Importance of being a CNA before RN

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Hi there,

I have a bit of a dilemma here. I am planning on going back to school in May to get my BSN. Currently, I work in HR and picked up a CNA job to do once a week to "make sure" Nursing was for me. I don't love it by any means but its manageable. This fall I will be going back to school to finish up pre-reqs. I can't continue to work two jobs and go back to school. I make more money in my HR job, but am willing to work full time as a CNA instead to be a better RN. My question to you is how valuable do you think CNA experience is to becoming an RN? Is it enough that I have experienced it?

Specializes in Not specified.

The main advantages of having some kind of hands-on "patient care" experience, whether it be as a CNA, home health aide, personal companion, developmental disability aide, mental health technician, ect.. are:

1. The experience may help to indicate whether "nursing is for you".

2. Improve your admission application for nursing school

Certainly first hand experience with different diseases and nursing techniques may come in handy when those topics are introduced in nursing school, but not being actively employed in a direct patient care position while in nursing school wont put you at a disadvantage. Actually, another line of thinking is that nursing students shouldn't be CNA because the negative experience of being a CNA could turn away future nurses and that RNs today don't really ever get a chance to perform many of the basic functions that CNAs carry out.

If your experience as a CNA has allowed a chance to see if nursing is for you and has improved your application for nursing school, but you are more concerned about finances, by all means, stick with the HR job. If your HR job is dreadful and you are dying for contact with patients and don't mind the cut in pay, work as a CNA.

Just as there are so many different types of nursing jobs (bedside, managerial, consultations, and on and on) there are many different paths to nursing practice. Some swear by going the CNA to LPN/RN route dogmatically, others went into nursing school with zero healthcare experience and are excellent nurses. Do what works for you.

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Specializes in I hope to specialize in pediatrics.

I am currently a CNA and I find that it helps me. I have 2 years left before graduating BSN and my first clinical last semester was pretty much all we do in the nursing home so that clinical and semester was a breeze, but sadly we lost about 10 people :( You have probably experienced enough so it is up to you which job you want to keep. I love my job as a CNA, it keeps me motivated because I definately do not want to be a CNA forever.. too much work for such little pay.. but I love my residents :) Also.. hospital CNA jobs usually pay better, and you get to see so much more interesting stuff.

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Working as a CNA gives you experience as a CNA. IMHO, a dirty, backbreaking, heavy, low-paying job that, had I done it first, would have completely turned me against any kind of nursing job.

I have great respect for folks who work as good CNA's. They deserve half the patients and twice the pay! As well as many, many 'Thank you's'

I became first an LPN, then years later got my RN, and I feel being a nurse and being an aide are two completely different jobs. Not that one is better than the other but, to me, its like comparing bicycling from New York to San Francisco vs. driving there. Not the same at all.

CNA work would give you familiarity with medical terminology, handling body fluids, and dealing with illness, cranky patients, stressed out family, less than pleasant doctors, and the whole hospital atmosphere - crazy hours, working week-ends and holidays and, most especially short-staffing. But in my opinion, I'd rather work in HR and make $10/hour more. If you've picked up time working as a CNA you probably know as much as you need to about the other stuff.

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Specializes in I hope to specialize in pediatrics.

I suppose it is different for everybody. I am not an LPN or RN and still have some time to go.. for me it is a good paying job (I make $12.48) because I am only 20 so all minimum wage jobs (7.15) seem pointless to me. Also, if you get close to some of the nurses they show you things and let you do certain things. I know CNA is COMPLETELY different from being a nurse, but I feel like it helps me and it may not help others everybody is different. I am also hoping to take my LPN boards after my third year in the BSN program, and then my RN boards the year after when I graduate because as much as I love my job, at the same time I am sick of being abused as a CNA. It keeps me motivated to do good in school and get a good job. At the nursing home I work at, they are also very flexible with my hours. When I have time off I can pick up any day I want to work, and I take summer and winter classes and they work around that. Right now I am doing about 32 hours a week but once school starts I cut down to every other weekend then pick up if I want to.

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I think ANY experience in the medical field is beneficial. I'm by no means nursing student of the year material, but I've always received nice compliments from clinical instructors and other nurses, especially regarding assessment skills.

