Is it necessary to be a CNA b4 nursing school?

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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 LTC, Psych, M/S.

I have always found it interesting, that in my area, the BSN programs *require* a person to have CNA training prior to admission. They admit on a point system and if you have worked as such you get 'points.'

the community colleges admit soley from the waitlist and do not care about CNA training.

I think it is a never ending debate. However, I was on a waitlist for 2 years and I worked as a CNA during that time and during nursing school.....at least it was a job and b/c of it, I got tuition assistance from my employer and I have very little debt from nursing school.

Also, in interviewing for jobs, the nurse managers have asked about my experience as a CNA which seems to get 'brownie points.'

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Even in behavioral health there could be butt wiping

I'm trying to think of areas that wouldn't require the occasional butt wiping. Administration?

When you go to the doctor, does the nurse wipe your butt/give you a bath? How about a nurse working for an insurance company? Public health/health department? Case management? MDS Coordinators? Informatics? Staff educators? Even in the OR, it is very, very rare - I suppose a situation might come up, but I didn't do it once in the 2 years I worked there. Point is, if a nurse truly wishes to avoid these duties, there are areas of nursing that will accommodate that and it is not accurate to say that nursing is not for this person. Even in jobs where it might happen occasionally - it is not really part of the day-to-day job.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
When you go to the doctor, does the nurse wipe your butt/give you a bath? How about a nurse working for an insurance company? Public health/health department? Case management? MDS Coordinators? Informatics? Staff educators? Even in the OR, it is very, very rare - I suppose a situation might come up, but I didn't do it once in the 2 years I worked there. Point is, if a nurse truly wishes to avoid these duties, there are areas of nursing that will accommodate that and it is not accurate to say that nursing is not for this person. Even in jobs where it might happen occasionally - it is not really part of the day-to-day job.

Also occupational health, telephone advice, research, utilization review, and risk management. (to name a few)

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When you go to the doctor, does the nurse wipe your butt/give you a bath? How about a nurse working for an insurance company? Public health/health department? Case management? MDS Coordinators? Informatics? Staff educators? Even in the OR, it is very, very rare - I suppose a situation might come up, but I didn't do it once in the 2 years I worked there. Point is, if a nurse truly wishes to avoid these duties, there are areas of nursing that will accommodate that and it is not accurate to say that nursing is not for this person. Even in jobs where it might happen occasionally - it is not really part of the day-to-day job.

There's controversity within the nursing community over whether nurses should be considered qualified for some of these types of jobs (case management, staff educators, tele triage, etc) if they don't have acute care experience (where they would be wiping butts at times).

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Specializes in Executive, DON, CM, Utilization.

Hi All!

I'd say do it; I was in a very selective BS nursing program we graduated with a BS due to the higher science requirements (BSN is lower) meaning our clinical rotations were in a highly academic medical center, but we had residents, nursing students, and everyone else elbowing in to start catheters, IV's, give injections, et al...That meant you learned it now or did you learn it at all. Not to offend any nursing persons here but the adage was "hook on to a LPN when you graduate and get your first job to get more clinical experience..."

I chose to be a CNA and worked in psychiatric and neuro at a V.A. Because I was doing clinical rotations there (both) and they knew it they got more (students are more prepared) and I was allowed to do nursing duties, encouraged to say the least. In short I was also getting paid for my work and appreciated.

I graduated and had to do some prn work in ICU and so forth I went straight into Administration; however, the CNA part of my education was truly useful and blindfold me today and I remember due to repetition if you will, and using those skills daily.

The four year programs do not have a CNA requirement that I have heard of!

Thanks,

Karen G.

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Specializes in Executive, DON, CM, Utilization.

I did not pay to be a CNA I was a second year nursing student the V.A. certified me...

Karen G..

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Just a heads up, we get plenty of Code Browns in my OR. Mostly elderly patients getting anesthesia where everything "relaxes"= Code Brown! One time, there was so much of it that it got into my shoe!:barf01:Thank God I keep extra socks in my locker and my shoes are washable.

Plenty of pee and phlegm to go around too and despite my lack of CNA training, I manage to clean it up just fine.;)

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When you go to the doctor, does the nurse wipe your butt/give you a bath? How about a nurse working for an insurance company? Public health/health department? Case management? MDS Coordinators? Informatics? Staff educators? Even in the OR, it is very, very rare - I suppose a situation might come up, but I didn't do it once in the 2 years I worked there. Point is, if a nurse truly wishes to avoid these duties, there are areas of nursing that will accommodate that and it is not accurate to say that nursing is not for this person. Even in jobs where it might happen occasionally - it is not really part of the day-to-day job.

This is has become a wipe or not to wipe thread! :bugeyes:What's so bad about butt wiping? We're all going to end up needing our butts wiped eventually (if we live that long). Go work in peds or nicu or OB. Wiping little butts seems to be easier. Sometimes I'd rather just wipe a butt than deal with a code, an angry doctor, or irrate family. Think of it as quality time between you and your pt. :D

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Specializes in Executive, DON, CM, Utilization.

Dear Witchy,

If you were a CNA while being "taught to be a nurse" you would realize little of this has to do with "butt wiping" and your Code Brown stigma is sadly degrading to the elderly; the thought alone is sad.

CNA's learn people skills; that means being with the client 100% and in the added advantage of being a BS nursing student given all other "nursing duties" so it was to me a gift. If a client became incontinent thank God he or she was treated with dignity by this "nurse."

Karen G.

Just a heads up, we get plenty of Code Browns in my OR. Mostly elderly patients getting anesthesia where everything "relaxes"= Code Brown! One time, there was so much of it that it got into my shoe!:barf01:Thank God I keep extra socks in my locker and my shoes are washable.

Plenty of pee and phlegm to go around too and despite my lack of CNA training, I manage to clean it up just fine.;)

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This is has become a wipe or not to wipe thread! :bugeyes:What's so bad about butt wiping? We're all going to end up needing our butts wiped eventually (if we live that long). Go work in peds or nicu or OB. Wiping little butts seems to be easier. Sometimes I'd rather just wipe a butt than deal with a code, an angry doctor, or irrate family. Think of it as quality time between you and your pt. :D

Guess what, I DO work in NICU (hence the screen name RN4NICU). Actually, I should say I did work in NICU - I'm no longer a bedside nurse - but I AM still a nurse.

I never said there was anything bad about butt wiping, I said it wasn't for me (and it isn't for a lot of people) - there is nothing wrong with that and it is not a legitimate reason to tell someone not to be a nurse - there are other opportunities out there - some of them don't involve any kind of patient care at all. THAT is what my posts were about.

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I'm sorry, I just don't understand this post. Maybe I am cluelesss, but I just can't wrap my head around why someone would want to go into nursing, but not want to "deal with" patient care. I thought that's why we all became nurses. Patient care is why I want so desprately to be a nurse. If I didn't want to deal with patient care, I would study accounting and work in billing/ hospital finance.

I also don't understand how this thread got so far away from the OP's question.

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I'm sorry, I just don't understand this post. Maybe I am cluelesss, but I just can't wrap my head around why someone would want to go into nursing, but not want to "deal with" patient care. I thought that's why we all became nurses. Patient care is why I want so desprately to be a nurse. If I didn't want to deal with patient care, I would study accounting and work in billing/ hospital finance.

I also don't understand how this thread got so far away from the OP's question.

That is YOU - don't hold everyone to what you want for yourself. There is nothing wrong with wanting to work in health care, but not wanting to do direct patient care, particularly in the hospital setting. If you want to do patient care, go for it, but don't judge others who don't want the same.

And we got away from the OP's question because of side tracks like this one, wouldn't you agree?

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