The National CNA Average Pay Is....

How much money do you currently make an hour? Becoming a CNA is not only something that can fulfill you as a person but it can also help you make more money per hour. On the low end, a CNA can expect to get paid $8.55 per hour, the minimum wage in Virginia currently stands at $7.25 per hour, that's over one dollar more per hour. Let's say that you work 4 weeks out of the month and you work full time - at minimum wage that's $1,160 before taxes. If you become a CNA your salary per month would be $1,368 - that's $208 MORE every month and that's assuming that you are getting paid on the low end of CNA work. If you get paid the median wage your monthly income would be $1,846.40 or $686.40 more every month!

Becoming a CNA doesn't have to take a long time, in fact it takes 5 weeks with Virginia School for Nurse Aides which is a lot shorter than a lot of other colleges that offer this program. It costs a little over a thousand dollars to become a CNA with us and we offer payment options for those who need it. When you look at the big picture though, one thousands dollars doesn't sound like a lot of money when you have the potential of making $686 more every month if you're making minimum wage. It is an intensive 5 week course - but the reason why we decided to make it 5 weeks is because we know that people have busy lives and they may need to make more money fast.

People become CNA's because yes, they want to make more money, but more importantly because they want to have a better career and better future. Sometimes being a CNA is something that people do so that they can put themselves through school or maybe they just have a family to support and need to pay their bills, whatever the reason being a CNA can put you in a totally different path in just 5 short weeks. So what are you waiting for? Give us a call and change your future today!

More info on CNA salaries and job opportunities

Day or Night - Our Students Succeed

Some of these night students have families, jobs and other responsibilities but they want a better future for themselves so they choose to go to Virginia School Nurse Aides and become the best they can be. If you've thought about a career in healthcare, make sure to visit our school and find out more.

Learning About The Human Body

Even though we all learn about the human body at some point in school, our students receive comprehensive training on how the body functions. Who says that learning can't be fun though? We teach our students in engaging ways. Check out some of the latest projects that they have come up with! 

Work in a #Rewarding Career

Being a CNA can be financially and emotionally rewarding. Learn how to help others today! 

The #VSFNA Difference

When we think about our future, how do we pick which direction to go? Maybe you've decided to become a CNA because you know that a level entry position can earn a few dollars more per hour by taking a five week class. How do you pick which school to go to? There is after all a bunch of different options when it comes to CNA schools.

How do you pick from all of these different options? Here's a few things you probably want to look out for when picking a CNA school. 

Registration with the Board of Nursing

The school that you ultimately decide to enroll in has to be registered and accredited with the Virginia Board of Nursing. Why? Because that is the standard that hospitals and other medical facilities will require to be eligible. Most schools will be accredited but watch out for the ones that aren't. Check their website and ask around for information. Better yet, call the Virginia Board of Nursing to verify that school you're going to is registered and accredited. 

Established Relationships with Hospitals and Assisted Living Facilities

CNA's can find employment in many places but the two main places they will find jobs is Hospitals and Assisted Living Facilities. Sometimes these places will have built relationships with schools and will proactively check with the schools to see if they have any graduating candidates fit for a job they may have available. Even though schools can't guarantee employment, they can certainly put in a good word for students if they have excelled in their program. Having these relationships will ensure that students have a good chance of being hired. 

Small Classes

Pick a school that specializes in CNA training and nothing else. The reason being, big schools can mean high staff turn over. When there is high staff turn over it makes it difficult for students to have one point of contact to which they can get answers from.  It will be in your best interest to have a school that has smaller classes so you get individualized attention from the teachers. In some cases, it's worth paying a premium just for this kind of attention. Make sure that you're being taken care of right away when you have questions and concerns, this is usually an indicator if the school is going to be the right match for you. 

Avoid Schools That Let Anyone In

Schools that are very inexpensive or that require little to no paper work could be a waste of your time and money. Schools that hold their students to higher standards not only will they prepare you well for your new career but it could also mean additional pay for you because of your training. There are schools that pass all of their students but when it is time for them to take the State Board Exam, they don't perform as well as they should have because they have not been properly trained. It's better if it is tougher during class and easy during real life than the other way around.

Financial Aid
Don't let finances come in the way between you and your future. Schools that actually want to help you will offer different payment options. Make sure that your school offers payment options - schools that offer payment options are usually well established unlike newer schools that don't have any experience doing the job.

Ultimately it is your future that is at hand and it is important that you make decisions carefully.

For more information about Virginia School for Nurse Aides please visit our website by clicking here