low class

psalm, RN · Oct 8, 2007

While you don't NEED to justify what you do, you can look at it as entry level in nursing care, as in "I assist the nurse with pt. care...vital signs, mental status changes, I&O's, activity level, diet consumption, activity changes, are very important for proper pt. care." Hold your head up and enjoy your position, a good CNA is worth her/his weight in M&Ms!!

jb2u, ASN, RN · Oct 8, 2007

We do not pay in America based on importance or how vital one is to our society. If so, actors/singers/rappers would make $5/hr and those in healthcare including housekeeping would make the big bucks!!! However, we live in a society that pays based on....level of education required, supply/demand, and perceived "value" by society. The fact is it is easy to become a CNA (some states do not even require a certification), there are plenty of CNAs out there, and the perceived value, however unfortunate, is low. This all equals less pay!!

I think the best thing to do is educate the public on what a CNA really does. What is required of them. If done right, the cna plays a vital role in healthcare; however, I know many of the cna's that I worked with as a cna were very unprofessional, stayed in the day room most of the day, and really did not do the job the way that it should be done. For all of the visitors to the facility, they would get the impression that CNAs are overpayed!! This does not help raise the value of the cna position. I believe the CNA standards should be raised to mandatory certification requiring a full year of college. With this, I do think the pay should and would be raised!!!

ari3sdog · Oct 8, 2007

i'm almost done with my cna training and when i tell people that i'm going for the cna they look down on it and say that i'm on the bottom rank .people always assume that i just clean poop all day nothing more nothing less.If cna are so vital to the team then why are we paid so little compared to a vn or rn?:uhoh3:

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm a CNA, then finish LVN school, then took the board this month. CNA are needed for the team. Every part of health workers are team. I don't know those people you are mentioning but are they in medical field themselves?

CNA are getting paid so little because CNA can only do bedside care. Vn or Rn get paid more than CNA because they're in charge of CNAs and patients. They do the planning, they delegate stuff to the CNA. MORE RESPONSIBILITIES. =( This is why I think they get paid more.

Just be the best CNA, I bet they will trust you because it will lessen their fears that thinking of their patient is getting the best service. I bet if there are no CNAs, their job will get harder. I was in LVN school, we went to a facility that there are no CNAs in sight. Because of that, no RNs or LVNs can't do bedside care because everyone is focusing on the medication, etc. The staff in that facility complains that they should have CNAs because they need someone to watch for their patient while they are away.

I used to work in Burger King. Everyone works basically do the same thing, but the only difference is that the supervisor is the one handling critical situation - For example if a costumer complains about the service, I would say "Would you like to talk to my supervisor" I have less worries about that. This is how I think they get paid higher because of this kind of situation

I think it's a good start to do CNA first. This will help you if you like the idea of being a Nurse. Once you establish yourself as a CNA, then go for you LVN, or better yet...be an RN... wait.... be an DON...hmmm...wait Be a Administrator...hmmm...wait...own a facility and be the boss of everyone =D

Anyways, I never think of myself as a lower class when I was a CNA. I like to be in-charge of things, because when I was a CNA, I felt same way as you.

So ya...lol

Good luck :trout:

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2007

The CNA is a vital member of the healthcare team. However, vitality does not always result in the most pay. You cannot reasonably expect to earn a whole lot of money after completing a few weeks or months worth of CNA training. Society simply does not reward workers with high salaries after accruing minimal education and training to do a job that entails backbreaking manual labor.

In healthcare, society rewards the most money to the people who utilize the most abstract thinking through the course of their jobs. The job of a physician entails a great deal of abstract thought, so society rewards doctors with six figure salaries. The job of a CNA involves plenty of manual labor, so society bestows low pay rates upon them. This is the harsh truth.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 14, 2007

Unfortunately, the real world has a pecking order. Since we are speaking of nursing, I'll narrow it here and mention that you will see this all throughout the levels of nursing. You will see and hear that medical assistants think themselves to be higher than CNAs or phlebotomists. As an LPN, we are told by RNs we are not really nurses, RNs are battling it out because of the perceived differences of associate degree verses bachelor degree training for the same NCLEX-RN exam, and so on. It will never be enough. Therefore, you have to draw satisfaction from within because nursing will not really give it to you.

