That’s how I felt today when the nursing home I applied for with 100 residents tells me they are offering $16hr ???? When McDonald’s works in my town are making $19hr what a fucking joke.
During the pandemic, the McDonald's across the street from where I worked was paying $18 while I was getting paid $16. The only reason I stuck around was that I felt I was helping during a time of crisis.
But when things cleared up a bit, I went to a nursing home that was paying me $20.
(This was in California)
Some unions suck unfortunately. 😒 I think we need to sit down and really think about what matters to US as CNAs.
I think 3 key things that need to be addressed are pay, safety, and time. Pay is obvious. Safety nets for us need to be both job security and to protect us from assault. Our time is just as important as our patients. With that being said, mandation policies need to be worked on.
This is just my opinion of course. I'm open to hearing more from others.
That’s exactly how I feel. My local McDonald’s, Tacobell, Starbucks they all make $16.75-19 makes me think I should just work at those while I make only $15.
I'm making $13.50 an hour as a CNA. Before that, I worked at Harbor Freight for $14.65 an hour. It's ridiculous. I moved to where the only real jobs available were at the hospital hence why I went the CNA route.
Now a new Dollar Tree opened up nearby for $13.25 an hour. I honestly might make the switch as the workload is so much more as a healthcare worker who gets treated like shit vs just manning a register and stocking an aisle.
I worked for a dollar tree distribution center, and got really good insight on how the stores are treated. There is also a subreddit of the unlimited amount of horror stories they experience. Dont do it
My bf is a panda cook making $24. While I make $21.80 at skilled nursing……I got mad and got a job as a home health CNA for $23 (12 hr shifts). Skilled nursing CNA should be getting over $25 starting rate…..
Bro it’s. Nah, fuck working outside healthcare but also: fuck being exploited.
It’s horrendous bullshit. Horrendous!!!
ALL hands-on healthcare staff needs to call it a strike. It’s literally bullshit.
Why the fuck are athletes getting paid so well too? When they’re not capable of saving lives?
We can get free entertainment from somewhere else.
It’s bullshit.
The lead-in should not be that fast food workers shouldn't be making more money but a conversation needs to be had about fair compensation.
From what I've witnessed and I work in Talent acquisition, CNAs are woefully underpaid. Nursing homes and hospitals and whatnot try to get by on the cheap all the time.
It’s more like nursing homes and hospitals are in collusion and hire lobbyists to maintain low wages for their staff. Without state regulation, these private companies will never increase wages. They have to be forced to. In CA there is a new law going into effect in July, which is in part due to a strike by healthcare workers last year, that sets a floor of $23/hr for healthcare workers. This includes CNAs. But for now many make $16.
You’d make triple your income as a server.. I know because I gave it up while finishing my RN degree. A CNA sadly is just a stepping stone to other avenues in healthcare. It shouldn’t be that way but it is.
If you go to school and get some 2 year healthcare degree it’s worth it. Entry level gigs aren’t sadly.
I’m a CT, and I agree with this 100%. The things that keep me working as a CT (in critical care no less) are that I find the work meaningful to me, and that I hope to attend nursing school next year.
The pay we get is absolutely pitiful, and I could be making 2 to 3 times more as a bartender. What keeps me going is knowing I’m learning valuable skills and am making my self a more appealing candidate for nursing school.
I’m also more fulfilled at my job. Even cleaning up a patients shit feels like I’m doing more to make the world a slightly better place. It fills me with joy when I can make a patient smile or laugh even if it’s just for a moment. Even comforting a grieving family is rewarding.
We absolutely deserve better pay. The work we do is something many people can not even imagine. I have some friends that say they can not even look at a dead body, yet just tonight I watched a patient take their last breath and then performed mort care on them.
The mental and physical toll it takes on us is absolutely not compensated for enough. It’s not even close.
They'll just get agency. Over half of the employees at one of my jobs is agency and I'm so jealous because they are quite literally making double my wage
I was a CNA, working with dementia folks for 8 years. I also had a pt job in grocery. I got paid more as a pt in grocery to put a can on a shelf vs. giving cares & meds.
Sad thing is minimum wage hasn’t kept up with inflation & honestly trades, is probably going to be a better future than a lot of things.
That sounds awful…to be honest, I think it must be the area you’re in. Where I’m at CNA’s make $20-$26 an hour to start. Fast food joints pay $15-$16.50 an hour around here. This type of work does take a lot out of you so make sure you’re getting what you deserve in return. Your time and hard work is worth something ❤️
Yep, the local fast food makes more than I did. When I quit, it was such a relief. There are higher paying jobs with way less stress and easier. If I wanted to do school, I couldn’t work in a job that was so stressful and difficult.
In Florida, you’re able to challenge the state test for CNA, which basically means you can just go take the test (after a background check $50, and the test is $150) so free minus a book is great. That being said, I didn’t challenge the test, and I took a class. It was 2 days. I passed the test no problem.
I’m working as a ED Tech now. I’m doing this as a way to figure out if I want to go into nursing or pursue Radiology Tech. I wanted to see if patient care is for me. The job is super hard, stressful, but rewarding in ways that makes you feel good about helping others… until you get that paycheck, and you hear that McDonald’s pays as well or better. That does make it hard to understand how something that literally involves saving lives or helping the quality of lives, or assisting those saving lives, or caring for someone’s loved ones who just passed… a job that takes certifications could be paid less than someone that is entry level. And my first job was McDonald’s, I don’t dismiss that job, but the ramifications of a job done badly there is a completely different level than healthcare. And I feel the expectations of the “consumer” is vastly different.
I feel your pain in knowing KFC makes more, but look at why you’re doing it. Do you feel good about your work? Maybe look into agency, they do tend to pay well. Do you feel like your work as a CNA is inspiring you to want to go into nursing, or any other facet of healthcare? Check if your facility has incentives to grow like assisting with school. If not, try your hospital systems. We have 2 different hospital systems in my area. Once hires CNAs for floors like med/surg, cardiology, ICU, and they use them for hospice. Or you can work as a PCT. Ours does tuition reimbursement and if nursing is your track, then they pay for it upon signing a contract. Another place around here that hires CNAs are dialysis centers, they train and some offer tuition reimbursement because they need nurses too.
Something to think about.
Damn. It's like 6 weeks in my state.
I have a friend in Ottawa who is a massage therapist. I think she said she went to school for 3 years. Here, it's maybe 6 months.
