Find Per Diem CNA Jobs in Lehi with Nursa
Living in Lehi and looking for CNA jobs? This is our ultimate guide for CNA jobs in Lehi, and we're glad you landed here. Read about what certified nursing assistants in Utah can do, where they can work, how to become one, how much they can earn, and how you can find CNA jobs in Lehi and the surrounding area. We've got answers to all your questions in one place: right here.
What Is a Certified Nursing Assistant?
A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is a healthcare support worker who provides most of the direct patient care in a healthcare setting. There are no federal regulations or guidelines for the role; therefore, it is up to each state to determine appropriate responsibilities for CNAs. That said, they generally work under the direction and supervision of either a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN). According to the Utah Nursing Assistant Registry (UNAR), "A CNA’s expected job duties include assisting residents with activities of daily living and performing basic nursing tasks." These job duties can include the following:
- Assisting with personal hygiene such as bathing, grooming, dressing, brushing teeth, eating, and toileting
- Moving and positioning bed-bound patients for comfort and to avoid bedsores
- Using a gait belt to assist patients with ambulation
- Transferring patients from their beds to chairs and vice versa
- Measuring and documenting patient vital signs such as blood pressure, respiration, heartbeat, oxygen saturation, and body temperature
See also: POC CNA Charting Skills: How Technology Improves Care
Where Do CNAs Work?
Of the over 1 million CNAs nationwide, almost half find employment in skilled nursing facilities. Another large portion of the CNA cohort gains employment in hospitals. Furthermore, CNAs can work in retirement communities, assisted living facilities, home health care services, and specialty hospitals.
Utah CNA Supply and Demand
As a core pillar of healthcare service delivery, the CNA workforce in Utah is a source of interest and study. The most recent data published by the Utah Medical Education Council in 2018 provides important insight into the supply and demand of CNAs. Here are some key findings from the report:
- Skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities employed more certified nursing assistants than any other type of healthcare worker.
- Every facility type reported the use of contract labor, and all except public health reported employing per diem nursing professionals.
- Hospitals employed an estimated 23% of Utah’s total CNA workforce.
- CNAs and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) tied for the lowest percentage of full-time employees at 52% each.
- RNs tied CNAs for the highest vacancy rates in hospitals.
- CNA vacancy rates in hospitals increased by 75%, up from the 4% reported in 2015.
- CNAs reported the highest turnover rates in skilled nursing facilities/long-term care (SNF/LTC) facilities, at nearly 75%.
- CNAs accounted for 59% of the total reported workforce in SNF/LTC facilities, with only 30% of these positions being full-time.
- Assisted living centers (ALCs) were the third-largest employer of CNAs, behind SNF/LTC facilities and hospitals.
- CNAs were the main nurse occupation in ALCs statewide and accounted for 86% of the workforce.
- Ambulatory care centers had a workforce composed of 50% CNAs.
- CNAs, the second-largest workforce in home health, reported the highest potential for change: Projections indicated that the CNA workforce in home health could expand its capacity by 48% over the following year due to vacancies and the anticipated creation of new positions.
- CNAs were the second-largest workforce in hospice; 49% of these CNAs filled part-time positions, and 51% filled full-time positions.
As you can clearly see from the data, CNAs make up a large percentage of necessary healthcare staff in many medical settings. Vacancies and turnover in nursing occupations have long been challenges for hospitals and facilities, and those challenges have been exacerbated in recent years. CNAs are in high demand in Utah; therefore, if you're interested in a career in healthcare, working as a nursing assistant is a great way to enter the industry that also offers a high level of job security.
How to Become a CNA in Utah
The UNAR makes the path to working in Utah as a CNA clear and straightforward. In order to become a CNA, you must successfully complete a state-approved CNA program and then pass two exams:
- UNAR Nursing Assistant Skill Proficiency Performance List (NAPP): You will be asked to demonstrate skills learned in a CNA program, and you must obtain a minimum score of 80% for each skill performed. The testing time for this exam is 45 minutes.
- Knowledge Exam: This test has 75 multiple-choice questions to be completed within a two-hour timeframe with a minimum passing score of 75%.
Overall, once you've completed the CNA training program, you have up to three attempts to pass both exams. There are official testing sites in several Utah cities, including Lehi.
For any new Lehi residents who earned their nursing assistant certification in another state, the UNAR offers the opportunity to gain Utah CNA certification through reciprocity.
What's the Average CNA Salary in Lehi?
According to data updated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2023, the national average CNA salary was $36,220 in 2022, or $17.41 per hour. The average CNA salary for the state of Utah was $33,380 for the year, which breaks down to $16.05 per hour. The BLS breaks salaries down further to metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and for the Provo-Orem area (which Lehi is a part of), CNAs earned $32,430 for the year or $15.59 per hour. With this lower-than-average hourly rate, CNAs in Lehi need to find ways to supplement their income, and one of these ways is through per diem jobs.
How Can I Find CNA Jobs near Me?
You can find per diem CNA jobs in hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare settings in Lehi and nearby communities by using Nursa’s open healthcare marketplace. Here's how you can use it:
- Download Nursa (it's free!).
- Create a professional profile (education, certifications, government I.D., work experience, etc.).
- Verify your CNA certification (follow the prompts in the app).
- Set up your Wallet (Nursa pays twice a week for shifts worked).
- Browse the PRN CNA jobs in Lehi (set your distance filter depending on how far you're willing to drive).
- Apply for PRN CNA shifts in the app (you'll be notified when you land a shift).
- Check the shift posting in the app for check-in and parking instructions (there's also a map you can follow if you're driving somewhere new).
- Complete a quick shift report when your PRN shift is over (the app will prompt you to do this, and once you've done it, the facility will be prompted as well).
- Get paid (the facility has two business days to complete a shift report after you've submitted yours).
- Browse more PRN CNA shifts!
Can You Work Full-Time as a PRN CNA?
Yes, you can! Nursa does not impose a quota on nursing professionals working PRN shifts. Flexibility is one of the favorite benefits of working as an independent PRN CNA, and that means there will be some weeks or months when you have more availability to pick up shifts than others. Nursa facilitates the connection, but you are the driver of your CNA career. Therefore, you can work when you want and where you want. Some CNAs have permanent jobs and pick up PRN shifts on the side, while others work PRN as their full-time gig. You decide!
Where Is Lehi, Utah?
Lehi sits on the northern bank of the Utah River, with the Wasatch Mountains on one side and the White Mountains and the Oquirrh Mountains on the other. Lehi is a short drive from Provo. It's considered part of the Silicon Slopes, a nickname earned due to the thriving tech industry. With a population of under 100,000 residents, it possesses all the benefits of a suburb with a small-town feel.
Want to work in a bigger city? Check out per diem CNA jobs in Salt Lake City, UT!