Would like to become an Ob/Gyn nurse.. advice?

clarabow · Sep 4, 2012

Becoming a CNA is not a prerequisite to becoming an RN. Will it help you get a feel for what RN's do? Yes. Will it help you gain experience taking care of patients? Yes. Will you have an "edge' over your fellow nurisng students? Perhaps. But by no means, not wanting to become a CNA should not discourage you from pursuing your dream of becoming an RN. I had no medical background whatsoever when I went to nursing school. I have been an OB nurse in the USAF for over six years now. If its your dream, go for it!

Kayla.J.RN · Sep 4, 2012

If any hospitals in your area have openings for a patient care tech/associate on an OB floor I think that would be a good place to learn. When I was in my last year of nursing school I worked as a patient care associate on labor & delivery. It helped me learn a lot about the unit and made me realize even more that L&D is the right place for me in nursing. I just graduated in May 2012 and was fortunate to get a job on the same L&D unit I was working on.

As a patient care associate you don't need any certification, but to be considered you have to have at least taken a nursing fundamentals course. My main duties on L&D were making sure the labor and triage rooms were stocked properly... Running for supplies during a delivery or any emergencies.... Providing pericare and changing the pads and linen and transferring the patient via stretcher or wheelchair... Bringing soiled instruments down to the central sterile supply department... and many other little things here and there. I was also phlebotomy certified by the hospital, so I was able to draw labs.

No matter what... if you want to work in the hospital setting, there is not way of getting around doing some dirty work. Nursing is not a glamorous job. Nurses are always going to clean up vomit, urine, blood, etc. As a PCA, it's a great learning experience for you to see if nursing is really for you. It's a great opportunity to ask the nurses lots of questions and can eventually lead to a job opportunity. :)

Good luck.

Nurse ABC · Sep 4, 2012

You don't have to become a CNA first. I didn't but I know a lot of people who went the CNA, then LPN, then RN route and I must say they are much more comfortable starting on the floor as an RN than I was! Even with an RN degree there are many days you will have to do the job of the CNA or LPN as well as your own because for whatever reason they aren't available (like they got pulled to another unit, they are tied up with another pt, etc) so you are then responsible for what they normally do. So even though you may not like that role you will be doing it even as an RN at least as long as you work as an RN in the hospital. It gets easier the more you do it too and although I don't love cleaning up poop, puke, bed baths, etc , I do love making my patients feel better and if that's what it takes I'll do it. Also, all of our aides and LPN's have no trouble getting hired as an RN once they get their RN degree but it's not as easy for new grads that have never worked in our hospital so that's a thought too if it's hard for new grads to find jobs in your area. Good luck with your decisions!

CP2013 · Sep 4, 2012

My oldest sister, who is an RN, has been giving me "advice" for a while now, she advised me to get my CNA because it will make me a better nurse. I took the class in May, and have been putting off taking the test and getting licensed because after doing the CNA clinicals, I just don't feel like it's something I want to do.

You don't HAVE to be a CNA first, but it is certainly beneficial to you, especially because the experience you acquire will be absolutely priceless when you start nursing school.

You don't specify what about being a CNA is so undesirable to you. If you don't like the work, then no, perhaps nursing isn't for you, because some hospitals don't even have CNA's anymore and the RN's are responsible for all of those aide duties! If it's that you want more responsibility and patient interactions, then yes, by all means pursue nursing.

Best of luck in whatever you decide to pursue!