CNA Career Advice

[mprice96]

My daughter is considering a career in nursing. She would like to start out as a CNA first, get her certification, then go from there. She is petite--only 4' 11". Will her short stature make it difficult or impossible to do the work of a cna? Thanks for your advice.

[jjjoy, LPN]

mprice96 - it's great that your daughter is thinking about her future career and that you are trying to assist her. Whatever she does, it will be her going and doing the work everyday. Thus, I'd encourage you to encourage her to ask this question and any others like it herself!

And those of us who aren't of small stature can only speculate about what it's like, so I'd also suggest asking about the experience of any nurses or CNAs under 5' tall so they can give first hand experience. You might want to make that the title of the thread so that people can see at a glance exactly what info you are looking for.

Best wishes to your daughter whatever direction she heads!

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

My daughter is considering a career in nursing. She would like to start out as a CNA first, get her certification, then go from there. She is petite--only 4' 11". Will her short stature make it difficult or impossible to do the work of a cna? Thanks for your advice.

Hi, I worked as a PCT (like a CNA) for 2 years before becoming a nurse. Like your daughter I am on the petite side (5'0 95 lbs), but don't let my appearance full you, with proper body mechanics, I can lift and pull with the best of them! My size has never been an issue, and I truly can, with proper mechanics, move a 200-300 lb pt. You daughter should learn as part of her CNA training the proper techniques for transfering a pt out of bed, rolling a pt, lifting a pt, etc so she does not hurt herself. She should never be afraid to ask for help or to use a lift if necessary. Also, raise the bed up to your level when working so you aren't bending over, hurting your back.