Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs in Wichita, KS
Certified nursing assistants in Wichita find steady hospital and VA work at Ascension Via Christi, Wesley Healthcare and the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, and most earn between $15 and $19 an hour. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays and how to get certified in Kansas.
Current certified nursing assistant Openings in Wichita, KS
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Certified Nursing Assistant Work in Wichita
Wichita's CNA jobs sit inside two hospital systems and the VA. Ascension Via Christi runs St. Francis on the north edge of downtown, St. Joseph on East Harry and St. Teresa on the far west side, while HCA's Wesley Healthcare anchors the College Hill area from its Hillside campus and also runs Wesley Woodlawn Hospital. The Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center on East Kellogg adds federal nursing assistant jobs with GS pay scales.
Outside the hospitals, aides work in skilled nursing, rehab and home care across Sedgwick County and suburbs like Derby and Andover. Healthcare is the steady half of a labor market that otherwise rises and falls with Boeing and Textron Aviation production, so aide openings keep coming even when the aircraft plants slow down. Pay runs a little below the national average, which is typical for Wichita.
Top Wichita Employers Hiring Certified Nursing Assistants
These Wichita employers hire CNAs and nursing assistants for hospital, VA and facility work:
- Ascension Via Christi - the largest hospital employer in the city hires CNAs through its Nursing Support job family across St. Francis, St. Joseph, St. Teresa and its home health and skilled nursing units.
- Wesley Healthcare - HCA's Wichita system recruits Nursing Support staff for Wesley Medical Center, Wesley Children's Hospital, Wesley Woodlawn and the Wesley Rehabilitation Center.
- Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center - the East Kellogg VA hospital posts nursing assistant jobs, including a patient support float pool, on federal GS-3 to GS-5 pay.
- Spectrum Healthcare Resources - the healthcare staffing contractor posts temporary CNA coverage for State of Kansas facilities in Wichita.
Certified Nursing Assistant Salaries in Wichita
- Entry level: about $15 to $17 per hour for newly certified aides.
- Experienced: roughly $17.50 to $19 per hour, with the Wichita median near $18.
- Senior / top of range: $19 to $22 per hour, and VA nursing assistant grades run from $37,821 to $61,751 a year.
These are estimates built from federal wage data for the Wichita metro and local employer postings. Night and weekend shifts, hospital versus nursing home work, a Certified Medication Aide credential and years of experience all move pay, and hospital and VA jobs usually add full benefits.
How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant in Wichita
Kansas requires a nurse aide course of at least 90 hours approved by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS), with at least half of the instruction done as clinical training, followed by the state exam. Passing places you on the Kansas Nurse Aide Registry, which KDADS maintains and employers check before hiring. In Wichita, WSU Tech South at 3821 E. Harry runs a Certified Nurse Aide certificate that takes about five weeks in daytime classes or about three months in the evening, and the same campus offers the Certified Medication Aide and Patient Care Technician programs as next steps.
What the Job Involves
CNAs handle the hands-on care that keeps patients safe and comfortable. A typical shift includes helping patients bathe, dress, eat and move, taking and recording vital signs, turning and repositioning bedbound patients, answering call lights, tracking intake and output, and reporting changes in condition to the nurse in charge. In a hospital you may also stock rooms, assist with admissions and discharges, and sit with patients who need close observation.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active Kansas Nurse Aide Registry certification
- Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
- Accurate vital signs and charting
- Safe lifting, transfer and mobility techniques
- Patience and clear communication with patients and families
- Reliability on nights, weekends and rotating shifts
Career Path and Advancement
Many Wichita aides use the CNA as a first step into nursing. A common ladder runs from CNA to Certified Medication Aide, then into WSU Tech South's Practical Nursing certificate and its Associate Degree Nurse program, or into the BSN at Wichita State University's School of Nursing. Hospital aides at Ascension Via Christi and Wesley can also move into patient care technician or float pool roles before finishing a nursing license.
Related Careers in Wichita
If nursing assistant work interests you, these Wichita guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a CNA in Kansas?
Complete a KDADS-approved nurse aide course of at least 90 hours, half of it clinical, then pass the state exam. Passing puts you on the Kansas Nurse Aide Registry, which is what Wichita employers check before they hire you.
How much do CNAs make in Wichita?
Most Wichita CNAs earn about $15 to $19 an hour, and the metro median sits near $18. Experienced aides and those on night shifts can reach $19 to $22, and VA nursing assistant grades run from $37,821 to $61,751 a year.
Where can I take a CNA class in Wichita?
WSU Tech South at 3821 E. Harry offers a Certified Nurse Aide certificate that follows KDADS guidelines. Daytime classes run about five weeks and evening classes about three months, and graduates can sit for the state exam.
Do Wichita hospitals hire CNAs without experience?
Many do. The core requirement is an active listing on the Kansas Nurse Aide Registry, and newly certified aides often start in float pools, on night shifts or in skilled nursing units, where they build experience quickly.
What shifts do CNAs work in Wichita?
Hospitals, the VA and nursing facilities staff around the clock, so 8 and 12 hour day, evening and night shifts are all common. Weekend and PRN schedules are widely available for aides who are also in school.
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