MA or CNA prior to NS general education?

subee, MSN, CRNA · Feb 7

KirbyK05 said:

Hello there! I am in the process of enrolling for my general education courses prior to nursing school here in SD, CA. Unfortunately I missed the Spring 2024 cutoff and will have to wait until Summer 2024. In the meantime I was thinking of school for either CNA or MA. From what I have read it seems like becoming a CNA prior helps when it comes to patient relations, basic patient care, and general comfort working in the field. It is also my understanding that CNA coursework is covered while in nursing school, looks good on applications for nursing school, gives real life experience, and can give you a leg up. I am finding that most CNA programs are under 30 days long and MA programs are about 9 months long. I'm reading that being becoming a MA doesn't prepare you as well for NS. Do you find that to be true? I have been a Master Esthetician for 17 years now and my goal is to become a RN and continue in this field doing medical esthetics (injections, lasers, needles, etc- all the fun stuff). On job listings I am seeing that there is more of a need for MA/Esthetician than there is for CNA/Esthetician. Do you know why that is? Why is the course for CNA so short and MA is 9 months? This whole process has been fairly overwhelming for me (and I want to become a nurse, ha!) so please be gentle and know that any additional help/advice/guidance is welcome!

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You will be fine without either. Don't waste your money.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Feb 9

MA takes a little while longer to get done, but I was a home health CNA while I was in nursing school (I already had a BS in Biology so all my pre-reqs were done). I found it to be a great help while being in school. I noticed that in the first semester of nursing school, we went to a local nursing home to learn how to do the basics of assessment, some were like "you mean I have to tough "X" (mostly private areas)!" As an aide, I felt more comfortable touching another person who was not my husband or my child.

kkbb, BSN, RN · Feb 9

I was the odd one and went with MA before nursing school, but there was a specific reason why I did that. I had worked as a legal secretary for 10 years when I decided I wanted to switch careers. I did have concerns about how I would do in the medical field, but I also didn't want to spend money on school and not use it. In MA school I learned injections, venipuncture, and front office (basics on billing, coding, insurance authorizations, and so on). I figured that if I couldn't do the injections I could use my legal secretary background and work as a HUC or work front office somewhere. CNA would have given me exposure to what life was really like at the bedside, but I wasn't sure what other options would have been available if I didn't like beside. In the end, I discovered that I loved being an MA and now a nurse.

All that said, you have to decide what you feel you will gain as an MA or CNA before nursing school, and if it is worth it. For me, MA was beneficial, but this isn't a one-size-fits-all thing. As Subee pointed out, you don't have to earn either to be successful as a nurse.

FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP · Feb 9

I did the CNA program through the Red Cross prior to starting nursing school. It gave me hands on patient care experience. Several of my classmates in nursing school worked part-time as CNAs, so it provides a healthcare employment option. Some of them got RN job offers from their CNA employer upon graduation.