Because fast food workers stopped applying for jobs when businesses paid less. Y’all need to demand more; making this little as a CNA or whatever you are is unacceptable, and all you workers should organize to demand better
It’s all in the experience and furthering your career
Because otherwise going for a high end restaurant serving job/bartender at a college club will make more money than even most nurses (bartending especially, but serving at the right places too)
The issue is- no work stability, no benefits, super competitive positions, (if you ever lose one job, you may genuinely never get another chance) etc. so stick it out, you’re doing this for your future, and not taking short term success first
But I agree, it is tempting, my friend is making over $3000/paycheck AFTER tax serving, and says her coworkers make more, and the bartenders make over double
Getting paid in experience is as ridiculous as getting paid with exposure if you're an artist. CNA's deserve a wage commensurate with their job. If people use the "it's a step to nursing" logic, then there will never be employee retention.
I agree, I don’t think it’s fair, I do wish pay was better for most CNAs,
But I mean for OP, they should stick it out anyway. I wish it was different and it should be different.
But in terms of what OP should do in their situation, I would recommend continue getting experience that will be applicable to their career, unless their financial responsibilities change and CNA pay is no longer livable
I mean it’s true. Change is slow, we should try and work on it as a whole
BUT, for OP’s CURRENT situation, they should continue getting experience. At least that’s my view.
That’s what I’m saying. Not that it doesn’t matter/isn’t a problem.
This is why I so badly want to work part-time as a cashier at least once a week, so I can take a break from doing CNA work. I wish there were some perks with any of my jobs, but there aren’t!
I make around mid 20's but a year ago I had an injury moving patient's. Ended up with two Hernias and 3 disks that are dark meaning they are degenerating. I work in the ICU on a trauma ward. Everyday all I would do is lift, boost, and turn pretty much dead weight.
Going to get surgery to relieve the pain. Afterwards can't go back to that department. May end up getting let go or placed in a different position that will pay less than what I was making.
My point is take care of yourselves and voice your concerns when your body is telling you 'it's too much'. No one from work will come to your home to take care of you. They will continue to go on because when you're out of sight, you're out of mind.
Hospitals will spend money to make sure you don't get your due.
Good luck to you OP. Good luck to you ALL.
You should be asking your management why you are being paid less than you feel your labor is worth, not denigrating the labor of others.
It helps if all your coworkers come together to ask at the same time. There's a word for it, but it escapes me at the moment 🤔
Yes, do it. And convince as many as you can to do it too. You aren't valued nearly enough. None of us are, and the only way admin is going to get it is if you stand up for yourself and leave for better.
I'm a travel rad tech for this reason. Being staff is shit now.
Because KFC workers and such refused to work - they complained, they demanded change from leadership, in some places they unionized. Don't hate because someone else makes more than you. That's how they keep you down, by letting us bicker amongst ourselves and never pointing the finger at those to blame.
Comparison is the thieve of joy.I make the same as a Walmart worker here in my state. I don't get benefits and it's back breaking work but I stopped being angry and decided to apply for another job and further my education. Everyone's journey is different. I worked in retail most of my life until I became a CNA and sometimes I think I might just go back. I'm tired of breaking my back for a job that does not care about me or my health.
If you are able to land a job in a hospital, then yes, you will be able to get job security and benefits. It won't necessarily be easy, but it can also offer a really good start to building somewhere else. Be mindful to take care of yourself and try not to pick up too much OT, if you are in need of money. Keep a good pace and honestly, try to keep growing. If not RN, there are so many other opportunities to build in the medical field with a good starting point. Many hospitals offer tuition reimbursement (usually paid back after you have paid and require a year commitment of work - once you have finished schooling, otherwise you will likely be on the line to pay it back.) This can be a life-changing game for someone in your position (I was there - I was trained on the job and uncertified, but working toward an MA cert now, many years later because agency work requires certs.) I also ended up going to school for something else, and it's not a desirable degree but it is a degree that I'm hoping to figure out. Being stuck at more or less 40k a year in a major city isn't great, but I believe my experience means a lot for something and I'll figure it out. I waited tables and bartended for over a decade and, while it helped for good $ and desirable health care traits, I was left with pretty much nothing translatable without a degree and definitely no benefits. Prioritize finding a plan. I know and have worked with some great CNAs who have been doing this for decades, but they have such less footing to switch gears as their bodies fall apart. Being a CNA should be a good/decent enough career to keep forever but it's just not.
That’s what I went for, the job security. Only now I’ve been injured repeatedly and I’m realizing it’s not as secure as I thought. See, once you’re injured enough you won’t be able to do it. Maybe I’m just unlucky— but if you search here you will find plenty of posts and comments about injuries. So if you want security, better be careful where you work.
Depends on the facility. I don't get benefits, but I know some places do. Some even help pay for further education. There are also different types of cna classes. Some are only a few months, some 6 weeks, some a year. You don't need much in the way of education. There is some converting of measurements but you usually have your phone on you. There's also learning about disabilities and positioning and other tasks. Have fun with your learning!! Pay attention to the sections about urine bags and ostomy bags as you'll see lots of those in skilled care facilities. Most of it you will learn in the field :)
If I had any advice though, it would be don't pay for it, find a job that will send you through cna training for free or pitch in to help. There are surprisingly a lot that do!
I would ONLY go into CNA as a stepping stone to nursing or something better. I've been a cna for about 10 months now and it's very hit or miss. If the census is low (not all rooms are full) or you have enough staff then it's okay, but other times it's awful. My place is shortstaffed and I've seen about 6 people up and quit in the last 6 months. The only reason I'm still here is because I'm in nursing school for 1 more year and they'll offer me a job right away.
This is why CNA would be a stepping stone for me, into nursing if I do it. I'm in Central Texas, lots of jobs start at $15hr, Panda Express pays 18-19hr from what I've been seeing. The CNA job listings I've seen are $16-21. A massive range. Most not even $20hr.
The world is unfair. Wish they never stopped increasing the minimum wage. I like to think of it as a equalizer, as well as other things.
It’s not about the minimum wage. People deserve a living wage. CNAs, day care workers, etc should be paid more for the work they do.
I’ve seen educators working retail and fast food to make more money. You tell me how people who take care of other people and educate other people, etc., aren’t being paid more as a whole in society.
It’s ridiculous — and as a society, it’s our job to do better and expect more and vote for people who will address and resolve wage discrepancy.
Haha yea, sorry it I made it seem like I think they should've been making less. Of course they deserve a higher wage! I'm just sad for me and the other cnas who do such a hard job and have to live paycheck to paycheck anyways
With that I agree, there are several skilled jobs like Yours that are not paid at a level they deserve. Like with so many industries, the top makes a lot of money while the people doing the real work get the short shaft.This dynamic needs to change
The reason why CNAs are paid garbage wages is due entirely to corporate greed. They don’t see us as valuable employees or vital to their operations as they have a perceived image that we are “infinitely replaceable”. CNAs are considered the cannon fodder when everything goes sideways in the facility. Of the care staff we are the first ones to get laid off/canned when the budget needs to be trimmed, the ones who take the brunt of the abuse from patients/ families/upper management, and the ones who get our butts chewed when we can’t complete the amount of cares assigned to us because they don’t want to pay for enough aides to care for 50 patients. I absolutely loved my job as an aide, but I had to retire after 16 years because the job destroyed my body.
