is this common?

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So, I just started my biology class last week and one of the ladies at my lab table is a cna (taking prereqs for the rn program). I was trying to engage everyone in conversation so we could get to know each other and we were discussing our future plans. She said that she wanted to get her RN because "she was sicking of working with the rn's doing the same things they do for less pay".

Is this common thought among cna's? Because while everyone's job is important, cna's do not do the same thing as an rn. Just wanted to hear everyone's thoughts on this and see if i'm offbase somewhere.

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No, CNA's do not do the same things as LPN's or RN's. She doesn't understand what nursing really is.

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Specializes in SNF/Acute.
she said that she wanted to get her rn because "she was sicking of working with the rn's doing the same things they do for less pay".

is this common thought among cna's? because while everyone's job is important, cna's do not do the same thing as an rn. just wanted to hear everyone's thoughts on this and see if i'm offbase somewhere.

wow! i can't believe she said that, quite ignorant if you ask me.

why would there be different classifications of nursing then?

rn's have the most responsibility and must supervise the lvns and cnas. takes brains to be an rn, you have to go to school for years and truly work for it. whereas with cnas at my school, you can finish in one month. obviously that is nowhere near comparable to the education you need to be for an rn. comments like that are really disappointing.

i've never really heard any cna's say things like that, but are more humble. and say that want to really get back into school to upgrade themselves.

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That is funny! I would love to see what kind of work that CNA is doing.

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Specializes in Gastroenterology.

I'm a CNA on a med-surg ward and I would never say that. In my area the roles overlap but are very different. In fact I would say the opposite, that I want to be a nurse so that I can learn how to do all the stuff I can't do as a CNA!

But maybe she works in an area where the differences between RN and CNA are not so clear cut? Maybe in long term care or residential care it might be harder for her to see what the difference is? I don't know not having worked in those areas.

Or maybe she's just got an attitude problem....

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Maybe she just had a slip of the tongue?

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I agree I think it depends on where you work. When I worked in LTG the only difference in day to day jobs of the nurse and the aides was that the nurses passed out meds. BUT it was the non-day to day stuff that the nurses were paid for. If one of our residents started to have problems it sure wasn't the aides in there taking care of things, kwim?

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Specializes in Critical Care (ICU/CVICU).

When I worked as a CNA, there was a DISTINCT difference in the jobs as a CNA and an RN (at my job). Pay, work and all...but that's the benefit of getting an education. More school= Less (physical) work= more pay. I worked at a Nursing home and some of my RNs were really lazy! For example, When I needed help transferring this obese patient from bed to wheelchair, I couldn't find my CNA coworker to help. So luckily (or unluckily in this case) One of the nurses were in my hall and I asked her for help. Do you know what she did??? She told me to wait while she walked ALL FOUR halls just to find another CNA. :madface::madface:

Another example is when I went on my break. While I was gone, one of my patient's call lights came on. My nurse actually waited for me to get off of break to attend to the patient! Who knows what could have happened!

I swear...I made a promise to myself that I would NEVER be that kind of nurse. Sorry....had to vent!!!

But then again, I have have some really nice nurses, who helped me and taught me things. Your classmates should not try to compare her level of work to the RNs. I hear those kind of statements from LVNs at my job, never a CNA

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Specializes in 2 years as CNA.
When I worked as a CNA, there was a DISTINCT difference in the jobs as a CNA and an RN (at my job). Pay, work and all...but that's the benefit of getting an education. More school= Less (physical) work= more pay. I worked at a Nursing home and some of my RNs were really lazy! For example, When I needed help transferring this obese patient from bed to wheelchair, I couldn't find my CNA coworker to help. So luckily (or unluckily in this case) One of the nurses were in my hall and I asked her for help. Do you know what she did??? She told me to wait while she walked ALL FOUR halls just to find another CNA. :madface::madface:

Another example is when I went on my break. While I was gone, one of my patient's call lights came on. My nurse actually waited for me to get off of break to attend to the patient! Who knows what could have happened!

I swear...I made a promise to myself that I would NEVER be that kind of nurse. Sorry....had to vent!!!

But then again, I have have some really nice nurses, who helped me and taught me things. Your classmates should not try to compare her level of work to the RNs. I hear those kind of statements from LVNs at my job, never a CNA

I do know what you mean. I have heard these types of comments before from LVN's about RN's but never from a CNA because the work is so different. But I have known of LVN's that have worked in critical care (which our hospital does not allow anymore unless they were already there and have tons of experience) that complain that they do the work of a RN but get LVN pay, and honestly sometimes they are a little right, but I say just go back to school and complete a bridge program.

And I absolutely hear you about lazy nurses and I too have promised myself that I will NEVER be like that. But I have also had some awesome nurses that really appreciate me and have gone the extra mile to help out and that is what I strive to be like. :bow:

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