I started out as a CNA, medical assistant, phlebotomist, tech, and am now an LPN. While I do enjoy being a nurse, I also saw while being in the foxholes with them, that the glamour is not what people think that it is. We spend a great deal of time trying to cover our buns legally for each thing that happens. But, I was also always articulate, bright and a great team player. I was that way because this is who I am. And, I always gained admiration and respect from superiors and peers because of that. This is how you should present yourself as a CNA. Be the best that you can be. Have it where the nurses and patients are glad when YOU walk in the door. This will lead to things that will reward you in the long run. They may actually consider sending you to school to become a nurse, or some other position in the medical field. Good luck, and don't let them rain on your parade.

bakpakr · Oct 14, 2007

I have 5 days left until I finish my CNA course. We graduate this Friday. We start actual resident care on Monday. I can't wait. I know the CNA is low on the totem pole but if it were not for the CNA the residents would suffer due to the RN's and LPN's having to do everything. I feel my job is just as important as that of the nurses. I am the eyes and ears of the nurses. As for pay yea it isn't the greatest but the rewards of doing a good job make up for the lower pay. Just my 2 cents.

roni221 · Oct 14, 2007

Hold your head up and take pride in what you do. A CNA is an extremely important job. Unfortunately as others have said that doesn't mean you get great pay. And it's definitely not a glamorous job and you have to do some yucky things. But I always say that somebody has to do it and it might as well be someone who cares. Not to mention, somebody who is competent, as I'm sure you are. I'm starting nursing school in Jan. so I won't be a career CNA but I have loved the time I spent as a CNA and will spend at least another year a a half working as a CNA. I get that same reaction that you do when I tell people I'm a CNA but if they only how important our job is (I've met plenty of people who feel this way too) and how rewarding it is to take care of somebody when they can't take care of themselves. Good luck!:yelclap::yelclap::balloons:

jcsinging · Oct 14, 2007

I just graduated LPN school. From what I have seen, CNAs are very very very important. In my clinicals in the long term care industry, the CNA was THE most important member in the health care chain. The residents loved and depended on their CNA for continuity and knowledge unique to their care. Do NOT let anyone look down on you. They can say whatever they want, but it can't have any effect on you unless you allow it. Only allow the good, ignore the ignorant. As to the salary... unfortunately for you, education is the only way to increase the CNA salary. LPN was appealing to me because it gave me hands on patient care (which I love) and not so much BS that the RN has to deal with.

.....just my own personal observations . Keep on keepin on... :lol2:

jb2u, ASN, RN · Oct 15, 2007

hold your head up and take pride in what you do. a cna is an extremely important job. unfortunately as others have said that doesn't mean you get great pay. and it's definitely not a glamorous job and you have to do some yucky things. but i always say that somebody has to do it and it might as well be someone who cares. not to mention, somebody who is competent, as i'm sure you are. i'm starting nursing school in jan. so i won't be a career cna but i have loved the time i spent as a cna and will spend at least another year a a half working as a cna. i get that same reaction that you do when i tell people i'm a cna but if they only how important our job is (i've met plenty of people who feel this way too) and how rewarding it is to take care of somebody when they can't take care of themselves. good luck!:yelclap::yelclap::balloons:

great post roni221!!!!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 15, 2007

I just graduated LPN school. From what I have seen, CNAs are very very very important. In my clinicals in the long term care industry, the CNA was THE most important member in the health care chain. The residents loved and depended on their CNA for continuity and knowledge unique to their care. Do NOT let anyone look down on you. They can say whatever they want, but it can't have any effect on you unless you allow it. Only allow the good, ignore the ignorant. As to the salary... unfortunately for you, education is the only way to increase the CNA salary. LPN was appealing to me because it gave me hands on patient care (which I love) and not so much BS that the RN has to deal with.
.....just my own personal observations . Keep on keepin on...

I can certainly agree with you, there. I always wanted to be a nurse, and even though I had a competitive GPA to enter into an RN program, I had to look into what my personal philosophy of nursing entailed, and for me, LPN was the way to go. I also enjoy the hands on, having access to medical information to interpet, being part of the team and also, the fact that thus far, I had more opportunities to make extra money that was not available to me in other medical positions. And, also, like you, not all of the same headaches RNs seem to have.

As I said earlier, no matter how high up the food chain you go, there will always be someone saying "You have to go further to achieve, and to gain respect". That is not true. I had a great deal of respect given to me as a CNA, medical assistant and Patient Care Associate; and I am gaining the same respect as an LPN. You have to be satisfied with yourself, first. When it is time to grow, you will know.

metalhead · Oct 18, 2007

Hold your head up and take pride in what you do. A CNA is an extremely important job. Unfortunately as others have said that doesn't mean you get great pay. And it's definitely not a glamorous job and you have to do some yucky things. But I always say that somebody has to do it and it might as well be someone who cares. Not to mention, somebody who is competent, as I'm sure you are. I'm starting nursing school in Jan. so I won't be a career CNA but I have loved the time I spent as a CNA and will spend at least another year a a half working as a CNA. I get that same reaction that you do when I tell people I'm a CNA but if they only how important our job is (I've met plenty of people who feel this way too) and how rewarding it is to take care of somebody when they can't take care of themselves. Good luck!:yelclap::yelclap::balloons:

thanks a whole bunch!