CNA to RN

I think that it may be akward at first. It sounds like you have a great working environment which is condusive to your mental health. It's especially good because you will be a new RN and the CNA's will be there to help you along and cheer for you! Good Luck in your new position!!!

From experience i can say it WILL be awkward at first. It will take a few months for the CNA's that you have been working with to accept the change in your status on the unit. Most will eventually come around when they learn they can trust you havent changed all that much, are willing to pitch in and help and are someone they can come to when they need help with something. There may even be some who take longer or who never really get past your change, but thats their problem and dont let that change the way you work. Things will settle in and all will be fine.

Thank you for your replies! I appreciate your words of encouragement!!

My experience was, and still is to some degree, that I work my buns off trying to get it all done-while my fellow RN's say "I will call the CNA to put you on the potty, get you cleaned up" (etc, etc, etc)

I find that Nurses that have not been PCTs or CNA are much quicker to delegate tasks to the CNA so THEY can go to the station and eat, etc. I will delegate those tasks if I have to, but if I am able to do them without putting myself too far behind I do them rather than delegate.

THe end result is that when I am insanely busy, I have fellow RNs asking me if I need help- but I also have CNAs and techs that come to me and say "you look stressed-what can I do to help?"

The whole idea that I try to bring to the workplace is that we are all a team and teams help each other-they dont dump on each other.