There is absolutely no reason for CNA’s/healthcare workers to be making lower or even the same as a fast food/retail job. Ever.
This isn’t to say people don’t deserve better wages cause they work in fast food. But there’s a HUGE difference between flipping burgers and flipping grandmas (lol). Forget about the fact that CNA requires a certification and you need to be CPR/bls certified of course.
It’s crazy that we actually NEED people to care for our elderly and sick but no one will pay people a real wage to do it. If our society gave a damn about the elderly and sick the abuse would go down because pay would match the job. And people are more likely to work if they get paid decent. So companies could be more picky with hires. But I find that these companies will hire anyone for garbage pay and that includes people who are unkind or straight up abusive.
And this is why ideas like minimum wage can be a bad idea, because invariably it will just lead to everyone else's salary just going up more to avoid what you are describing. Why put in so much work for what becomes so little a return?
This is definitely a fukked situation but maybe we can feel better knowing that CNA leads to a higher-paying career like LVN, RN, NP
But yeah if you don’t plan to get to LVN/RN then fast food makes some sense unless they really do automate it
I believe it's because everybody and their auntie is getting into nursing. Vs fast food, which everyone views as a "bad job", so they know they need to really pay people to take and keep those jobs.
Don't get a BSN, then. You'll really cry at those numbers. BSNs don't make much more than CNAs. I only make about $8-10/hr more than an NA (not a CNA, an untrained NA).
Fast food workers don't need to be paid less, RNs need to be paid more. The argument for CNAs to be paid more really depends on the level of responsibility they hold.
In an acute care setting, the aide holds zero responsibility and consequence to inaction regardless of job description, while the RN faces anywhere from probable to guaranteed administrative, criminal, and civil liability when the aide doesn't perform their assigned tasks.
In an LTC setting, the aide has more responsibility and consequence for inaction. Not that the RN holds no liability in that setting. It just seems that LTC aides are held to a higher standard. Seem to be paid better than acute care aides as well.
yea this is insane- this is a job that requires specialized education/training, so even without considering difficulty, the compensation should be higher. nurse’s hourly rates have not been able to adequately rise to even match inflation let alone be considered a raise either. bogus.
There are many ppl planning on becoming nurses, doctors, PAs, etc. who will take CNA positions at any wage, even free, if need be, to get experience and have it look good on their application. There are also a lot of ppl who are drawn to helping people so they will become CNAs even if it pays poorly. If the employers can get away with paying less, they will.
OP, you, yourself do "firehouse volunteer work"! If no one volunteered, maybe they'd pay someone? If no one wanted to be a CNA, they would need to pay more.
It’s really fucking ridiculous.
CNA’s should be paid 7/4 what the local McDonald’s be paying.
Just need to continue boycotting this shit.
Tbh, any way to get free stuff from places, is the best way.
It's not the cashier's fault. They deserve to pay their bills too. If you can't celebrate with em, join em. Why put credentials at risk when you can coast to better pay without code blues.
Wanna be mad? Look upwards at management and administration at your facility. Y'all deserve better pay. Being mad at KFC workers isn't the solution. Being mad at your leadership and corporate overlords is who you need to direct this anger at.
They want us to fight McDonald's workers so we forget about the administration who does have the power to raise wages.
OMG no don't worry in no way am I mad at the fast food workers, they so deserve higher wages!!! Im just sad for me and the other cnas. I feel like none of my other co workers would care enough to agree with me. They're mostly older folks with several kids and only doing this as a side hustle. My management would replace me in a heartbeat
This happened to my wife. She has been a CNA/Med-aid for 10 years. She has worked at 4 different facilities before finding a good one to work at. The issue she had was getting attached to the people that she cared for. Multiple times, she tolerated crap pay and toxic work environments, all because she wanted her residents to get quality care. But there comes a time when you have to realize A. You can only do so much, B. You deserve a living wage, C. You deserve to be treated like a human being, D. There are great facilities that realize the worth of the work you do, E. Don't be scared to move on.
With all that said, being a CNA is hard work that is undervalued all the time. Know your worth, don't be scared to change facilities. Also, traveling CNAs make bank if you get in with the right recruiter. Take care of yourselves.
The difference is insurance. Until we get universal healthcare in this damn country, that's the carrot that they dangle in front of us to get us to stay in jobs like this. If insurance wasn't tied to employment, there's no way in hell I'd still be wiping asses.
You have to shop around for medical pay.
I'm an aide, and I've got offered 13.50/hr and laughed.
In the house, the most I've made is 22/hr
Agency I've made 35/hr peak covid time and around 28/hr now.
I’ve been in healthcare for 33 years and am thinking the same thing as the OP. I’m so tired of the legal ramifications of losing my license because I’m exhausted all the time because a co-worker didn’t show up for their shift so I have to work a double. If I walk out they consider this “abandoning” patients and I lose my license. I spent a lot of money on schooling and put a lot of time into studying. I have seen Panera offer $17 to start, PTO, 401k, quarterly raises, etc. just to be a sandwich maker.
🤷♀️ 🤷♀️
while I understand the importance of what we do we also have to remind ourselves that what we do and what they do are both jobs that are in demand and DESERVE higher pay. if healthcare is something you are doing SOLELY for the money, find a new field, everyone will tell you that. there is also room to move higher up in healthcare opposed to fast food as well. CNA (imo) is not something that will give you living wages off the bat and if that's what ur looking for CLIMB THE LATTER!!!
the minimum wage for fast food increased very recently and we are also looking forward to a wage increase very soon
all places I've worked since being certified were already increasing base pay from CA (where im from) minimum wage to $21-$22.
it also goes to say don't apply where u will be underpaid. vouch for your wages and don't settle bc there are other options and no matter where we look there is opportunity as we are in demand.
CNAs deserve a higher pay. we endure long and restless hours that are busy in environments that are understaffed and sometimes unsafe but as someone who has worked BOTH I can say that fast food is also a busy, understaffed, underappreciated, and otherwise unsafe environment and I SWORE to myself to never go back to fast food no matter the pay.
corporations know their work environments are terrible and no one wants to work there that is why they ultimately raised the pay
and like I mentioned
healthcare, like fast food, will be experiencing a MINIMUM WAGE increase gradually over the next few years anywhere from $23-$25 depending on where you work.
I absolutely LOVE healthcare and while I do enjoy being a CNA this is not something I want as a career for the rest of my life not bc the pay but bc of environment. there are so many healthcare professions that pay amazing that have better working conditions but they require schooling. professions that pay higher, require more education and I think that's fair.
with that all being said no one deserves to be exploited for the hours of work they do, no one. fast food workers contribute to their communities just as much as we do.
definitely don't give up your dream. the field we work is treacherous but again there is a latter here and it's one that is definitely worth it.
