I have a B.A. and thinking about pursuing a CNA

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What are my options as a CNA with a Bachelors?? I know I would be no different from other CNAs, but I want to know once I get my foot in the door at a hospital, will I have more opportunites for other jobs with my Bachelors? I figured obtaining a CNA would be the quickest way to get my foot in the door. Do they have promotions for CNAs?

Is it possible to get a CNA position without changing urinals? I am currently seeking a job where I am helping people. But I get queezy when it comes to seeing urine and bowel movements. I know that may sound selfish but I'm just being honest.

I did not become a CNA until about age 53. I have about 8 years of college credits with multiple degrees and primary professions were case worker and computer programmer.

It makes absolutely NO difference what your educational background is when you are a CNA. The job is the job. I worked at an ambulatory clinic, hospital, and LTC, so I got the perspective of all those institutions. My educational background MAY have helped me secure a hospital job, but I'm not really sure about that. The background allows me to converse and interview intelligently, which helps in securing a job. But I don't think that HR, or my nurse-manager, really cared that I had all this secondary schooling. She was looking for someone to provide customer carre (we're talking the hospital).

As others have stated, no, you won't make it as a CNA if you can't deal with bodily fluids and functions and no one will care what education you have.

What made you choose to become a CNA? Have you pursued anything after becoming a CNA?

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Can someone tell me what a LTC is?

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Specializes in LTC.

LTC= long term care, ie nursing home

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I'm a nursing assistant and I have a BS in Psychology and I have a co-worker who has a BS in Biology. I'm a pre-nursing student and I took on the job as a NA so I could have more experience working in a hospital. Coming in contact with body fluids is a huge part of the job and even the nurses have to clean their patients and handle body fluids. If you plan on being a nurse, there's no way you can avoid it. Where I work at they train you to draw blood after a while and give you little raise as well as change in title, but you still provide personal care to patients.

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I'm a nursing assistant and I have a BS in Psychology and I have a co-worker who has a BS in Biology. I'm a pre-nursing student and I took on the job as a NA so I could have more experience working in a hospital. Coming in contact with body fluids is a huge part of the job and even the nurses have to clean their patients and handle body fluids. If you plan on being a nurse, there's no way you can avoid it. Where I work at they train you to draw blood after a while and give you little raise as well as change in title, but you still provide personal care to patients.

Do you run across any Nursing Assistants with degrees that don't want to pursue a BSN?

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I have before.

I work with a girl who has a degree in english/creative writing. She works a couple of days a week to supplement the money she makes from writing. She does it because she enjoys the work and finds it rewarding.

I myself have only 2 semesters left before my degrees (english and history) are finished, and I haven't decided if I am going to pursue my BSN for sure or not.

You'll find CNAs from all walks of life - college students, high school dropouts with GEDs, older "career" cnas, people who retired from other jobs and started working as aides...etc.

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Have you thought about keeping your current job and maybe voluntering at nursing homes or hospitals? You can wheel people in and out at hospitals, work in the flower/gift shops and lots of other things. In nursing homes, you can talk to the residents and help around with things that don't include bodily fliuds. I'm sure all would be very rewarding!

If you want to get your foot in the door by becoming a CNA, any promotion you would get would have to come with more schooling first.

Whatever you decide, good luck as your heart is in the right place!:loveya:

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Specializes in CNA.
What made you choose to become a CNA? Have you pursued anything after becoming a CNA?

Strictly to get a job, quickly, as computer programming in this area went down the tubes after Y2K. I've made no secret that I went into this because it is only one course, only costs about $500 - $750 to get, virtually no age or gender discrimination, and pretty much a guaranteed job.

I'd love to lie to you and tell you how much I want to help people (there IS that aspect), but the prime motivation was employment.:stone

I became a Developmental Disability Aide first and worked in a group home. This gave me the impetus to get a CNA because there were far more jobs and I was looking for more job security.

Sad (?) but an honest answer....

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Oh my gosh- WOW. thats all, jsut_ WOW

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