Certified Nursing Assistant vs Home Health Aid

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I will be a nursing student come the fall of 09. Could you please tell me what job as a Certified Nursing Assistant or a Home Health Aid would give me the best clinical experience?

no, because I can receive my degree from any institution.

:cry:I am a nursing student what job would give me more experience certified nusing assistant or a home health aid?

certified nusing assistant

Certified Nursing Assistant in a nursing home (I use nursing home liberally) environment would give you the best patient care experience.

If you work as a tech/CNA in a hospital you may get exposure to other skills (inserting foleys/IV's, ekg's and others depending on the hospital) but less patient care skills.

If you work as a home health aide you won't necessarily get any skills. You could. I've done cases with a quad on a vent (he had a nurse their 24/7 as well) and decubs and such though it wasn't much experience. I've had other cases where I was more like a sitter.

Avoid assisted living and independent living. You'll get minimal skill experience in those places.

I'd personally go for CNA and work at an acute/sub acute or rehab facility. Good experience all around!

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

What he said. I've done all three (LTC, in home care, acute care) as a CNA, and they all have their pros and cons. Just starting out, I would recommend a nursing home/rehab facility as well.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

CNA will get you further in experience. And, (at least in my area), a CNA can sign for a home health care agency and get one or two days training to earn their HHA certification for that agency because they were trained to do more.

The CNA certficate will allow you to work in many clinical environments, LTC facilities, acute care hospitals, home health to name a few, whereas HHA confines you to the home setting. So CNA has more job opportunities. Where I am, one becomes a CNA before getting the HHA training. If you get a HHA certificate, you will be in a better position to work at a home health agency, although they will place CNAs in the home.

Specializes in Home Health/Geriatrics.

I am a CNA but I work at a HHA agency...less stressful for the most part, but you'll find that you serve more as a maid than as really any medical help...that varries from case to case...

I'm a CNA, and I worked in a few nursing homes. It wasn't really my thing. had too many issues with catty colleagues who would do me in everytime.

I prefer HH. Less drama and I keep my job much longer. Yeah, you do serve as a maid sometimes, but at least you won't be stressed out and overworked.

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