CNA before LPN? benificial?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

i'm planning to attend an lpn program in jan. i'm looking forward to it, but i have a few doubts. i have no problem working long hours but i am a little nervous about needles, it's funny because blood, etc doesn't really bother me. anyway i was told to try being a cna before going lpn... i don't think this is what would best because from what i understand cnas get the "crap" work and most if not all positions are at nursing homes, which is my last choice as to where work when becoming an lpn. not to down any cnas but there is also a problem with changing my scedule where i would work now to get the cna. :uhoh3: i would really like to know what other people think that are already an lpn or rn... did you go for cna before going further? regret it? wish you would have? thanks for your help, it's much appreciated. :)

I don't know where you live but in IL, you have to be a CNA certified before you start applying anywhere. I would reccomend that you try working as a Cna first - it will open your eyes in ways you never thought of nursing, you can make a crucial decision for your future - you eather have a neck for it or you don't, because not always but mostly LPN's work in nursing homes and cleaning "crap" is their daily job - not only CNA ( there is a lot of nurses that abuse their cna's thinking that, that sort of job is sole cna's - very wrong thinking! and you will get burned out on the job).

You can work as a patient care technitian in acute care hospital, which is what I did and I have learned so much - very hard work - but that's what's nurisng is all about. I think that if you have a time to spare before your programm you should go ahead and try working - get use to the site of sh-t it will help you in clinicals.Good luck!!!!:)

0 Votes
Specializes in nursing home.

nursing is about caring for the whole patient, not just certain aspects, or parts.

never forget that. i think everyone should have to become a cna first, that way you know what aides go through, what their job actually entails. cna's have more contact with the patients, so essentially they are the eyes and ears for the nurses. cna's alert nurses as to when something is wrong.

if you dont want to wipe butts, or feed or bathe anyone, than nursing is not the career for you, and you should go into another field. nurses who do those things get more respect from the cna's. some of you may think, well nurses dont need the cna's respect, and thats where you are wrong. cna's are the nurses backbones. we are a team, and we are all here for the patient.

being a nurse does not mean you are above doing personal care for the patient.

if you have that "that's not my job" attitude, you need to lose it, or wherever you work will probaly be horrible for you.

my advice to all nurses is, never ignore a call light, never refuse to take someone to the bathroom, just think if that was your loved one and a nurse was ignoring them, because all of the aides are busy, you would be pretty ticked would'nt you!!!!!

0 Votes
nursing is about caring for the whole patient, not just certain aspects, or parts.

never forget that. i think everyone should have to become a cna first, that way you know what aides go through, what their job actually entails. cna's have more contact with the patients, so essentially they are the eyes and ears for the nurses. cna's alert nurses as to when something is wrong.

if you dont want to wipe butts, or feed or bathe anyone, than nursing is not the career for you, and you should go into another field. nurses who do those things get more respect from the cna's. some of you may think, well nurses dont need the cna's respect, and thats where you are wrong. cna's are the nurses backbones. we are a team, and we are all here for the patient.

being a nurse does not mean you are above doing personal care for the patient.

if you have that "that's not my job" attitude, you need to lose it, or wherever you work will probaly be horrible for you.

my advice to all nurses is, never ignore a call light, never refuse to take someone to the bathroom, just think if that was your loved one and a nurse was ignoring them, because all of the aides are busy, you would be pretty ticked would'nt you!!!!!

VERY TRUE!!!!!!!!! I think that it should be mandatory for future nursing students to work for at least 6 months as a CNA prior to admission. Many would not choose to go into nursing than, that's why you have nurses that come on the job thinking that they don't have to do those things because: that's the cna job, when in reality they know that it is their responsibility as well , it is a silent abuse of cna and nobody is talking about it.I kind of makes me mad when I read the posts of people who are admitted to the nursing programm getting advice of how to make it through clinicals because when they graduate they will look for a position that will not require cleaning butt's, - out of luck of such position, they come to work in the facility with the preconsieved notion that they don't have to touch the patient. I am very grateful for having the opportunity working as a CNA, now as a nuring student I reap the benefits of the expirence I had gained. I know I will always value the work of cna because essentially she makes my job a lot easier, and also treating others with respect and dignity are the fundamental basis of nursing - not; how to go about not doing things.

0 Votes
Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.

Having CNA experience WILL make nursing school easier. If I could choose between two new grads to work with, one with CNA experience, one without, I'd definitely favor the first. BTW, I have a cool example. It's DR.'s day at the LTC, the medical director brings several med students and assigns them to see certain residents. One of the med students comes back to the desk and voices concern of the pt.'s altered mental status/confusion, because the pt. c/o diarrhea, then constipation. Without thinking one of the cna's blurts out,"oh no, I hope pt. is not impacted". Guess who was right.

0 Votes
I don't know where you live but in IL, you have to be a CNA certified before you start applying anywhere. I would reccomend that you try working as a Cna first - it will open your eyes in ways you never thought of nursing, you can make a crucial decision for your future - you eather have a neck for it or you don't, because not always but mostly LPN's work in nursing homes and cleaning "crap" is their daily job - not only CNA ( there is a lot of nurses that abuse their cna's thinking that, that sort of job is sole cna's - very wrong thinking! and you will get burned out on the job).

You can work as a patient care technitian in acute care hospital, which is what I did and I have learned so much - very hard work - but that's what's nurisng is all about. I think that if you have a time to spare before your programm you should go ahead and try working - get use to the site of sh-t it will help you in clinicals.Good luck!!!!:)

This is my only weakness...the smell and sight of sh*t! I just got my CNA license 2 months ago and fear this part of the job. I wish we could wear some sort of mask but that would probably wouldn't be good for the dignity of the patient. Can anyone give any advice on how to deal with this part of nursing?

0 Votes

@ Flordagirl - it is never a "nice job" to do, but with time you will get use to it and will not think about it the way you do now, it takes time. You will have to pay attention to it because in the hospital setting you have to chart it. You can wear a mask only if the patient is in isolation. Always think about how would you feel if you had no control of your bowels and could not clean yourself or your parent or your child. They already feel useless and worthless. It takes time, so go to work not thinking about cleaning crap but providing patient care and if it happends that you have to clean sh-t than deal with it than, you will be ok:smokin:.

0 Votes

Lucy I never said it would be a "nice job". I was asking for advice and tips on how to deal with this aspect of the job. Please keep in mind I am a brand new nurse and don't have the experience you might have. Any advice and tips besides "just deal with it" would be much appreciated. :)

0 Votes
Specializes in MR/DD.

Absolutely!! It will be much easier for you to get a job as a CNA then as an LPN..if you keep working while earning your LPN you will be able to work for your facility as an LPN.

0 Votes

I would get the CNA or be a nurse tech in a hospital first, too. You will gain SO much valuable experience. Even beyond the patient care stuff. By working in a hospital, you'll already have a feel for the routines and the way things are run and it won't all be so new to you when you're first starting out as a nurse.

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment