Can someone tell me more about being a CNA?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hello everyone! I am a pre-nursing student. I just started my freshman year in September. So, since I have 4 years, do you think it would be helpful to work as a CNA? Can someone tell me about what it is that CNAs do and the duties of a CNA? Where do they typically work? I would love as much info on this as possible. Can you do it part-time or are the majority of the CNA jobs full time? How much does the training cost? Would it be valuable to me since I am working on becoming an RN through BSN? I would like to do this part-time while I am in school. I currently work at a retail store and I've been there for 2 years. I know the pay for a CNA isn't that great, but I don't mind. I am making .45 above minimum wage now so I think anything can pretty much be better! I am also not really looking for money, I just want to know if it would help me with my future in nursing. Thank you so much to anyone who attempts to answer any of my 100 questions :) Sorry I always ask so many!

Hi, I'm a CNA in a SNF/LTC, and I can honestly say it's the hardest job I've ever done. I work NOC shift, and I typically have approx 20 - 22 patients. I do a run of brief changes, and I'm bathed in sweat from turning, pulling, and positioning patients while changing their briefs. We are a "2-person only" lift facility. But the tiny philapina's I work with, need 4 people to lift patients, and they all have their own 20 patients to take care of. So it's every man for himself. In the past week, I've been punched, kicked, bitten, scratched, and contracted viral pneumonia. Two of my patients have died, and another two are on hospice. I'm trying to get into nursing school, and I thought being a CNA would be a way to get into the field. But the facility I work at doesn't assign enough staff to give anything approaching good care to the patients. The nurses just push meds. I make $11.60/hr, and by the end of a shift I can't stand the sound of bed alarms and call bells.

Lord God please help me. I want so much to help these people, but there are too many, and if I stop to help, I fall behind in my work. If I fall behind, the patients end up swimming in urine in their beds. I'm so tired, so very tired.

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Specializes in Hospice.

Turbohound, it sounds like things are rough for you right now. I hope things get better soon. I too found CNA work to be one of the hardest jobs I've ever had, but I also think it has been the job that taught me the most!

On a side note, I was surprised to read that your facility uses briefs at night. In the facility where I work occasionally, we don't use briefs at night, except in a few cases. I was taught that the skin needed a chance to breathe and not having them on at night reduced the risk of pressure sores on the skin, particularly around the legs and at the waistband area. It seemed to work, very well. We used soakers under the residents who were not independent at toileting. Usually it was just a matter of changing the soaker, took only a couple of minutes and the resident was repositioned at the same time. Very few complete bed changes were involved (and it was always the same residents, no matter how often we did rounds:)) We did rounds every 2 hours. We went around in teams of 2, some residents required 2 CNA's, other rooms each CNA took care of one resident, so it was minimal interruption to everyone's sleep. There were up to 66 residents for the 2 CNAs, some nights it was crazy, but if everyone was dry and comfortable, it really seemed to cut down on the call lights. It's so interesting how different facilities do things different.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I agree that working as a CNA can you some extra experience that first semester of NS.

Another option I wanted to throw at you, after you complete your first semester of nursing school you will be able to work as a nurse assistant. Around here ALL the hospital hire nursing students after the first semester to work as aids (so you don't have to pay extra for a CNA class)---usually it's in something like the Student Flex Pool where you work when you want, self schedualing. They start about $10/hr + differential here. It's a great job for students.

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Hi, I Would Like To Say That Anyone Going Into Nursing Should Be A Cna. We Do Alot For Nurses. I Think That The Job Is Very Demanding And At Times If You Have Never Been A Cna You Don;t Know What They Are Going Though. As Well As A Cna Doesn't Know What A Nurse Goes Through. I Think That You Would Have A Better Apprcieation For Your Cnas

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I Understand Where You Are Comming From. But Always Remember That The Patient Comes First. The Other Will Follow. I'm Sure That Your Don Would Rather You Take Care Of Patients First Than To Know That You Did Your Books, Or Passed Ice, Or Went To Take A Small Needed Break That We All Need. But Think About The Person You Are Helping How They Feel. They May Not Be Able To Tell You , But Look Into Their Eyes, Then You Will Know How Special You Are Because You Took The Time To Care. God Bless You As One Cna To Another You And All Cna's Are Special

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Whatever the cost its worth it

The CNA course I think is only 1 month long, 7-9 credits, and usually 9 hours a day 5 days a week for only 4 weeks - unless it changed -

Then you have plenty of time to work as CNA after that month while taking care of your remaining courses :nuke:

Ask the instructor for the name of the text-book in advance and read the first 100ish pages- Then you'll be cruisin' through the labs/tests/Asmnt's like they are second nature

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