California Nursing Assistant Careers

Nursing assistants work under the supervision of nurses and medical staff. They handle many of the routine tasks associated with patient care and assist medical staff with setting up equipment, moving and storing supplies, and (some) basic procedures.  Patient care duties may include feeding, dressing, and bathing patients; changing linens, escorting patients to operating and exam rooms, and emptying bedpans. Some nursing assistants may be responsible for taking patients temperature, respiration and pulse rate, and blood pressure.

Also called nursing aides, hospital attendants, or certified nursing aides, nursing assistants work primarily in hospitals, nursing care facilities, continuing care retirement communities, and assisted living facilities for the elderly. They work in all cities, towns, and villages across the U.S., but the largest population lives in the State of California.

Nursing Assistant Education and Training Programs

To become a nursing assistant in the State of California, you must complete a state-approved education program and pass the state’s competency exam to become certified. The requirements are the same in most states and the federal government requires licensure and certification in all states for nursing care facility assistants.

Nursing assistant programs are offered at high schools, community colleges, nursing care facilities, and vocational schools. A typical training program covers anatomy and physiology, nutrition, personal care skills, infection control, body mechanics, resident rights, and communication.

Because advancement opportunities are limited, some nursing assistants choose to earn additional credentials such as Certified Medication Assistant (CMA) or they may become certified in a specialty area.

Nursing Assistant Schools and Training Programs in California

Because California is home the nation’s largest population of nursing assistants, the list of training programs is lengthy. The list below represents some of the best programs in the State.

Allan  Hancock College, Santa Maria, CA
Bakersfield College, Bakersfield, CA
Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
College of the  Canyons, Santa Clarita, CA
College of the Desert, Palm Desert, CA
College of the Sequoias, Visalia, CA
College of the Siskiyous, Weed, CA
Contra Costa College, San Pablo, CA
Copper Mountain Community College, Joshua Tree, CA
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
East San Gabriel Valley Regional Occupational Program, West Covina, CA
Gavilan College, Gilroy, CA
Kaplan College-San Diego, San Diego, CA
Las Positas College, Livermore, CA
Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles Harbor College, Wilmington, CA
Los Angeles Trade Technical College, Los Angeles, CA
Merced College, Merced, CA
Mira Costa College, Oceanside, CA
Mt San Antonio College, Walnut, CA
Pasadena City College, Pasadena, CA
Peralta Community College System Office, Oakland, CA
Pima Medical Institute, Chula Vista, CA
Reedley College, Reedley, CA
Rio Hondo College, Whittier, CA
San Joaquin Delta College, Stockton, CA
Santa Barbara City College, Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, CA
Sierra College, Rocklin, CA
Southwestern College, Chula Vista, CA
University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
University of San Diego, San Diego, CA
Ventura College, Ventura, CA
Victor Valley College, Victorville, CA
West Hills College- Coalinga, Lemoore, CA
West Los Angeles College, Culver City, CA

Employment and Earnings Outlook for California Nursing Assistants

California is home to 99,500 nursing assistants averaging $29,400 per year. Of the Top 10 Metro Areas with the Highest Employment Level for Nursing Assistants, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale Metro Area has the 3rd highest level with 31,710 assistants. The State is also home to 5 of the nation’s Top 10 Highest Paying Metro Areas for Nursing Assistants:

#1: San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City (average $39,240 per year)
#3: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ($35,210)
#5: Oakland-Fremont-Hayward ($34,890)    
#8: Vallejo-Fairfield, ($33,270)
#10: Napa, ($32,930)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. was home to 1,420,020 nursing assistants in 2012. They averaged $25,620 2012, with the top 10% averaging $35,330 and the bottom 10% averaging $18,300. In January of 2014, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported employment growth figures for nursing assistants and orderlies as a single group. Employment for this group is projected to grow 21% between 2012 and 2022.