If you love your CNA classes,,will I probably love being a real cna?

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Feb 28, 2010

That would depend on a lot of things. Going to your CNA class, and actually working as a CNA are two totally different things. Going to your CNA class you see the glorified situation, and working as a CNA you will see the reality of things. Working as a CNA gives you the very basics of nursing and you do learn a lot as a CNA. You also learn if you are cut to be a nurse because what you can do as a CNA, the nurse can also do. But reality check you have a lot of both lazy CNAs and lazy nurses who don't want to do anything but go to work and receive their paycheck. They could careless if they do anything or not. But then you have those wonderful CNAs and nurses who are there for the patients. As a CNA you probably will learn to care for about 4 patients at the end of the course. Don't we wish it were like that. Reality is that you will have anywhere from 8-10 patients for the day shift, which is horrible if you ask me. But the facility has to make their profits so that way they can have their bonuses at the end of the year. The more they save the bigger their bonus is for saving the facility money and staying under budget.

Don't get me wrong, there are many rewards to being a CNA. It's good that you look forward to going to school and as you said it's funner than being an accounting major. So at least you're in the right direction. Good luck

Dorali, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 1, 2010

Granted that today was my first day, I think it would be more realistic to say that if you love your CLINICALS then you will probably like being a CNA.

I *loved* my class also, was there with some awesome girls. Easily was one of the best times of my life. But working in the nursing home and hospital that last week was really different than class.

Good luck! I hope you do like it!

Boerne Lou · Mar 3, 2010

I figure the odds are the same for CNAs as Nurses that go to school.

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Mar 3, 2010

You won't know until you start working. The classes are very different from the actual work experience and you might love the job for the very same reasons another person hates it.

aztova · Mar 4, 2010

Being a CNA is disgusting. I do wish you luck and hope that you like it but I honestly don't know who could like changing diapers and smelling the worst smells possible all day long that gets literally stuck in your nose for ages. Becoming a CNA actually deterred me from wanting to be a nurse although I know that as a nurse you wouldn't have to do any of that work because you call the CNA to come and do it. Yuck. I would say just stick with your RN classes and become an RN.

Joyfull77 · Mar 28, 2010

To aztova,

Although in many departments, CNA's are called to do the dirty work, there are departments where CNA's are not used, and its the RN's that have to do the dirty work. Also, if a CNA is not available, guess who has to step in for them? Although you are right that RN's don't always do what a CNA does, I have been in many situations and talked to many nurses, who confirm that their work is very "dirty". Even in my son's doctor's office, a kid threw up in the middle of the hallway and CNA's don't work there, so it was up to the RN to clean it ALL up!

KB24 · Mar 30, 2010

Being a CNA is disgusting. I do wish you luck and hope that you like it but I honestly don't know who could like changing diapers and smelling the worst smells possible all day long that gets literally stuck in your nose for ages. Becoming a CNA actually deterred me from wanting to be a nurse although I know that as a nurse you wouldn't have to do any of that work because you call the CNA to come and do it. Yuck. I would say just stick with your RN classes and become an RN.

Nurses also change diapers and do some of the same things CNA's do. Nurses wouldn't be able to get their job without the help from CNA's.

You should start appreciating CNA's because CNA's won't work hard for you and won't be willing to help you when you need them.

aztova · Mar 30, 2010

Oh I appreciate all that CNA's do. I am not bagging on the people who choose to do it, I just don't see HOW they can do it as a career. I loved all of the patients who I met while I did clinicals to be a CNA but I couldn't do that job for long. It actually made me realize that I def don't want to be a nurse which I am thankful for because it saved me a lot of time and money. Now I am headed to grad school for something completely different :)

NM_CNA · Apr 3, 2010

It depends. Taking the class and even doing your clinicals is very different from actually doing the real work day in and day out. The students we get stuck training usually think it's "cute" and "funny" when a dementia patient is screaming out profanities. We know how quickly that can turn into a violent situation. The students don't mind doing a shower (they usually get only one done because they take an hour to do it) because there's no pressure, no time limit, and no one's going to get mad at them if they make a tiny mistake. Our students get guaranteed breaks and lunches, not so for us (like when it seems like everyone got MoM last night). And lastly, the students have CNAs to help them with everything. It's completely different when your partner called in, your nurse is lazy, and you have 20 people to take care of by yourself.

vcurrin02 · Apr 8, 2010

Oh I appreciate all that CNA's do. I am not bagging on the people who choose to do it, I just don't see HOW they can do it as a career. I loved all of the patients who I met while I did clinicals to be a CNA but I couldn't do that job for long. It actually made me realize that I def don't want to be a nurse which I am thankful for because it saved me a lot of time and money. Now I am headed to grad school for something completely different :)

Ok, so why are you posting on here?? Isn't this allnurses?? :lol2: