I'm a NAT (means I've done the pre-reqs to become a CNA but haven't taken the test). I don't plan on doing it for the rest of my life; I'd like to be an NP, PA, or MD, not sure which. I LOVE it and it has made me even more interested in going into medicine. Also, it has made me consider becoming a nurse, which I'd never thought much about.
I looked in the phone book under nursing home, health care, etc, and called health care centers within a 45 min. radius to see if they had a CNA training program. Most CNA training programs were at nursing homes. I found most places require you to work there for awhile (6 mo. at least) before you can even take the CNA class. I found one nursing home, though, that offered the class to anyone for free, and if I got hired I'd get payed for the hrs. I spent in class. I got hired, so not only did I not have to pay for the class, but I got payed $7 (US) an hr. for it. You'd probably be able to find a program like that if you call up all the places and ask about it.
In my part of the US, CNAs are VERY much in demand. It's very easy to find a job. I'm ONLY working in my nursing home for 3 mo. in the summer and then I leave for school. I told the hiring nurse that up front, and she was o.k. with it because they need CNAs so badly. Lots of places take college-student CNAs during college vacations lasting as little as a week. Where I work, they've told me I can work during college breaks and even on the weekend if I'm home then. So it's great for a university student who goes to college a ways from their home but wants a flexible job they can work anytime.
The pay here is about $8 US/hr., which isn't bad. In the nursing home, I get residents up in the morning, dress them, perform oral care, take them to the dining hall, shower or give a bed bath to them, empty catheters, change the soiled linens/ bed pads/ clothes of incontinent residents, perform peri care, etc. We also give post-mortem care, perform Range of Motion on the residents, and answer all call lights. In my state, I'm pretty sure CNA's can't draw blood, but the law's probably different in other places.
It's a great job because I can get to know the residents, and I enjoy working with them. The drawbacks are that it's really understaffed (what else is new) so it's BUSY at times. Also, many residents are confused and combative at times. I've been hit a few times.
This is an interesting topic and I'd love to hear experiences from CNAs in acute-care settings such as hospitals. I'd like to work in a hospital and wondered how duties of CNAs differ in acute v. long-term care settings.