Do I really need to be a CNA first?

[yakimandu]

I'm located in North Carolina. I do very well in college, I have a master's degree in an unrelated field with good grades. I really *really* want to be a psych RN.. or geropsych. Or even informatics, because I used to do computers.

The community college I applied to here is extremely cheap, but they require I do a CNA course and work as a CNA first. They only have ADN. They would take me three years because of the pre-reqs I still need and CNA course.

The very expensive private university here has a BSN program. It would put me in 80 grand of debt and take me four-five years. That is bothering me because I have a Master's degree and don't want four more years of school.

I currently have been alone with my toddler seven months with no outside help because my spouse is overseas. I am lucky to have his financial support, I admit, but I am tied down here and very alone, and it has been very hard on me mentally.

I started a CNA course and had to drop it in the first week, because I mentally could not handle it. First time my kid's in daycare all day, he got abused in the daycare, social services was called, I had a breakdown in class. It is very hard to find childcare in this community. My husband told me on the phone to take a break from school. I don't want to wait to long because he retires in four years and I want to have nursing school done by then. It's looking more and more like that isn't going to happen, and I'm very angry, and very resentful of being a military mom.

I could really use any advice. I am very very upset I had to drop this CNA course, but can I become an RN without being a CNA? How much am I really going to learn about being an RN from only working in nursing homes? That's all there is where I live. Am I doomed to never be able to go to school? I can't even find a sitter on care.com to watch him if he (my son) is too sick to go to school that day. I've been looking on there for over a year and it's so frustrating not having family or friends I can rely on.

I also know that once clinicals start, I need support. I'm afraid it's never going to happen, because I married a soldier. I thought it would be ok.. because I used to be one. Little did I know how much it would hinder my ability to do anything. I really wanted to be in that CNA class.

[RegularNurse]

If you want something bad enough, you will make it happen.

[Maevish, ASN, RN]

Wow, that sucks...sounds like you've have a big bump in your road (and it probably won't be your last). Since you have a Master's degree, you are no stranger to tough school work, but nursing school isn't all it's cracked up to be. It was tough and I didn't have a kiddo at the time!

It's never going to be "easy" and no, you don't have to be a CNA first (although some schools base a minute part of their acceptance on things like that). I was always jealous of the kids who were CNAs/MAs/or even XRay techs before hand because they were WAY more comfortable than I was with patients right off the bat. That didn't happen for me until I hit OB because babies are something I've always been comfortable with.

The main benefit of being a CNA (and what will help you a lot in school/after school) is the process of caring for a patient. My brother is so much smarter than I was going into school because he was a CNA for years beforehand in Oncology and learned a ton that I didn't learn until well after school!

This will be difficult for you and with a kid your social life, if you have one, will probably be slim to none, but it's a relatively short time in your life that will probably get you the job you really want eventually. As for the debt, I'm with you on that cause I did my music major (and part of my nursing program) at an expensive private school so I came out with a little over $80K myself. That's what's keeping me from getting my BSN because I just can't imagine being even more in debt for a degree that won't be any more likely to land the jobs I want (for the most part).

Good luck and if you want it, you can make it happen. Soldier up!

xo:sarcastic:

[itiswell]

Do you have any accelerated programs in your area? I have a prior bachelor's degree and did not want to start from scratch. My program is 15 months long and you graduate with a BSN. It is definitely more expensive than a community college but definitely cheaper than a usual 3-5 year BSN since this program is only 15 months. Also, in the area that I live all hospitals are now only hiring BSN graduates so the BSN is necessary.

[shannon91c]

My college requires a CNA course if you are not an LPN going advanced placement which is what I did. I think it really helps those that have NO patient care experience. IT Teaches Alot Of Basics You Just Can't Get IN A Lab And Are Already EXPECTED To Know When You Hit The Floors For clinical.

[TheNurseStudentMom]

The state of NC requires CNA training but does not require that you work as a CNA. I didn't know any schools required that.

