Okay, I do not want to insult anyone or step in a hornets nest here, but I have a serious question. Recently my hubby had surgery, and everyone at the hospital would ask"are you a nurse?" to which I would reply "No, I am a CNA". Most of the time it was accepted and the nurses, techs, etc were happy to let me do most of the care for my man, and were very appreciative. There were 2 or 3 nurses that asked me "why not continue my education and become a "real nurse"? I gave my reasons for not wanting to, in a mild tone, without judgement.
The reasons I listed are 1. I am very satisfied with my life. I was in nursing school when I gave birth to my first child and chose to be a stay at home mom to my 2 boys, so decided to not finish. 2. Nursing has changed considerably over the last 26 year, so I chose to return to school and go the CNA path and am quite satisfied. I have much respect and admire good nurses, as I do good teachers, but chose not to pursue either path.
The responses I got from these 2 or 3 nurses was off the charts over reaction. They were so insulted and rude. One even told me she did not believe me, that all CNAs and TECHs say that , but they are really just frustrated with their jobs. So my question is this: Are you insulted by this as a nurse? Does it bother you that some would choose not to continue on the education path and be "just a CNA"? Does it insult you as a nurse that I feel like your job is not the job I aspire to and I am happy where I am? I work 2-3 shifts/wk. and truly enjoy my low key, 3-11 position. What are your thoughts, please. Did I say something wrong????
Maybe they observed how competently you cared for your husband and thought you really have the right stuff to be a good nurse.
When I was a new nurse, there were many days when I longed for a job with less responsibility, and looked with some jealousy at the CNAs working with me. Most of the time I don't feel like that anymore, though.
You probably would make a really good nurse.
But competent and happy CNAs such as yourself are rare gems to be treasured. More power to you!
PS. I hope your husband is doing ok.
Okay, I do not want to insult anyone or step in a hornets nest here, but I have a serious question. Recently my hubby had surgery, and everyone at the hospital would ask"are you a nurse?" to which I would reply "No, I am a CNA". Most of the time it was accepted and the nurses, techs, etc were happy to let me do most of the care for my man, and were very appreciative. There were 2 or 3 nurses that asked me "why not continue my education and become a "real nurse"? I gave my reasons for not wanting to, in a mild tone, without judgement.
The reasons I listed are 1. I am very satisfied with my life. I was in nursing school when I gave birth to my first child and chose to be a stay at home mom to my 2 boys, so decided to not finish. 2. Nursing has changed considerably over the last 26 year, so I chose to return to school and go the CNA path and am quite satisfied. I have much respect and admire good nurses, as I do good teachers, but chose not to pursue either path.
The responses I got from these 2 or 3 nurses was off the charts over reaction. They were so insulted and rude. One even told me she did not believe me, that all CNAs and TECHs say that , but they are really just frustrated with their jobs. So my question is this: Are you insulted by this as a nurse? Does it bother you that some would choose not to continue on the education path and be "just a CNA"? Does it insult you as a nurse that I feel like your job is not the job I aspire to and I am happy where I am? I work 2-3 shifts/wk. and truly enjoy my low key, 3-11 position. What are your thoughts, please. Did I say something wrong????
I am a CNA. CNAs and Nurses work together. We always have something to offer to the other person-even with excellent skills it is communication. What is best for a patients health is communication. I personaly do not like nurses that 100 perscent blow me off when I tell them-FYI-I see example a skin ?perhaps prbolem/or resporation changes in a patient although vital signs are ok. It is all about communication-I am not a nurse, a nurse needs to know and then decide.
Grant it=I have had some wacky nurses and I do not agrue with them-I simply say fallow the Dr's orders-or prodo-call. Be thankful for help, trust your insticts and don't be afraid to ask questions.:redpinkhe:redpinkhe
I know I am going to get flamed here but, just to be devils advocate here. how many nurses here would be ok if there husband told them I just want to be a CNA (making CNA wages) ? With no ambition to further their careers. From a male perspective this sound like the old women have choices men have responsibility theme. Or would you be ok if your own child choose CNA as a career?
You say your husband was in the hospital, and his outcome was and it sounds as if his outcome was positive, great. But what if god forbid it would have gone the other way? Could you support you and your family on a CNA wages? Personally I think it is everyone's responsibility to live up to their highest potential.
Lets all b e honest here at most places CNA's are not paid a living wage. There is no way the OP would be able to provide food, shelter, health insurance, and daycare working as a CNA for her and her two son's. This is not to say that the job of a CAN is unimportant, just unfortunately under appreciated by HR judging by the rate of compensation they pay for it.
Just a little background I am a career changer working currently as a CNA. Do I like my job ? most days but that is with any job. Am I stopping here? no way. I even joke with my wife (Who is a nurse going for her NP). Did you ever think you would be married to a CNA? Her response is "please". So it doesn't mean the nurses suggesting were unhappy with their career they just want toe OP to live up to her highest potential.
(IMO) Bottom line CNA is a great stepping stone if you have chosen health care as a career, but it is not a wise choice for a career itself.
