Job Description and Salary of a Travel CNA

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.

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.

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.