Benefit to being a Nursing Assistant while taking prerequisites?

Farrah 34 · Dec 28, 2016

The reason I'm going to take CNA classes and work as a CNA is to make sure I like to be a nurse. I used to be a Medical assistant years ago and I know how hard is working with patients. I want to make sure if I'm still good for this job. Besides that being a CNA makes me familiar with so many things in healthcare facilities.

Some nursing schools require job experience as a CNA; mine doesn't.

Wiggly Litchi · Dec 28, 2016

Honestly? Not really... And I say this as a CNA

I won't sugarcoat it... but being a CNA and a nurse are completely different. As a CNA, most of the time I feel like a glorified housekeeper and I'm greatly unfulfilled. I trained to do so much more but when I got my certification I didn't get to do half as much as I would have liked. This varies from facility to facility, but I've been 'unlucky' so far in that sense.

That's not to say I don't enjoy my work; truly, I do!

I love that I get to take care of folks - When people smile and say thank you for helping them get bathed, dressed etc, it's a great feeling!

But people, both staff and patients, can be quick to remind you that you're 'just a CNA' which sucks, because the place really would fall down without CNAs (as it would without an LPN, an RN, an MD etc... we're a team!)

Oftentimes you'll be working for close to minimum wage (and by God you'll earn every cent of it).

Sometimes you'll have the chance to do something like take BP - which is great, but at my facility I have to say to the nurses "Hey, I see you're busy and I have nothing to do so I'll do your vitals for you!" otherwise I wouldn't be assigned that duty.

It's completely different if you're working in a hospital though... but those hospital jobs are incredibly coveted.

If you want to see if you'd enjoy nursing, see if you could shadow a nurse for a day or so. That's really the only way I think you're going to get a good glimpse of whether or not you're going to enjoy it.

umbdude, MSN, APRN · Dec 29, 2016

I would not quit your job in law to work as a CNA if you're going to a ABSN program. Save as much money as possible now so you don't have to worry about money as much while in nursing school. You will learn far more as a student nurse if you devote yourself into learning, especially if there is a final-semester preceptorship. The only benefit is that you might get connections, but that's something you can also do while you're doing your clinical rotation.

verene, MSN · Dec 30, 2016

The benefit to working as a CNA during pre-reqs is to get a bit of healthcare experience, make some networking connections, and learn about the hospital or LTC environment. While I did find it beneficial for myself to work as a CNA during my pre-reqs, I really don't think the experience is a requirement for either getting into nursing school, nor being successful in nursing as a student or nurse.

If you have a steady law job, and it isn't driving you completely insane, I'd probably keep that job for as long as you can in this process and look into volunteering at a hospital or something like that for healthcare experience and networking. The money is far better in law than working as a CNA (for reference my hourly rate as a CNA was less than half my hourly pay as a paralegal), so in terms of paying off law school loans and saving up for nursing school it is a financially better decision to stay where you are if you can, particularly if you have a supportive employer.

OliveOyl91, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2017

Being a CNA has really solidified my desire to become a nurse. I work with great nurses and doctors and have often been asked if I'd like to watch procedures or even if I can assist. I work in a nursing home, so it's nothing too exciting. However it is interesting to watch and assist with dressing changes (one patient came in with a pressure wound big enough to hide your hand), placement of foley and suprapubic catheters, dismantling and reinsertion of wound vacs... Plus you start to see and recognize symptoms of certain conditions, which legally it's only in our scope of practice to report symptoms (we can't assess). It's satisfying to report the symptoms of a UTI, cellulitis, etc.. and see it to turn out to be true.

The pay is horrible, though. I make $12.75/hr and that's after two years with my company. Most places pay minimum wage.

gere7404, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2017

Some programs give preference points to people with CNA experience, so there's that benefit. It also gives you a little bit of appreciation for the hard work your CNA's do for you as a nurse, or gives you a good basis of experience for units like the ICU where you are responsible for your patient entirely and don't have CNA's to come wipe butts for you.

rhinoroc · Jan 4, 2017

What a tricky one this is! I think this really all depends on where you would end up as a nurse assistant. Do you have connections to get into a unit in the hospital or would you just start applying everywhere? Do you have an idea of where you would like to work (ICU, Med-Surg, OR, Oncology, etc.)? Some floors will be more hands on and stimulating and others may be like the PP and you'll need to ask if you can help with vital signs. I've been fortunate enough to work in critical care environments as an assistant and I first started because I knew I wanted to be a nurse. It turned out I LOVED it and people thought I was crazy but I found my fit. Anyhow, I would suggest trying to find a prn job and work a few shifts a month and see how it goes. Its been my experience that many floors will hire prn and part time assistants because so many of them are in school and the ones in school usually can't work full time (makes it easier for scheduling). My experience has led me to have a strong passion for a certain type of nursing and has given me goals and dreams I didn't have before. I think it definitely can be worth it if you find a place you're interested in and you ask many questions once you're there. I remember how awkward I was the first time I had to clean someone, feed someone, my first code, or being teased for panicking about an alarm going off with an 89% O2 saturation. All of these things have prepped me for my future life as a nurse and I think I'll be better because of it. Id say 98% of nurses I've met who were assistants prior to being an RN are solid nurses and I enjoy working with them. I hope this gives you a little insight. Best of luck to you!

Hsmith1522 · Jan 10, 2017

Thank you for the advice! I do have connections in hospitals, both my dad and his girlfriend are nursing directors so I am hoping to have them help me meet connections. Right now I am interested primarily in labor and delivery and would really like to see the ins and outs of that floor. This is just based on my research though I think I would be open to change after clinicals. Can you offer any advice on shadowing or volunteering? I am looking into those options also, but personally I don't think I would get the same experience doing that as opposed to a nursing assistant where you are actually working on the floor with nurses

aflahe00 · Jan 20, 2017

You will be much better off once you do become a nurse I can't tell you how hard it was for me to transition into working once I graduated. If you can work as an aide while in school you will learn what's going on around you which is going to be a huge help. learning how to be nurse is hard enough it's even harder when your disoriented