CNAs deserve more appreciation in nursing!

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Before i go any further with this i would like to say that i totally understand that only a Nurse should be called a nurse, because they work very hard to get that title. But, its ashamed that most Nurses and Society degrade nurse assistants, and call them Aides, Orderlies. It is ashame that most nurses pretend like a CNA has nothing to do with being a nurse, and it shall be forbidden and un godly to mention the two in the same sentence. They blow it way out of proportion when a patient who is uneducated or knows little about medcine might call them a nurse. Some nurses act like "O my god how can you possibly c onfuse some orderlie aide for a nurse" when CNAs hold a professional certificate in the NURSING and MEDICAL field. Patients may often make the mistake of calling a Physical Therapist Assistant a Physical Therapist, they may often refer to a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practicioner as a Doctor, some may call a Deacon a Priest, an EMT is sometime referes to as a Paramedic!! I know that you should correct it if you catch it, but its not that uncommon, since these careers are so closely related. Its no different in nursing. I really hate when somewhen calls a CNA an aide. An aide can be any lay person of any profession with no education or training . A CNA is a certified nurse assistant. It cost alot of money and takes at least 2 months of education to get that title. How would Nurses like it if people would interchange their title with "Bedside Attendant" or "Doctors Aide" or "Hospital Maid". You Nurses work hard to get the title Nurse, and it cost you lots of college costs. Nurse Assistants work hard to get that title CNA. They should be called by that respected title CNA rather than Aide, Patient Caregiver, or orderlies. THE GOLDEN RULE. Whether Nurses like it or not since 1987 CNAs or in the same profession as Nurses, the Nursing proffesion. Not some janitor or custodian.

Specializes in I/DD.

I am sure that things vary quite widely, but my mom is a home health aide and got her CNA certification through work. And yes, she got paid for attending the course just as I get paid for any job training I attend.

In addition, when I was a PCT there was a 4-week course that they had to take, however my Nursing 101 class exempted me from it. I'd imagine that they covered technical skills, basic A&P, infection control, and body mechanics. However, that was not the hospital that I work at now. I am not sure what kind of training our PCT's get before they start their on-the-job orientation.

$1,000 seems very high to me, especially considering the fact that I don't know a single CNA that didn't get their certification through their place of employment.

Lordy, and you only bolded about a third of what I would have, maybe less.....

Oh believe me, I saw what you saw. I just got tired and it started to look like I just bolded everything. ;)

Specializes in Nursing Home.

Well ive benn called a nut on this post, sorry for offending all you nurses, dont know how you could al possibly take offense to this thread and how we could get so far off topic as to take personal shots directed toward me, but the majority rules some of you have been Nurses 30 plus years im assuming, i know you know a heck of alot more than i do, you take offense to this, then there must be something in this that offends you again i apologize. The whoe reason i started this thread was because i will now quote my Aunt, LPN of 10 years, My great aunt Obstetric RN of 33 years, and my great uncle, CNA of 7 years, who all told me the same thing, "Ohhhh noooooo, dont become a Butt Wiper, they make 8 dollars an hour, they treated like dirt by the nurses, and monkeys can do their job" yep thats how they took it when i told em i was going to be a CNA, now if thats the kind of attitude some nurses have are people in general, the nursing assistant shortage will never be filled. But im not quiting, i will stay in CNA school, and finish, and by the help of god, i will be the best CNA i can possibly be.

And P.S.,

Yea, giving your adress, and phone number on the internet is a bad idea, there are lots of reaks out there, and just so happens that im one of the Lay Catholic Ministers for my church when im off on sundays, i shall pray for an end to online pray as well, god bless you!!!

It is most definitely illegal. But i'm done with this thread; I think nursing schools better add a business law class to the curriculum because there is some seriously uneducated healthcare workers out there, thats all i'm saying. If you use some critical thinking, like non-nursing related, and you really got outside the box, you would ask, "If employers can just hire anyone to do nursing assistant work, then why exactly do they have these numerous programs, background checks, fingerprinting, STATE certification tests, and a STATE registry??" No Sally and Joe that worked at the cafe yesterday can walk up into a hospital, get a NA job, and then give direct patient care!! They can be a sitter, that monitors a psych patient or a pediatric patient or whoever, and notifies a nurse of any issues, but they cannot give direct patient care! I cant believe there is people out there who seriously are still in 1965!!! Get some continuing education. Sheesh.

