I quit my good paying job to attend a CNA class. Anyone else?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hi everyone,

My friends and family think I'm crazy for quitting my job during a recession. I had the regular 9-5 job where I stared at the computer all day. I couldn't believe that dealing with redundant paperwork and running boring reports would be required of me for the rest of my life. After 3 1/2 years of doing this, I couldn't take it anymore!! So I quit! I gained 35 pounds in three years because of this job. I saw the drive and compassion in my coworkers and I just couldn't relate. I don't know about anyone else, but I want a job where I feel fulfilled at the end of the day. I figured healthcare would be a good option because you're not staring at a computer all day and you're actually ACTIVE. I figured the CNA training would be beneficial towards my future because I'm interested in the healthcare field. Does anyone else have a story similar to mine?

hello ling07, this is actually my first reply ever i'm a newbie. nonetheless you and i are in the same boat. i'm currently enrolled in a cna course myself. in may i'm supposed to start my lpn classes if i am accepted. i didn't realize how competitive pre nursing school is. however i'm falling more and more in love with this field, how about you? how do you like the course so far? how far would you like to go in this field? sorry so many questions i'm just excited!! hope to hear from you soon!

well i haven't started my cna training yet. which is why some people think i'm crazy. i waited months after i quit to look into nursing classes. but i know sitting at a desk staring at a computer eating doughnuts all day is not the life for me. good luck on your nursing journey!!

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.

This is exactly what has been on my mind. I have been working on my pre-reqs, and probably have a few years of waiting ahead of me. The though of staying in my job right now just depresses me. I work part time in a pharmacy and part time in a veterinary hospital. The pharmacy sucks. We are short-staffed, so always running around like crazy with few breaks. I also work by myself a lot. I hate dealing with rude clients, people getting mad at me just because I am the one standing in front of them, or the one on the phone. I hate sitting in front of a computer, counting pills, and saying the same thing over and over again.

Now I enjoy working as a vet tech. Great people. Lots of fun and interesting. It never gets boring, and I like to stay busy. (I work at an emergency hospital). But the pay is horrible, so are benefits. I hate working as hard as I do for such little pay (and little respect).

So I thought nursing would be great for me. They don't make what they deserve, but it is much better than what I make. Plus, I can stay in the medical field. I find science/medicine fascinating. I enjoy helping people. Plus, I am used to working hard. Now that I have decided to pursue this, I think I should just quit my job and start a CNA class. Do that while I am waiting for nursing school. Maybe evn get lucky enough to find a place to help me pay for it. But I feel silly quitting my job now. We really need the money. I am not sure what to do.

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This is exactly what has been on my mind. I have been working on my pre-reqs, and probably have a few years of waiting ahead of me. The though of staying in my job right now just depresses me. I work part time in a pharmacy and part time in a veterinary hospital. The pharmacy sucks. We are short-staffed, so always running around like crazy with few breaks. I also work by myself a lot. I hate dealing with rude clients, people getting mad at me just because I am the one standing in front of them, or the one on the phone. I hate sitting in front of a computer, counting pills, and saying the same thing over and over again.

Now I enjoy working as a vet tech. Great people. Lots of fun and interesting. It never gets boring, and I like to stay busy. (I work at an emergency hospital). But the pay is horrible, so are benefits. I hate working as hard as I do for such little pay (and little respect).

So I thought nursing would be great for me. They don't make what they deserve, but it is much better than what I make. Plus, I can stay in the medical field. I find science/medicine fascinating. I enjoy helping people. Plus, I am used to working hard. Now that I have decided to pursue this, I think I should just quit my job and start a CNA class. Do that while I am waiting for nursing school. Maybe evn get lucky enough to find a place to help me pay for it. But I feel silly quitting my job now. We really need the money. I am not sure what to do.

I hear ya, the reason I have been at my job for so long is that we cannot afford for me to quit. I have been taking all my pre-req's and FINALLY finished them in December. I have sent in my application for the ADN program and should hear back in March. My hubby is in the middle of an 18 week welding certification course and is not able to work. Unfortunately I cannot quit until he is done in April.

I have kept my faith and perservered and I SEE THE LIGHT at the end of the tunnel!!! :coollook:

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This is exactly what has been on my mind. I have been working on my pre-reqs, and probably have a few years of waiting ahead of me. The though of staying in my job right now just depresses me. I work part time in a pharmacy and part time in a veterinary hospital. The pharmacy sucks. We are short-staffed, so always running around like crazy with few breaks. I also work by myself a lot. I hate dealing with rude clients, people getting mad at me just because I am the one standing in front of them, or the one on the phone. I hate sitting in front of a computer, counting pills, and saying the same thing over and over again.

Now I enjoy working as a vet tech. Great people. Lots of fun and interesting. It never gets boring, and I like to stay busy. (I work at an emergency hospital). But the pay is horrible, so are benefits. I hate working as hard as I do for such little pay (and little respect).