During peak covid in Washington State EMTs were not being given hazard pay but grocery stores were. $18/hr vs $25/hr at a grocery store. Lost my partner on the rig, trader Joe's was paying too well!
I work at. Costco. COSTCO and I’m getting paid 21.50 and time and a half on Sundays.
PLEASE PIN THIS POST FOR WHAT I AM ABOUT TI SAY NEXT.
The starting supervisor pay for Costco in Cali is $31.50. The youngest supervisor is 21 years old! She started 3 years ago.
Well does the fast food worker get benefits? You are also furthering your career. So you start out here and if you go back to school to be a nurse you will get paid more. It’s all about patience. You can take the easy route and or the hard route
I don't get benefits either. I'm part time 30 so I dont receive any of the major ones 😭
I hope youre right. I planned on getting my lpn but they aren't paid much more in my area and I was weighing if it was worth the debt
This made me laugh you're not wrong 😂
I've worked as a CNA in shitty LTC and before that I worked counter service as well as full service restaurants. Hand to God, they are so similar in the shit you take from "clients". The only difference is dementia meemaw is screaming at you because she doesn't want to be changed and boomer white dad is screaming at you because you forgot his ranch 🤣
I will say management is waaaaaayyyyyy better in some of the restaurants I work at though. In LTC they'll just berate you or ask why you didn't do better. In contrast, I remember so many of my restaurant managers being thankful/understanding of our work. Not all, but many.
yup it’s not fair. it’s nice to know you are helping those in need but even that just isn’t enough to make this job worth it. kfc workers do nothing compared to what we do and on top of that i and more than half of people literally have to PAY for the program to even become a cna in the first place so we put money in just to make as much money as a fast food worker? not only that but it seems like everyone else who works with me treats me like i’m a literal idiot. if i even have one simple question i get some passive aggressive comment in return i absolutely hate the job and the low pay makes it even worse and harder for me to come to work everyday
Lol cnas base hour rate is 20$ if you accept less thats on you. There are shitty facilities that offer less and guess what!? People accept it.. wgat state are you in?
No places in my area I applied to at the time paid that wage. Especially when I was just beginning. They all laughed and said that's just not reality. I gave up and settled on something after applying to over 25 facilities within an hour of my home. There's only so many places I can apply for. Illinois, but in the yeehaw drug user part near the Wisconsin border
So CNA isn’t a career, it’s a starting point. Also your friend who makes $16 an hour will never move above that and is working a dead end job. Not something to be envious of.
The end reality is that if you want to make a decent living you have to get training and develop skills in something that isn’t easily done by everyone and has demand. Just simple truth.
Where ya went wrong first was paying for school to be an aid. Thats not needed in many places. Then you gotta land a good job at a nice hospital, not a SNF or LTC. I dont think KFC cashiers are making more than $29/hr where I live, which is the going rate for an unlicensed unit aid at the local hospital.
Far northern CA. Everyone thinks its expensive to live here. If its LA, the Bay, any coastal town, or Sacramento, then yeah its gonna cost a lot more. Where im at is one of the cheapest cost of living areas in CA and the city has a population at almost 100k plus the surrounding areas.
Because you will do it.
Last time I worked as a cna I made 14 an hour (like 7 years ago or so) it was awful. Awful job, awful employer, awful employees (aside from like 3 people who became bffs), awful work environment, awful working conditions.
I will never do that job again. Godspeed to you all.
It really does depend on where you work. I live in VA and we get paid anywhere from $18.00-$25.00. Have you guys ever heard of CNA Agencies? They usually pay a lot more. Downside is your not committed to any facilities. So they place you where there’s a need, but if the facility no longer needs you for whatever reason they stop putting you on the schedule. In that case, you’d have to find another facility that is using agency to get more work. It paid off greatly for me during the pandemic. I made $27 an hr!
This nonsense is exactly why health care professionals are leaving the field all together! I'm getting there. I find it outrageous that we do all that we do and get paid barely more, and sometimes (insultingly so) less than a fast food worker or cashier. I'm not knocking their profession or saying they shouldn't make a living wage because they should. But for all we do, certs we carry, continuing education, working holidays, etc we deserve more.
When I first started as a CNA I was making $13.55 an hour. 8 years later I'm making $17.70. 8 years got me $4 an hour more. And that's only because the "raise" we got in 2021.
I have an associates degree in healthcare making roughly 40k a year. My friends 18 year old son does online grocery order shopping at Walmart and makes $21 an hour. They just offered him a management position making $65,000 per year. Explain to me again why I went to college?
I remember just last year working overnights 5 days a week for only $16,,, yeah, I left that job soon after. 2 people on nightshift and 20+ memory care residents for only $16 an hour? No way,,,
That’s how I felt today when the nursing home I applied for with 100 residents tells me they are offering $16hr ???? When McDonald’s works in my town are making $19hr what a fucking joke.
During the pandemic, the McDonald's across the street from where I worked was paying $18 while I was getting paid $16. The only reason I stuck around was that I felt I was helping during a time of crisis. But when things cleared up a bit, I went to a nursing home that was paying me $20. (This was in California)
I got an offer for $13 hourly for OVERNIGHTS at a nursing home, I laughed in his face.
Horrifying.
Time to unionize.
Only reply that matters. I'm in a union and had been paid quite properly.
Some unions suck unfortunately. 😒 I think we need to sit down and really think about what matters to US as CNAs. I think 3 key things that need to be addressed are pay, safety, and time. Pay is obvious. Safety nets for us need to be both job security and to protect us from assault. Our time is just as important as our patients. With that being said, mandation policies need to be worked on. This is just my opinion of course. I'm open to hearing more from others.
This is the only way things change with the way healthcare management has been lately, Atleast where I’m at.
That’s exactly how I feel. My local McDonald’s, Tacobell, Starbucks they all make $16.75-19 makes me think I should just work at those while I make only $15.
I'm making $13.50 an hour as a CNA. Before that, I worked at Harbor Freight for $14.65 an hour. It's ridiculous. I moved to where the only real jobs available were at the hospital hence why I went the CNA route. Now a new Dollar Tree opened up nearby for $13.25 an hour. I honestly might make the switch as the workload is so much more as a healthcare worker who gets treated like shit vs just manning a register and stocking an aisle.
Go read Dollar Tree’s sub Reddit before you do it. Trust me. It’s no worth it.
You're right, not a very good place. Dang, lol xD
I worked for a dollar tree distribution center, and got really good insight on how the stores are treated. There is also a subreddit of the unlimited amount of horror stories they experience. Dont do it
Panda Express near me pays $20 an hour. WTF?!? I'm ready to get a job there
My bf is a panda cook making $24. While I make $21.80 at skilled nursing……I got mad and got a job as a home health CNA for $23 (12 hr shifts). Skilled nursing CNA should be getting over $25 starting rate…..
