CNA vs. RN

[nurturer]

i've been working as a cna for 2 months now, while attending nursing school.

i am discovering that cna work is a very stressful job, espcially with the irratic fluctuation in staff to patient ratio.

will my stress increase as an rn or decrease?

[chicookie, BSN, RN]

RNs would win definitely. I mean come on now they have syringes. LOL

Actually I think that the amount of stress is the same. The type of stress though is different and that makes all the difference in the world. RNs are more mental and CNA are much more physical. And again it depends on the floor and all that.

Either way the work is hard and the pay is little.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

How are you able to work as a CNA AND go to nursing school? I've been advised that working even part time is tough while going to school. Are you a part-time worker or PT student. I'm asking because, if possible, I think it would get great to do what you are doing.

I worked full time as a CNA while in nursing school full time. It is doable, though I wouldn't recommend it. For me, it was a matter of necessity.

As to the original question, my stress levels have increased a hundredfold since becoming a nurse. I have found that there really is no comparison between the kind of busy I was as an aide and the kind of busy I am as a nurse. One of the things that drives me absolutely bonkers are the comments I hear from CNAs frequently, such as:

"I have ten patients and the nurse only has four, so the nurse can do ____________."

"No matter how busy the nurse is, the CNA is always twice as busy."

All I can really do is laugh, because they are so clueless.