CNA or RN?!?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I feel completely lost an bummed out!

I am a 21 year old mother of 2 kids and wife and I been trying to complete my pre reqs for Nursing (generic) for over 3 years now but life keeps happening and It's still so far away.

I only got my A&P 1 AND 2 and my microbiology to complete in order for me to be FINALLY done. ( I love anatomy btw - got a B in my high school level A&P)

I been thinking of doing MA instead of nursing but i'm not happy wanting to do so. I've always wanted to be a nurse.

I now want to do my CNA and just be done with it and not pursue for my RN because I feel like it's too competitive and I'm not a smart person at all.

Now it turns out that I have to take a TEAS V test (not a requirement before) plus be done with those classes I have left in order for me to APPLY in which the whole application process can take up to 1 year.

I'm completely discouraged and I don't know what to do. I almost feel depressed again. any advice on what route to take - I just want all of this to be

Keep working at it. One class at a time. Get your cna to gain valuable experience. You are only 21. Still so young. I started back to school for my rn at 40. You can do it!

I was in your shoes at 21. I had kids, a husband, and a job. Life went on. The only difference was that at the age of 21 I didn't have the drive you have. I raised my kids and went to college for the first time at 36 yrs. Became an RN at 39. Don't give up, it can be done. Good luck.

Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

You can get your CNA in the mean time but you're still young, don't give up. A year will go by in no time and you can either feel accomplished because you can finally apply for the program or you'll feel regretful because you know that if you would have been taking the required classes you could have applied for the program. A year is nothing.

We overestimate what we can do in a year, but we underestimate what we can do in ten years. Begin with your CNA and gain valuable experience, while continuing to chip away at your pre-reqs.

CNA is one thing that most all nursing programs require and personally I think having experience as a nursing assistant helps with making a great nurse because as a nurse they will understand what nursing assistants had to go through and will be more willing to help out.

Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish. The time will pass anyway. -Earl Nightingale

Those Nightingales are pretty wise people.

CNA is one thing that most all nursing programs require and personally I think having experience as a nursing assistant helps with making a great nurse because as a nurse they will understand what nursing assistants had to go through and will be more willing to help out.

I don't think this is true at all. In fact, I haven't seen a single program which required CNA first, and I've looked at quite a few!

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I don't think this is true at all. In fact, I haven't seen a single program which required CNA first, and I've looked at quite a few!

My program does.

OP, you are young. You have time, trust me. :) I went back to school for nursing after my three started school/pre-k. Get the CNA, get experience with hands on care, plug away at those pre reqs as you can, and keep the faith.

My program does.

OP, you are young. You have time, trust me. :) I went back to school for nursing after my three started school/pre-k. Get the CNA, get experience with hands on care, plug away at those pre reqs as you can, and keep the faith.

Like I said, I haven't seen a single one...but it could also be location. I see you're in North Dakota. I'm in NY. And around where I live, if you had to have your CNA before starting nursing school, about half of the high school graduates would have to wait a year before starting school because you have to be 18 to be a CNA. Literally no facility will hire you if you're under 18, and the only way to get the training if you're under 18 is through the local tech school in either your junior or senior year of high school.

Why not look into an LPN program. It's only a year long and you will still fulfill your goal of becoming a nurse. 😀 Plus with having your LPN you can transition into the RN program if you still want to go that route, which you can't to as a MA or CNA. You could be working as an LPN, finish up your last prerequisites and then transition right into the 2nd year of the RN program.

Why not look into an LPN program. It's only a year long and you will still fulfill your goal of becoming a nurse. ������ Plus with having your LPN you can transition into the RN program if you still want to go that route, which you can't to as a MA or CNA. You could be working as an LPN, finish up your last prerequisites and then transition right into the 2nd year of the RN program.

Some LPN programs are 3 semesters, and with some (like mine), you only get to transfer into the 2nd semester of the RN program. Just something to think about.

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