Aspiring CNA

Hey there I'm glad you posted this! I am actually in a similar situation as you. I will also be starting CNA classes in the fall here in MA. I have a 9 month old son and I want him to have all the opportunities that I had growing up. All my work experience is also in retail and Im done working in that field lol!

I dont have any personal experience working in the nursing field so I cant answer your question based on personal experience. However I have been doing research and reading other people's advice here on the website and here is what I have found. CNA's are in demand because of the high turnover rate. A lot of people don't keep the job because of the low pay, the heavy work load etc. Most also progress and go onto become LPNs or RNs (which is actually what my plan is). Also find out if the class that you are taking offers acute care skills (phlebotomy, EKG, running labs, etc). If you want to work in a hospital as a CNA you will need to know those type of skills.

Anyways I hope I have helped a little bit. Good luck this fall and keep in touch I would love to see how your experience goes with the classes

CNA'a are in high demand out here in Ohio, it is very hard work, very physical and drining at times but I love it. Also, you may change your mind about not going to nursing school once you start working in healthcare. Can I ask why you wouldn't want to?

CNA'a are in high demand out here in Ohio, it is very hard work, very physical and drining at times but I love it. Also, you may change your mind about not going to nursing school once you start working in healthcare. Can I ask why you wouldn't want to?

Actually, I can't say that I will "never" want to, because I have never worked in health care. Maybe as I get my feet wet I would be more likely to persue higher ranks. Maybe I am just intimidated, to be honest.

I do not have issue with bodily fluids whatsoever. Obviously, because I am/was a doula and I have been vomited on, had amniotic fluid splashed on me, bled on, yada yada. But I don't think that I would be good at IV's or drawing blood. I am not a math wiz and it's my understanding that the higher rank nurse you are, the more and more math you would need to know. I am a people person. I think the reason CNA is appealing to me is because I know that CNA's make a difference. (the one that care anyways. I am finding comments in the forum that are very disconcerting to me. Like when a CNA knows another CNA is being abusive and nothing is done.)

I understand that I am very knew and I could have a skewed opinion of somethings. I really am drawn more to the less clinical care. Dealing with feces, urine, and personal hygiene is nothing less than I would do for anyone one of my family members when the need arises. I did take care of my Grandmother until she passed. I just did not preform vitals.

Sorry to write a paper on this!

Sorry to sound dumb, whats a doula?

Sorry to sound dumb, whats a doula?

It's ok, alot of people don't know. It's a person (typically a woman), hired privately by the mother, who is trained to know the physical and emotional needs of a woman in labor. Through my certifying organization I am trained to have knowlede in the physiology of birth. I am trained in all natural and holistic pain coping techniques and through position changes and emotional support, I help the laboring mother to labor more efficiently. I do not preform any clinical tasks such as bp, fetal heart tones, or lady partsl exams. I am also familiar enough with the maternity system to provide evidenced based information of procedures typically used in childbirth (pitocin, epidural etc.)

Some would disagree that a woman in labor needs a doula, but stats are that woman attended by doulas:

Have a 50% less chance of c-section

60% less request for pain meds

25% shorter labor times

Not to mention, I was thanked by various L&D nurses for making their jobs so much easier. I changed the chux pads, dealt with hysterical moms, all while staying out of their way so that they could do their jobs. I make myself as small as possible when hospital personell is in the room.