CNA Salary in Connecticut

Certified nurse assistants also are called direct care workers because of their direct day-to-day involvement with patients to help them with basic tasks that some people take for granted. There’s a strong demand for CNAs in the U.S. that will likely continue as more older Americans need long-term care. Nonetheless, CNA salaries generally are low in Connecticut and elsewhere despite the high demand for their services.

CNA Duties

CNAs generally help patients perform basic daily tasks that they’re unable to handle themselves, such as eating, bathing and dressing. Some CNAs also monitor patients’ temperature, pulse rate and blood pressure. They also may set up medical equipment and move or organize hospital or nursing facility supplies. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show the mean annual salary for CNAs in 2009 was $24,980. CNAs working in Connecticut that year earned significantly higher mean annual wages of $30,040.
Top Salaries

The BLS lists Connecticut among the states that paid CNAs the highest salaries in 2009. Nevada and New York paid slightly higher mean annual wages of $30,970 and $30,850, respectively. Some of the highest salaries were in Alaska, where CNAs earned mean annual wages of $32,390 in 2009. The BLS indicates that there are few chances for CNAs to move into positions with higher salaries without additional training and education. Some CNAs who want to advance in the health care industry and earn higher salaries study to become registered nurses or medical assistants.
Salaries by Sector

BLS data show nursing care facilities employ the largest number of CNAs. However, the typical salary that CNAs earned at those facilities in 2009 was significantly lower than Connecticut’s average wage for the profession. For instance, BLS data show that CNAs in Connecticut earned mean hourly wages of $14.44 in 2009. BLS national statistics show that CNAs who worked at nursing care facilities were paid about $11.58 per hour, and hospitals paid only slightly more at $12.76 per hour.
State Regulations

Despite lower industry salaries, CNAs must meet state training and health regulations to work in their field. CNAs need to be in good health to pass a physical exam, and some state-regulated tests screen CNAs for various diseases as well. Nursing aides receive CNA credentials only after they complete at least 75 hours of state-mandated training and pass a competency exam. Aides who successfully complete their training and exam are included in a state registry for CNAs. People who are interested in becoming CNAs should check job requirements with their state’s board of nursing because state regulations vary.