How many of you were CNAs before become a Nurse?

[itsme2005]

Why did you become a CNA first and what was the toughest part of being a CNA?

Also if you were looking for experience, what volunteer opportunities can I take advantage of in a hospital if I cannot get my CNA certificate yet.

[jacob1]

I have worked as a CNA on and off now for about 11 years, i should be a pro at it, lol.....I am now going to school for my RN and i am glad i have the experience in patient care and have been exsposed to the hospital setting since thats where i work....A few years ago i never heard of CNA working in maryland hospitals so i only worked in LTC, which i think i would like to go back too when i am done school...The hardest part for me being a CNA is i feel alot of times like you are not appreciated, but thats ok...I am sure the nurses feel like that somethimes too, i think that just goes with the business.....

[RN4NICU, LPN, LVN]

I went straight for RN school. No regrets.

Ditto that.

[KatieBell]

As a career changer, I got certified as a CNA before I became a Nurse, because I didn't have a lot of health care experience. The CNA class was strange, I was the only one in the class with a BA, I was actually asked by the instructor to assist one lady with her reading- as she was having problems reading the exams. It was the first time in my sheltered life that I had been put in the same place as someone like that (Usually I was the "charitable volunteer-angel teaching the downtrodden to read etc"). So, it was a big shock to me. However, I came to love and appreciate my classmates. I worked as an aide- and like Hellllo Nurse, the biggest problem was that many are lazy/difficult to get along with. Luckily, I got transferred early on to the Emergency Department, where I discovered my love of Emergency Nursing....and the rest is history.

Did it help me? Sure, and the proof of the continuing help: I just got hired as a travel nurse, and the manager stated she was glad I'd worked as an aide-she felt aides who become nurses are "always the best nurses"

I'm not sure I feel as strongly as that NM, my best friend never worked as an aide, and she is an excellent L and D nurse.

[Euskadi1946]

I was a CNA, Unit Clerk and Monitor Tech before I went to nursing school. The CNA work was very hard but I loved working one on one with the patients.