What is the difference between LNA and CNA?

CNA's are also commonly referred to as nursing assistants, patient care assistants (PCA), or Nurse's Aids. An LPN, on the other hand, can perform additional tasks to care for patients under the supervision of an RN.

A major difference between becoming a CNA and becoming an LPN is the education required. Aspiring Certified Nursing Assistants first need a high school diploma or GED certificate, and then they may enroll in a CNA training program.

A CNA program does not take very long to complete - anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks, unlike an LPN, who usually requires a more rigorous formal training program, which usually takes about 12 months to complete.

A key difference between the two: only LPNs are required to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) at the end of the program.

CNA's and LPN's are both members of a patient's care team and may share some of the same daily tasks, which include basic patient care under the supervision of an RN.

These tasks include:

• Checking a patient's vital signs

• Assisting with patients' activities of daily living, including dressing, bathing, using the bathroom, etc.

While LPN's and CNA's do perform a few of the same tasks, LPNs provide more robust patient care, while CNAs have a more limited scope of practice. For example, the LPN also performs the following job duties.

• Administers medication and vaccinations

• Collects samples (e.g., blood, urine, etc.)

• Assists with wound care

• Inserts and cares for urinary catheters

• Cares for patients with ventilators and tracheostomy tubes

• Provides feedings through nasogastric or gastrostomy tubes

• Performs emergency CPR

• Executes a nursing care plan under the direction of an RN

The additional requirements of an LPN compared to a CNA reflects differences in pay rates. For example, the mean annual salary for Certified Nursing Assistants was $30,083 compared to a mean annual salary of $44,840 for LPNs.

While, in general, CNAs make significantly less than LPNs, many nurses use their CNA experience as a stepping stone to further education and a higher-paying nursing position.