[pmabraham, BSN, RN]

I'm sorry you went through that experience; I hope you, your children, and family are ok. At my community college's RN and LPN programs, we are not required to first become CNA's. While I believe this should not be a requirement, those who were CNA's in my graduating class (Jesus willing, December 2016) did better at skills for the 1st semester. After that, there was little to know difference in terms of doing skills. In terms of theory, the CNA's did ok during the 1st semester as well.

I don't have a healthcare background whatsoever (30 years of IT), and I recently finished my 3rd semester of RN school. When I was in the first semester, I did ask the lead clinical instructor if she thought I should go for my CNA over that summer. She replied, in her decades of experience, no. I asked her why, and she said a lot of times the CNA's, PCA's, etc. develop skills in ways that have to be re-taught, develop poor habits, and get into thinking as a CNA where as a RN has to use critical thinking, critical judgement, be able to delegate, etc.

While it was temping along the journey to get my CNA certification (especially after the second semester where we had enough clinical hours in long term care to apply for testing without a specific CNA set of classes) so I could get part time work, I decided to go with the thought process my end goal is RN (not CNA).

Now, if the only schools in your area require it, and it's your dream to become a nurse, then buckle up and go for it.

[Imma_new_LPN]

I truly believe that being a CNA beforehand is important. Why? You get to understand your clients /patients/residents.

Our school's prereq is CNA cert. Even though we don't have to be one we just have to have it. One of my peers got her CNA and went straight into nursing. When it came time to do patient care she was clueless to the bone, me being a 20 yr CNA veteran was highly irritated.

Does it help when you get into a nursing program? I'd say 50/50. You will be able to understand your patient and know what to do in a position in that scope...

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I would say that becoming a CNA prior to entering a nursing program is very helpful, but not necessary in the long run.

Those of us who entered school without ever having completed CNA programs learned what we needed to know during the first semester of nursing school, a.k.a. nursing fundamentals.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

The 80,000 in debt is quite a lot. However, how long is the CNA course? A lot of states have different lengths of CNA classes but they rarely transfer between states. The 80,000 potential BSN is more scary than taking the time to do the CNA class. However, you would still potentially run into issues with childcare.

[Livetoride]

IMHO, I'd take the CNA requirement over the 80k in debt. I didn't like the idea of being a CNA at first but I actually do like working as one and appreciate things a bit more. I think having some experience as a CNA does come in handy for the field and you get a better feel for things I believe.

I see the biggest problem for you, like me, is child care. I wouldn't want to be in an expensive program and have child care fall through. That'd be one more thing that you would have to worry about.

[beekee]

In my community, there are accelerated CNA courses that are three weeks or so. If you can muster the support and time commitment, that's probably the way to go. Of course, those three weeks will suck, but it'll be over and done.

I am a newly licensed RN. I also have a prior BSN and masters degree. In nursing, those degrees mean nothing. I do, however, get a lot of questions along the lines of "Why are you doing THIS?"

I didn't get my CNA certification before nursing school. I definitely think it would have helped me in clinicals during nursing school (but not the theory portion). And as a nurse, those skills are necessary to learn, but I've become competent at them in a relatively short period of time. I'm older and a career changer, so there was no way I was going to take a $10/hr job, but if I were to do it again, I probably would do it very part time for awhile before or during nursing school.

Assuming you are a bit older (or really any age!), I would definitely not recommend taking out $80,000 for nursing school. That's insane! Investigate the employment opportunities in your state. If you can get a job with an ADN, do that at the community college. The job may be less desirable, but you'll be working and making money. Then, enroll in a RN-to-BSN program online. Just about every school has a program now and they can be done in 12-18 months. Some, like WGU, can be done even quicker (although many plan on completing WGU quicker but end up taking just as long as other schools).

Also, be sure to check out any school you are considering. Accredited? NCLEX pass rate? $80,000 doesn't mean it's a good school (and $8,000 doesn't mean it's a bad school).