Find a CNA Class near you

Job Description and Salary of a Travel CNA

The certified nurse aides who visit their patients’ home to take care of them are called travel CNAs. Their work is to provide services from one healthcare setting to another. Although most of the duties and responsibilities of travel CNAs remain same as that of regular CNAs, they just do not have to remain concentrated at one place to provide services. The best part of being a travel nurse aide is that you get opportunities to explore various parts of the country, in order to help the elderly and critically ill people. Travel nurse aides attend patients 24×7 and have to take decisions on their own in any condition, while regular nursing assistants work in shifts. In this article, you can find the job description and salary of travel nursing assistants.

Duties and Responsibilities of Travel CNAs

Travel nurse aides perform the following duties and responsibilities:

  • Help the patients in bathing, feeding and wearing clothes.
  • Administer medicines and monitor nutritional requirements.
  • Assist the clients in exercising and movement.
  • Shift the patients to their side, in order to prevent bedsores.
  • Clean the patient’s surroundings and take care of hygiene.
  • Prepare meals for the patients, as per the directions of the concerned doctor.
  • Answer patient’s call bell for any assistance.
  • Measure vital signs like blood pressure, pulse rate, temperature, etc.
  • Recording the changes in the medical condition of the patient and informing about the same to the registered nurse and the doctor.
  • Prepare the bed and take preventive measures to control infection.
  • Listen to patients’ problems and discuss their medical condition with their family members.

Pros and Cons of Being a Travel CNA

At times, working as a travel nursing assistant can be taxing both physically as well as mentally. So, before considering it as a career, you must find out the pros and cons of this job. Check out whether this job is good for you or not.

  • If you can stay away from your home for long and can work in night hours whenever required.
  • You should not sign any contract/agreement with any nursing home because you may have to travel at any point of time for patients.
  • If you can handle patients of all age groups – children, adults, old age people, etc.

Benefits of Working as a Travel CNA

  • You obtain chance to travel various places in the country.
  • As working hours are not defined, you can earn as much money as you want depending on the extra hours that you invest at patient’s place. Travel CNAs receive several types of allowances, since they have to travel from place to place.
  • You will get to work at different places and in diverse environment each time, which will break the monotony.
  • You get a chance to work with big healthcare facilities and get good experience. Based on this experience, you can earn better.

Disadvantages of Working as a Travel CNA

  • You will not get time for higher studies, as you will have to travel a lot due to work.
  • CNAs tend to feel homesick as they have to stay away from home for longer.

Featured Nursing Schools Near You

Salary

As compared to the salary of other nurse aides, travel CNAs earn better. They also enjoy several allowances like free medical facilities, insurance, accommodation, travel allowance, meal facilities, etc. These professionals get 1.5 times more overtime than the regular nurse aides. Their hourly wage is $13 – $15 and annual pay ranges from $25,000 – $30,000.

CNA GUIDE

X