I always say it's because I learned how to do a head-to-toe assmt with the pt on the asphalt by the side of I-95 during rush hour :)

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Specializes in CCU MICU Rapid Response.

I had never worked as a CNA going into school. I am a fine student, and am doing well, but I got a part time job on a med surg floor. If anything else, because I have had anywhere from 5 to 15 patients at a time, I have learned to prioritize and document well. Those were my genuine weak points and I think that I have 'em nabbed. Good Luck in school, I think that you'll do fine!

Ivanna

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Specializes in Level III cardiac/telemetry.

I don't have any advice, but wanted to offer my own reasons behind wanting to work as CNA while in nursing school. I was finding that I wasn't comfortable working hands-on with patients and felt embarassed and uncomfortable when dealing with bathing and other personal care needs. I want to be a confident as possible going in to my clinicals. Also, I looked around my class one day and realized that everybody else in my class was already working in the medical field and that we would essentially be competing for jobs at graduation. If I were looking at 2 applications that had experienced the same education, but 1 applicant had long-term experience in the medical field, I would tend to lean more towards that person (yes, I know that personality and all plays a part, but that would be the initial impression.)

Also, if you're with some hospitals they will help pay your way through the nursing program, so maybe that would make up for the pay cut?

Don't know if this helps, but maybe it's something else to think about? Goodluck!

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Specializes in I hope to specialize in pediatrics.

Im not saying if u dont work as a CNA it makes you a bad student. Yeah, we did lose people, but some of them were CNA's too. I was just saying how its a tough field and tough schooling that for ME (like i have said, it is different for everybody) I feel more confident and it helps me out.

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Jenny, more power to you to be working your way through nursing school, as a CNA. I know it can't be easy. And you are right - as they said back in 'my' days 'Different strokes for different folks.'

Some folks like the cold, snowy weather of Minnesota and Alaska. Others, like myself, far prefer the hot weather of Hawaii or Arizona. Doesn't make one better than the other. Just imagine if we all liked the same thing. Sheesh, we'd all be competing in the same field, for the same jobs and a LOT of other stuff wouldn't get done at all.

Anybody making this kind of decision is probably wise to ask the opinion of others, but when you get right down to it, we all have to do what our heart tells us is right. From the sounds of your posts, you'll make an awesome nurse.

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Specializes in Nursing Home.

I became a CNA when I was a sophomore in HS. I loved it! I knew from the time I was 5 yo that I wanted to be a nurse. When I went to school for my BSN (which took me 5 yrs to complete) I worked FT as a CNA, and loved every minute of it. I waited 5 yrs before I took my boards d/t a bunch of other reasons, but if pt care is what you want you will get plenty of experience being a CNA. It will also help you to be a better nurse because you will know what it is like to do the leg work of the job. My staff love that I know how they feell and know what it is like to do the job that they do, not to mention that I don't mind helping out on the floor when I can. School is tough, and if you need time for studying and your HR job gives it to you...then stick with it. Once a CNA always a CNA at heart!

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Thank you everyone for all of your help! You have really really given me a good picture to go by...I am going to speak with my Nurse Manager soon and tell her I just will not be able to handle CNA work, full time HR work, and 9 credits. I hope she understands because I have only been there since May! But the purpose of me doing CNA work to make sure Nursing was for me, I've done that and now I need to put all my energy into getting good grades to get into an Accelerated Nursing program. Thanks again for taking the time to write your thoughts!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
Hi there,

I have a bit of a dilemma here. I am planning on going back to school in May to get my BSN. Currently, I work in HR and picked up a CNA job to do once a week to "make sure" Nursing was for me. I don't love it by any means but its manageable. This fall I will be going back to school to finish up pre-reqs. I can't continue to work two jobs and go back to school. I make more money in my HR job, but am willing to work full time as a CNA instead to be a better RN. My question to you is how valuable do you think CNA experience is to becoming an RN? Is it enough that I have experienced it?

Working as a CNA prior to completing nursing school will NOT make you a better RN and it is absolutely NOT necessary to have a CNA background to become a good RN. If you make more money in HR, I suggest you do it because you will need that money to get through school and quite frankly since it will be less physical and probably less emotionally taxing than being a CNA, I suggest you stick with that. Good luck!

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