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The differences between prns and certified nursing assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both an prn and a certified nursing assistant. Additionally, an prn has an average salary of $39,642, which is higher than the $32,597 average annual salary of a certified nursing assistant.
The top three skills for an prn include patients, healthcare and occupational therapy. The most important skills for a certified nursing assistant are patients, vital signs, and home health.
| PRN | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $39,642 | $32,597 |
| Hourly rate | $19.06 | $15.67 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 72,309 | 225,834 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.12 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | High School Diploma, 29% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 3 | 3 |
A PRN or a "pro re nata" employee is responsible for covering a shift or a specific situation, especially during short-staffing or the need to complete a particular task. The PRNs often work for a medical industry without a regular or full-time commitment, having the freedom to manage their time and take multiple assignments from different organizations. A PRN must have excellent communication and organization skills, providing quality healthcare services to the patients and the organization.
A certified nursing assistant generally assists patients in their healthcare needs and medical procedures. They support patients in their daily activities by monitoring patients' temperature and food intake, ensuring the cleanliness of the patient's room, and keeping documentation of patients' conditions for reference of nurses and doctors. A certified nursing assistant should also communicate with patients' families and provide updates as often as needed. It is also important that a nursing assistant is patient and compassionate enough to attend to direct patient needs, which could get demanding or challenging at times.
Prns and certified nursing assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| PRN | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Average salary | $39,642 | $32,597 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $89,000 | Between $24,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Davis, CA | Portland, ME |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Erlanger Health System | Valley Presbyterian Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an prn and a certified nursing assistant in terms of educational background:
| PRN | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | High School Diploma, 29% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between prns' and certified nursing assistants' demographics:
| PRN | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.0% Female, 79.0% | Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 8.3% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |