Is it necessary to be a CNA b4 nursing school?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi - I'm not sure what to do on this one. I'm thinking of getting my CNA but I've heard it's a lot of butt wiping and horrible work. I'm going to start volunteering and job shadowing and I'm wondering if this will give me good experience/exposure to nursing so I can bypass being a CNA? In your experience, do most new nurses have previous health care experience?

Thanks for all your feedback!!!

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
Depends on the program. I know many new nurses feel pretty overwhelmed when starting out because in school they often didn't have to deal with so many different patients and demands at the same time. Having been a CNA would mean that they'd have one less area to try to get up to speed on as a new nurse - such as they'll likely be much faster at bed baths than a new nurse who never was a CNA. Will that make them overall better nurses? No, but for some it might be worth having one less thing to master as new nurse.

I don't see encouraging someone to work as a CNA as "insisting on making the process... more layered and complicated..." It's just advice. I think it's good advice. But like any advice, no one has to take it and it doesn't apply to all people in all situations.

If someone wants to get some hands on experience with patients or if they have time before they'll start nursing school, then I don't think working as a CNA is a 'waste of time'. There are many circumstances where it may be impractical to work as a CNA first, but if someone has time before starting nursing school and wants to work, I'll recommend working as a CNA.

But if you can make it a little easier on yourself by having certain skills and confidences already, why not? If you can't be a CNA or don't want to be a CNA, then, fine, don't be one.

Ultimately, there may not be any noticeable difference in outcome. For some, though, getting through nursing school and those first several months working might be *a little* less stressful if they've worked as a CNA. For others, it wouldn't make a difference. Each person has to decide for themselves what they consider to be a worthwhile experience or a waste of time.

The CNA programs I've heard of don't cost that much... no more than $800 and maybe four weeks long depending on the schedule. But I can imagine there being programs out there that charge astronomical fees for training that some nursing homes provide for free.

I would suggest working in a hospital as opposed to a nursing home if possible because you'll have more opportunity to see different patients and conditions, especially if you do have the chance to float and work in different areas. Some hospitals will also train CNAs in skills such as phlebotomy and EKG (just taking one, not reading it).

Of course, some might prefer a nursing home where they have the same residents over time. Or there may not be a hospital hiring new CNAs in your area.

There's another thread currently going on suggested entry-level jobs for pre-nursing students. Check it out!

OP wants to know if it's "necessary", the answer is NO. You do need to be a CNA prior to becoming a nurse (unless your nursing school requires it). Whether or not is is advantageous is debatable. It is possible to become a nurse and a good one without becoming a CNA first. It is even possible to be a good nursing student without being a CNA first. That doesn't mean there is no value to be gained from becoming a CNA, I already conceded there is. However, those skills can and will be learned in school and the advantage of being a CNA first is not that great. If he or she wants to be a CNA first then I say go for it.

Oh and $800 is a lot of money to pay for skills that you're going to learn later anyway..... and pay for again. In fact, that's a waste of money just so you can be faster at bedbaths once you're out of school.

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.
Why do so many people get stuck on cleaning up people? Its just part of the job, CNA or nurse, we all do it but hardly 24/7. Its an excellent time to assess, and care for people.

Being a CNA is a good jumping off point, a start for time management and really basic chores. Being able to do them quickly and well, leaves you more time to concentrate on nursing judgement and skills when you are doing clinicals in nursing school. If you really hate being a CNA, you won't enjoy nursing either, IMO.

Just don't fall for those ads on TV "you can have a wonderful career in a health profession!" and spend a fortune. You'll spend enough in nursing school!

Good reply! Though not required, working as a CNA first is certainly helpful.

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Specializes in M/S, dialysis, home health, SNF.

You're certainly right about the money and redundancy of learning the same skills. My first semester in nursing was very much like my nurses' aide training. Of course, we were no longer mixing our own guiac solution by then, or doing the specific gravity testing as I did as an aide.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
Being an RA does sound like an amazing job, we didnt have anything like that in my community. I am surprised though that you could pass meds with out having a registered nurse on site. I dont know if I agree with that. I am sure you did fine, but I cant help but think what if you gave someone a med and they had an adverse reaction? I know we paid ALOT of $$ to have my Grandmother in an assisted living center and I would hate to think the person giving her her medicine in not a licensed nurse.

