CNA or...?

Nurses General Nursing

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I am curious as to what my next step should be.

Im very close to reciving my GED thus opening up alot of options for myself as far as my career is concerned. Currently I am working inside an Assisted Living Facility. I like it alot but I def. would like to try out other fields in the future.

Ive been told I should definetly go for CNA certification. As a CNA, you can normally always find work. Others mentioned a CMA, but I have heard the work is not as plentiful for a CMA as opposed to an CNA.

You can see by my SN I would like to be an RN or better yet a Nurse Practiconer as it slower pace seems slightly more suited to me. But, I am still very confused, being only 18 years old. That is why I would like to explore my options before going to college.

What would YOU suggest for someone in my position?

Also, do you know what kinda of program the Army/Navy...etc offer for someone to get experience in a Nursing type position? Even as an Assistant.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this. Even bigger thanks for any response's!

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

MARIO!!!!!!!!!!! how are you? long time no see.

Specializes in Cardiac/Vascular & Healing Touch.

either the military route (which will give you so many benfits) or if you can get a hospital to sponsor you a community college ASN will give you a quicker degree. You are so young!!! You have time! Best Bet, get the BSN. My church member did the military thing, he's 22 now, & is serving in Kuwait as an ICU nurse paid for my Uncle Sam's Army. He loves it working with traumas & orthopedics. Let us know what you decide! :D

my male RN co-worker this is how he did it.

he went into the navy (this part i don't understand but u military people probably would know why) okay he enlisted navy, he was a corpsman. in gulf war 1 he was with the marines he stayed with the marines but he wasn't a marine. he was called the "doc" they called him "doc" for army i guess it's called "medic". he then got out he had options to challenge the boards to become an LVN/LPN because of his experience as a corpsman. the road he choose was he went to a community college started from scratch he states he knows "the skills" he knows what to do but he doesn't know the "book" part of it. (pathophysiology,diseases etc.) concurrent with trying to get that RN degree he worked as a CNA for years until he got his license. that's one road.

Specializes in Cardiac/Vascular & Healing Touch.

navy corpmen are assigned to the marines because the marine do not have this area in there division. My ex- brother in law does this same thing. He's a navy corpman working as a OR Scrub Tech but with the marines in the middle east. He really loves his job, been in the Navy 17 years.

If you are considering the milatary definitely ARMY is the way to go.If you want to stay with nursing pick a nursing related MOS in addition to attending school while you are in...they will pay for it. If you work it out right you can get your degree and become an officer in the nursing corps. I recommend that you contact a recriuter if you are interested. Good Luck

I went straight into the Navy after high school and was a corpsman. I learned an incredible amount of nurising while I was in and it provided me opportunity to travel, earn good money and mature. I would highly recommend it. There are several specialties as a corpsman that you can learn (x-ray tech, surg tech, lab tech) that will qualify you for certifications on the outside. Also, in many states, being a corpsman or a medic will qualify you to become a certified CNA. Definitely a good start to a good future.

Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

Talk with your Air Force and Navy recruiters about their options. For someone starting out, like yourself, this (particularly the Air Force) could be a very good move--probably the best available.

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