Can some LPNs just not be able to be a CNA?

Nurse Leigh · May 16, 2016

You and the nurse you spoke with are in for a rude awakening if you ever work on an acute floor that has no CNAs/techs. On those units the nurse does primary care, including anything an aide would be able to do plus all the things only licensed staff can do. This is a fairly common setup in some areas.

BeachsideRN, ASN · May 16, 2016

You can be good at something, yet not thoroughly enjoy it. It's a learning curve as with anything else and you will learn how to work better as a CNA.

middleagednurse · May 16, 2016

CNA work is really hard. And nursing can be really hard, depending on the job. Also, there will always be patients that you can't please no matter what you do. All you can do is your best, and learn to tolerate frustration.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · May 18, 2016

Maybe you misinterpreted her message. LP/VNs can certainly perform all CNA tasks, but that does not mean that they would be content to function within the bounds of a CNA role.... maybe that's what she meant.

CNA2LPN2RN2BSN · May 28, 2016

Cory, I have been in the field for over 13 years and have tried it all. I was a CNA for just about 3.5 years. Then, I became an LPN, which I continued on as for over 6 years. Now, I have been a Registered Nurse with my Associates (ADN) for just over 3 years. I am continuing on with my education and will graduate with my BSN next summer (2017)!! As a CNA I worked in a few nursing homes and through a staffing agency. As a LPN, I worked in nursing homes as a floor nurse (both Long-term care and short-term rehab), an MDS nurse (it's an office job, working with federal regulation and med A reimbursement, among other things), a care plan nurse, as an interim unit manager and even self-employed as an "MDS Consultant" (with a more experienced partner, who was an RN). As a RN, I have worked in nursing homes as a staff nurse, an admission nurse, an MDS nurse, a shift supervisor and as a Nurse Manager of a 30-bed "Post-Acute Care"/"Short-term Rehab" type of unit for about a year. I have worked in what is known as a staff nurse in an LTACH (Long Term Acute Care Hospital), which is for patients who have either an injury or disease that will require acute care and advanced aggressive rehab for a prolonged period of time. The LTACH where I worked specialized in acquired brain injuries (TBI/CVA), Spinal Cord injuries, and patients with very complex, chronic medical conditions & chronic wounds. I have now worked in a "regular" hospital (STACH) for over two year. My floor is primarily surgical, with focus on orthopedics, neuro & neurospine, trauma and urology. We also get medical & cardiology overflow as we are full remote telemetry enabled. It is a very busy, faced-paced unit. The hospital is part of a fairly large health system (#40 in the U.S.), which is affiliated with Yale University. It is a great environment where process improvement, safety, patient and staff satisfaction are high priorities.

I took the time to tell you this because I want you to know that I have enough experience to given sound advice. I do think that the LPN that you spoke with did not offer you great advice or perhaps she just wasn't able to put her thoughts into words at that moment. You should know that at any level, in any practice setting, there will be patients and situations that challenge you. I can just about guarantee that you will have days where you will question why you ever went into nursing. Although, if you truly want to care for others then you will find your way. I despise those who think that they want to be a nurse because they think that "nurses make a lot of money." Sure, we get paid pretty well but for the work we do.... not nearly enough. That's a topic for another discussion though.

Please just know that even though you are feeling challenged in this situation as a CNA, it means nothing about how successful you will be as an LPN. Also all Licensed Nurses (both LPNs and RNs) should be able to do the CNA's job. It really isn't a matter of not being able to do it but is more about whether he/she is willing to. There are plenty of nurses who you couldn't find with a GPS tracker when it comes time to provide pericare after the enema that he/she just gave! When you become a nurse remember your work as a CNA, you will be much appreciated by those around you. Also remember a couple things when CNAs are complaining about how hard the job is... #1 you have done the job and you know how hard it is, so while you do appreciate the fact that it is difficult, it is their job and you will do and have done that which is required of you, so do not accept excuses, #2 Always hold your CNAs to the same standard that you would have been expected to perform at. Lastly, when you become the nurse, always remember that you are the nurse, you are the one with more training, knowledge and a license, so you make the call, you are responsible to ensure that your patient receives optimal care, never sacrifice the quality of care, NEVER.

It sounds like you want to get into nursing and I applaud you for joining a timeless, honorable profession. I urge you to continue your education without breaks. Every gap in education makes it harder to restart, do not allow yourself to lose momentum, keep the ball rolling. Please, go on until you become an RN, you will be much happier if you do.

I can be longwinded, as you can see but I just wanted to provide you with some perspective from an experienced nurse. I took the slow, detour road for my nursing education Pleased feel free to message me privately if you would like any specific advise or information that I may be able to offer you.

D.C.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · May 28, 2016

You just started the job so it's normal to feel frustrated and maybe slower than the rest of your coworkers which may make you feel like you cannot do the job as a CNA. In LTC, just knowing your residents (which takes some time) helps a great deal. You will know what their preferences are, how well they can typically function, and what kind of help they will be needing without trying to figure it out from a care plan sheet (that may or may not be up to date) or asking them (when they may or may not know due to how alert and oriented they really are). If a resident is saying that they are feeling pain when you are working with them, especially if you aren't familiar with their care, it would be a good idea to get some help from another employee. This may be their disposition, or their may be something new/wrong that needs to be addressed.

I would not say that some LPNs could never be CNAs. They know the skill set and could do the job if they had to... they may not want to do it as their hired role or the amount of physical labor may not be what they are typically used to doing with their other duties (because working as a CNA can definitely be backbreaking with what you do all day, but the same can be for nurses because we do a lot of CNA duties ourselves).

When you finish school and become a nurse, all bedside positions are going to have some level of custodial care that a CNA can do that the nurse will also be doing. It's part of being a nurse. We can do everything that a CNA does, along with the skilled nursing care and critical thinking involved with our job. We just have a lower ratio than a CNA because we have other duties that fall under our scope that we need to provide for each patient.