Specializes in Nursing Home.

This is the last thing im going to say on this post!! I lost this discussion, quite frankly if any of yall are passionate football fans like me "I was blown out" lol bad. I resopect all of your criticism, didnt mean to offend anyone. And yes, the Act of 1987 requires that CNAs who work in nursing homes have to be certified no if ands or buts about it federally. In the sate of louisiana the Same rule applies to CNAs who work in hospitals, no if ands buts about it, in my area. As far as im concerned this discussion is over i will not read anymore comments, I lost yall won, theres no need to continue. I will take the good avice that some of you gave me, and carry it forward with me through my time as a CNA. As we pray this sunday in mass during the second sunday of lent for more vocations to holy orders, i will pray personally for more Nurses and Nursing Assistants called to care for the ill. AGAIN YALL BLEW ME OUT, YALL WON, ill take good advice, and the things ive learned and use them!!! God bless the good nurses, and nursing assitants who carry threw the day with some bosses who are jokes for the sake of patients!! God bless you all but this discussion is over for me!!! I will not read this again!

It is most definitely illegal. But i'm done with this thread; I think nursing schools better add a business law class to the curriculum because there is some seriously uneducated healthcare workers out there, thats all i'm saying. If you use some critical thinking, like non-nursing related, and you really got outside the box, you would ask, "If employers can just hire anyone to do nursing assistant work, then why exactly do they have these numerous programs, background checks, fingerprinting, STATE certification tests, and a STATE registry??" No Sally and Joe that worked at the cafe yesterday can walk up into a hospital, get a NA job, and then give direct patient care!! They can be a sitter, that monitors a psych patient or a pediatric patient or whoever, and notifies a nurse of any issues, but they cannot give direct patient care! I cant believe there is people out there who seriously are still in 1965!!! Get some continuing education. Sheesh.

I realize that at 18 years of age you are far more educated than I am in this topic. I also realize that your vast experience as a CNA for a short time qualifies you to know all there is to know about what all kinds of institutions are allowed to do legally, and what hiring practices are everywhere in the country. I really do wish the CEOs of our area hospitals had consulted with you first, before engaging in all sorts of illegal activity. Their loss, to be sure.

1965 was a good year, I hear; it was some time before I was born, but what the heck. My nursing education is current, continuing, and obviously more encompassing than your CNA classes, but hey, what do I know.

I think I need to add more exclamation points and question marks. That'll make my argument much clearer.

This is the last thing im going to say on this post!! I lost this discussion, quite frankly if any of yall are passionate football fans like me "I was blown out" lol bad. I resopect all of your criticism, didnt mean to offend anyone. And yes, the Act of 1987 requires that CNAs who work in nursing homes have to be certified no if ands or buts about it federally. In the sate of louisiana the Same rule applies to CNAs who work in hospitals, no if ands buts about it, in my area. As far as im concerned this discussion is over i will not read anymore comments, I lost yall won, theres no need to continue. I will take the good avice that some of you gave me, and carry it forward with me through my time as a CNA. As we pray this sunday in mass during the second sunday of lent for more vocations to holy orders, i will pray personally for more Nurses and Nursing Assistants called to care for the ill. AGAIN YALL BLEW ME OUT, YALL WON, ill take good advice, and the things ive learned and use them!!! God bless the good nurses, and nursing assitants who carry threw the day with some bosses who are jokes for the sake of patients!! God bless you all but this discussion is over for me!!! I will not read this again!

Yes, please pray on it. And perhaps take another English class prior to attempting to write a paper for a nursing class.

This whole silly thing started with sarahsomething declaring that I had no idea what I was talking about concerning CNA's, when if she had read my post accurately, she would have seen I was talking about hospitals. And that I clarified that I believed nursing homes did require certifications. But no, it was not a blanket law and that she was mistaken to believe that NO ONE could hold such a position without certification. Attempting to educate her only resulted in further hole-digging on her part, so I'll have to say "oh well". There's a big world outside of Louisiana, to be sure.

But then again, what do I know. I'm over the age of 18. And I get to HIRE staff :)

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Respect is a 2-way street. It is earned. A title does not bestow it.

CNA's are very important to the nursing team. And, it depends upon the state how they are designated, Aides or Assistants.

To use the title, "Aide" does not show a lack of respect nor is it derogatory.

This thread has run its course and is now put to sleep until the topic renews itself........again.

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