How important do you think CNA work is prior to graduation?

[danger dan]

Just curious what everyone thinks about getting a job as a CNA in the hospital setting prior to graduation?

Obviously it is a good opportunity and something everyone should seek, but how necessary do you think it is. A lot of people get offered jobs where they worked as an NA upon graduation. (however I am leaving the state I am in upon graduation and passing the NCLEX)

The reason I ask is that I graduate in December with my BSN and other than clinicals for class I have no work experience in the hospital setting, and I likely wont get any prior to graduation. Im currently a CNA II but just have not worked with that certification. I am however working over the summer as a care provider for a Quadriplegic man assisting with ADL's like transferring, bathing, digital stim, cath care, dressing, etc... which I enjoy. I found this job while waiting for my CNA cert. and now that I work the hours I do I most likely cannot work as a CNA as well.

Just figured I would ask, I want to have as little trouble finding a job as possible and just wanted to see if anyone here had gotten through nursing school without CNA work experience and still had little trouble finding work?

[DoGoodThenGo]

Personally have always felt and said anyone considering entering the profession should work as a nursing assistant first. Indeed some nursing programs in the EU such as France require all nursing students to spend a period of time as a NA before or during their formal education. Mind you many such programs are more didactic based than what one often finds in the United States, but still there is value IMHO in being exposed to patient care before making the choice of becoming a nurse.

[alfrnbsn1988]

I think being a nurses aide gives you an advantage as far as providing basic care and being able to build report with your patient more readily and easily. If you're a nursing assitant who is a leader, one who doesn't short cut your patients and you're their for them not the paycheck, then you'll do wonderfully.

[mommysj]

Just myopinion, I feel as though all nurses should work as a CNA before becoming a nurse. I did this along with a nursing internship and feel as though it really helped to prepare me to be able to care for any patient I may have. Working as a CNA helps you to learn to prioritize and have good time management, both of which are necessary to take care of several patients. Good luck in what you choose!

[chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Patient care experience is alway helpful but there is another, much more compelling reason for doing what you suggest. Nearly every one of my classmates in nursing school who worked as a CNA or tech while in the program (we were an evening/weekend section) got jobs as nurses in the hospitals they worked in after graduation. For the rest of the class, probably less than half did and most had to be content with nursing homes.

The moral of the story is that it can't hurt and might help.

[MN-Nurse, ASN, RN]

Just figured I would ask, I want to have as little trouble finding a job as possible and just wanted to see if anyone here had gotten through nursing school without CNA work experience and still had little trouble finding work?

I've noticed that when people come to allnurses hoping for a specific answer to a certain question, they always find someone willing to supply the answer they want.

That doesn't make it true.

I have a classmate who works on the unit down the hall from me. She got hired on a hospital med surg unit with no CNA experience whatsoever.

Her mother is best friends with the manager of the unit she works on.

So my official answer is that CNA experience is vital, unless your mother can get you a job.

[sauconyrunner]

I admit that I would 100% prefer to hire a new Grad with CNA experience. They tend to understand the hospital routine better, and are usually better at working with difficult patients. (Only because they have worked with difficult ones in the past...and have been part of the hospital routines).

I also admit, my CNA jobs helped me 100% pass the boards. I worked nights. One of the big docs used to call me over and me and the residents would answer NCLEX questions at the wee hours of the morning. Amazing what Medical residents could not answer. When i went to take NCLEX, it was like a breeze after all those lectures.

You will be moving out of state, so you won't want to get a local job as it is- so any kind of connections won't help you unless you have them in the place you are going. I'd really look at the actual market in that area. It seems like no matter what you may have a hard time, especially if you are moving to a saturated area.

[Pneumothorax, BSN, RN]

i think that it is important because there are some people that their only healthcare experience is going to the doc once every 2 years or whenever. It helps you develop interpersonal, and interdisciplinary communicatons skills which is something that you REALLY need to get used to, because lets face it this is an intimate line of work.. we know things about pts that their own family may not even know about them.

Of course in addition to the skill building its gives you job/healthcare experirence which is always a plus. & if you can do it at a hopsital u want to work at even better :)