If you are a bad CNA, does that make you a bad Nurse?

NursKris82 · Jan 13, 2009

I know a woman who started as a CNA in nursing school and hated it and now is a great nurse and loves it. She was new and slow and never got that great at the job, but she a very competent nurse. Are you sure you don't know what happened at your last couple of jobs? The problem there should be identified by you to see if it could possibly hinder your nursuing career, if it's something you need to change or is not really an issue. God bless on any decision you make.

southern rn · Jan 13, 2009

Having several different jobs as a CNA prior to nursing school is not a problem per se, however the REASON you have had several jobs certainly can be. Why have you had several jobs? Have you quit or been fired? If it is the latter, then yeah you need to figure out what the problem is. If you have quit, then well, you need to work that out too lol. None of this will make you a BAD nurse, and it's good you are addressing issues now;and while I applaud you for being a CNA, the ability to pass the CNA test does not in and of itself make you a good caregiver. Good luck as you move forward in your nursing career :)

FutureNurse23 · Jan 13, 2009

I think being a cna shows some forms of your abilities to being a nurse. But I would say being a nurse and being a cna is totally to different types of work. As a CNA your job is a lot more physical. As a nurse you are more focusing on your abilities through theory. You also have to look at its alot of people who are horrible cna's and they never want to become nurses. More than likely its due to many reasons they don't become nurses. I love and hate being a cna,lol. I love that I'm able to do such a job that is such a major function to the nursing field. But I hate the shoulder aches from pulling on residents and its low pay. I wish to be a nurse because I want to be able to help the residents in a more effective way. So I ask you to ask yourself do you believe you would be a great nurse. Just because being a cna isnt the likes of your passion for nursing. It dosent define how you would be as a nurse in all aspects. I wish you luck and truely believe in yourself. That is the only way you will make it in nursing.

diane227, LPN, RN · Jan 13, 2009

Perhaps LTC is just not a good area for you.

CathyLew · Jan 13, 2009

"But my last few jobs in LTC haven't been very successful or long for some reason or another"

I think it would depend on what the some reason or another was. If it is because you call in sick all the time, don't finish your work, rude to patients, etc... then I would say that would all carry over to nursing.

If the reason is you don't find satisfaction in what you are doing, then maybe nursing would be the step up for you to make a difference.

not really enough information in your statement to make a guess on what kind of nurse you might make.

olli975 · Feb 3, 2009

I just posted a topic "A problem with CNAs" At my unit many CNAs say they are currently taking prerequisites to transfer into RN program. I just know by heart who has a potential to become a good RN and who better just get real and look at their job performance from the side.

coadestone · Feb 5, 2009

I am so glad someone posed this question. I was thinking the very same thing, myself. I've only had 1 job as a CNA while waiting to start an LPN program. I didn't hate the job but I definitely never felt like I was good at it.

(I lasted 3 months while working fulltime as a secretary); Anyway, I loved the patient interaction, I just always felt kinda "scared to death" around all the equipment and especially blood draws (they don't teach you this in CNA class but we had to do the draws) So, I was wondering the same thing - if I didn't fall in love with being a CNA, does that mean I should give up on nursing totally??

mlolsonny · Feb 7, 2009

From your username, I'm guessing that you're a non-traditional CNA. Unfortunately LTC can be very hard on on men especially. We've never had a male nurse, but have had a few male CNAs. Some are accepted quickly, others have been rejected even by the residents.

From experience, it took a good 3 months before I "got it" and was able to work efficiently and effectively. From a peer perspective, it seems like a long time when you're waiting for your co-worker to "catch on" and thus picking up a lot of their slack.

I don't know your situation, but if this seems accurate, you may just have to talk with the nursing director or your direct supervisor about some mentoring. If you're just not being accepted by the other CNAs, this can be a different problem. Going to your supervisor could potentially make your situation worse.

Of course this is all speculation that you're attempting to work in LTC, that you're male and >30 yo. Is it me, or are we more accepting of male nurses than of male CNAs?

med/oncRN · Mar 2, 2009

Well, that depends. Why are you a "bad CNA?" If it is just because you don't like the type of work CNA's do? If so, don't go into nursing. I am an RN and I have to do plenty of stuff a CNA does. I feel to be a good nurse, you can't think you are "above doing anything a CNA should do" Granted, we can do everything they can do, but they can't do everything we can do. An RN needs to be willing to help a CNA. A bad relationship with a CNA sucks, a CNA that respects you will work hard for you. A CNA can make your shift great or make it terrible. RN's have to pitch in a help. Once you are a nurse, you still have to wipe butts, empty foleys, bathe patients. Remember the RN is the one who is ultimately responsible for seeing to it that the patient is properly cared for. I see a lot of CNA's who are in nursing school and have the attitude that once they graduate they will be above CNA work. Those are the ones that make poor nurses. And remember, alot our patient are SNF patients and LTAC patients waiting to be placed and somethimes that takes several months. Alot of us feel we didn't go into acute care nursing to take care of SNF patients, but that is what probably 75% of our patients our on a medical floor. Maybe you should try working in an acute care setting and see if it works better for your. Think carefully about your choice, I know several people that got their RN and hated it. Good luck.

chevyv, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2009

No, I don't think a bad cna makes for a bad nurse. Especially in ltc. The amount of residents the cna's care for is too much! I personally don't think a cna should have any more than 9 residents on the pm shift (only one I work). Many times they have 11 and thats an easy load or so management thinks! I'm a lpn and the cna's are my eyes to my residents. Between showers, feeding, cares, and everything else they have to do, its a wonder why so many want to become nurses.

Being a cna, bad or good, can have a positive impact on them being a nurse. You already know how heavy their load is and that's huge. When I was a cna I had this nurse that used to walk in the door, look at me, and tell me all of their pts had to have showers that day. Sometimes I was the only cna on with 16 pts (hospital). Now you know she never worked as a cna and you know her pts didn't get showered either!

jr3650sp · Mar 11, 2009

There are bad qualities in some cna but based on experience I can tell you in the ltc setting where I'm a male cna alot is expected from you and the issue of being a lift is what probably gets you. Mainly in the nursing home you have to remember the 90/10 rule. It is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to situations. that should be all the answer you need.