A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) role is a foundational clinical position that provides direct patient care experience, serving as a strategic launchpad for numerous advanced healthcare careers. Each subsequent role requires passing a new, specialized certification or licensure examination. Therefore, when considering what career is after CNA, you are effectively planning your next credentialing milestone.
The most direct progressions from a CNA position involve pursuing roles with greater clinical responsibility and diagnostic authority, all of which mandate successful completion of a rigorous exam.
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN): This is a common logical step. LPNs perform more complex tasks than CNAs, such as administering medications and monitoring patient care plans. Advancement requires completing an accredited program and passing the NCLEX-PN examination, a comprehensive test of practical nursing knowledge and skills.
- Registered Nurse (RN): The RN role represents a significant expansion in scope, including patient assessment, care plan creation, and specialized clinical duties. The pathway involves earning an associate or bachelor's degree in nursing and then passing the NCLEX-RN, a more complex and adaptive exam than the NCLEX-PN.
- Specialized Patient Care Roles: Your CNA experience also prepares you for other certified roles. For instance, you can become a Certified Medication Aide (CMA) by passing a state-specific competency exam, or a Patient Care Technician (PCT) by obtaining a certification that validates advanced clinical skills.
Ultimately, determining what career is after CNA is a process of selecting your next certification goal. The hands-on experience gained as a CNA is invaluable preparation for the practical components of these advanced examinations. Each step forward—whether to LPN, RN, or a specialized technician role—is formally marked by passing a standardized, proctored assessment that validates your readiness for increased patient care responsibility.