Is it helpful to work as a CNA while in nursing school?

[SaraStevenson]

I am currently a full time nursing student working towards by BSN. I have had a job at a veterinary clinic for the past 5 years. My first passion was in veterinary work but I decided nursing could be just as rewarding and posed better job opportunities. My CNA certification is about to expire so I decided to apply for a CNA job. Also my job at the vet is on a fixed schedule which won't work with school because I am starting clinical next semester. I am very sad to be leaving my vet job but I feel a CNA job will make me more comfortable in clinical, help me with course work and perhaps give me more job opportunities when I graduate nursing school. The hours are 3-11 Saturday and Sunday every other weekend. I hope I can handle it with school. I hope I am making the right decision and I want to know what everyone else thinks about working as CNA while in nursing school. What are the pros and cons?

[Dollface4k6]

Working as a CNA will certainly help you in the long run. Not only will it make clinicals easier, you will be getting your foot in the door for when you graduate, and in my opinion, the longer you work at a job, the more likely they will be to promote you through. Most of the people I know who were offered positions as RNs after graduation from my school, were already employed by a hospital or facility before hand and were able to stay with the hospital which is great. You will learn how things work there as well as prove to them that you can hack it at a career in healthcare. AKA you would be a "less risky new grad hire," (actual words to me from nurse recruiter in HR AND nurse manager I interviewed with at hospital.) I just took a position as a Nursing Assistant at a hospital, and the nurse manager basically interviewed me as a NA/potential RN since I am graduating in

I noticed that you said you would be switching to nursing for career potential and are leaving a field you absolutely love, are you sure you will love nursing? Im assuming that because you are a CNA that you went through some sort of training and know first hand what you will be encountering as an RN, because it's A LOT of schooling and work to do something if your heart is not 100% in it. I love animals and am super jealous because I would have loved to work as a vet tech ahaha.

But I think working those hours, and doing nursing school will be great for you. Keep your ears open as a CNA and you will find a lot of the things you learn in class are right in front of you and it is a GREAT opportunity to experience things otherwise only heard in class and at clinical.

PS once the nurses find out you are a nursing student, you may be surprised how helpful they can be! Some nurses don't care, but others will seek you out so that you can see different procedures or teach you some tricks of the trade!

[j0yegan]

Good for you for wanting to work as a nurse assistant. It WILL get your foot in the door. But for me personally, I had to put all of my focus into nursing school because of how hard it was; it requires sooo much of your time and dedication.