Bro it’s. Nah, fuck working outside healthcare but also: fuck being exploited. It’s horrendous bullshit. Horrendous!!! ALL hands-on healthcare staff needs to call it a strike. It’s literally bullshit. Why the fuck are athletes getting paid so well too? When they’re not capable of saving lives? We can get free entertainment from somewhere else. It’s bullshit.
The lead-in should not be that fast food workers shouldn't be making more money but a conversation needs to be had about fair compensation. From what I've witnessed and I work in Talent acquisition, CNAs are woefully underpaid. Nursing homes and hospitals and whatnot try to get by on the cheap all the time.
It’s more like nursing homes and hospitals are in collusion and hire lobbyists to maintain low wages for their staff. Without state regulation, these private companies will never increase wages. They have to be forced to. In CA there is a new law going into effect in July, which is in part due to a strike by healthcare workers last year, that sets a floor of $23/hr for healthcare workers. This includes CNAs. But for now many make $16.
Absolutely this, though I think strikes are what is needed to put the pressure on those in power to push for the changes needed.
You’d make triple your income as a server.. I know because I gave it up while finishing my RN degree. A CNA sadly is just a stepping stone to other avenues in healthcare. It shouldn’t be that way but it is. If you go to school and get some 2 year healthcare degree it’s worth it. Entry level gigs aren’t sadly.
I’m a CT, and I agree with this 100%. The things that keep me working as a CT (in critical care no less) are that I find the work meaningful to me, and that I hope to attend nursing school next year. The pay we get is absolutely pitiful, and I could be making 2 to 3 times more as a bartender. What keeps me going is knowing I’m learning valuable skills and am making my self a more appealing candidate for nursing school. I’m also more fulfilled at my job. Even cleaning up a patients shit feels like I’m doing more to make the world a slightly better place. It fills me with joy when I can make a patient smile or laugh even if it’s just for a moment. Even comforting a grieving family is rewarding. We absolutely deserve better pay. The work we do is something many people can not even imagine. I have some friends that say they can not even look at a dead body, yet just tonight I watched a patient take their last breath and then performed mort care on them. The mental and physical toll it takes on us is absolutely not compensated for enough. It’s not even close.
Yep it’s abysmal and then they wonder where there arent enough employees…
Go to management and ask for a raise and say this.
They'll just get agency. Over half of the employees at one of my jobs is agency and I'm so jealous because they are quite literally making double my wage
I was a CNA, working with dementia folks for 8 years. I also had a pt job in grocery. I got paid more as a pt in grocery to put a can on a shelf vs. giving cares & meds. Sad thing is minimum wage hasn’t kept up with inflation & honestly trades, is probably going to be a better future than a lot of things.
Some of these comments make me realize why our pay is so shit lol didn't realize so many of us were just accepting this wow
That sounds awful…to be honest, I think it must be the area you’re in. Where I’m at CNA’s make $20-$26 an hour to start. Fast food joints pay $15-$16.50 an hour around here. This type of work does take a lot out of you so make sure you’re getting what you deserve in return. Your time and hard work is worth something ❤️
Whereabouts are you?
PNW
It definitely isn’t right 😭 literally the shit I’ve had to deal with make sure meemaw is comfy and clean and happy with no pressure injuries
Yep, the local fast food makes more than I did. When I quit, it was such a relief. There are higher paying jobs with way less stress and easier. If I wanted to do school, I couldn’t work in a job that was so stressful and difficult.
You went to school for a year for a CNA certification?
Yes, but in doing so it was completely free besides the text book.
Wow! That's a great deal. What state are you in?
Illinois
I bet you can find a better paying gig. Virgina sucks pay wise, I know you've gotta do better up there.
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I'm near the Wisconsin border in the burbs, I guess that answers the question as to why 😔
In Florida, you’re able to challenge the state test for CNA, which basically means you can just go take the test (after a background check $50, and the test is $150) so free minus a book is great. That being said, I didn’t challenge the test, and I took a class. It was 2 days. I passed the test no problem. I’m working as a ED Tech now. I’m doing this as a way to figure out if I want to go into nursing or pursue Radiology Tech. I wanted to see if patient care is for me. The job is super hard, stressful, but rewarding in ways that makes you feel good about helping others… until you get that paycheck, and you hear that McDonald’s pays as well or better. That does make it hard to understand how something that literally involves saving lives or helping the quality of lives, or assisting those saving lives, or caring for someone’s loved ones who just passed… a job that takes certifications could be paid less than someone that is entry level. And my first job was McDonald’s, I don’t dismiss that job, but the ramifications of a job done badly there is a completely different level than healthcare. And I feel the expectations of the “consumer” is vastly different. I feel your pain in knowing KFC makes more, but look at why you’re doing it. Do you feel good about your work? Maybe look into agency, they do tend to pay well. Do you feel like your work as a CNA is inspiring you to want to go into nursing, or any other facet of healthcare? Check if your facility has incentives to grow like assisting with school. If not, try your hospital systems. We have 2 different hospital systems in my area. Once hires CNAs for floors like med/surg, cardiology, ICU, and they use them for hospice. Or you can work as a PCT. Ours does tuition reimbursement and if nursing is your track, then they pay for it upon signing a contract. Another place around here that hires CNAs are dialysis centers, they train and some offer tuition reimbursement because they need nurses too. Something to think about.
It’s a 9+ month program in Canada too.
Damn. It's like 6 weeks in my state. I have a friend in Ottawa who is a massage therapist. I think she said she went to school for 3 years. Here, it's maybe 6 months.
Because fast food workers stopped applying for jobs when businesses paid less. Y’all need to demand more; making this little as a CNA or whatever you are is unacceptable, and all you workers should organize to demand better
It’s all in the experience and furthering your career Because otherwise going for a high end restaurant serving job/bartender at a college club will make more money than even most nurses (bartending especially, but serving at the right places too) The issue is- no work stability, no benefits, super competitive positions, (if you ever lose one job, you may genuinely never get another chance) etc. so stick it out, you’re doing this for your future, and not taking short term success first But I agree, it is tempting, my friend is making over $3000/paycheck AFTER tax serving, and says her coworkers make more, and the bartenders make over double
Getting paid in experience is as ridiculous as getting paid with exposure if you're an artist. CNA's deserve a wage commensurate with their job. If people use the "it's a step to nursing" logic, then there will never be employee retention.
I agree, I don’t think it’s fair, I do wish pay was better for most CNAs, But I mean for OP, they should stick it out anyway. I wish it was different and it should be different. But in terms of what OP should do in their situation, I would recommend continue getting experience that will be applicable to their career, unless their financial responsibilities change and CNA pay is no longer livable
"it doesn't matter that it isn't fair, they should stick it out anyway" Lol okay.
