Thoughts on being a CNA in Nursing school. Is it a good idea?

[rleah]

Should you become a CNA, if you are planning on going to nursing school? Is the experience worth it? Will being a CNA make me a good nurse? As in every aspect in life, the answer is not an all size fits one. The experience is a plus but not completely necessary. Being a CNA before going to school can help you to be more prepared, but you can still be a great nurse without it. There are many things to consider when making this decision. Lifestyle, pay, and location are just some things to think about. I have been a CNA for eight years and these are some of the things I think you should consider before working as a CNA.

PROS: The Good News

Experience, Experience and Experience

I cannot say that enough. You can learn so much by working in the healthcare field.

Basic knowledge of first term skills

I found that my skills as a CNA were very helpful during the fundamentals of nursing. I had firsthand knowledge of so many things we went over for in Lab.

Forming professional connections

These connections can be extremely helpful. Coworkers are often used as references, for school or for new jobs. Some CNA's will come out of school with their first nursing job already secured. Plus, I can't tell you how many times, I have asked a nurse to explain something, I had a question about from school.

Financial assistance (some facilities will help pay for school)

This is a great resource if your place of employment offers it. My hospital has tuition reimbursement and scholarship programs. ( Plus, my employer pays for my BLS certification)

Patient interaction before your first clinical

I am so comfortable talking to patients and their family members. I am also used to having physical contact with patients; Helping someone to the chair, bathing, feeding, and helping with other ADL's (activities of daily living)

Making a difference in someone's life

This career can be very personally rewarding. For those of us who thrive on helping others, my work is beyond fulfilling.

It might actually help you get into a nursing program

Two programs I applied to actually gave me points for every year I worked as a CNA (there was a cap for that category).

CONS: The Bad News

It is hard on the body

Depending on the unit/location the work can be incredibly physical. An 8 or 12-hour shift can take a lot out of you. I started working in my early 20's and even then it was hard on my body. To say it takes a good pair of shoes is an understatement. But don't forget those good shoes will cost you a pretty penny! While we are on money let's talk about salary!

Pay

To be honest the area of the country I work in does not pay CNA's that well. At least for what all you do on a daily basis. The amount of physical a mental exhaustion might not be worth it to everyone. Most places do offer shift differential for nights and weekends.

Time to study

You really need to have great time management skills to get in enough study time. The last thing you want to do after working a 12-hour shift is to stay up and study. If you have kids, you can feel guilty, taking the time to study. There might be times when you have been working the last two days, and you haven't even shared a meal with them. I talk from personal experience on that one. One great option is taking a PRN position with low hour requirements. So that might be something to look for if you are interested, but do not want to be tied down to a set schedule.

I did a more of an in-depth video on my feelings on this subject down below. Feel free to check it out. I would love to know other opinions on this subject. Please let me know if you found this helpful.

You can visit my channel here Rachel The Bookworm....

[rleah, BSN, RN]

Wannabenurseneko said:

I regret becoming a CNA before nursing school, where I work my job is punishing me for going to school . Ever where wants you to work, work and not have a life I wished I stayed working in retail or any other job , the only good thing to come out is I can talk to patients .

I am so sorry you are going through this. Some places can be toxic and demanding no matter the situation. You will get through just keep you eyes on the prize. How far are you into nursing school if you don't mind me asking?

[rleah, BSN, RN]

I worked as a CNA only during the summer months, when nursing school was not in session. Because the hospital knew me from previous summers, I was hired as soon as I put in my application. I could never work and do nursing school both at the same time. I do agree with all the pros written above though at being a CNA. Someday, I would not be surprised if Being a CNA for 6 months before nursing school application will be a requirement. Being a CNA shows one the messier side of nursing such as code browns, belligerent patients and/or families, being a waitress to get that cup of juice when you have a patient sitting on a bedpan. One learns time management, prioritizing, and inter-personal communication skills.

Thank you for sharing your story and your knowledge. That's the first time that a Code Brown was mentioned, and I actually smiled. I think I've seen a few posts on here, where some nursing students were required by their college to take the CNA class. However, I don't think they actually had to work with it. I did fail to mention another Pro in the video. Two of the colleges I applied to gave me extra points for every year I worked as a CNA. I'm going to add that into the article now. Thank you for jogging my memory!

