Should I complete the CNA or LPN. I have beeb teaching for 15 years

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I have been teaching for 15 years and is decidng on becoming a RN but i need to know should i work my way through CNA classes to get an understanding of the medical field .

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I have been teaching for 15 years and is decidng on becoming a RN but i need to know should i work my way through CNA classes to get an understanding of the medical field . or go into the RN program without any medical knowlege

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

If you've already got a baccalaureate (B.A. or B.S.) degree with a decent undergrad grade point average, I would bypass the CNA and LPN programs altogether. You could complete an accelerated BSN/RN program (bachelor of science in nursing) which would take about 12 to 15 months to complete.

Most RN programs cover the fundamental skills that a CNA would learn, anyway.

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What subject have you been teaching? If the medical field is new to you you should become a CNA, LPN, and then an RN. CNA do not have as much responsibility as LPN's and LPN's do not have as much responsibility as RN's. Gradual progression would ensure a better understanding.

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I would recommend starting with a CNA class. That way you can find out in a short period of time if the field is for you. You can also find employment after the class ends and the knowledge can be applied towards LPN, RN. A few people waste years getting all the prerequisites for an RN only to find out that the profession is not for them.

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Specializes in CEN, CPEN, RN-BC.

This is something I see a lot on this forum, but I still don't understand. I can appreciate someone wanting to "work their way up through the ranks," but it just doesn't make sense to me. If you want be be an RN go to RN school, not LPN or CNA. If you want to be a better runner, practice running, not pushups and situps. I understand CNA, LPN, and RN are related, but if you have a goal in mind, why not just go for it head on?

If you want to see if you'll like the nursing world, see if you can interview a current nurse (you almost have to know one, seeing as we make up one of the largest professions in the world). You could even shadow a nurse for a few days if possible. Way quicker and cheaper than going to school.

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I agree with commuter and especially legz. :up:

You learn the CNA stuff in the beginning of the program anyway. Why pay extra for that?

Unless your program requires it - I'd just go to school to become a registered nurse.

Wait - I did do that! :)

I was about 36 when I started my pre-reqs. I was advised by my mentor, a nurse with a Master's degree who was also a nursing instructor and the DON of our local hospital NOT to take the CNA course.

I had no medical background.

It worked out well for me. Just go for it.

steph

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Ditto to the above 2 posts. I also cannot quite understand the logic behind prolonging your education, particularly as a non-traditional (older than usual:)) student.

CNA is not a stepping stone to nursing licensure. Not by a long shot. Don't waste your time or money on either CNA or LPN since you already know that you plan to be an RN. (And no, I don't mean that those 2 fields are a waste of time or money, just that the OP already knows that she wants to be an RN.) I entered school at the age of 35 with absolutely no experience in the medical field. Did not work as a CNA during school either, as everyone told me I must.

I did fine.

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Go for the RN program you can work as a CNA after you complete your first semester of clinicals. In this job market having hospital experience as a CNA can help you get your foot in the door, Try to work on a floor or speciality you would like to work in when you graduate.

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Specializes in LTC.

You do not have to be a CNA to gain understanding of the medical field so my advice is for you to go straight into your nursing license.You will learn what is pertinent for your job and also a lot fo skills are taught you in school and on the job. I was a CNA before doign my nursing license and wish I had jumped straight into nursing.

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Specializes in Med./Surg. and paramed. exams.

Actually if you read any running programs, you will find that sit-ups and push-ups are very important in strengthening the core which makes big differences in your running performance. With that being said, I would see it difficult to go from a teachers pay to a CNA pay, CNA's probably get paid less than teacher assistants as a comparison. If you've been a teacher for 15 years, why not go ahead and take the CNA course (do the push up program) while working as a teacher. There are generally many of them offered by community colleges or hospitals. Often times nursing schools will require that you are a CNA before accepting you, since the RN does have to wipe every now and then. You should be able to breeze through a CNA class in a semester while researching/getting accepted to a nursing school. My feeling is that the CNA class/clinical could give you a bit of a glimpse on whether you want to end your 15 year career or stick with it. Once you've decided you for sure want to do it, go for the RN, in your case and with your education there really is no use to doing the LPN track and then the RN track.

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This is something I see a lot on this forum, but I still don't understand. I can appreciate someone wanting to "work their way up through the ranks," but it just doesn't make sense to me. If you want be be an RN go to RN school, not LPN or CNA. If you want to be a better runner, practice running, not pushups and situps. I understand CNA, LPN, and RN are related, but if you have a goal in mind, why not just go for it head on?

1. There are LOADS more openings in CNA and LPN training, and the wait to get into them is shorter. Fewer RN seats, fewer schools offering RN unless you live in an urban area, and much longer wait time to get in. LPN programs are thrilled to get a college grad professional adult; those applicants are golden to them and almost guaranteed to succeed in the program AND have a professional well-turned-out appearance, to boot.

2. Not everyone can take off 2 years from work and/or family to give full attention to getting through a full time RN program. Some adults are single parents and putting lives on hold 1 year for LPN is possible but 2 years for RN is not possible.

3. Those people with degrees and / or the non-nursing prereq classes completed will not be full time students in most associate degree programs, until possibly the very end. Certain types of grant funding, like those who lose jobs to foreign competition and get Trade Act money, find using it has inconvenient strings like "Total cost of $26k or less, total time to complete it 24 months or less, and must be a full time student the entire time, and the school can't custom-tailor a degree to pad your schedule so that you're full time. You must follow their standard curriculum for that degree." Now, those full-time requirements can be easily met by a full time trade school or LPN program, but due to transfer credits making you part time, you can't use that funding for college associate degree RN. Diploma RN might possibly work but some areas lack diploma RN programs.

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