Certified nursing assistants, or CNAs for short, can enjoy a rewarding career in the field of healthcare and even go on to become independent nurses. As self-employed people who provide private caregiving services by taking clients but scheduling their own hours as they see fit, CNAs get to work when it’s convenient for them while still making an incredibly fulfilling living doing what they love best: caring for others!
Many people would like to be their own boss and work on their terms. A self employed CNA is a certified nurse aide, which can be a great career for those who want to work in the medical field but need more flexibility with working hours or location. Becoming a self-employed CNA offers you the freedom of being your own boss while still having access to an established network of clients. This post will go over how you can become a self-employed CNA by providing tips on what it takes, as well as information about available resources that may help you get started.
Requirements
First, you need to become a CNA. To get this certification, all 75 hours of formal nursing aide training are required. You then sit for the exam and states publish these requirements so candidates should review them periodically in order to determine eligibility for becoming a certified Nursing Assistant.
After that, Independent service providers must obtain liability insurance and register with Medicaid and Medicare as an independent contractor before they can work independently. The process is simple enough, but there’s also the added fee for registering your business that you’ll need to take into account if you’re on a tight budget. Once completed however, free-lancers will be able to provide care in their own homes while earning money from those who have health coverage through either Medicaid or Medicare!
To be able to provide the best care for your patients, it is important that you obtain certification in home healthcare. You may have already obtained this type of training when working towards a CNA degree, but if not then now would be an excellent time to do so! Home Healthcare Certification can typically done through community colleges or trade schools and by pursuing some sort of course offered from Red Cross as well.
Where do you Get your Patients From?
Traditional Methods: Places like senior centers and retirement homes are more than happy to help their residents find a CNA. They often have bulletin boards with classified ads in the local newspaper, especially since this is an age group that still engages with newspapers for entertainment or news.
Word of Mouth: A good reputation among clients is the best way to get referrals. A CNA may be referred from a past client or their family members, but it’s also possible for them to receive recommendations from health care professionals they’ve interacted with in the past such as doctors and nurses who are happy with her work.
Online: With the rise in popularity of online caregiving databases, CNAs are taking advantage and adding their information to these platforms. This allows them a higher chance of being found by potential clients who are looking for caregivers with exact services that they need such as Alzheimers or dementia care service providers. Additionally, family members can post classified ads on these sites which will then be seen by nearby CNA’s who offer those types of services; eventually leading to an increase in clientele for caring professionals.
Growing Business: To get regular and sustainable income, it is best to present yourself in a professional manner. To build client confidence in your services you must look professional when going into the homes of clients. Even if self employed, for patient safety and long term satisfaction with your service from existing or potential customers, practicing care-giving standards that are required by law will ensure both success now as well as longevity later on down the road.
Scope of Practice as a Self Employed CNA
As a CNA, you may not be able to legally or ethically perform some tasks. Before starting as an independent CNAs it is important for you to research your state’s Code of Ethics by visiting the Board of Nursing website. Usually, there are many things that can still be done including those:
From helping patients bathe and dress to assisting with their personal grooming, cooking meals for them, changing bandages or cleaning wounds; these are all tasks that nurses complete on the job. They also run errands for those who need help getting around town in general as well as taking care of any light housekeeping duties they can handle while ensuring medication is taken properly at each visit.
How Much Does Self Employed CNA Make?
According to Salary.com, the average hourly wage for a self employed CNA in the United States is $16 as of July, 2021 but can range from just $15-$18 depending on many important factors including education, experience and location of your service.
In this post, we’ve given you an overview of what it takes to become a self employed CNA. We hope that the information in this blog was helpful and gave you some ideas about where to start your journey. If you want more information on how to get started or if you have any questions, please contact us directly for assistance. Our team is always happy to help!
