People are telling me that I should not tell people that I want to be a Nurse

[Wannabenurseneko]

When people had asked me what I wanted to be , I would tell them I want to be a nurse.My mom and another woman have both told me never tell anyone you want to be a nurse, my mom said because people in my CNA program can become competitive . I've been hearing saying for awhile and I'm wondering why do people say this?

[A.M. Wolf, CNA]

I am not sure. Health care can be a passive aggressive environment, so it might be best to keep your long term career goals just to your friends and family. Competitive? It is competitive, depending upon the school, to be admitted to a nursing program. I would not pursue a nursing program that is not competitive. A good idea is to find a hospital or facility you would like to work for and ask human resources where they hire from the most. As far as being in nursing school, groups will (probably) form, often around ethnicity or national origin. But unless your school has a graduation cap (only a certain number can graduate in a year), there is enough room for everyone at the finish line. What made me different from some other students when I was in school is that I saw my class as one big team that should work together to help everyone be successful. My class was, unfortunately, not always this way, but I was always striving to make it so and not dissuaded by others who did not share the vision. Hopefully your class will be a real team.

[MiladyMalarkey, ASN, BSN]

Who cares if people in your CNA program get competitive? Let them, that's not your concern. I wouldn't go around advertising/boasting about it, but if someone asks, yeah, eventually one day I hope to be a nurse. Who cares what anyone thinks, in the end what you think and how you do in your own studies is all that matters.

[Wannabenurseneko]

Who cares if people in your CNA program get competitive? Let them, that's not your concern. I wouldn't go around advertising/boasting about it, but if someone asks, yeah, eventually one day I hope to be a nurse. Who cares what anyone thinks, in the end what you think and how you do in your own studies is all that matters.

I only tell folks if they ask mostly family and a few strangers that asked

[direw0lf, BSN]

Maybe you'd be an inspiration to other CNA students instead of provoking jealousy and competition? Maybe you'd find a CNA student in the same boat as you, and you 2 can help each other all through nursing school.

[iamalagirl]

I don't think it makes any difference for you to tell your classmates about your dream to be an RN.

I think it WILL make your job difficult if you tell your CNA co-workes you want to go to (or you are in) RN program, once you start working as CNA.

I worked as CNA in a hospital throughout my RN program and had hard time with some of my CNA co-workes because I mentioned them I was in RN program. When I told other CNAs I was in RN program, some of them changed their attitudes towards me. They became unfriendly to me. They didn't help me at all. It became so hard for me to work with some of CNAs. I felt that they were jealous of me because many of them wanted or tried to be LVN or RN. Some of CNAs in my unit were actually went to LVN or RN programs in the past but failed or had to quite for some reasons. Those were not happy that I was in RN program. RNs were, on the other hand, loved that I was in RN program because I could understand many procedures, diseases, and nursing interventions.

So, my advice is you should be careful whom to tell that you want to be RN after you start working as a CNA in a hospital.

[katyq82]

You also don't want your CNA employer to think that you are only in it for the short term, at least until you get to know them and see if they are supportive of furthering your education, maybe even leading to an RN position at the facility. I would worry more about that, although petty coworkers can certainly clue in employers too. I always keep it vague and positive: "I am learning so much right now and really enjoying this new challenge, I'll have to see what the future holds down the road!" Now if you have to tell your employer that you are in an RN program because of scheduling or other reasons then that becomes a different conversation.

[BAY AREA RN, BSN]

why not tell what u want to be. Don't be embarrassed for for having goals. Just think when people are going to school for nursing everybody may be at different phases. If you tell them thats not going to make your grade go down and make them get ahead of you. You can be in your 3rd semester of pre reqs and they might be starting their first. Not only that but it is good to have some one to study with and go on the journey with, people were real competitive and secretive in the prereq phase and i didn't understand it. Its a competitive major regardless of who you tell. there are hundreds of other people competing for the space from other schools, not just you so your and your class mates. I tell everyone what my major is, I am proud to want to be a nurse and it takes an amazing person to want to spend their life caring for others.

[Wannabenurseneko]

You also don't want your CNA employer to think that you are only in it for the short term, at least until you get to know them and see if they are supportive of furthering your education, maybe even leading to an RN position at the facility. I would worry more about that, although petty coworkers can certainly clue in employers too. I always keep it vague and positive: "I am learning so much right now and really enjoying this new challenge, I'll have to see what the future holds down the road!" Now if you have to tell your employer that you are in an RN program because of scheduling or other reasons then that becomes a different conversation.

My current job was giving me a hard time because I needed a few days to go to school ; They were mad at me for not telling them what I'm studying at school ,and got pretty upset with employees that go to school part time, so I'm currently looking for a job that gives me room to go to school and work .