Advice for getting a CNA before nursing school

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I am starting my pre-req's in about 3 weeks and I have been reading that it's a good idea to get a CNA license before nursing school since it will really help getting into the rn program and also with getting a job after graduation. I am trying to get as much advice as possible from CNA's and nurses as I possible can. I live close to Atlanta so there are a lot of hospitals around. I need to know if this will help or if it will be a huge waste of time and money?

I do recommend doing your CNA license before starting NS. It will help you in quite a few ways, the biggest two things is that you will be over that initial of awkwardness of working with people when you start your RN program and once you graduate and become an RN you will have a better respect for your CNAs since you know what they do which will help you to be a better worker overall. In my opinion the best LPN/RNs were CNAs first. Plus there is an added bonus of it helping to put you higher up on the list when applying for NS.

Most schools in my area require obtaining your CNA before you get into the nursing program. I was a CNA for 16 years before I became an RN, and I know that it helped me tremendously with clinicals especially. I truly believe that some of the best nurses started out as CNAs. I would definitely recommend that you get certified and work part time or even PRN...full time may be too much for you. I tried to work full time, but ultimately had to drop to PRN during the last 3 semesters.

Good luck!

Specializes in Acute Rehab, IMCU, ED, med-surg.

I always advocate for a prospective nursing student to work in a clinical, patient-contact role before entering nursing school. For me, the primary reasons included making sure that I was comfortable with the nature of the work, caring for people's bodies and their psychosocial needs; learning to provide bedside care competently; learning the roles of different workers in healthcare facilities; figuring out what sort of nursing might interest me.

I'm at the end of my 2-year associates' RN program, and looking back, I think working as a CNA, first in long-term care, then in acute care, helped me survive nursing school. During the first year, I was not stressed about bathing, changing and transferring dependent patients, because I had already done that at work, and all I needed to do was adjust my techniques to instructor expectations. Knowing how to do basic care allowed me to focus more on learning new skills I hadn't performed as a CNA, but were part of the nurse role I was acquiring.

Working in healthcare while attending school has allowed me to see the theory and lab learning put into action. On the down side, I'm sure my grades suffered from working full-time nights while attending school and clinicals during the day. I do feel that my clinical experience will help me in applying, interviewing and hopefully landing a RN job.

Well I am a CNA, and a MA and I am currently in school to become a nurse. It is a good idea to become a CNA first but in all honestly I would not do it unless it is required in your city or state. It has been really useful for me but CNA is just the basic nursing knowledge such as vitals, performing ADL care and setting yourself up to learn to be patient and compassionate in order to succeed in nursing. It is all up to you but if you are going to take the time to do CNA then start nursing school I would go forward straight to nursing school!

Another thought, if you get a job as a CNA at a hospital (if that's where you want to be as an RN) you'll have a better chance of securing an RN position later on. That's how it happened for me, as my hospital likes to hire new grads from within.

Find out if it is required for your nursing program to have a CNA. At my school it isn't required but you had a better chance at getting in if you had your CNA. Our acceptance is based on a points scale. Let me tell you, you learn a lot as you go and it is very helpful for nursing. Good luck to you. I've been a CNA for 10 years and I start my ADN program this fall.

Well, here is my experience; please take it with a grain of salt. :)

I got my CNA license right before starting my accelerated BSN program. I find that if I want to keep my GPA high AND actually get some sleep, I can't work while in school. (You can probably work if your program is not accelerated.) I don't regret getting CNA clinical experience as I want to go into ICU after graduation and ICU nurses ( at least from what I hear in my area) need to do most, if not all, of the tasks that are often delegated to CNAs in say a med-surg floor. My classmates are fine with starting IVs, but call me to show them how to empty urinary drainage bag or give a bed bath if it's their first time. It's because our school spent about 2 weeks teaching what I learned in 6 weeks in CNA school.

That being said; honestly, a CNA and an RN are extremely different roles, responsibilities, and require different kinds of thinking. You will still be a great nurse if you didn't become a CNA first. I was expecting to the first week or two of clinical to be a breeze because I was a CNA first, boy was I wrong! Everything they tell you not to do and not to touch in CNA school is thrown right out the window. In my ABSN clinical, I spent a very small portion of my time doing the things I learned as a CNA. I had/have great nurses who drilled me on the rationale of why this patient was on this medication, the method of action on various medications, how does this disease presents it's classic signs and symptoms, when to hold a drug, and most importantly great assessment skills and what to do with your findings.

As for job opportunities in the future, I'm glad I have it on my resume; but at the same time the only new grad nurses I know do not have CNA experience who found jobs within 2-4 months. Your nursing clinical is just like having an interview, work hard and show the staff that you will be a grad worth hiring-network! Being a CNA isn't the only way to get your foot in the door, you can become a nurse tech (and you don't have to extra pay money and extra time in school). I think if-scratch that-when I get into the ICU, the hiring manager will care more a little more about my critical care residency that I will do after graduation than being a CNA before.

The short version: Becoming a CNA first is nice, but not necessary.

Again this is my experience and in my area. Do what you think is best for your situation and good luck! :)

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