CNA before RN

Published

What do you guys think of being a CNA before you become an RN?

I worked as an Aide for 18 months prior to going to a Technical College to get my L.P.N., then went back to school for my R.N. seven years later. Looking back, working as an Aide was the equivalent of "Boot Camp", which laid the foundation for my nursing career. I have my late mother to thank, for urging me to work as an Aide first "So I would know what I was getting myself into".

Thanks, Mom! :kiss

Dear CseMgr1,

I think you just described my journey to my RN degree!!! Anyhow, I do think it was a real benefit to myself for taking the journey from CNA-LPN-RN. Not only did it help me expand in my roles, it gave me a taste of "what it is really like out on the floor" :eek: , not just a textbook version..:bugeyes:

Go Nursing:yelclap:

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What do you guys think of being a CNA before you become an RN?

I always have encouraged friends, family, or anyone interested in Nursing to go work as a CNA for at least 6 months before applying for Nursing school.

I figure this gives the person a first hand view of nursing and healthcare politics, staffing, etc., before they commit to getting a degree.

So far, only one person has gone to Nursing school after working as a CNA. The rest said after seeing what Nurses go through, they changed their mind.

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Working as a CNA first seems to be logical, if you want to, so you get the foundation of nursing practices. I don't think I'd want to continue as a CNA for very long, it's hard work and the pay doesn't seem to be very much for what you do. But going on to the LPN or RN program is really exciting to me at least.

I spent the last year with my father, who passed in August, who was more in the hospital than out with myelodysplasia and Chron's disease, and I got to see quite a bit of what both CNA's and RN's and all the other specialty nurses did. I do find it very interesting and will probably want to specialize in either hematology and or oncology. I got to know the nurses quite well and it just brought out in me the want to learn more. I went to a College right out of high school for Medical Assistant, and did not finish -- I was young and stupid! I do find the medical field very interesting and want to specialize one day!

I was amazed in my CNA class how many people in the class who really did not seem interested in what they were doing -- how they passed I'll never know, but maybe the process CNA-LPN-RN will weed out those who really do not have their hearts in it!

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Working as a CNA first seems to be logical, if you want to, so you get the foundation of nursing practices. I don't think I'd want to continue as a CNA for very long, it's hard work and the pay doesn't seem to be very much for what you do. But going on to the LPN or RN program is really exciting to me at least.

I spent the last year with my father, who passed in August, who was more in the hospital than out with myelodysplasia and Chron's disease, and I got to see quite a bit of what both CNA's and RN's and all the other specialty nurses did. I do find it very interesting and will probably want to specialize in either hematology and or oncology. I got to know the nurses quite well and it just brought out in me the want to learn more. I went to a College right out of high school for Medical Assistant, and did not finish -- I was young and stupid! I do find the medical field very interesting and want to specialize one day!

I was amazed in my CNA class how many people in the class who really did not seem interested in what they were doing -- how they passed I'll never know, but maybe the process CNA-LPN-RN will weed out those who really do not have their hearts in it!

I'm sure they will drop out if they are not serious about it.

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What do you guys think of being a CNA before you become an RN?

Great Idea. I think it should be mandatory do a stint as a CNA because you will know clinically what's going on in your floor/dept ect when assigning CNA's under you. How long certain tasks take to complete, how many CNA's are needed to complete that task. They Don't teach this in Nursing School! Good CNA's with a few years of practical experience recognize quality care and cannot be snowed by less then ambitious Nursing Aides! The CNA's in our Hospital(VA) performed Catherizations, Sterile Drsg Changes, Blood Glucose Checks, and were a Godsend. The good ones that is; I was fortunate to have one of these on my floor who had 35 yrs. experience and she was incredable. Clinically she was so good , our Nurse manager used to send Graduate Rns and LPNs to shadow her for a few weeks.She never went to Nursing School due to "Didn't want the stress" of going to Nursing School. haha . I worked as a CNA my whole time in Nursing school and am glad for it; it was a learning experience not offered in my Nursing School. I feel I'm a better Nurse for it.

