I want a medical job!!!!

elijahvegas, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Nov 18, 2013

if you really want ANY kind of "medical" experience so you can put it on your resume whenever you do become an rn or lpn, then CNA wouldn't be a "waste". But a CNA's duty are a fragment of what youre going to learn/need to know as an RN. More specifically speaking, the first half of the 1st semester is CNA work, where you have the rest of your year and a half learning the rest of your duties. I would suggest becoming a care tech in a hospital, or a medical assistant at a clinic that offers OJT. There youll get some good hands on and a crash course on the basics and should be able to push a choice few injectable drugs. theres a handful of ways to go about getting some experience.

The best way imo to go though would be to start applying at the hospitals that you think youll wanna work at once you become a nurse, that way they already know you and youve got a foot in the door. Once you begin clinicals, make sure you make that hospital your choice clinical site so youll be all set for graduation

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 18, 2013

Who is this "nurse mentor" you mentioned in your original post ... and why didn't she think being a CNA would be helpful to you? How qualified is she to give career advice ... and what were her reasons for saying what she said?

meeks123 · Nov 18, 2013

Depending on how long it takes to get a CNA, it could be a waste of time and money, or not. From my quick reading that I read online a couple of minutes ago, I think it would be a good choice.

It appears that is a one semester training course, so is quick and once you are done you can work in the hospital and make connections!!! I think she may think is a waste of time because most nursing students do not work while they take their nursing classes, so I'm guessing she thinks you will go to school in January of 2014, get your CNA certification by May 2014.. be on the search for jobs for a month... then work for two months and quit to start Nursing school.

To me, it sounds like a good idea if you could be a CNA part time during nursing school, otherwise, volunteering in the hospital until the start of the Nursing program would be good.

quintishaf · Nov 18, 2013

She is an RN and has been for years. She thought that it would be a waste of time because I would only be able to work in geriatrics and that wouldn't give me good experience of what was ahead for nursing.

quintishaf · Nov 18, 2013

I found a program nearby that I could take CNA courses for 5 weekends and then take the state exam. It wouldn't cost me a lot of money, but I think it would be the best thing for me to try so that I can decide if nursing is right for me. I don't plan on working during nursing school, so the CNA job would be a job that I worked during the year of 2014 until I know if I get accepted into nursing school. I would then quit if I were to be accepted into the BSN program.

NICUmiiki, DNP, NP · Nov 18, 2013

She is an RN and has been for years. She thought that it would be a waste of time because I would only be able to work in geriatrics and that wouldn't give me good experience of what was ahead for nursing.

CNAs work in hospitals where I'm at. Maybe the hospitals around you require EKG/Phlebotomy certs too..

HappyWife77, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2013

Most definately get your CNA. Its a great place to start. There is more than geriatrics in long term care. It is great experience. I highly recommend CNA program. It will be the base of knowledge you can build from.

Also there's more positions than just geriatrics. You can do peds, home health, private duty, hospice, bath visits. You can also check into HHA- home health aide which is a step below a CNA and no certification. Not every state uses them. They get paid less and don't do as much care. There is also positions known as companions, also no certification. Where you visit and provide companionship and light housekeeping and meal preparation.

If you go CNA route, you will learn how to do vitals, positions, transfers, ROM- range of motion, checking skin for pressure areas and friction breakdown and many other basic care procedures. This will definately enhance your future in nursing.

Do the weekend affordable option that you mentioned. The person who told you not to do CNA most likely never was one.

Some of the best nurses have worked their way up and can understand the work loads and better to surpervise, deligate and help out because they've been there done that. Best wishes to you!

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 18, 2013

She is an RN and has been for years. She thought that it would be a waste of time because I would only be able to work in geriatrics and that wouldn't give me good experience of what was ahead for nursing.

Is that true in your area? Would nursing home jobs (Long Term Care Facility, or LTC) be the only ones available to you? If that is the case, how do you feel about working in LTC? Some people would love that type of job. Other people would hate it.

If you would hate that type of job and they were the only ones available to you, then your friend might be right. But you need to check out the actual jobs that would be available to you -- and know how you would feel about them -- before you can know whether being a CNA is something you want to do right now. Personlly, I would hate it and it might indeed have turned me off to nursing if I had done that as a student. But other people like it.

So ... do your homework and find out about the CNA job market in your town before you invest your time and money in a CNA education.

Good luck to you regardless of what you decide.

applesxoranges, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2013

I think you should do what's best for you. I am currently an ED scribe and I love what I do. Not only do I get to work with physicians and PAs, I also get to interact with the nurses, have learned copious amounts of medical terminology, am able to look at x-rays/CT scan results, and gain knowledge of tons of procedures, medications, and differential diagnoses based on symptoms. Although I don't get to work directly with the nurses, I still think this job has given me valuable experience and I'm so fortunate to have it. With that said, being a CNA, tech, or EMT would give you a lot more hands on experience, and I wish I could have the experience as a tech, but alas I don't. Personally, I never wanted to be a CNA (and it's too late for me anyways since I'm already accepted in one ABSN program and am awaiting the decision from my current school) I wouldn't want all of the patients I interacted with to be geriatric patients. I know that's stupid and silly because I'll obviously work with geriatric patients, but I guess the idea of that being all I see is unappealing. Regardless, if you are the type of person that is perfectly fine working in nursing homes, I have much respect for you and I say go for it! :)

Make sure you're looking at the results as part of your job only. I know too many nurses who have gotten in trouble because they were looking into charts that they don't have any business looking at.

Graduation2016 · Nov 19, 2013

She is an RN and has been for years. She thought that it would be a waste of time because I would only be able to work in geriatrics and that wouldn't give me good experience of what was ahead for nursing.

That is not correct. Hospitals have CNA's in most all of their units too. So for her to say that you could only work at a LTC or only with geriatric patients is just not correct.

elijahvegas, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Nov 19, 2013

So far in clinical the lowest level of care I've seen are LPNs. I haven't seen a cna since my ltc rotation. But that just may be my neck of the woods.