CNA Job Position V.S. Medical Interpreter?

[Chocolate39]

I've recently been accepted to nursing school, and I'm looking to gain health care experience because I know finding a job as a new grad R.N. can be hard. I got a offered two job opportunities, one as a CNA and the other as a Spanish Medical Interpreter. I am torn between the two, and don't know which job to choose. I think that both of these jobs would look good on my resume, and help me gain experience in the health field! Any suggestions as to which job would help me in the long run when I'm looking for a R.N. position? I would love to work in both, but I can't because of school.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Are you a certified/credentialed interpreter ?

[ILoveHealthCare]

I would do cna. Then when you become a rn you understand their job and how hard it is. Plus, you may be able to get a job as a rn at the same place.

[Chocolate39]

Are you a certified/credentialed interpreter ?

I would be taking an exam to become a certified/credentialed interpreter, and then if I pass that exam I would attend orientation for the job position.

[Chocolate39]

I would do cna. Then when you become a rn you understand their job and how hard it is. Plus, you may be able to get a job as a rn at the same place.

I was thinking the same thing, except the job is at a nursing home and I was hoping to work as an R.N. in a hospital. I've also had a lot of experience volunteering at nursing homes and alongside CNA's in hospitals that I pretty much have a lot of experience as a CNA already. So I thought maybe taking the medical interpreter position would be a different experience, and unique.

[amoLucia]

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that medical interpreters must be 'certified' according to some regulations. To be a medical interpreter is different than just being someone who is fluent in another language. This has been discussed here on AN in some other posts.

You might want to investigate this further to see if you could even qualify for medical interpretation.

Good luck.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

duplicate threads merged as per the Terms of Service

[nlitened]

CNA would give you more hands on experience and expose you to many things you will see when you become a nurse. I say CNA.

[SeattleJess]

CNA experience gave me some confidence that I'd be able to keep up with my classmates, the majority of whom had CNA experience. However, the instructors assured us that CNA experience was not necessary, they'd teach us everything from scratch and more importantly, they'd teach us the nurse way of doing things. (As one student said at orientation, "There's the CNA way of scooping poo and the nurse way of scooping poo.") All our instructors said that CNA experience could even hinder a student because s/he might need to unlearn habits. On balance, I'd say I did get (for myself only), a slight gain in confidence having spent my summer as a CNA and a novice-eye-view of the ups and downs of working in a health care environment. I've experienced the challenge of unlearning in skills lab.

Certified medical interpretation skill, on the other hand, is a valuable skill that is NOT taught in nursing school. Healthcare already serves a diverse population and that diversity is only going to increase, according to wiser, smarter minds than mine. The largest subculture in the hospital where I did my CNA clinical rotation was Ukrainian; the CNA who spoke Russian was always being called to someone else's room to explain to someone else's patient. Certification is the gold standard and will open many doors for you. It's a skill that employers need and want and it will put you out in front of the pack of the rest of us.

I'd go for the certified interpreter credential. I'm confident your language skills will serve you well in healthcare no matter what you decide.

[jaytee12003]

I agree with SeattleJess, Being a CNA can help you when you become a RN, but trying to be a CNA while in nursing school is difficult because as a CNA there is a lot work and sometimes it can distract you from your studies, but being a certified interpreter can help you even when you are RN, a lot patient in the hosptial and LTC need interpreters, I can see you still using this skill even after RN graduation.

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]

I have an interest in this as well