should I become a c.n.a.?

[pooty31]

Hi,

I am new to this site, and have seen a lot of great responses and personal opinions.

I am undecided if I want to become a C.N.A. or not? I am a stay at home home, with a part time job during the day. I know I could go to school at night, or even on the weekends to get my certification. I have never worked in the healthcare field, and don't know if I would want to further my education. I don't even know why I thought of this profession. I just know that I:D can't get it out of my mind, I am a compassionate person, and I love to make people feel good. I am hesitant because I hear so many horror stories, I don't want to be unhappy..

Please, any C.N.A.'s out there, if this job is the right move for you, send out some encouragement!

Thanks

[nohika]

I don't know about it being a right move, but it's a way to see if you really want to go into nursing or not.

I worked as a CNA for about a month and ended up leaving due to the politics. I couldn't stand the work, the people, etc - cept for a few nightshift coworkers. I went in, did my job, and left. I also (quickly) determined that way that nursing was not for me, so I'm looking into other career options. Leaning towards veterinary med, but not sure yet.

Sorry it's not the most positive anecdote, but it's honest. :)

[Joyfull77]

I also had the urge to become a CNA, so I did! (And I was also a mostly stay at home mom and I worked in a home office and taking classes for nursing prerequisites) While I greatly value the experience I gained as a CNA, I am thankful I am moving into a new job that has some CNA duties, but more along the lines of medication management for residents. Being a CNA helped get me a clearer picture of what nurses do, and I'm glad I did it because now I really know that I STILL want to be a nurse!

[Davey Do]

pooty31-

First, I have to say that I admire your method. It's one of the steps in the problem-solving process: Gather data. You know the old saying: "Look before you leap."

Keep on gathering info- read posts, talk to those "who have been there", seek out programs in your area, volunteer, do it takes to help you feel comfortable with your decision.

Being a CNA is a worthy endeavor. There are some great ones out there. Then, of course, there's always "them".

I appreciate nohika's and Joyfull77's realistic statements. Both sides of the coin, so to speak.

One little positive story that I have: My sister became a CNA after obtaining her GED and she's been working steady for about 30 years now. She loves her jobs. She's had various positions: Tech, Program Director, and so on.

Good luck to you, pooty31.

[stephie_love]

I finally decided to pursue nursing after years in sales and working jobs that I despised. I've always wanted to be a nurse - so I got my CNA and started working at a hospital on the busiest med/surg unit in the building. In a nutshell, I wouldn't go back to my desk job if someone paid me to!!

As a CNA, you deal with crap. Literally. You are the lowest on the totem pole, and there are plenty of people you work with that let you know that on a daily basis. My favorite is when your nurse calls you to bring a toothbrush to a patient...when she is standing next to the pixis where they are stored...and just wasted the 45 seconds that it would take to grab one and drop it off. Meanwhile, you are on the other side of the unit ambulating a patient and she expects you to drop everything and run to her beckon call. Oh, and don't even get me started on the attitude that "I have my RN and you don't know anything" game. Ack. As a CNA, you will do the "dirty" work and you can't sugar coat that fact.

ON THE OTHER SIDE...this isn't every nurse. I have been blessed to work with wonderful nurses that take you under their wing and educate you, rather than delegate to you as if you are a personal assistant. They help you turn and clean patients...they don't ask you to do something they wouldn't do themselves. They respect you as a professional, regardless of your certification. 95% of those nurses I have worked with were CNAs before becoming a nurse...and this is exactly the nurse I strive to be. Teamwork is imperative.

You will also have the opportunity to touch the lives of those that are uncomfortable and in pain. The small things are what make hospital experiences as comfortable as possible for a patient - and CNAs are generally responsible for those small things :redbeathe It is the type of job that no matter how bad your day might be, I never leave without smiling at the fact that I have touched someone's life. :hug:

SO DO IT!! Good luck to you!

[GaMBA]

Yes, I say you should go for it. Becoming a CNA is a quick, cheap way to get a peek into the medical field and get a firsthand perspective on what nurses do during the course of a shift and to see how a unit/floor/nursing home/etc operates. You will quickly learn whether or not you'd like dealing with the more unpleasant (so to speak) side of taking care of sick people. At the very least, you will have a credential and another means of earning income, should you ultimately decide healthcare isn't for you.

What have you got to lose?