Now I know that there are probably hundreds of similar questions floating around this site, but I'm hoping this one is a little different.
I am currently a CNA in a mixed rehab/LTC facility, and I am certainly not happy. It's not changing briefs, or feeding, or any of those things that give me problems. It's the possibility for advancement. For some reason I currently have no idea of, the only local uni that provides CNA level training dropped their Medication Technician, Advanced Skills Nursing Aide, EKG/ECG, and Phlebotomy courses. So now you're either stuck as a CNA, go 'behind the scenes' (RadTech, CT Tech, Surgical Tech, etc.), Patient Care Tech (the national exam type, not the other CNA title), spend another semester in and go for LPN, Or go for ADN.
My dream is a job as an RN in direct wound care types of jobs. It doesn't have to be solely wound care, it's just that my skills are more in that area, more so than pharmacology, etc. and I have little to no problem with the aspects of it people find rather - undesirable, like debridement, ostomies, and the like.
But as things stand now, I'm not making all that much. Every advisor I've had has told me that it's not a good idea to work while in the nursing program, even going so far as to put a suggestion to that effect in the schools materials. So I have to work.
So the question is, what path would you advise me to take? I keep hearing the messages of "It's sooo worth it!", but often these were women that had either still been living at home with their parents, or with their significant others/spouses through the educational process. I don't want to mess things up by flunking out by not being able to handle the course load, and I don't want to let myself get disheartened to the point that I give up. Should I stick to trying to get in the ADN program, go for LPN and worry about advancement later, or is there some field I'm not even aware of that would be a far better fit.
And before you start being too concerned, I'm not going to make my choices solely on what all of you have to say. But with so little useful information and chances here, it only seems right to reach out.
Thanks for your time.