Originally Posted by SingDanceRunLife
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I do have a couple of questions though:
1. Many colleges that have BSN programs aren't direct entry...You have to go as a pre-nursing student and then apply to the nursing program. Will the CNA program help my chances in cases like that?
2. How hard is it to find a job as a CNA? I was thinking that maybe I could work as one next summer, and also summers while I'm in college.
3. Anything else I should know?
4. Out of these colleges (they're all ones I'm thinking about applying to), which do you think has the best nursing program and which do you think is the best school overall? Temple University, Howard University, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Stony Brook.
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1. Some colleges do favor cna's because you already show that you can handle the body fluids and stuff. Also, your first semester will be a lot of cna stuff, so that person will already be ahead of the game. Other programs do not care if you were a cna or not. The schools main job is to get you to pass the NCLEX (the test to get your license to nurse) on the first shot!!! That's it!!! That's what it all boils down to. How, as a school, do you increase your chances of getting students that will pass on the first shot? First by not doing direct entry. Make the students PROVE that they can "make the grade" and put a heavy weight on how they do in A&P and Micro!! Secondly, make nursing school hard!! Now some will do great in pre-nursing and great during the program, but still not pass the NCLEX the first time, but the school's main objective is to put the odds in their favor by selecting the students carefully. And yes, just because one can pass a test doesn't mean they will be good nurses, but it does mean they can pass the test.
2. Some areas have plenty of cna positions and others do not!!! It really depends on the area. Most of the time, in my experience, it is easier to get into a nursing home than into a hospital, but hey, that's what I did. I worked in a nursing home, got the experience and then went to a hospital once I was in the nursing program. Many hospitals love to hire nursing students because they get the first chance to hire you when you graduate since you are already there and familiar with the hospital.
3. You may want to find out if you even have to go to cna school. In some areas, after you complete your first semester of nursing school you can either sit for the cerification test for nursing assistance or you can skip the test and go directly to working in a hospital as a student nurse. I know many of my fellow classmates that never worked as cna's and never took the test, they just worked for the hospital as nurse interns/student nurses.
4. I am not familiar with the schools, but I'd say apply to all of them. The best school for you could be whichever one accepts you into their program!! (lol). After you graduate, it doesn't really matter that much. Of course, when applying for a graduate school, it may help out, but otherwise, no big deal.
Hope that helped a little.
Sincerely,
Jay
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