Does being a CNA equal 1 year experiance for lpn?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2009

Being an experienced CNA does not equate to 1 year of LPN experience. The two job classifications are different.

In fact, many LPNs once worked as CNAs in the past. I'll wager that these LPNs were not granted any credit or "experience" for having worked as CNAs.

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2009

Working as a CNA = experience working as a CNA.

Working as an LPN = experience as an LPN.

I just got a job where the pay is determined by the number of years of experience an employee has.

I was a CNA for a few years, and was an LPN for nine years, and have been an RN for nine years.

The employer is considering me to be an RN with nine years experience. My other experience is not counted.

However, if an employer hires new grad LPNs, both you and your classmate will be considered new grad LPNs.

CNA experience does help with overall working and healthcare experience- but it in no way counts as nursing experience.

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2009

Being an experienced CNA does not equate to 1 year of LPN experience. The two job classifications are different.
In fact, many LPNs once worked as CNAs in the past. I'll wager that these LPNs were not granted any credit or "experience" for having worked as CNAs.

You're right- when I became a nurse, I even made the same pay as I did as a CNA. I was an agency CNA and made $9./hr. When I graduated and became an LPN, I took a full time job at a rehab/SNF for $9./hr.

My CNA experience was not counted.

missbee10 · Apr 11, 2009

Thank you all. Thats what I thought but I didn't say anything to her when she was telling me this. When I told her that CNA's and LPN"s were different she said no it wasn't just the only thing that CNA's can't do is pass out meds which is true but I still see it as to totally different fields

so alive LPN · Apr 11, 2009

I was a tech before becoming an LPN. Nothing was counted. My bed-making and pericare skills were a lil better than most during clinicals, though! ;-)

kat7ap · Apr 11, 2009

I was a CNA for 3 years prior to becoming an LVN. I've never had an employer count that as nursing experience. A new grad LPN/LVN is a new grad regardless of how much prior CNA experience she or he has. However having CNA experience may give you an edge on getting hired, you will still start at the same pay scale. Your classmate has a LOT to learn if she really thinks the only difference between CNA and LPN is passing meds.

tammy07 · Apr 11, 2009

When you two graduate keep in touch and 3 months after she begins her nursing career ask her how she feels about it now...I promise the attitude will do a 180...

cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 12, 2009

I'm going to disagree with some of the other people on this post. Being a CNA does not give you LPN experience and it usually does not give you more money at a job because you were a CNA before. However, if you were employed for a company as a CNA for lets say 3 years and then became an RN for that company later on after you graduated school you might make more then a newly hired RN for that company because you were already employed there. So CNA experience does not equal LPN/RN experience but it does equal health care experience (and it my opinion it does make you a better nurse if you have been a CNA first because of the perspective it gives you.) I will also say that in my hospital if you are a new grad. RN and want to go into a critical care setting (any ICUs or the ER) you need to do the critical care internship and its pretty tough to get into that internship if you haven't been a CNA before (usually you have to have at least a year of Med/Surg. to get into the ICUs or ER if you don't get that internship.) So being a CNA doesn't necessary make you more money as an LPN or RN but there are definitely hospital positions that are easier to get for new grad. nurses who were CNAs before they graduated. Good luck!

!Chris :specs:

egglady, LPN · Apr 13, 2009

To answer the OP's original statement- yes a CNA and LPN are two different things- one is a nurse, the other isnt....

imafostermom · Apr 13, 2009

In south Florida, (if you pass and test out with a certification) at an accredited CNA program and go into the LPN porgram here, they give you credit and you do not have to retake that part of the course. It is usually about a 4 week course. (Lee Couty High Tech)

AntFlip7395 · Apr 13, 2009

At a hospital I recently resigned from, the NAs that went back to school for their RN got credit, in terms of pay, for their experience. To give an example, if they worked for 2 years as an NA and subsequently got their nursing license, they were paid equivalent to an RN with one year experience. This is probably the exception to the rule though.