My 16 year old daughter thinks that she wants to become a RN in a neonatal unit. We live in Utah and her high school counselor told her that she would have to take a CNA course....that it is required to enter into a RN program. So I thought, maybe its just the state college / universities that are requiring that so I called a private college and they said the same thing.
Here is my problem with her taking the CNA....
As a RN, she wants to work in neonatal...taking care of babies. Or I am sure she wouldn't mind a position in say at the Childrens Hospital. I think she just wants to help kids. So, I don't see how wiping and cleaning a grown man's butt and genitals is going to in anyway help her. Changing a diaper on an adult is a lot different than changing one on a baby or young child.
Do all states / schools now have this CNA requirement in order to enter an RN program? Or are there some programs where you can do clinicals at childrens hospital instead of a nursing home?? Can you go straight to RN training or do you have to become an LPN first?
I am trying to help my daughter make the right choices with her school schedule and the direction she might want to go after graduation. She is a junior and I had let her sign up for the CNA program at the local tech school that is conjunction with her school. She is supposed to start it next semester. But, I didn't realize that, at 16 years old, that she would be asked to wash a grown man's genitals....that just doesn't seem right to me and I don't want her doing it.....not at 16. But I don't want to totally discourge her from becoming a neonatal RN if that is truely what she wants to do. I told her that I at least wanted her to wait a year on the CNA thing. If I can find a school that doesn't require the CNA or has clinicals at a childrens hospital, then I could send her in that direction after graduation.
Does anyone know if there is an RN program somewhere that is geared toward childrens care??
With all due respect, you can not go into nursing with the mind thought that you will only EVER take care of a certain population. This is not at all realistic. I'm NICU nurse and the standard to entry is at least 3-5 years experience on a medical surgical floor, which will include caring for people of adults of ALL ages with a wide variety of health issues. Most schools now require this certification which is good, because in all actuality one can say they want to be a nurse but lack real life experience to back up their desire. CNA work provides this experience and a lot of other skills (both physical and interpersonal).
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
6 hours ago, Kschm017 said:
With all due respect, you can not go into nursing with the mind thought that you will only EVER take care of a certain population. This is not at all realistic. I'm NICU nurse and the standard to entry is at least 3-5 years experience on a medical surgical floor, which will include caring for people of adults of ALL ages with a wide variety of health issues. Most schools now require this certification which is good, because in all actuality one can say they want to be a nurse but lack real life experience to back up their desire. CNA work provides this experience and a lot of other skills (both physical and interpersonal).
You do realize this thread is 10 years old, right? Pretty sure all of these folks have moved into the working world by now.
My 16 year old daughter thinks that she wants to become a RN in a neonatal unit. We live in Utah and her high school counselor told her that she would have to take a CNA course....that it is required to enter into a RN program. So I thought, maybe its just the state college / universities that are requiring that so I called a private college and they said the same thing.
Here is my problem with her taking the CNA....
As a RN, she wants to work in neonatal...taking care of babies. Or I am sure she wouldn't mind a position in say at the Childrens Hospital. I think she just wants to help kids. So, I don't see how wiping and cleaning a grown man's butt and genitals is going to in anyway help her. Changing a diaper on an adult is a lot different than changing one on a baby or young child.
Do all states / schools now have this CNA requirement in order to enter an RN program? Or are there some programs where you can do clinicals at childrens hospital instead of a nursing home?? Can you go straight to RN training or do you have to become an LPN first?
I am trying to help my daughter make the right choices with her school schedule and the direction she might want to go after graduation. She is a junior and I had let her sign up for the CNA program at the local tech school that is conjunction with her school. She is supposed to start it next semester. But, I didn't realize that, at 16 years old, that she would be asked to wash a grown man's genitals....that just doesn't seem right to me and I don't want her doing it.....not at 16. But I don't want to totally discourge her from becoming a neonatal RN if that is truely what she wants to do. I told her that I at least wanted her to wait a year on the CNA thing. If I can find a school that doesn't require the CNA or has clinicals at a childrens hospital, then I could send her in that direction after graduation.
Does anyone know if there is an RN program somewhere that is geared toward childrens care??
Thanks!
I wonder whatever happened. My money is that she ended up wiping grown up asses no matter what
Kschm017
2 Posts
With all due respect, you can not go into nursing with the mind thought that you will only EVER take care of a certain population. This is not at all realistic. I'm NICU nurse and the standard to entry is at least 3-5 years experience on a medical surgical floor, which will include caring for people of adults of ALL ages with a wide variety of health issues. Most schools now require this certification which is good, because in all actuality one can say they want to be a nurse but lack real life experience to back up their desire. CNA work provides this experience and a lot of other skills (both physical and interpersonal).