A&P1 and 5 week CNA program?

[Melyf22]

Hey guys!

I am writing to gain insight on other prospective nursing students and their opinion on whether or not I am doing too much this coming fall. So, I have recently signed up for a 5 week CNA program that begins on Aug 31st and ends Oct 5th. It will be scheduled for mon to fri 9am to 3pm. I am signed up to start my A&P1 at the community college I normally attend and classes for that begin on the 2nd of Sept. My A&P class is going to be from 5pm to 8pm, I know how heavy of a class A&P can be so I decided to take it on its own but considering that I have my CNA program pushed back I will also be taking that as well and it will end up coinciding with my A&P class. I really was hoping to get my certification asap and start working part time but my question is have any of you taken a CNA program alongside other classes or specifically alongside A&P? Do you think that I would be taking on too much for the first month of the fall semester? Should I wait and solely focus on A&P? I'm so anxious because I don't exactly know if I would be cutting it close on time for myself and I really want to get an A in A&P. Any knowledge and experience on this topic would be greatly appreciated and help ease my anxiety! Thanks in advanced ?

[aethereality, CNA]

I think taking CNA course along with A&P class is doable. You really need to time manage yourself and be able to plan/schedule things. It's going to be a lot. You will need to discipline yourself to ensure that you're passing both programs. You will need to take care of your health, both physically and emotionally. Your mind needs to be prepared because you may struggle with the actual CNA clinical setting. There's a lot of information for A&P. The information builds up and you need to understand them (not just memorize). Make flashcards, self-quiz, do practice exams, etc. A&P is very important if you plan on going into nursing or med/pharm school. CNA is great experience if you plan on going into nursing. I know there are people who get accepted into nursing program without being a CNA. You don't have to be a CNA but it's a great experience. In addition, if you get a job working as a CNA in the hospital, you will learn a lot and build relationships. Put in the time to think about whether you will be able to commit to the two programs and how you will achieve top grades. Consider how you will manage your time to study and do homework. Know what your goals are and how you will meet the goals. I did not take A&P while working on the CNA program. I did take more than 12 units and still passed all my classes with good grades and got my CNA certification the same semester. Again, it's possible to do both but think about your situation carefully before deciding.

[Just Peachy]

CNA class takes a lot of studying time and so does A&P. After CNA class each day, you will need time to study the chapters and make sure you know clinicals 100% so you will pass the state's written and clinical part of the test. If you go to school from Mon-Friday 8-3, then going to A&P from 5-8pm when do you get time to study? I wouldn't take A&P and CNA together. A&P at a community college is extremely difficult and a lab attached to the class which is learning all the body parts.  The ASN program is very competitive so you need to make A's on everything to get into their nursing program. I've gone to both a community college and a technical college and glad I switched to a technical college where it's less stressful. However, you may be a person who is super smart that can easily pass both classes with A's without much stress.  Just don't over stress yourself. I finished my CNA class on September 24th. The night classes move slower and last a little longer. My class started on Aug 17th and ended on Sept 24th. We went to class on Mon, Tuesday, Thursday from 6-10pm and a few Saturdays. If you get a nice teacher, she/he will let you leave early. Hope I'm not sending this too late.  Good Luck.