I feel like I missed out... can anyone give me advice?

Nurses General Nursing

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I am an LPN, who has yet to get her first job as a nurse. I did amazingly in nursing school, got all A's, and also did great in clinicals. There is just this one thing that has been bugging me for a long time... I never got to be a CNA. In nursing school, when I had to transfer a patient to bed, to a wheelchair, or turn them for a bath, I had a really hard time. I always ended up getting the task accomplished, but I always felt that I was too weak to do the job as smoothly as the aides and other students, and it has left me a little insecure. I was treated very harshly by other students and CNAs when I asked for help. The people in my class who were aides were always complaining about the nurses who were never aides before becoming nurses. The problem is that I have applied for numerous CNA positions in order to get that experience for myself, and nobody will hire me because I am an LPN. I feel very alone in this concern, and don't know what to think. Can someone give me some advice/comfort/did anyone ever feel this same way?

oh and to add: I first became certified as a nursing assistant half-way through nursing school. I could not get a job because I couldn't handle the job AND school. As soon as I graduated, I applied for positions again, and no one would hire me because i was a graduate.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, corrections, long-term care..

I suppose it depends on the facility and if they're willing to hire below your license. My suggestion is applying at a LTC as a LPN to get some hands-on experience. Even though you'll be passing meds, etc. I know I love it when my nurse helps us transfer, etc. If you find a well staffed enough facility, I'm sure you'll have time to help out aides and gain that CNA experience to boost your confidence. And you'll be well loved by your aides. :)

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Specializes in Oncology.

You shouldn't feel insecure or bad about asking for help. It is always safer to have two people when you are transferring. It is better for the patient to have two people when turning patients and pulling them up in bed. Otherwise, you end up dragging rather than lifting the patient and this can injure their skin. It is much more comfortable for the patient to have two people. I always ask for help, not because I can't do it myself, but for the comfort and safety of the patient.

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You know, you should feel great about becoming a nurse. Congratulations. Screw the rest and let them complain. We all did what we could do just to get through school, including you, so the idea of you apologizing is ludicrous to me.

All skills take time and repetition to learn, including lifting, turning, etc. Once you start working you will do these motions over and over and it will become second nature to you. And, as lweatherby said, asking for help is really smart, for you AND the patient.

I did sales throughout school; my manager was able to work around my clinicals schedule and I couldn't have supported a family on a nurse's aid salary, so I stuck with the job I had. During clinicals I was a bit of a bull in a china shop when it came to basic patient care and turning, lifting etc. like you described, so I know how you feel. I had a hard time even getting the stupid tray tables to work! :p I'm now working as an RN on a medical floor, and I ask for help if there is even the slightest doubt I cannot move/turn a patient safely on my own, or if I'm unsure of how to do it. I like my back and would like to keep it healthy for a long time!! I watch the aids and other nurses and how they handle the patients, and I've learned a lot that way, too.

Anyway, congrats again on becoming a nurse and I wish you happy job-hunting! Don't worry, you will do great. :)

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Not sure if you would considered it, but if you're in California you could do: Rural CA Nursing Preceptorship Program (Rural California Nursing Preceptorship Program). You'd work along side with a nurse for at minium 150 hours (12 shifts I believe) in whatever unit you like. They have different locations you can choose. It helped me a lot because nursing school didn't give me enough hands on and confident.

Or if not, don't be so hard on yourself. Within time, you will be amazed at how much you can do. :D

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Specializes in Critical Care/Coronary Care Unit,.

You probably have already been applying for LPN positions, but at this point I suggest you apply for LPN positions not pca positions. Even if a facility hires you as a pca, you'll still be held to the standards of your license which is a LPN. So be careful.

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Specializes in Home Care.

I'm a fairly new LPN with no CNA experience. I understand how you feel about transferring and positioning patients.

At work I often help the CNAs transfer and reposition residents. I do what I can to help them when I have time.

