To all of you CNA's in nursing school, I have a few questions.

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Specializes in N/A.

Hello,

I decided to withdrawal from my last part of my last semester due to feeling like I need more improvement with patient care before graduating. I tried to get into a summer internship but they are all filled in my area so I'm going to apply for a job as a nurse's aid. My question is, to those of you in nursing school, how much has working as a CNA helped you in your clinicals? And why? Do they allow you to observe, perhaps participate? Do you learn from observing, hearing? Thank you.

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Specializes in Rural Nursing = Med/Surg, ER, OB, ICU.

Hi!

I have actually worked in a hospital for 7 years as a CNA. I graduate on Saturday with my LPN and begin my RN program in Aug. Did working as a CNA help... absolutely! My patient care skills were far advanced and when the other students were learning the basics I was forging ahead. I was told in clinicals many times, that they could tell I had experience. It has certainly made nursing school much easier for me to understand. Although it has still been hard work!

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Specializes in LTC , Neuro.

Hi!

CNArural is telling you the truth. I have several friends who were in the ADN program and have said that the students who have been CNA's before and even during nursing school were doing better then the ones who have had no experience. I think you have more of a comfort zone than those who have never been in a LTC environment or a hospital. It is intimidating at first so along with the normal nursing school anxiety your trying to become comfortable in your surroundings. I personally get more out of participating.

Good Luck with whatever you decide to do.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Hello,

I decided to withdrawal from my last part of my last semester due to feeling like I need more improvement with patient care before graduating. I tried to get into a summer internship but they are all filled in my area so I'm going to apply for a job as a nurse's aid. My question is, to those of you in nursing school, how much has working as a CNA helped you in your clinicals? And why? Do they allow you to observe, perhaps participate? Do you learn from observing, hearing? Thank you.

I certainly can respect your decision to withdraw from your last semester, but the question I have is do you really wish to stop now, being so close to being at the finish line in nursing school? You can do what you can to really improve your skills while in clinical, if you choose, then after graduation, maybe take a CNA job while studying for the RN boards. I only say that because nursing school is so tiring. Best of luck with your decision.

I do say that being a CNA did help me somewhat throughout nursing school with dealing with clients at the bedside.

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Specializes in N/A.
I certainly can respect your decision to withdraw from your last semester, but the question I have is do you really wish to stop now, being so close to being at the finish line in nursing school? You can do what you can to really improve your skills while in clinical, if you choose, then after graduation, maybe take a CNA job while studying for the RN boards. I only say that because nursing school is so tiring. Best of luck with your decision.

I do say that being a CNA did help me somewhat throughout nursing school with dealing with clients at the bedside.

My instructor even was worried about me not being ready, so I withdrew.:o

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
My instructor even was worried about me not being ready, so I withdrew.:o

I can understand...if your instructor, the person who is grading you felt that way, I can see why you took a bit of time off. Do you have the option to return, and if so, did they give you a limit of how long, such as one semester, or one year? Good luck with your job search.

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Specializes in N/A.
I can understand...if your instructor, the person who is grading you felt that way, I can see why you took a bit of time off. Do you have the option to return, and if so, did they give you a limit of how long, such as one semester, or one year? Good luck with your job search.

Yes, I can return in the fall to complete 205 which is only 5 weeks. I have a thread started (if you look in my profile) of the story...the title is "I made it to the last minute then"..... For some reason, when I get to this point I get so nervous and I freeze. I'm going to the doc to address this anxiety issue, hopefully with just cognitive therapy and no meds...like coping mechanisms etc. So yeah, I have to wait till November, I was supposed to graduate Dec of 06.:o

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I think your issue with anxiety has more to do with this than being a CNA.

Yes, get some help for that.

There were many in my RN class who were not CNA's and did quite well, including me.

Good luck - best wishes.

steph

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Yes, I can return in the fall to complete 205 which is only 5 weeks. I have a thread started (if you look in my profile) of the story...the title is "I made it to the last minute then"..... For some reason, when I get to this point I get so nervous and I freeze. I'm going to the doc to address this anxiety issue, hopefully with just cognitive therapy and no meds...like coping mechanisms etc. So yeah, I have to wait till November, I was supposed to graduate Dec of 06.:o

Allow me to interject with a thought (not telling you what to do, but speaking as a person that occasionally suffers from anxiety as well) if you enter into your last semester of nursing school and possibly need medication, take it, even if it is temporary. If this makes you uncomfortable, then, of course, find other routes, but, I say this because the last semester of nursing school is usually the most intense. Many assignments, more complicated things to learn, and anxiety runs like brushfire at the last haul. Then, it is graduation, paying money for graduation dues, pins, maybe an exit exam or two...there are many things that can place the student over the edge. If you need the help just to make it through, consider it. I suffered from insomnia the last semester. It was a nightmare!! The whole time you are transitioning and wondering how to study for the boards, if you will pass, what type of job do you want, and all of these things (you remember eustress...happy anxiety they spoke of in psych class). At least, figure out some serious coping skills for that last leg, because it is unbelieveable. You do have until November to sort through this and rest your mind. Best wishes to you!

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Specializes in N/A.

Thank you pagandeva, I'm currently lookinf for employment as a CNA, I think it will be somewhat helpful. See you around!:wave:

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It helps a lot to work as an aid before and during nursing school, If they know you are a nursing student they will even let you help w/procedures sometimes. I got to help a Dr. with a sterile procedure placing a central line w/ ultrasound once and another patient had to have fluid drained off his lung, an the Dr let me help with that too!

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