CNA before/while in nursing school....

I'm not quite the same age (nearly 34 now) but I'm also taking care of prereqs in prep for nursing school. The program I'll be applying to will actually have us work as Nursing Assistants at the hospital where we'll do our clinicals (it's part of a partnership between the hospital system I work for and the nursing school I'm planning on attending) so I know it's possible...

I was a CNA in long term care before I started nursing school and then I worked as a CNA/Tech on a Telemetry Unit and eventually as an ER Tech/EMT. I can tell you that any CNA experience is helpful in nursing school. This especially evident in the first semester of clinical. My peers without any previous hospital experience were more timid and struggled with introducing themselves to patients and interacting with Staff/providers/patients etc. My experience in specific departments were extremely helpful when covering topics in class (cardiology, pulmonary especially). Just remember your tests will never ask what do the nurses do at work, it's always by the book in school. That got me a few times!

I think you should go for it. I am finishing my pre-reqs up now for nursing school and working as a full time CNA. I am switching from home health to a hospital setting in about 5 weeks and will be working 12 hour night shifts, 3 days a week. My suggestion would be to work full time while you are taking pre-req classes because its the only time you won't necessarily struggle between work and school. I am going to be working full time as a nursing student which is why I will be working nights. It will be difficult, so keep that in mind if you plan to continue working full time in nursing. It is 100% doable though and becoming a CNA is a wonderful way to get your foot in the door for nursing to see if this is truly your cup of tea. It will benefit you in the nursing program as well because you will have more practice speaking to co-workers and patients, patient care, etc. Good luck!