In Michigan anyone can pass meds in an AL facility. It's common practice for "Regular" people to pass meds (including narcs/hospice meds/BP meds etc) I got paid $9/hr to do this job, and if it wasn't for the great experience I don't think I would have ever agreed to this. God, watching some of my coworkers pass meds was SCARY O_O some would pop pills for the whole place (about 24 residents), stack the cups, then pass them out... They basically entrusted people with little more than a GED/high school diploma to pass meds with just a few days training... scary scary! :uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3:

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
The 'assisted' part of assisted living means that the residents are supposedly aware and alert and functional but just need help with little things like buttoning up their clothes, getting their shoes tied tightly, taking the caps off of medicine bottles and counting out small, slippery pills. Thus, the resident assistant isn't 'administering' medication. The resident assistant is supposed to be like a family member, friend, or personal assistant who helps out in one's home and not like a professional nurse. Now whether or not that's what's actually happening in every ALF is another story.

OMG I wish! that would be AL heaven! O_O lol, in REALITY assisted living is the nursing home of the rich. It's where most people go to "Spend down" til they can be covered by medicaid and move to a nursing home...

I took care of dementia patients in AL that could do NOTHING on their own we fed them, bathed them, dressed them, changed their briefs etc etc. And many AL's accept hospice patients or some of the patients transition to hospice, The hospice aids/nurses are there a few times a week for a few hours at a time, but guess who is suck administering Roxanol at 2am? The RA on the clock at the time. And if the patient dies? Guess who cleans them and prepares them for the family? The RA. Ideally AL= fairly independent, but in real life... anything goes so long as the big bosses keep accepting patients to fill beds cause they want their $3000 a month... It's crazy....

EEK I'm sorry SO off topic >_>

Back on topic. RA's make less than CNA's but they do a ton more, and it's much more experience IMO. >_> :twocents:

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
Initially it wasn't a requirement at my school and won't be until Fall 08, but I opted to take it anyway, and I am so glad I did. I am learning so much and the butt wiping and cleaning doesn't phase me. I like having so much time with the patients and RN aren't always afforded that precious one on one time. Through my CNA course I am coming to realize how important CNAs are in patient care. It's not just butts and messes. CNAs are the "eyes and ears" of the often toobusy RN. We, as CNA have the potential to circumvent a wide variety of patient issues, just with keen observation and a caring heart. I am looking forward to becoming certified and I feel honored that I will be such an integral part of the healthcare profession. An added bonus is I think it will make be a better RN both to my patients and my co-workers. There is something noble about working your way up to the ranks and when you start at the "bottom" you're more compassionate toward others working thier way up.

I say GO for it!!!! It's definitely worth it.

This is an awesome post(in my opinion)! :-)

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
the original poster needs to lose the "Being a CNA is just about butt-wiping" attitude, QUOTE]

The OP said something like "I've heard that being a CNA is just..." and then asked for opinions. Let's give her credit for asking instead of just accepting what she'd heard. This way, she has gotten a much wider range of perspectives on the question of whether or not to be a CNA prior to attending nursing school.

JJJoy: You are correct & I apologize to you & the OP for my mistake.

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Personally, I've picked up a LOAD of expierence in the last 1.5 years being a CNA in the hospital. I've learned how to deal with anxious families, anxious patients, how to do what I need to do with patients while letting them ask questions and voice concerns, learned how to juggle what I HAVE to get done with the requests, manage my time so I'm never too far behind pace, learned from nurses/docs/transporters, etc.....

I am much more confident in my nursing clinicals, I'm ready when asked questions, I learn how to be a leader on a floor, and I learn how to advocate for my patients. I do because I CARE....not because it's in my job description....

Being a CNA is a choice that no one else can really make you do....because if you do not like giving the hands on care....there will be days where you have NO tech or the 1 tech is overworked....and they will walk through fire for you if you do their job with your patients....or as much as you can do at the time....

Every nurse should remember that every step on the ladder is part of the team....nobody is above the others....just my .03 cents...(you got an extra one for free!)

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Specializes in Emergency medicine.

I feel that being a CNA has been the best thing I could have done before and during nursing school. Wiping butts is the easy part of the job! Assement of mental status, skin condition, overall condition is the most important part of the job. I feel that being a CNA has taught me more than anything else could have. After all poop and urine are normal body functions if you cant deal with this how will you deal with abnormal body functions?

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My adviser urged me not to become a CNA before nursing school; instead, I shadowed nurses in the ER. It was an excellent experience with exposure to many different kinds of cases. That said, now that I'm on the floor for clinical, I do wish I had a better idea of how an entire shift should unfold -- and a semester as a CNA would have given me that as well as some clinical skills. Six of one...

Did your advisor cite a specific reason for this advice? Did she think it would make you lose focus, get frustrated, what? I'm not doubting this statement, I just found it interesting and wondered.

I'm sure a job shadow would do a student a world of good, but you can't see much over the course of a few days, IMO.

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Specializes in M/S, dialysis, home health, SNF.

SWEE 2000 I wish more CNA's could see their roles the way you do.

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