Changing careerS

[favery]

I am currently a MSW,LCSW seeking to switch to nursing. I am going to enroll in the CNA program hopefully in the fall as it is required before enrolling in the nursing program in many NC colleges, if some that don't require exist please do tell. One thing that bothers me though is the anatomy, biology, med and chem. classes. I was okay in these class in high school, just ok. I understand they require a lot of studying. What advice about studying these classes can some give me. I am a little fearful of these classes but I at least want to try. Thank You for your feedback

[Cvepo]

Spread those classes out over a few semesters if you can. Don't try to take 3 or 4 of those sciences at once, because they all require a lot of time and studying and you will likely have to sacrifice studying for one to be successful in another. Ideally your school should have type of recommended program progression. For example at my school, we could not take physiology until we took anatomy. We could not take Microbiology or Pharmacology until took physiology and chemistry. So it ended up working out with no more than 2 of the heavy classes at once.

Where I went for undergrad in NY, there was no requirement to be a CNA for nursing school, but it does make students more competitive.

[brownbook]

We were encouraged to NOT be CNA's. BIg mistake for me, who knew nothing about nursing or hospitals, but I'm sure not everyone needs it.

I was terrible at any "hard" science in high school. When I took nursing pre-requisites 10 years after high school I got all A's. As Cvepo said spread the harder classes out over several semesters or quarters.

[cleback]

Also go to office hours early on, not just before exams. Goes a long way.

[OlivetheRN, ADN, BSN, RN]

When I went through Alamance Community College's program it wasn't required that you be a CNA but you got extra points if you were, if I remember correctly. I was, partly for the points and partly to have my foot in the door at the hospital already since I was only going to have my ADN.

[Floor_Nurse]

I've never heard of a mandatory requirement of CNA. I was a CNA once and it served as a nice stepping stone toward becoming a licensed nurse.

[amoLucia]

To your benefit, you're a mature adult learner, second-career student. You have a strong educational background and prob a work history with it.

So give yourself some credit for your ability to multi-manage and achieve goals. Yes, the science courses will be intensive, but for this degree, it needs to be. Other have given good advice to space out your tough courses. Take advantages of study groups, study 'buddies', the 'net, supplemental readings, anything that will help.

CNA training will give you an appreciation for the nuts & bolts of hands-on, down-in-the-trenches pt care. If you need to be part-time, so be it. And you'll make contacts.

So good luck to you.