Frequently Asked Questions About the Difference of a Certified
Caregiver and a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
by Shirley Soden, RN, MBA/HCM

• You have to be 18 years old and above
• No history of felony charges
• For Fast track program enrollee:
  - You need to have an experience in health care to be enrolled in the program
  - The Fast Track program will take you 1-2 days of training
• Current CPR/First Aid certified
• Current TB skin test or within six months (A positive skin test does not mean that you have an active TB that means that you had been exposed in the past but may develop Tuberculosis in the near future when your immune system is down. A follow up with your physician is needed and a Chest X ray is needed to determine whether you have active Tuberculosis (TB)).
• Current Fingerprint Clearance Card

• You have to be 16 years old and above
• No felony charges within the last five years or recurring misdemeanor offenses (The release of the CNA license will be determined by the Arizona State Board of Nursing)
• Current CPR/First Aid certified
• Current TB skin test or within six months (A positive skin test does not mean that you have an active TB that means that you had been exposed in the past but may develop Tuberculosis in the near future when your immune system is down. A follow up with your physician is needed and a Chest X ray is needed to determine whether you have active Tuberculosis (TB)).
• Current Fingerprint Clearance Card

• CNA stands for Certified Nursing Assistant and is regulated by the Arizona State Board of Nursing.  Potential employers for CNAs are the hospitals or acute care, long term care facilities, nursing homes, and doctor’s offices.  The CNA will not be able to give the medications unless he/she goes through the CAREGIVER TRAINING (Approved by the NCIA Board) and obtained a certificate after the training. A CNA will always be under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN).  The average starting rate for CNAs is $12.00 per hour with benefits.
• Certified Caregivers are regulated by the Arizona Department of Health Services.  The potential employers for certified caregivers are independent living, assisted living centers, assisted living homes, adult foster care, caregiver placement agencies. Certified Caregivers are allowed to give medications as long as they have gone a formal training on how to administer medications or had been trained by the employer. The average starting rate for Certified Caregivers (without experience) is $8.50 with or without benefits.