So I thought nursing would be great for me. They don't make what they deserve, but it is much better than what I make. Plus, I can stay in the medical field. I find science/medicine fascinating. I enjoy helping people. Plus, I am used to working hard. Now that I have decided to pursue this, I think I should just quit my job and start a CNA class. Do that while I am waiting for nursing school. Maybe evn get lucky enough to find a place to help me pay for it. But I feel silly quitting my job now. We really need the money. I am not sure what to do.

I can only speak from experience and I say stay with your job until you finish your CNA class and get a CNA job. It's hard out here and unfortunately I learned the hard way. When I quit my job several months ago, I thought I could easily get accepted into a CNA class, get my training and then work for a company. But things haven't been as simple as I thought they would be. I'm having a hard time starting a CNA course because I need the money upfront, I also need health insurance, and a lot of the classes are filled already. UGH, if only I could go back in time.

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I can only speak from experience and I say stay with your job until you finish your CNA class and get a CNA job.

Ditto. My situation was even more complicated. Ex job was great, but there wasn't any room to grow (I'm 22). I should have stayed there until I finished my CNA cert, because the recession is every bit as bad as they say. I wanted to move though, so I had to quit, and I no longer have a foot in the door at a hospital. I guess hindsight is 20/20. At least I had lots of savings, so it could still work out great for me. There was a better way though.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.

Unfortunately, I can't take a CNA class and work. I work nights so I can be home with the kids during the day while my husband works. Every CNA class in my are is at night! So I don't know what to do about that. They aren't doing to give me time off at work to take a class so I can leave them!

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nice to know i am not the only one who quit their job!! :D i was at my job for 8 1/2 extremely long years!!! totally hated the job!!! i put off school because i starting working. but over the past few years i have been taking a pre-req class in hopes to one day get into nursing school. so when the opportunity came up to leave my job with a severance package, i jumped at the chance!! i figured i could start on my nursing career, finally!!! so, i have been impateintly waiting to start cna class. it doesn't start until the end of march!! i want to start yesterday!! :D now i sit and wait!! still looking for a school that starts sooner!!

best of luck to all!!!

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OMG....This is my EXACT situation rite now:cry:... I'm currently working as a Revenue Assistant and have been for about five years and I HATE IT:o & even though it is good money but without bennefits, it is not what I desire:crying2:: I am and ALWAYS have been sooo interested in the medical field but didn't want nor could I afford to go to school for forever and a day, so I'm trying to find a school/training for CNA and once I'm in the field I would love to advance in the medical field, this is what my heart desires :redbeathe..... I only wish my STUPID, STUPID non considerate blood suckers (if they could they would) unprofessional, but they want to call them selves the "All American City Of ???" place of employment would just let me go so I could collect unemployment while I pursue my REAL rewarding career as a :nurse: which I know I'm going to love!!!

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I can so relate!!! I quit my mind numbing job of 8 months last september. Just finshed the cna course and awaiting my testing for the state boards. I am so nervous. A little part of me is siding with my friends and family in thinking I'm carzy but....its all or nothing now, I really feel deep down inside like I made the right choice and maybe it might not look like it now but it SHALL PAY OFFand I will be happy because thats all that matters. Good Luck to you, girl:loveya:

Did you ever go into healthcare? If so how's that working for you. I just dropped out of dental hygiene and I'm getting into the LNA program. I need something that I can accomplish in less than 2 months while giving me an opportunity to explore the fiel and make sure that's what I want to do.

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wow, i am glad i found this post as it sure makes me feel better... i worked in the medical field as a pharmacy tech/hopital buyer for years, then about 10 years ago i was offered a well paying job at a large tech company.. well since then i have worked as an executive asst/analyst for 10 years. i love them medical field and really missed, but working so much and getting paid over $40k a year going back was hard to justify.. well, got laid off in march -- now everyone wants me to do the same job i have been but for $20k a year.. no way!! :cry:

i hate being behind a desk all day, getting lazy, out of shape..working for the big man, no real purpose.

i knew i wanted to be a nurse since i was 9 (my grandmother was a nurse, had patients living in her home and i always helped)! well, as i am collecting unemployment and do not have a degree my school is being subsidized.. bonus! so i start cna school monday, then onto phlebotomy school, then lpn in jan 2010. i am excited but a little nervous about the unknown -- hoping i am making the right decision.. good luck to you all -- please let me know how it goes for you.

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I didn't quit, but I was laid off right before taking my class. Right out of high school I went into my local cc and started taking prereqs for nursing school. I ended up pregnant two months into my first semester. So I dropped out, got an admin job, and always wished I would have stayed in school. Now my son is 3 and half and I decided to take another stab at it. I hated being an admin and I think it showed in my job performance. I'm glad I got laid off, even though I found another job doing admin and I give my notice on Monday because an LTC has decided to hire me as a CNA. I'm so happy that I have the chance to start back towards my dream. While it is the long way around from what I originally started doing, I'm going to get there some day :)

I wish you the best of luck and I truly think if this is your dream you should definitely follow it!!!

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I definitely can relate. I received a BA degree specializing in HR. After years of working in the corporate world I felt bored and it was not challenging. I pursued my CNA license and I currently work as a CNA while taking my science pre reqs. I found that there was no challenge sitting at a desk all day. I like that there is no limit to nursing and it is challenging. You made a good decision.

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