Will being a CNA increase my chance?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Is it neccessary to become a CNA before applying for an LPN program? Someone told me I wouldn't get in without being one.. but I already know I wouldn't like being a CNA. I'm more interested in the medical help I could give people rather then the personal hygiene job of a CNA. I want to give IVs, injections, medication, etc. I know helping people shower and whatnot is part of LPN clinicals which I'm OK with, but as a job... I wouldnt enjoy it. Sorry guys, not sure if I'm making any sense!

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Depends on the program , at my school you just need the certificate but its not necessary to work as one.

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It depends on the program. My school requires you to have a CNA and you get extra points on your application if you have worked as a CNA.

While being a CNA isn't fun work, it is necessary work. Nurses do have to change briefs, etc also. In some hospital units, the nurses do all of the "personal hygiene" work that a CNA would do in a LTC, the techs/CNA's assist the nurses.

Being a CNA would give you a good feel for the nursing field. I work as a CNA right now and I start an ADN program at my local community college in August.

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Experience is everything. It's not about it being the same job but having patient experience. Not being awkward when you have to get up close and personal with a patient. If there's someone who has experience and someone who doesn't all else considered equal most managers who pick the one with experience. Trust me when I say CNA is not what I'm aiming for in my life. I want much more intellectual engagement. However it has taught me more than I'd imagined in general principles.

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Very true. I guess I'm going to apply at a nearby nursing home. They offer a free CNA program. Boy I hope I can do this!

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Very true. I guess I'm going to apply at a nearby nursing home. They offer a free CNA program. Boy I hope I can do this!

Just a heads up a lot of nursing are ADL's or "hygiene stuff". There is a lot more therapeutic medical care as a nurse but you still have to help people get dressed, shower, go to the bathroom, etc. most units I have worked on as a CNA have one aide for twelve beds (post-surgical ambulatory units knee/hip replacement kind of stuff) and the nurses would have to help with the CNA duties as well. Nursing is not as glamorous as you might think!

But that doesn't mean you aren't going to be great, in my few years as a CNA I got over a lot of things I didn't think I could do including post mortem care! Yikes! Good luck and give yourself a little more credit, it will get you where you want to go in the end so it is worth it!

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In my clinical group, those of us who have worked as CNAs/Med Techs were seen as much more competent by our instructors than our less experienced classmates. There's so much that will be new to you in nursing school, why not have CNA level patient care be one less thing to worry about? I'd probably aim for a hospital job as it will help more than assisted living in getting experience and eventually a nursing job, but if you do get a job at a nursing home/assisted living facility being a med tech could give experience in medication administration and nursing documentation. I've been a med tech for 5 years and the first year of clinicals went much easier for me because I was used to giving medicine to 10-30 people, not just 1-3. My 2nd/final year will start in a couple months, so we'll see how that goes. I'm interviewing for a hospital CNA job this week.

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Specializes in Oncology, Critical Care.

CNA will help you a decent amount especially getting used to just the basic patient work and therapuetic communication. I would recommend it.

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As a CNA in a LTC facility, I can tell you firsthand that a lot of the nurses do the same work that we do, plus their med pass and nurse duties. If I have five people that have to use the restroom at the same time, guess what? A nurse puts one or two of them on or off the toilet and cleans up their bum because I can't be in five places at once. Another big thing to consider is, that school is a LOT easier for me because I have a whole pool of nurses of whom I can ask questions without feeling stupid or them talking down to me, and I get to see procedures over and over again and do them myself sometimes while they supervise. They are all eager to help me learn. Also, since I am employed as a CNA after I complete my year of employment (in two months) they will pay for the rest of my school through their tuition reimbursement program. While the work is certainly not glamorous by any means, it does have its benefits and you would be surprised how big of an impact the patients have on you as a person. It makes you a lot more marketable out of nursing school as well, because you will already have a lot of patient care experience. Sometimes they hire nurses right out of nursing school and they have NO idea how to talk to/act around patients once they're out of their clinicals and are downright grossed out by things such as changing bags on ileostomies and such. If you work as a CNA, it's a good way to get over that bump in the road where you want to barf at everything you see and toughen up your skin a little.

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As a CNA in a LTC facility I can tell you firsthand that a lot of the nurses do the same work that we do, plus their med pass and nurse duties. If I have five people that have to use the restroom at the same time, guess what? A nurse puts one or two of them on or off the toilet and cleans up their bum because I can't be in five places at once. Another big thing to consider is, that school is a LOT easier for me because I have a whole pool of nurses of whom I can ask questions without feeling stupid or them talking down to me, and I get to see procedures over and over again and do them myself sometimes while they supervise. They are all eager to help me learn. Also, since I am employed as a CNA after I complete my year of employment (in two months) they will pay for the rest of my school through their tuition reimbursement program. While the work is certainly not glamorous by any means, it does have its benefits and you would be surprised how big of an impact the patients have on you as a person. It makes you a lot more marketable out of nursing school as well, because you will already have a lot of patient care experience. Sometimes they hire nurses right out of nursing school and they have NO idea how to talk to/act around patients once they're out of their clinicals and are downright grossed out by things such as changing bags on ileostomies and such. If you work as a CNA, it's a good way to get over that bump in the road where you want to barf at everything you see and toughen up your skin a little.[/quote']

Good advice!

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It depends on the requirements of your school. My school...NO. it is a waste of your time because they soley go off grades and TEAS. They could care less what you did before. I couldnt work as a CNA either. Mu sister does but not for me :/

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