RN vs MA

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hello all!

So recently I've been considering different career options for myself, I am in college right now,I know I definitely want to be in healthcare I love helping people but after a new job as a cna I'm being to question if I want to pursue becoming an RN. I understand that cna is the grunt work and that RN's don't do the same thing but the long hours and being away from my family on holidays are making me a little depressed and I know that that's going to be the same when if im a RN. So I was considering going for MA, I know they make little money but set hours seem like heaven right now and much less stressful. Any advice would really be appreciated, thank you!!!

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Specializes in retired LTC.

You don't say how old you are. So I would question you as to what you perceive yourself doing career-wise in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years? How does a marriage and children fill in into your long-term plans? How's your health?

MA positions are pretty much static - not much money even in the long run. No great upward career mobility opportunities. Not all offices are smooth operations, so petty employee differences are possible, overwork & understaffing possible too. You will have a employer/employee relation to maintain (I doubt you will OWN the business).

Office hours in a good office are pretty much a good thing and I would say that the professional demands make the job APPEAR to be less stress producing.

Life has a funny way of changing and throwing a monkey wrench into your best-laid plans. Unemployment, single parenthood, illness or accident ...

So unless you have some unclaimed winning MEGA $$ lottery ticket, you have to consider what will be best for you. That's NOT to say that nursing (RN or MA) is the only healthcare career in which you can practice. PT, OT, Speech, dietetics, pharmacy, social services, recreation/activities, etc are all possible avenues for you to interact with pts and to impact on their lives.

Back to my question - what do you see yourself doing in your future?

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Thank you for replying! Your right I should think of long term and not just in the moment when I'm stressed at the new job

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Specializes in Behavioral Health, Show Biz.
You don't say how old you are.

So unless you have some unclaimed winning MEGA $$ lottery ticket, you have to consider what will be best for you. That's NOT to say that nursing (RN or MA) is the only healthcare career in which you can practice. PT, OT, Speech, dietetics, pharmacy, social services, recreation/activities, etc are all possible avenues for you to interact with pts and to impact on their lives.

Back to my question - what do you see yourselfAin't doing in your future?

That's what I'm talking about!

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I really take offense to you saying CNA work is grunt work. I'm an MA too, I make more money an hour at my CNA hospital job, I'm proud of how hard I work. Grunt work.... how rude.

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Seasoned tech,

this post is 2 years old. This was when I first became a cna and really didn't know what I wanted to do in my life. I have since worked in nursing homes and now the hospital. Grunt work wasn't to be degrading. I think sometimes depending on the people above you in the ladder it may look like that but it is a very important job and a much needed job in health care. Sometimes the nurses/doctors can't sit at the bedside as long as they want too and that's probably my favorite thing about being a cna is that we can really bond with out patients.

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