Is CNA good experience for a future RN?

scuderiax · Nov 11, 2009

yup.. im in the same boat... hopefully i can fulfill my dream of being an rn a BSN if that.. and having a prior degree can speed up the process.. thats what im hoping for

tokidoki7, ASN, RN · Nov 12, 2009

I'm a full-time nursing student and I work full-time as a nursing assistant. It's nearly the end of the semester and I'm doing good. It's different for everybody depending on their program and other obligations they have. I only have school twice a week and I have no children, so I'm able to handle it. When I start upper-level courses next year and I'll have to switch to part-time because then I'll have clinical twice a week. I work with other nursing students who also work as nursing assistants, but they either work casual or part-time. Some places will train you for free or when you complete one semester of nursing school then you can be hired.

Being a nursing assistant is good and bad. It's extremely physical work and the pay is crap. As far as experience, you get what you can out of it. Most of patients I have are nice and let me practice assessments on them and ask questions about their illness, medications, or anything else they want to talk about. I get to see nurses suction, apply ostomy bags, pack wounds, pass meds, interact with patients and other staff, insert picc lines, chart, etc. I make sure I ask tons of questions. The new nurses I work with are great. They say "I know you're in nursing school, come see what I'm about to do." To be honest, I get more "clinical experience" at work than I do right now at my actual clinical site. Different strokes for different folks.

scuderiax · Nov 12, 2009

thanks for all the input guys.. i will look more into it.. as i want to go straight to nursing school.. hopefully it wll only take me less than 2 years..

DeanaKay · May 12, 2010

hi thre i know this post was a little old.. but i am in the same boat as you right now. I have a degree in Business and trying to get in to the medical field..?. Are you in school right now how is it? I am in the process of looking into schools now myself.

Hi,

I am currently taking my pre-requisite courses and looking into different nursing programs. So far I have completed Nutrition, Chemistry and A and P 1, I have to take A and P 2 and Microbiology. It is a lot of hard work working and going to school, but I feel it will be all worth it in the end. I am trying to debate if I want to do the BSN or do the ADN, get my license, then continue my BSN online. I am looking into the BSN programs and they all seem pretty pricey. Good luck on your journey :-)