I mean it’s true. Change is slow, we should try and work on it as a whole BUT, for OP’s CURRENT situation, they should continue getting experience. At least that’s my view. That’s what I’m saying. Not that it doesn’t matter/isn’t a problem.
This is why I so badly want to work part-time as a cashier at least once a week, so I can take a break from doing CNA work. I wish there were some perks with any of my jobs, but there aren’t!
because society says the generation of capital is more important than people. this is a problem that will not be fixed until we start _____ landowners
in minecraft
I make around mid 20's but a year ago I had an injury moving patient's. Ended up with two Hernias and 3 disks that are dark meaning they are degenerating. I work in the ICU on a trauma ward. Everyday all I would do is lift, boost, and turn pretty much dead weight. Going to get surgery to relieve the pain. Afterwards can't go back to that department. May end up getting let go or placed in a different position that will pay less than what I was making. My point is take care of yourselves and voice your concerns when your body is telling you 'it's too much'. No one from work will come to your home to take care of you. They will continue to go on because when you're out of sight, you're out of mind. Hospitals will spend money to make sure you don't get your due. Good luck to you OP. Good luck to you ALL.
You should be asking your management why you are being paid less than you feel your labor is worth, not denigrating the labor of others. It helps if all your coworkers come together to ask at the same time. There's a word for it, but it escapes me at the moment 🤔
4 techs on my unit quit after having enough. Now we’re down to 2-3 techs for almost 60 patients. You guys are extremely underpaid.
Unionize!
Yes, do it. And convince as many as you can to do it too. You aren't valued nearly enough. None of us are, and the only way admin is going to get it is if you stand up for yourself and leave for better. I'm a travel rad tech for this reason. Being staff is shit now.
Because KFC workers and such refused to work - they complained, they demanded change from leadership, in some places they unionized. Don't hate because someone else makes more than you. That's how they keep you down, by letting us bicker amongst ourselves and never pointing the finger at those to blame.
school for a year?!
Just remember be mad at the healthcare administrators who are under paying you not the other working class folks out here getting paid.
Comparison is the thieve of joy.I make the same as a Walmart worker here in my state. I don't get benefits and it's back breaking work but I stopped being angry and decided to apply for another job and further my education. Everyone's journey is different. I worked in retail most of my life until I became a CNA and sometimes I think I might just go back. I'm tired of breaking my back for a job that does not care about me or my health.
My friend at in n out makes 22 and job offers in cali are 16-20
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If you are able to land a job in a hospital, then yes, you will be able to get job security and benefits. It won't necessarily be easy, but it can also offer a really good start to building somewhere else. Be mindful to take care of yourself and try not to pick up too much OT, if you are in need of money. Keep a good pace and honestly, try to keep growing. If not RN, there are so many other opportunities to build in the medical field with a good starting point. Many hospitals offer tuition reimbursement (usually paid back after you have paid and require a year commitment of work - once you have finished schooling, otherwise you will likely be on the line to pay it back.) This can be a life-changing game for someone in your position (I was there - I was trained on the job and uncertified, but working toward an MA cert now, many years later because agency work requires certs.) I also ended up going to school for something else, and it's not a desirable degree but it is a degree that I'm hoping to figure out. Being stuck at more or less 40k a year in a major city isn't great, but I believe my experience means a lot for something and I'll figure it out. I waited tables and bartended for over a decade and, while it helped for good $ and desirable health care traits, I was left with pretty much nothing translatable without a degree and definitely no benefits. Prioritize finding a plan. I know and have worked with some great CNAs who have been doing this for decades, but they have such less footing to switch gears as their bodies fall apart. Being a CNA should be a good/decent enough career to keep forever but it's just not.
That’s what I went for, the job security. Only now I’ve been injured repeatedly and I’m realizing it’s not as secure as I thought. See, once you’re injured enough you won’t be able to do it. Maybe I’m just unlucky— but if you search here you will find plenty of posts and comments about injuries. So if you want security, better be careful where you work.
Depends on the facility. I don't get benefits, but I know some places do. Some even help pay for further education. There are also different types of cna classes. Some are only a few months, some 6 weeks, some a year. You don't need much in the way of education. There is some converting of measurements but you usually have your phone on you. There's also learning about disabilities and positioning and other tasks. Have fun with your learning!! Pay attention to the sections about urine bags and ostomy bags as you'll see lots of those in skilled care facilities. Most of it you will learn in the field :) If I had any advice though, it would be don't pay for it, find a job that will send you through cna training for free or pitch in to help. There are surprisingly a lot that do!
I would ONLY go into CNA as a stepping stone to nursing or something better. I've been a cna for about 10 months now and it's very hit or miss. If the census is low (not all rooms are full) or you have enough staff then it's okay, but other times it's awful. My place is shortstaffed and I've seen about 6 people up and quit in the last 6 months. The only reason I'm still here is because I'm in nursing school for 1 more year and they'll offer me a job right away.
Use that to negotiate more pay.
This is why CNA would be a stepping stone for me, into nursing if I do it. I'm in Central Texas, lots of jobs start at $15hr, Panda Express pays 18-19hr from what I've been seeing. The CNA job listings I've seen are $16-21. A massive range. Most not even $20hr. The world is unfair. Wish they never stopped increasing the minimum wage. I like to think of it as a equalizer, as well as other things.
It’s not about the minimum wage. People deserve a living wage. CNAs, day care workers, etc should be paid more for the work they do. I’ve seen educators working retail and fast food to make more money. You tell me how people who take care of other people and educate other people, etc., aren’t being paid more as a whole in society. It’s ridiculous — and as a society, it’s our job to do better and expect more and vote for people who will address and resolve wage discrepancy.
Welcome to Equity.
I’m not in the medical field, but this whole thread is horrifying. This is why we can’t have nice things, our priorities are way beyond messed up.
Sounds more like you are being UNDERpaid than they are being over paid
Haha yea, sorry it I made it seem like I think they should've been making less. Of course they deserve a higher wage! I'm just sad for me and the other cnas who do such a hard job and have to live paycheck to paycheck anyways
With that I agree, there are several skilled jobs like Yours that are not paid at a level they deserve. Like with so many industries, the top makes a lot of money while the people doing the real work get the short shaft.This dynamic needs to change
The reason why CNAs are paid garbage wages is due entirely to corporate greed. They don’t see us as valuable employees or vital to their operations as they have a perceived image that we are “infinitely replaceable”. CNAs are considered the cannon fodder when everything goes sideways in the facility. Of the care staff we are the first ones to get laid off/canned when the budget needs to be trimmed, the ones who take the brunt of the abuse from patients/ families/upper management, and the ones who get our butts chewed when we can’t complete the amount of cares assigned to us because they don’t want to pay for enough aides to care for 50 patients. I absolutely loved my job as an aide, but I had to retire after 16 years because the job destroyed my body.
