The workforce need for nursing aides is expected to grow 20 percent in the next 10 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, from more than 1.5 million in 2010. Currently, in order to work in a Maryland licensed long-term care (LTC) facility, nursing aides must have both the certified nursing assistant certification and the geriatric nursing association registry.
Since May 2012, students who have completed the College of Southern Maryland Geriatric Nursing Assistant Program through the Continuing Education and Workforce Development Department have a 100 percent pass rate on the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) Exam.
Completion of the program and exam make our students highly marketable to work in the long-term and assisted living environment, said CSM Director of Healthcare, Workforce Development, Kelly Winters, MSN RN.
Maryland has among the highest annual wages for nursing assistants in the country, ranging from $28,990 to $34,700, according to BLS statistics release in May 2011.
For information on spring GNA and CNA programs visit http://www.csmd.edu/CareerStarters/CNA.html or contact Winters at kwinters@csmd.edu.