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What is a professional nursing assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
The average professional nursing assistant salary is $44,336. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an nursing major. It usually takes 1-3 months of experience to become a professional nursing assistant. Professional nursing assistants with a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 9% and produce 137,800 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreProfessional Nursing AssistantUS Average
Salary
3.5

Avg. Salary $44,336

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.5

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
10.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.66%

Asian 7.09%

Black or African American 11.41%

Hispanic or Latino 14.57%

Unknown 4.51%

White 61.77%

Gender

female 73.85%

male 26.15%

Age - 41
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41
Stress level
8.5

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Professional nursing assistant career paths

Key steps to become a professional nursing assistant

  1. Explore professional nursing assistant education requirements

    Most common professional nursing assistant degrees

    Bachelor's

    65.1 %

    High School Diploma

    11.6 %

    Certificate

    7.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific professional nursing assistant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Vital Signs41.38%
    PNA12.52%
    Patient Care10.35%
    Administer Medications8.79%
    ADL8.22%
  3. Complete relevant professional nursing assistant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New professional nursing assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a professional nursing assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real professional nursing assistant resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed professional nursing assistant usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed professional nursing assistant in most of states. 25 states require professional nursing assistants to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    StateEducationExamLicense url
    AlaskaDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredNurse Aide
    ArkansasSpecific course requiredBoth state and third-party exams requiredNursing Assistant (Certified)
    CaliforniaSpecific course requiredState exam requiredCertified Nurse Assistant
    ColoradoSpecific course requiredState exam requiredNurse Aide
    ConnecticutSpecific course requiredState exam requiredNurses Aide
  5. Research professional nursing assistant duties and responsibilities

    • Initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation in emergency situations.
    • Cycle through all areas of perioperative care, including pediatric and adult pre-op and post-op, and the short stay unit.
    • Provide behavioral/emotional support and supervision for those with dementia and Alzheimer's.
  6. Prepare your professional nursing assistant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your professional nursing assistant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a professional nursing assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable professional nursing assistant resume templates

    Build a professional professional nursing assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your professional nursing assistant resume.
    Professional Nursing Assistant Resume
    Professional Nursing Assistant Resume
    Professional Nursing Assistant Resume
    Professional Nursing Assistant Resume
    Professional Nursing Assistant Resume
    Professional Nursing Assistant Resume
    Professional Nursing Assistant Resume
    Professional Nursing Assistant Resume
    Professional Nursing Assistant Resume
  7. Apply for professional nursing assistant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a professional nursing assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first professional nursing assistant job

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Average professional nursing assistant salary

The average professional nursing assistant salary in the United States is $44,336 per year or $21 per hour. Professional nursing assistant salaries range between $28,000 and $69,000 per year.

Average professional nursing assistant salary
$44,336 Yearly
$21.32 hourly

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How do professional nursing assistants rate their job?

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Professional nursing assistant reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2023
Pros

Very fulfilling and rewarding

Cons

Hard work, not enough staff, mandated a lot. Under appreciated!


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022
Pros

The ability to show care, love & compassion to those whom have none or family can't give time to show any. It's like being the missing piece to a puzzle we all if lucky enough get to live long enough to experience. It's making someones day by just remembering to watch their hands and face before/ after meals. To give proper attention to teeth, to let dressing am or pm still br a choice they make. I know im a good human with an oversized caring heart and although sometimes its exhausting working extra hrs or having to do all or extra work on short staffed days it's worth it. And slow and steady wins the day. They are people whom have gone through & experienced more then we will ever get too.

Cons

All the changes with certification and how you can be on the floor of a facility and know not even common sense. How they have hospitality aides, hca, and people going to start a free class. Back in the day we were called glorified babysitters I never agreed until we have just a warm body with no license(s) whom can't do anything even as small as getting ice waters. I've worked hard tobe where i am and these people take a computer class and pass we would call that our continuing education hrs but what do i know after 23 yrs. I once REALLY loved my job and still do but it's almost like being in grade school with people who have phone's lol It bothers me that many new or non licensed bodies have the audacity to come in these facilities and act like the residents are on their time! We are in their home to help provide ADL's amongst other things like them still trying to be & keep their independence. The ridiculous amount they have to spend to have the care they get from some people makes me wanna die young!! Our system sucks unless its the government making the dollar. I just wish they'd spend an 8 hr shift in these facilities before signing off on some rules & regs. Im not political by any means but those who take the dollar should get to live and experience a day of what our elderly lived ones are forced to experience daily , monthly, yearly! In fact the state hasn't even done the 18 month annual expectation in over 2 yrs at the place im contracted at 👍way to keep up on stuff and by stuff I mean our elderly living human beans. People who deserve to be served on gold plates or at least gave better food then what they serve daycares and if not that at least for it to be at high minimum warm food !! In 23 yrs of being a CNA I can only try to write a book to get out all the things I've seen ,heard. & witnessed in the years.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2021
Pros

Knowing that you are supporting Doctor's , Nurses , and other health care providers, helping people recover from illness or injury and if they are in the end stages allowing them to have respect and dignity in the end stages of life, being able to give aid and comfort to their families. Seeing that love ones even if they have no family receive respect. I enjoy helping people when they need it the most.

Cons

For profits places, that understaffed under schedule, Nursing staff, do not provide proper equipment nor keep it in repair. Do not allow staff breaks lock the bathrooms, do not even give lunch breaks, Call you on your C phone when you are changing a diaper from in side the ward to tell you to go help another ward. No between shift report. not providing the names of R.N. or L.V.N. to changes in Clients conditions. I have worked as a L.N.A. I love my choice for a career But due to the conditions of Phoenix Arizona facilities I will not be looking for a job in the field. You have to go to an add agency to find a job, Some jobs have wonderful advertisement and then after two week you learn what they are really like .Not Good All they care about is profit. no dignity no respect for pat6ients,clints or staff. I pray to god there are some good places in or around Phoenix Arizona I have not found one yet and the agency are not very honest. God Bless the Clients in their care keep them safe and healthy


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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