Is it true, that if you don't like being a CNA, you won't like being a nurse?

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I'm just curious as to what everyone else thinks! :)

Oh god! I hated working as a CNA. But, I love working as a nurse ;)

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Well, I actually like being a CNA.

I hope I love working as an RN too when I finish school!

I can imagine, as previously mentioned, that one's reasons for not liking CNA work would be the determining factor as to whether nursing would still be reasonably enjoyable for the individual.

The thing about working as an RN is that the options and scope of potential jobs is so vast that even if one hated long term CNA work, they could find an RN position that would suit them.

Ultimately it it is important that an RN be intelligent, compassionate, & hard working. If you have those skills, being an RN will be rewarding IMO. Being a CNA is backbreaking at times & it's not for everybody, or even most.

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Absolutely untrue, if you end up disliking bedside, there is nothing wrong with that. I have worked along side many who did not like it, and you would never know it because they were outstanding nurses. There are so many areas of nursing, for example, nurse paralegal, nurse reviewer, case management, school nurse, documentation specialist, informatics, out-patient clinic, nurse esthetician, etc. I have a friend who makes a fortune injecting derma-fillers (GO FIGURE) and she absolutely loves it.

With that being said, I would suggest trying bedside nursing to gain experience - you may be pleasantly surprised. If not, chances are you will meet some great mentors/people along the way.

I realize that being a CNA is not easy, and is often a thankless job - don't let your boss discourage you.

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Specializes in Psychiatric, Med-Surg.

To put it bluntly: Nurses wipe butts too. On my MedSurg floor, they don't do it quite as often as I do (currently a CNA), but they still have to do it. Quite frankly, I'm tired of helping people "do their business". BUT, I make the most of it, and try to help patients to feel comfortable and cared for - that is what I enjoy about my job. I feel that although the nurses have far less patients than the nurse aides, they have far more responsibility, so there is that factor as well.

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Oh wow!! Thanks so much for the advice!! :)

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I doubt it. I'm a CNA in nursing school right now. I'm looking forward to be able to focus on the medical things instead of the bed baths, etc. That's the thing I hate most about being a CNA. I didn't even get to take BPs.

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Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.

The CNA cert was a prereq for my program -- and I despised it. For that matter, I really didn't care for being a med-surg nurse.

ED, though, I do enjoy.

Being a CNA is a backbreaking, heart-wrenching, overworked, under-appreciated, and poorly compensated job. I honestly don't know how they find people to do it.

Being a CNA is nothing like being a nurse.

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No. I was a CNA for two weeks. Hated it. Gave me no indication of how I would come to love the job. Both jobs you work hard but I never worked as hard in my life as I did those two weeks as a CNA. CNA's do the most backbreaking bedside care with no respect and paltry pay. As an RN you work hard but at least you are compensated and respected as a professional.

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Specializes in NICU Level 3.

THIS x 1000!

Being a CNA is a backbreaking, heart-wrenching, overworked, under-appreciated, and poorly compensated job. I honestly don't know how they find people to do it.

Being a CNA is nothing like being a nurse.

I was a PCT for a year prior to nursing school. I did it to get experience and to see if I liked being in a hospital environment. I am very grateful for my experience as a PCT but towards the end of my time as a PCT I started having panic attacks about going in to work. We were so overworked and got crap pay and I would leave work every day just utterly exhausted- both physically and mentally.

I graduated nursing school this past May and am a GN on a PP floor and so far I'm loving it! What my time on the floor as a PCT helped me so much with being comfortable with patient care and interacting with patients. But it also solidified in my mind that I had ZERO desire to work on a Med/Surg floor.

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