Gateway HUC program or CNA?

U.S.A. Arizona

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Help. I want to get my feet wet since I have 2 or so years of waiting for school to start. I am all signed up for the HUC program at Gateway and I now have some people say that CNA is a better training ground. Starting a new career and not sure what to do. HUC sounds like something I would be good at, and a nice transition from my current job.Has anyone done the Gateway program and landed a great job in a hospital? What was the pay scale, same as CNA? Look like CNA is in greater demand? Please help, I need more info!

Help. I want to get my feet wet since I have 2 or so years of waiting for school to start. I am all signed up for the HUC program at Gateway and I now have some people say that CNA is a better training ground. Starting a new career and not sure what to do. HUC sounds like something I would be good at, and a nice transition from my current job.Has anyone done the Gateway program and landed a great job in a hospital? What was the pay scale, same as CNA? Look like CNA is in greater demand? Please help, I need more info!

I just began NS last month, and have no knowledge of the pay scale for HUC's, but I certainly wouldn't discourage you from getting that training - I can say that CNA is a demanding job, with a dropout rate after training that approaches 50% per year, and your experiences and pay as a cna can vary greatly, depending on who you work for. There are many nursing instructors that will say that cna's make better nurses, but personally, being a cna could just as easily discourage you from the profession, especially if your initial experience is at a bad facility, or even a Good facility on the wrong shift.

My own cna clinical experiences at one facility left me hoping I never even had to drive past the facility again, much less entering it, or working there! However, life threw a lemon at me, and I ended up getting the same facility assigned for NS clinicals, and with a different instructor, on a different shift - it's a completely different experience, and in a good way.

As far as there being less openings for HUC's, it only seems reasonable - since CNA's "wash out" at an alarming rate, AND - in the facility I'm doing clinicals at, there are 6 cna's per floor and only one HUC.

I'd expect a HUC to have a "leg up" on things like finding info in the charts (cna's often don't see the "real" chart because of Hipaa, only an "ADL book").. If you're working with a medical diagnosis, and you have some extra time, looking that diagnosis up and correlating the meds to the diagnosis, as well as the terminology itself would certainly be beneficial when you get to NS.

All in all, I see HUC experience as a positive, especially if it allows you to STAY in the field, instead of getting a cna cert, working a few months and quitting. The biggest advantage to CNA work is that you become familiar and comfortable "getting into" someone's personal space - it isn't normal to do that in everyday life, but nursing requires it.

Specializes in Pediatric, ED.

I chose the CNA route myself a year ago. I went through the program at PVCC even though I was on the fence about it until the night before. The program was great and loved both the lecture and clinical aspect of the program. We had the best instructors in both and almost a year later, I still keep in touch with both of them. I took the state board in Feb of this year and passed - and have been working as a CNA at a LTC. While it isn't a hospital, I can tell you that I've learned a LOT and as CNAs, we are never short on hands-on experience. I feel that it is one of the best ways to become familiar and comfortable in providing direct patient care. I am one of those few that really enjoy working at LTC. I love my residents, co-workers and feel blessed to be where I am. The pay, without any experience can range between $11 - 13/hr. depending on the facility. I'm not sure what hospital pays. It is definitely easier to find a job as a CNA vs. HUC but the CNA position that you'd most likely find would be at LTC and not at a hospital. Another thing to keep in mind, is that a CNA can be trained to do HUC jobs but HUC cannot become a CNA without a formal training and a state issued license. I've recently heard of a situation where a CNA took a HUC job at another dept within a facility so that's a possibility. Lots to think about... :)

Wishing you the best of luck! ;)

Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/Acute Rehab.

CNA...CNA...CNA...CNA...oh, and CNA.

Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/Acute Rehab.

HUC is fun, and you can learn quite a bit doing that job. Pay for HUC and CNA are close enough as to eliminate that as a consideration.

But, CNA is hands down the best for someone waiting for nursing school. It will make you comfortable speaking with and touching patients...doesn't sound that difficult, but you would be surprised at how much of an art it is. You will learn assessment skills. Block one of nursing school is basically CNA skills, plus some. The time management necessary for a good CNA are similar to those needed by a good nurse.

CNA, really.

Alright, it looks like the majority says, "get your CNA", but ... having just a little experience doing CNA work, I'll give you two words to think about, that no one has mentioned to you so far in this thread.

explosive.

diarrhea.

The booklet you get from the state of Arizona describing a CNA's job lists 21 skills that a CNA does, and it leaves one skill out.

Changing briefs.

Yes, nurses DO change briefs, but it isn't a primary focus of the job. If you change less than ten briefs in a shift as a cna in LTC, you either missed a few or you had a really easy day.

As a HUC, like just about every job in healthcare, you'll be overworked and underpaid, but you're also likely to spend less time going "mano-a-mano" with the depends®.

If you're talking about a job to support yourself for a couple of years before you actually start nursing school, AND probably for your first year of nursing school, that's a very long time to be a CNA.

Here's some web propaganda that advises people to choose a nursing home based on CNA turnover - 40% is "good", according to them...

http://www.kynursinghomereform.org/choosingahome.html

Do you measure CNA turnover? If so, what is your nursing assistant (CNA) turnover rate?

  • Best response - Any number under 40%.
  • Rationale - The national average is 70%. Research studies indicate a correlation between caregiver turnover and poor clinical care and service.

Specializes in Float pool.

I don't know about the rest of these people who responded, but I work at a hospital and we don't hire HUC's.We do have HUCS who only perform huc duties but they have been here for a long time when we used to hire HUCs only. We train our cna's to be a PCT which makes you able to function as a CNA or a HUC. So I would be careful and do your research before you spend money on a huc class.

My advice would be to get certified as a PCT (patient care tech). You can work as a CNA and HUC, plus it would open more doors for you. Your pay would also be better to start. I have worked as a HUC and moniter tech for two years and will be starting nursing school FAll 2010. The HUC position is a great job if you have a great attitude. It can be overwhelming and difficult if you work on a busy unit. I have learned a lot and feel valued at my position. CNA's do have gain the hands on experience, but it is also covered in the first block of nursing school. Having had hospital experience, you may not feel as uncomfortable with patient care. I think it is the students that have no hospital work experience that my be nervous in the beginning of nursing school. In the long run, you can't go wrong getting your HUC certificate or CNA. Either way is a positive move towards your nursing career.

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