[AprilCNA]

I've been a CNA for 2 years and was a PCA for six. I found that by working in the hospital in the Surg Unit, helped expand my knowledge and boosted my interest in the nursing field. I'm currently half way through school to get my RN, and continue to work on the Surg Unit. I find this invaluable expierence and plan on working on the unit as an RN. The nurses are so great in explaining what they do to me, so i feel as though I'll be in a great position when I become a nurse. I also encourage people to become a CNA before or during school to become an RN. This way you're exposed to what a CNA and nurses really do, and to see if this is the right field for you before spending thousands on schooling.

[PCU22]

1. Yes
2. Yes... I saw more as a CNA/Patient Care Tech at times than I did throughout nursing school. It's all about rhythm and getting the exposure to the lifestyle of healthcare.

[time4meRN]

Oh my, I was a nursing assistant back in Florence Nightengales day. I worked on a med surg unit in 1977 , back in the days that the nurses smoked at the nurses station, the pt's smoked in bed, the beds wern't electric, we gave back rubs at night, people came in the the hospital for a "rest". Ha..... wow I can't belive I'm that frekin' old. But anyway, yes it did help me to realize what nursing is about. I also have a friend who is an MA, who talked about being a nurse for 20 years, finally decide to be a PCA in our ER, after 3 weeks she changed her mind, it was good that she found out she wanted nothing to do with nursing before she wasted time and energy on school.

[dzd&cnfsd]

yes

I worked as a nursing assistant while gaining my nursing degree. Did it help? Yes, I think so.

[acscoolerthanyou!]

hello im new!

im just finishing up a cna course right now and hoping to work as one til it get into and while im in nursing school. i really hope its gonna help me with nursing school and just nursing in general.

during my clinicals a couple weeks ago a nurse told me that she can tell a difference in their nurses who were cnas before. she was also a cna before nursing school so maybe she was a little biased.

i also am an emt basic and thats helped me in my cna class a lot actually. just getting an understanding of body systems how to move patients blood pressure and some other things.

either way i like the cna course so far and im pretty sure ill enjoy working as one to and through nursing school.

[Ginger45]

My mother was a NA. I used to go to work with her. I worked as a NA while I was in college. It was hard work but I would not be the nurse today had I not done it.

[P_RN]

6 1/2 years. 1 year prior to that on an OB floor at a Catholic hospital. My head nurse kept trying to "convert me" as my Mama is Catholic. Really all I did was refill water pitchers and put clean sheets on the labor beds.

Another girl got bed pan duty and teeth. I thought I got the neat job until the intakes started being more than the deliveries. Hall beds were used and screens put around. Wow changing the sheets on a soiled screen is no pie job.

Both of us stayed out of OB when we graduated. Too much of a "good thing"?

[Twitchi]

I am going to take classes to get my STNA in June. I am hoping that will give me a good idea of what Nursing can be like. Then go on from there to get my LPN. If I really like it from there I plan on getting my RN. Who knows? I am just taking it one day at a time!

[CaptGaston]

Yes I was a disorderly and a nurse tech while in school. I worked in the CCU that I ended up becoming the CN of a couple years later. I learned more there working then I did in my clinicals...

[malenurse]

Actually I was first an institutional aide then a psychiatric aide on the acute adult psychiatric admission unit at a provincial mental health facility. I worked for 6 1/2 years before finally taking my bosses advice and starting school which included upgrading my grade 12 for high school. I worked evening shift for 7 years and went to high school, college, and university to earn my BScN/RN. My 4 children were young when I started but now all are in trades or graphic arts as they did not think being a nurse was worth the trouble. I can't fault them as they will earn about the same as I do without going into debt to get similar earnings.
Being an aide was invaluable to learn to work with patients and learn a lot of the skills needed as a nurse. Some of the nurses I now work with are wonderful but some lack compassion as they went into it for the big bucks. Actually almost all the 77 females in my degree program were there as it is one of the few female professions that pay well. Some entered the program at age 17 and I think one was 16 so they had no real idea what they were in for and less life experience to draw on.