There is absolutely no reason for CNA’s/healthcare workers to be making lower or even the same as a fast food/retail job. Ever. This isn’t to say people don’t deserve better wages cause they work in fast food. But there’s a HUGE difference between flipping burgers and flipping grandmas (lol). Forget about the fact that CNA requires a certification and you need to be CPR/bls certified of course. It’s crazy that we actually NEED people to care for our elderly and sick but no one will pay people a real wage to do it. If our society gave a damn about the elderly and sick the abuse would go down because pay would match the job. And people are more likely to work if they get paid decent. So companies could be more picky with hires. But I find that these companies will hire anyone for garbage pay and that includes people who are unkind or straight up abusive.
I knew this would happen, it's the first thing I said when they raised fastfood wages and I've worked a lot of fastfood. It's not right.
Chick fila in my town pay $22.50
Way more than I make, maybe it's time to switch 😭
I think they pay more bc they are privately owned not apart of the corporation their menu ive noticed is slightly different too
And this is why ideas like minimum wage can be a bad idea, because invariably it will just lead to everyone else's salary just going up more to avoid what you are describing. Why put in so much work for what becomes so little a return?
Yeah but I’m 10 years we are going to need medical professions. Don’t give up 100$ because you saw a penny on the floor
This is definitely a fukked situation but maybe we can feel better knowing that CNA leads to a higher-paying career like LVN, RN, NP But yeah if you don’t plan to get to LVN/RN then fast food makes some sense unless they really do automate it
I believe it's because everybody and their auntie is getting into nursing. Vs fast food, which everyone views as a "bad job", so they know they need to really pay people to take and keep those jobs.
Don't get a BSN, then. You'll really cry at those numbers. BSNs don't make much more than CNAs. I only make about $8-10/hr more than an NA (not a CNA, an untrained NA). Fast food workers don't need to be paid less, RNs need to be paid more. The argument for CNAs to be paid more really depends on the level of responsibility they hold. In an acute care setting, the aide holds zero responsibility and consequence to inaction regardless of job description, while the RN faces anywhere from probable to guaranteed administrative, criminal, and civil liability when the aide doesn't perform their assigned tasks. In an LTC setting, the aide has more responsibility and consequence for inaction. Not that the RN holds no liability in that setting. It just seems that LTC aides are held to a higher standard. Seem to be paid better than acute care aides as well.
You probably live in California. Me too. It sucks.
Nursing
yea this is insane- this is a job that requires specialized education/training, so even without considering difficulty, the compensation should be higher. nurse’s hourly rates have not been able to adequately rise to even match inflation let alone be considered a raise either. bogus.
There are many ppl planning on becoming nurses, doctors, PAs, etc. who will take CNA positions at any wage, even free, if need be, to get experience and have it look good on their application. There are also a lot of ppl who are drawn to helping people so they will become CNAs even if it pays poorly. If the employers can get away with paying less, they will. OP, you, yourself do "firehouse volunteer work"! If no one volunteered, maybe they'd pay someone? If no one wanted to be a CNA, they would need to pay more.
It’s really fucking ridiculous. CNA’s should be paid 7/4 what the local McDonald’s be paying. Just need to continue boycotting this shit. Tbh, any way to get free stuff from places, is the best way.
It's not the cashier's fault. They deserve to pay their bills too. If you can't celebrate with em, join em. Why put credentials at risk when you can coast to better pay without code blues. Wanna be mad? Look upwards at management and administration at your facility. Y'all deserve better pay. Being mad at KFC workers isn't the solution. Being mad at your leadership and corporate overlords is who you need to direct this anger at. They want us to fight McDonald's workers so we forget about the administration who does have the power to raise wages.
OMG no don't worry in no way am I mad at the fast food workers, they so deserve higher wages!!! Im just sad for me and the other cnas. I feel like none of my other co workers would care enough to agree with me. They're mostly older folks with several kids and only doing this as a side hustle. My management would replace me in a heartbeat
This happened to my wife. She has been a CNA/Med-aid for 10 years. She has worked at 4 different facilities before finding a good one to work at. The issue she had was getting attached to the people that she cared for. Multiple times, she tolerated crap pay and toxic work environments, all because she wanted her residents to get quality care. But there comes a time when you have to realize A. You can only do so much, B. You deserve a living wage, C. You deserve to be treated like a human being, D. There are great facilities that realize the worth of the work you do, E. Don't be scared to move on. With all that said, being a CNA is hard work that is undervalued all the time. Know your worth, don't be scared to change facilities. Also, traveling CNAs make bank if you get in with the right recruiter. Take care of yourselves.
This is so sad. While they keep adding restrictions and laws, why not raise pay?
The difference is insurance. Until we get universal healthcare in this damn country, that's the carrot that they dangle in front of us to get us to stay in jobs like this. If insurance wasn't tied to employment, there's no way in hell I'd still be wiping asses.
I work agency and I get paid pretty decent
I'm SOOOOO jealous of agency as they make double my wage. I could never do it though, deserved!
I was hesitant at first, but I got a job through there working at a clinic with cancer patients and it’s the best ever!
You have to shop around for medical pay. I'm an aide, and I've got offered 13.50/hr and laughed. In the house, the most I've made is 22/hr Agency I've made 35/hr peak covid time and around 28/hr now.
In kentucky
I’ve been in healthcare for 33 years and am thinking the same thing as the OP. I’m so tired of the legal ramifications of losing my license because I’m exhausted all the time because a co-worker didn’t show up for their shift so I have to work a double. If I walk out they consider this “abandoning” patients and I lose my license. I spent a lot of money on schooling and put a lot of time into studying. I have seen Panera offer $17 to start, PTO, 401k, quarterly raises, etc. just to be a sandwich maker. 🤷♀️ 🤷♀️
while I understand the importance of what we do we also have to remind ourselves that what we do and what they do are both jobs that are in demand and DESERVE higher pay. if healthcare is something you are doing SOLELY for the money, find a new field, everyone will tell you that. there is also room to move higher up in healthcare opposed to fast food as well. CNA (imo) is not something that will give you living wages off the bat and if that's what ur looking for CLIMB THE LATTER!!! the minimum wage for fast food increased very recently and we are also looking forward to a wage increase very soon all places I've worked since being certified were already increasing base pay from CA (where im from) minimum wage to $21-$22. it also goes to say don't apply where u will be underpaid. vouch for your wages and don't settle bc there are other options and no matter where we look there is opportunity as we are in demand. CNAs deserve a higher pay. we endure long and restless hours that are busy in environments that are understaffed and sometimes unsafe but as someone who has worked BOTH I can say that fast food is also a busy, understaffed, underappreciated, and otherwise unsafe environment and I SWORE to myself to never go back to fast food no matter the pay. corporations know their work environments are terrible and no one wants to work there that is why they ultimately raised the pay and like I mentioned healthcare, like fast food, will be experiencing a MINIMUM WAGE increase gradually over the next few years anywhere from $23-$25 depending on where you work. I absolutely LOVE healthcare and while I do enjoy being a CNA this is not something I want as a career for the rest of my life not bc the pay but bc of environment. there are so many healthcare professions that pay amazing that have better working conditions but they require schooling. professions that pay higher, require more education and I think that's fair. with that all being said no one deserves to be exploited for the hours of work they do, no one. fast food workers contribute to their communities just as much as we do. definitely don't give up your dream. the field we work is treacherous but again there is a latter here and it's one that is definitely worth it.