[rnbabyzoo]

I did. I worked Home health part time. The people let me practice the head to toe assessment on them. One guy actually came to graduation for nursing school. I still talk to his wife 8 years later.

[Wannabenurseneko]

rleah said:

I am so sorry you are going through this. Some places can be toxic and demanding no matter the situation. You will get through just keep you eyes on the prize. How far are you into nursing school if you don't mind me asking?

I am still doing prerequisite. Thank you so much for your kind words, at least I know not every where acts like this.

[nursechini]

For me, working as an aide during nursing school was the best thing I could have done. You learn so much and being comfortable talking to patients and families and getting someone out of bed, etc. will be second nature when you become an RN. I think being a new grad is hard enough without adding these skills into the mix of things you have to learn.

Also, there has been mention of the work being hard on your body. This is true but that hard work isn't going to end when you're an RN unless you plan to work outside of a hospital or SNF. Better to learn what you need to do to keep your body in good shape when you're working part time and can recover.

[mejsp]

I liked your article and agree with you. I loved working as a nursing assistant during LVN school. I'm not sure there were CNAs in the early 80s in Texas. My qualification was our nursing program was in the hospital basement.

While pursuing my ADN I worked nights full-time as an LVN. That was hard. I couldn't have made it without my mother. I went to school, worked and slept. She'd tell me, "You are ruining yourself."

I worked full-time when I went back for my BSN. That wasn't too difficult, a hybrid program.

I thought I wanted to teach. I told my husband if he'd let me go part-time while I pursued my MSN he could retire when I finished. I wanted to do it right. I was very proud of my 4.0 GPA and Sigma Theta Tau induction, unfortunately I did not continue as a nursing educator, my rationale for pursuing the master's. I'm not sure that having a master's hasn't hindered my job search.

The community college where I worked had their CNA students do clinical in an under-staffed longterm care facility. I thought if they can survive this, the front line, they can do anything.

I'm glad I worked as nursing assistant. It enables us to see what we're getting into. Folks like me who had never cared for an elderly relative need to find out that some people lose their appetite, fall, become incontinent and have an impaired memory. It is much better to be reality-oriented before we start working as nurses.

[Accolay]

Thanks for the great article.

I worked up to a .8 as a nursing assistant during nursing school, first in long term care then in a hospital setting for the last seven months until taking the NCLEX. I did make the professional connection sliding directly into an RN position made for me once I graduated. There were some tired busy times, but it worked out in the end.

I think there is a noticeable difference between nurses who have been a CNA vs. those who have not. They can be better at patient interaction and have gotten those patient interaction fears out of the way, they know the ins and outs of how floors work, are more familiar with equipment and etc, they know the CNA job and what to expect, good or bad, and they can have some experience with the customer service aspect of the job.

Personally I think it would behoove the profession to be more like an apprenticeship with nurses having a requirement to start at the bottom of the ladder and work their way up, but I digress.

[flowerpowerntx]

So many people I know have received job offers from the unit they worked on while in nursing school. Yes, it's a good idea. However, I would think about timing. You might not want to do it right away when you first start nursing school so that you can adjust and get the hang of it.

[sherrileec]

I have been a Nurse for 25 years. Prior to Nursing School, I worked as a CNA and HHA. In my 25 years, I have worked with Nurses who went straight to Nursing School and those who were CNAs first. This may be very coincidental, but it sure appears that those who worked as a CNA prior to Nursing School seemed to be much more able to be more compassionate with Patients, treating the whole person, both physical, mental and emotional. Most of those who went straight to RN Program, did not seem to interact and communicate well. I think that it is a very good idea to at least work as a CNA prior to beginning an RN program. Better yet, do CNA/LVN/RN as LVNs seem to get more hands on training as opposed to more just focusing more on book work/computer training. Just a thought. :)

[yli08]

Has anyone found a job as a RN without prior experience right out of nursing school?