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Certified nurses' aide vs student medical assistant-externship

The differences between certified nurses' aides and student medical assistant-externships can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-3 months to become a certified nurses' aide, becoming a student medical assistant-externship takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a student medical assistant-externship has an average salary of $35,588, which is higher than the $32,566 average annual salary of a certified nurses' aide.

The top three skills for a certified nurses' aide include patients, vital signs and care plan. The most important skills for a student medical assistant-externship are patients, vital signs, and EKG.

Certified nurses' aide vs student medical assistant-externship overview

Certified Nurses' AideStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Yearly salary$32,566$35,588
Hourly rate$15.66$17.11
Growth rate9%16%
Number of jobs171,087178,362
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 26%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age4237
Years of experience312

What does a certified nurses' aide do?

A certified nurses' aide specializes in providing health care and welfare support to patients in nursing homes, hospitals, hospice, or any facilities that offer long-term care. A nurses' aide is responsible for assisting patients in bathing and dressing, toilet and catheter use, essential daily exercise and walks, and preparing and feeding meals. Furthermore, a nurses' aide must monitor a patient's vital signs and overall condition. It is also essential to coordinate with nurses and other health care workers by reporting changes or improvements.

What does a student medical assistant-externship do?

Student Medical Assistant Externship is a broad term for catering students for short, reliable, and practical work experience. Once you graduate, you can get a chance to meet contacts that may be useful for your career. You can have a better chance to work in a clinic, hospital, and any medical platform after going through this kind of externship.

Certified nurses' aide vs student medical assistant-externship salary

Certified nurses' aides and student medical assistant-externships have different pay scales, as shown below.

Certified Nurses' AideStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Average salary$32,566$35,588
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $42,000Between $26,000 And $47,000
Highest paying CityGuilderland, NY-
Highest paying stateHawaii-
Best paying companyCareerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company-
Best paying industryHealth Care-

Differences between certified nurses' aide and student medical assistant-externship education

There are a few differences between a certified nurses' aide and a student medical assistant-externship in terms of educational background:

Certified Nurses' AideStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 26%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common majorNursingMedical Assisting Services
Most common college--

Certified nurses' aide vs student medical assistant-externship demographics

Here are the differences between certified nurses' aides' and student medical assistant-externships' demographics:

Certified Nurses' AideStudent Medical Assistant-Externship
Average age4237
Gender ratioMale, 13.6% Female, 86.4%Male, 23.8% Female, 76.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.8% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 9.4% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage7%6%

Differences between certified nurses' aide and student medical assistant-externship duties and responsibilities

Certified nurses' aide example responsibilities.

  • Recognize by physicians for ability to meticulously prepare patient's chest and attach leads to obtain excellent quality EKG tracings.
  • Administer nursing care under direct supervision to assign residents and patients in order to achieve maximum level of independence.
  • Assist residents with bathing, feeding, transferring, oral care, etc., care track on vital signs and ADL 's
  • Demonstrate understanding of the needs of the patients and make appropriate matches between HHA and patients.
  • Provide companionship to keep patients mentally healthy.
  • Establish compassion by providing emotional/spiritual support to patients and families.
  • Show more

Student medical assistant-externship example responsibilities.

  • Perform EKG's, ear cleanings, injections, nail cultures and assist with women's yearly physicals.
  • Gain experience in performing routine patient care interventions while developing strong organizational skills while caring for patients.
  • Shadowed/Assist official personnel on performance of special procedures, patient evaluation, transporting patients, therapeutic exercises and body mechanics/functional mobility.
  • Observe various departments and operations within the hospital and clinical setting environment including surgery, radiology, urology, and emergency.
  • Review and administration of medications, allergies and other pharmacology relate items.
  • Perform CLIA wave laboratory testing.
  • Show more

Certified nurses' aide vs student medical assistant-externship skills

Common certified nurses' aide skills
  • Patients, 17%
  • Vital Signs, 15%
  • Care Plan, 6%
  • Blood Pressure, 5%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Infection Control, 4%
Common student medical assistant-externship skills
  • Patients, 35%
  • Vital Signs, 11%
  • EKG, 5%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Data Entry, 3%
  • Surgery, 3%

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