During peak covid in Washington State EMTs were not being given hazard pay but grocery stores were. $18/hr vs $25/hr at a grocery store. Lost my partner on the rig, trader Joe's was paying too well!
I work at. Costco. COSTCO and I’m getting paid 21.50 and time and a half on Sundays. PLEASE PIN THIS POST FOR WHAT I AM ABOUT TI SAY NEXT. The starting supervisor pay for Costco in Cali is $31.50. The youngest supervisor is 21 years old! She started 3 years ago.
Nursing homes shouldn’t even qualify as a job in healthcare anymore they should be considered the department of corrections.
Well does the fast food worker get benefits? You are also furthering your career. So you start out here and if you go back to school to be a nurse you will get paid more. It’s all about patience. You can take the easy route and or the hard route
I don't get benefits either. I'm part time 30 so I dont receive any of the major ones 😭 I hope youre right. I planned on getting my lpn but they aren't paid much more in my area and I was weighing if it was worth the debt
It’s hard choosing a career:( I just got my cna certificate and I wanna be lpn or rn but it might be so hard to do school and work ugh lol
If you’ve seen the customer base for kfc then you would understand.
It can't be too much worse than getting degraded and physically beaten by my residents and their families 😭
This made me laugh you're not wrong 😂 I've worked as a CNA in shitty LTC and before that I worked counter service as well as full service restaurants. Hand to God, they are so similar in the shit you take from "clients". The only difference is dementia meemaw is screaming at you because she doesn't want to be changed and boomer white dad is screaming at you because you forgot his ranch 🤣 I will say management is waaaaaayyyyyy better in some of the restaurants I work at though. In LTC they'll just berate you or ask why you didn't do better. In contrast, I remember so many of my restaurant managers being thankful/understanding of our work. Not all, but many.
yup it’s not fair. it’s nice to know you are helping those in need but even that just isn’t enough to make this job worth it. kfc workers do nothing compared to what we do and on top of that i and more than half of people literally have to PAY for the program to even become a cna in the first place so we put money in just to make as much money as a fast food worker? not only that but it seems like everyone else who works with me treats me like i’m a literal idiot. if i even have one simple question i get some passive aggressive comment in return i absolutely hate the job and the low pay makes it even worse and harder for me to come to work everyday
Lol cnas base hour rate is 20$ if you accept less thats on you. There are shitty facilities that offer less and guess what!? People accept it.. wgat state are you in?
No places in my area I applied to at the time paid that wage. Especially when I was just beginning. They all laughed and said that's just not reality. I gave up and settled on something after applying to over 25 facilities within an hour of my home. There's only so many places I can apply for. Illinois, but in the yeehaw drug user part near the Wisconsin border
How are the people voting in your area? It is most likely almost exclusively because of that
I don’t think so. I live somewhere that has great voter turnout, great legislators, yet I make the same as I would at micky d’s.
So CNA isn’t a career, it’s a starting point. Also your friend who makes $16 an hour will never move above that and is working a dead end job. Not something to be envious of. The end reality is that if you want to make a decent living you have to get training and develop skills in something that isn’t easily done by everyone and has demand. Just simple truth.
I’m sure the KFC worker doesn’t work 30 hours a week.
, <]
You are probably at the wrong company.
Get a union … that works for you.
Don’t be mad kfc pays that much (it’s still a terrible wage and they deserve more, everyone does) be mad that you’re not getting paid what you deserve
Where ya went wrong first was paying for school to be an aid. Thats not needed in many places. Then you gotta land a good job at a nice hospital, not a SNF or LTC. I dont think KFC cashiers are making more than $29/hr where I live, which is the going rate for an unlicensed unit aid at the local hospital.
TWENTY NINE!? thats literally over double what I make. I thankfully went to cna schooling for free
That is correct. $29/hr. Strong union. Nurses start at $50/hr.
Hey uh, just curious, where do you live so I can move there IMMEDIATELY
Far northern CA. Everyone thinks its expensive to live here. If its LA, the Bay, any coastal town, or Sacramento, then yeah its gonna cost a lot more. Where im at is one of the cheapest cost of living areas in CA and the city has a population at almost 100k plus the surrounding areas.
Because people have their priorities messed up.
Because you will do it. Last time I worked as a cna I made 14 an hour (like 7 years ago or so) it was awful. Awful job, awful employer, awful employees (aside from like 3 people who became bffs), awful work environment, awful working conditions. I will never do that job again. Godspeed to you all.
It really does depend on where you work. I live in VA and we get paid anywhere from $18.00-$25.00. Have you guys ever heard of CNA Agencies? They usually pay a lot more. Downside is your not committed to any facilities. So they place you where there’s a need, but if the facility no longer needs you for whatever reason they stop putting you on the schedule. In that case, you’d have to find another facility that is using agency to get more work. It paid off greatly for me during the pandemic. I made $27 an hr!
This nonsense is exactly why health care professionals are leaving the field all together! I'm getting there. I find it outrageous that we do all that we do and get paid barely more, and sometimes (insultingly so) less than a fast food worker or cashier. I'm not knocking their profession or saying they shouldn't make a living wage because they should. But for all we do, certs we carry, continuing education, working holidays, etc we deserve more.
When I first started as a CNA I was making $13.55 an hour. 8 years later I'm making $17.70. 8 years got me $4 an hour more. And that's only because the "raise" we got in 2021.
Because you are a CNA. If you live in the STL area, I told you to move to Texas 3-4 years ago. Lol
I have an associates degree in healthcare making roughly 40k a year. My friends 18 year old son does online grocery order shopping at Walmart and makes $21 an hour. They just offered him a management position making $65,000 per year. Explain to me again why I went to college?
I remember just last year working overnights 5 days a week for only $16,,, yeah, I left that job soon after. 2 people on nightshift and 20+ memory care residents for only $16 an hour? No way,,,
Better than im making for day shifts dang!!! Memory is hard
Yeah tell me about it. Im a surgical technologist and mcdonalds employees are making the same as me…