instruction and clinical practice in a one-semester part-time program at a technical school or community college. The graduate must then pass an exam to obtain certification. In Hawaii, the American Red Cross administers the Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation Exam for professional certification.
Comparisons
The average annual salary nationwide for certified nursing assistants was about $32,500 as of January 2011, according to CBsalary. The middle 50 percent of those on the earnings scale were making $26,400 to $44,900 per year. While professional certification opens up more job opportunities, it doesn't have an enormous effect on salary. Nursing assistants not identified as having certification had an average nationwide salary of $31,900. In Hawaii, certified nursing assistants had an average annual salary of $40,600, with the middle 50 percent earning $33,000 to $56,000. Those not identified as holding certification had an average salary of $39,900. Although nursing assistants in Hawaii earn considerably higher salaries than the nationwide average, Nursing Assistant Central cautions that the cost of living in Hawaii is also very high.
Job Features
Hawaii needs additional nursing assistants in hospitals, nursing homes and home health care, according to Nursing Assistant Central. Another option is becoming a civilian nursing assistant at a military installation. Nursing Assistant Central notes that the shortage of qualified health-care support staff can make a nursing assistant's job search fairly easy. Full-time nursing assistants typically receive full benefits packages with health insurance, paid vacations and a company-contributed retirement plan.
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