I worked as a CNA for 3 years in a LTC, primarily in the SCU w/ Alzheimer's. It was a small facility, I got to know the RN's well and they told me I would make a great nurse (Even the DON) I then worked as a PCP for an Assisted Living, and I got my QMAP so I administered meds to about 12-15 patients. I've wrote in Care Plans, charted Medications, administered them, etc. I feel that I have a pretty good idea of what nurses do (and it's not a walk in the park like so many people believe!) I will be ready to submit my application for nursing school in August, and should start in January if accepted. Ultimately I want to become a CNM so I have began the paperwork process of shadowing a CNM for a day. I worked towards a Sociology/Psychology degree for 3 years when I felt pulled to nursing. So now I just want to make sure it's what I really want, as my schooling is sort of dragging on...lol.

So in your honest opinion, do I have an idea of what I'm getting in to? The reason I ask is that my SIL is also going for nursing, but she has never been a CNA or really around a doctor or hospital aside from her teen pregnancy/delivery. I love her, she is a great person and she is smart but I don't think she has a clue what nursing is really like! She just seems so naive to me (she's only 20 though, so we were all like that) I love this site, told her about this site, suggested to her about becoming a CNA but her attitude mostly is that she goes to school, will graduate, get a nursing job in Denver and love it. She is more concerned with partying with friends than looking in to being a CNA or shadowing a nurse or even volunteering.... So then it made me think do I even really know what nursing is like? I've done the grunt work of a CNA and I really have no problem cleaning up after people. I enjoyed my patients and felt so proud of what I did-even though at the time it was just to pay the bills. I'm hoping my shadowing experience will "seal the deal" so to speak, but am I the pot calling the kettle black by saying she is not prepared?

Thanks!

I think it's extremely common for teens and young 20-somethings to not really know what it is they want to do in life. (If they had such awareness, I don't think you'd encounter so many nursing as a second career people here on AN including myself!))

Your SIL will need to live her own life. Providing counsel to her is about the only thing you can do...she will need to figure the rest out on her own. And by that, I mean she will need to figure out if nursing is for her.

If anything, perhaps offering more support to her could be the best thing for her. I've read many threads here on AN posted by people of all ages who are not getting the support from their loves ones.

As for your own self, it sounds as though you are on the right path! I don't think anyone will truly understand what it takes to do a job until you actually do it, but at the very least, you have started this journey for the right reasons and have done your homework.