So don't be too concerned about not having CNA experience. Get yourself an LPN job and you'll learn transfers and positioning on the job :)

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I hear ya, OP, and wish I had an easy solution for you. If one graduates and feels weak any clinical area, oh well, too bad your program didn't do a good job on that area! And some people learn best with lots of frequent repetition and exposure, which they may not have had the opportunity for. But as you have no remedial opportunities to be able to round out one's skills - just get a job and hope you can pick it all up fast enough!

I think it's great when nurses can spend time in OP surgery to get bulk practice of IV starts instead of having to wait around for IV starts on the floor which might not come up very often depending on the unit. I think it would also be great if nurses could practice other skills that way.

A week or two straight of working alongside a full-time CNA in certain units would do wonders for a nurse who was shaky in basic skills like bathing, transfers, etc. It wouldn't work miracles, but it would add an immediate boost to confidence and basic skills and varied experience to draw upon that might otherwise take months to develop alongside trying to figure out all the rest of one's nursing responsibilities!

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Specializes in neuro/ortho med surge 4.

I work with plenty of nurses who have not worked as aides. They do just fine with transfers and repositioning. Try to help your aides when they transfer and reposition. You will pick it up in no time at all. It is just a matter of repetition.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I haven't ever experienced someone saying it is an expectation to be a CNA before you become a nurse and if you don't, it's a disadvantage. Naturally CNAs will be smoother and faster because that's what they do most of. If you get a job where a med pass is a large part of your job description eventually you will get smoother and faster at that! No nurse should balk at cleaning people up, and they definately should learn the proper procedures to do that, but never feel bad about yourself because your job description may not include a lot of turning, lifting, etc etc. Naturally no one does every task as well as the person who does it all day long!

You will find that almost everywhere you go, someone will snipe at you from below, and someone will snipe at you from above. It is a fact of life, so just make sure that whatever you do is best practice and the best you can, help the CNAs when you have a chance, and stop fretting so much about that issue!

When you get your first job, if it includes a lot of hands on patient care, review your proper procedures, and with enough repetition you will gain speed as well, not to worry. I was never a CNA, and in my job at the moment I do a lot of turning cleaning etc, and it's fine. If it makes you feel a teeny bit better, you already have a head start because you don't have that, "oh, I don't do that. . ." attitude that so irritates CNAs. Below is a link to a post about a free video series for CNAs that may be of interest to you.

FREE Full CNA Video Course - Nursing for Nurses

Best wishes!

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.
i am an lpn, who has yet to get her first job as a nurse. i did amazingly in nursing school, got all a's, and also did great in clinicals. there is just this one thing that has been bugging me for a long time... i never got to be a cna. in nursing school, when i had to transfer a patient to bed, to a wheelchair, or turn them for a bath, i had a really hard time. i always ended up getting the task accomplished, but i always felt that i was too weak to do the job as smoothly as the aides and other students, and it has left me a little insecure. i was treated very harshly by other students and cnas when i asked for help. the people in my class who were aides were always complaining about the nurses who were never aides before becoming nurses. the problem is that i have applied for numerous cna positions in order to get that experience for myself, and nobody will hire me because i am an lpn. i feel very alone in this concern, and don't know what to think. can someone give me some advice/comfort/did anyone ever feel this same way?

oh and to add: i first became certified as a nursing assistant half-way through nursing school. i could not get a job because i couldn't handle the job and school. as soon as i graduated, i applied for positions again, and no one would hire me because i was a graduate.

i am sorry about your predicament. a lot of new grad nurses (both lpn & rn) are having a hard time finding jobs. hang in there. apply to all ltc that's close to you and do this in person. you never know you may get an instant interview like i did so be prepared.

i was never a cna when i graduated lpn school in 2008. it did not become a hindrance to me finding an lpn job (although this was in 2008).

good luck to you and i hope you'll get a good news soon.

angel, rn

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