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I think it is good to have the experience of touching patients (Eeek, naked ones) before you start your nursing clinicals. Takes away a lot of the jitters.

Also if you can get a job in a hospital as a CNA while going to school, you have an "in" when you get your liscense.

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Working as a CNA will probably give a person a slight leg-up. But if you're a stressed-out nursing student, it won't transform you into a cool-headed one. Being a CNA before you were a nurse will not be the difference between you being a mediocre nurse and a great one. If you're cut out for nursing, you'll do well either way.

If your end result is to get your RN, then I'd say forget the CNA. Nursing school is long and hard enough without adding a few more months on. And once you get your LPN or RN, I don't think having a CNA is going to mean squat.

It's just something to decide for yourself, because everybody has a different opinion....if one person was a CNA for years before going to nursing school, that person is going to tell you that you should do the time as a CNA. I'm a CNA, now going to nursing school. I'm saying that being a CNA doesn't make that much difference. A little, but not worth the time and money.

JMO.

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I personally think that is a great idea to put in some time as a CNA while in nursing school (or before). I worked full time and went to school full-time (2year program including summers)- didn't sleep much! I believe that it was an invaluable experience...it made the clinical experience relatively easy as I could concentrate on meds, procedures, etc. without the distractions of "getting used to patients". Having been a CNA, I also appreciate immensely the contributions made by CNA's in contributing to the overall care of the patient...they are often the "first eyes" upon a patient when unfortunately now, nurses are ""glued" to computer terminals to enter assessments,etc.

I also believe that, by working as a CNA you will learn something that is usually never taught in nursing school- how to budget your time with multiple patients- the focus in nursing school clinicals is 1 or 2 patients-fine if you are going to work strictly in ICU upon graduation but not extremely realistic in a med-surg setting...Just my 2 cents....

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I think that it is a wonderful idea and should be mandatory. I went into nursing school from working retail. It was a big culture shock. Being a CNA at least familarizes you with the hospital setting.

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Specializes in MEDICAL/ONCOLOGY/ WE START TELE IN 5-08.
Speaking of which, does anyone know how to go about becoming a CNA in Ohio? My daughter took the classes years ago and worked at a hospital, though was never tested by the state. Is this still possible?

she'll have to take the classes again and then retest. that's how ohio works, i almost had to retest due to not working as an aide for almost a year. tell he to check with HR in the hospital where she works, they should be able to help

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Specializes in MEDICAL/ONCOLOGY/ WE START TELE IN 5-08.

SO HERE'S MY THING; I AM A CNA HAVE BEEN FOR 5 YEARS, I WORK IN LTC AND ALSO I AM IN AN RN PROGRAM IN MY SECOND SEMESTER OF CLINICALS. I HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE ALL ALONG OF BEING AN AIDE BEFORE GRADUATION. WORKING IN LTC THERE ARE RN'S WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN AN AIDE, GENERALLY REFUSE TO DO THE WORK OF AN AIDE, ENEV IF IT;S JUST A TRANSFER BECOUSE THE WORK IS "BENEATH THEM" (CAN WE TELL IT'S KINDA A SORE SUBJECT RIGHT NOW:angryfire). BUT THEN YOU HAVE THE ONES WHO WORKED AS AN AIDE THEY ARE USUALLY RIGHT THERE HELPING WHEN THE AIDES ARE OVERWHELMED. :rolleyes: SO I AM A TRUE BELIEVER OF WORKING AS AN AIDE FIRST, NOT ONLY DID IT HELP ME FIRST SEMESTER SURPASS MANY OF MY CLASSMATES, YOU ARE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE ON THE FLOOR IN THE LONG RUN

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Specializes in Rural, Midwifery, CCU, Ortho, Telemedicin.

I truely believe that nursing would be a lot better off if CNA was the first quarter of nursing. Persons who really have no idea of what nursing is about and who faint, gag, or go into shock the first time that they have to really clean up a patient or deal with a bedpan would not then continue and take spaces from nurses who are capable of dealing with human fraility. My basic nursing class started with 96 nurses - we graduated

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