To Newway, Since you seem to have made assumptions about my life and my husbands attitude toward my working, I will fill you in. NO, I could not support a family on CNA wages, but my children are grown and on their own. I lived up to my full potential in successfully raising two sons to be good people who are productive and good citizens. I felt very fulfilled in my choice to stay home and raise my boys, a decision my husband was in full support of even in the leanest times. It worked well for us and the results were worth it. Others may not choose to do it the way we did, and more power to them.
IF things had not gone well with my husbands surgery, we would have been fine. I am working part time out of desire, not financial need. I am very fortunate to be able to do this. I understand that, but we were not born into this and worked hard and lived simply to get to this point, so please, do not make assumptions about my lack of ambition. We are doing fine.
My husband does not feel I lack ambition. He happily paid for nursing school before our children were born and felt my job of parenting was ambitious also. I do not judge your decision to change careers, My ambition is to simply do good and be happy. Thankyou
It is a shame that doing something you love and are good at... and continuing to do that, is seen as a lack of ambition.
My boyfriend's mother was a nurses' assistant many many years ago. When she passed away, recently, not one person said, "Poor lady... she lacked ambition and never became a nurse."
Nope.
Everyone remembered how dedicated she was, how hard she worked and what a blessing she was to her patients.
When she spoke to me about what she did, she lit up and was dead proud of her work.
She was a hard worker (not a lazy nor stupid bone in her body) and a beautiful human being.
How sad it is, that what she contributed could be dismissed so ignorantly because of a falsely perceived "lack of ambition".
thanks for the post. While my situation is different, I can identify with you & I'm proud of you for being "yourself". I am 42, was a SAHM until NS. We chose for me to stay home and budgeted to the penny to do it.
I left my first RN job after 3 months due to various reasons...... & since Oct have been back home with the kiddos (11 , 13) , work as a substitute teacher & run after-school care at their school. I am happy! and my hubby is happy- giving me no pressure to return to nursing.
BUT everyone else is shocked when they learn i'm not working as an RN. I hear all sorts of mean things like: "you got a degree and now you're just babysitting" ,that I wasted time & money, I'm depriving my family of income, I'm spoiled rotten, I need to "grow up" and get to work...on and on.
It took me a while to understand that, right now, this is where i need to be for myself. No matter what others think.....
Bless you for knowing yourself and doing what fulfills your life- that is truly "living up to your potential"
BUT everyone else is shocked when they learn i'm not working as an RN. I hear all sorts of mean things like: "you got a degree and now you're just babysitting" ,that I wasted time & money, I'm depriving my family of income, I'm spoiled rotten, I need to "grow up" and get to work...on and on.
Oh yeah... because it's "just babysitting", eh?
Because it doesn't pay, it's "not valuable".
What baloney!
Funny: everyone will knock someone who has a "lowly" job... until they need their services.
And taking care of children is never "a waste of time".
Kudos to you for doing what you love and something so valuable.
Even when you are an RN, some RNs still feel they have the right to comment and speculate. IE...x specialty is better, why don't you do x with your career...etc. As long as you are content, it doesn't matter what others think. We're all different.
CNABess, you have to live with your career choice, and if you are happy then more power to you . I believe that we are most valualble at what we do when we are happy doing it. It is a blessing to be able to be content with the work you do. I am sure you are excellent in your work because you are happy with the job and that gives you peace.
I worked in Network support for the phone company for 25 years. Earned good money, had a high tech job as a support manager so had the lesure of not having anyone report to me. Most people thought that I should stay there, but nursing kept pulling at my heart strings. So I went back to school and finished my prereqs, while working full time and having to be on call 7/24 as a support manager. The company decided the job was better performed in Texas, I did not want to relocate so it went without me. People thought I was crazy :). I did'nt care, I wanted to be a nurse and you know what? For once in my life I really feel like I am pursuing something that I want to do. Keep on doing what you do, and be proud of it. Be Blessed...
Job satisfaction is a rare thing. If you're happy with what you do and feel fulfilled, why should it matter to anyone else if the career path with which you're happy is being a CNA?
I think you sound like you've made a life decision that suits you and your family. You sound content. Ignore the naysayers. I think their comments say much more about them than about you, anyway.
Joanna73 is absolutely right. Even if you were an RN, you'd have people questioning your choices. Where did you go to school? Why did you choose that particular program? Why do you like this specialty when that specialty is sooooooo much cooler? We really can be our own worst enemies.
I am a CNA. CNAs and Nurses work together. We always have something to offer to the other person-even with excellent skills it is communication. What is best for a patients health is communication. I personaly do not like nurses that 100 perscent blow me off when I tell them-FYI-I see example a skin ?perhaps prbolem/or resporation changes in a patient although vital signs are ok. It is all about communication-I am not a nurse, a nurse needs to know and then decide. 
. I believe that we are most valualble at what we do when we are happy doing it. It is a blessing to be able to be content with the work you do. I am sure you are excellent in your work because you are happy with the job and that gives you peace.
We really can be our own worst enemies. 
nyteshade, BSN
555 Posts
Personally, it wouldn't have bothered me. But, I would've made them uncomfortable real quick simply by saying, "It's none of your concern."