Exploring the CNA Career: What You Need to Know

By: Sambriddi Adhikari

When people think of pursuing a career in the medical field, the first thing that pops into their heads is the dreaded years of schooling. In most careers within healthcare, it is required to go through around 5-10 years of school, which is often something that scares off individuals who are interested in pursuing a medical career. Many people are often not aware of the fact that there are a lot of careers within healthcare that do not require nearly as long an education journey. One of those main careers is that of a Certified Nursing Assistant. 

Certified Nursing Assistants, also known as CNAs, provide patients with proper care while they are under the care of a licensed registered nurse. This role consists of a variety of different responsibilities, such as taking care of a patient's hygiene, transporting them around the clinical facility, and addressing the patient's concerns and questions with another licensed professional. Along with that, they also attend to the patients' nutritional needs as CNAs make sure that they have properly eaten either before or after consuming their prescribed medications. 

Unlike many other careers in the medical field, aspiring Certified Nurse Assistants are not required to have a bachelor's or master's degree. As long as they have a high school diploma, they are qualified to apply to become a Certified Nurse Assistant. Many people start the process of getting their license to be a certified nursing assistant as early as high school because many states across the United States allow anyone over the age of 16 to become a CNA. Due to the limited schooling required to become licensed as a Certified Nursing Assistant, many go into this career as a stepping stone into becoming a future Licensed Registered Nurse. Yet that is not to say that it is an easy feat to be in this career, as it requires very rigorous and long workdays. 

To become a licensed Certified Nursing Assistant, you have to pass a written exam called the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) as well as the clinical exam. Aspiring Certified Nursing Assistants can also choose to specialize in a certain field, such as cardiology, pediatrics, etc., but in order to have a specialty within this career, it is required that individuals gain a bachelor's degree first. The job of a Certified Nursing Assistant can be a great career choice for people who are interested in the medical field but do not have a college degree. Along with that, it can also be very great entry-level career in the Medical field.

Works Cited:

“Certified Nurse Assistant.” CDPH, 13 March 2025, https://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/CHCQ/LCP/Pages/CNA.aspx. Accessed 1 August 2025.

Pace, Kimi. What Is a CNA? Job Description and Career Guide, 11 December 2024, https://www.wgu.edu/blog/what-cna-job-description-career-guide2008.html. Accessed 1 August 2025.

“What Is a CNA | Certified Nursing Assistant | CNA.” National University, https://www.nu.edu/blog/what-is-a-cna/. Accessed 1 August 2025.