Male going into CNA-Legal issues?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I hear a lot on here how it is always best when in nursing school to have a female in the room when anything invasive is done on a female patient. I would think this would also apply to male CNA's? Some on here said it might be good to shadow,then CNA, and then RN.

After reading online,on here as well, how CNA doesn't help a whole lot for becoming a RN.

I hear a lot that you always want to "cover your ass" in such situations. I tend to be very cautious when it come to any legal issues that may arise.

Should I skip the CNA and go straight to RN if I like shadowing?

I hear they want you to give bed baths,toileting, and showers to all your patients when needed. They also want you to check the condition of the skin while doing so.

Would they leave such tasks as those for a female CNA? Or would they have me do it supervised? If supervision is required it would be better if they did it lol.

So if I would run into any legal issues with this I would rather go straight for RN. Then when it comes to OB rotations I would have a female student or nurse in the room.

Also whats the difference between a LVN and a RN? Is it basically that a LVN can poke needles and a CNA can't?

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Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.

It really depends on where you work I suppose.

As an aide, tech, and RN in nursing homes, home care, and hospitals I have never been required to have a female present when doing cares on a female.

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i was a CNA, about the start a LVN program. im a female, but i had a male in my CNA class and he was worried about the same thing. theres no legal issues with being a male CNA. sometimes patients/residents will request a female to help them shower and such. its just a preference for them. but no you dont have to have a female supervise you.

i think it would be a good idea to do CNA, then do an RN program, because it gives you more experience and most RN programs want you to have CNA experience beforehand. But if you can jump straight into the RN program go for it!

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Okay thanks for the info.

I can understand being hawk eyed in CNA clinicals or RN clinicals.

I get nervous with people watching my every move.

In school it would be okay, but if I had to be supervised on the job it makes no sense.

I am definitely going CNA and then RN. I need to gets some hands on experience and get pre-reqs done.

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Yes I am the same way! I don't like people sitting there watching me try and work! But good, go for that RN! Good luck!

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I know where I live (Guilford County, NC) you have to have your CNA before being accepted into any nursing program.

And LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) and an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) are one and the same thing, depending on where in the country you live. RN's supervise LVN/LPN's and CNA's. LVN/LPN's may also supervise CNA's. If you look at it like a hierarchy, the RN is at the top, LVN/LPN's have less areas in thier scope of practice than an RN and are next in line, CNA's assist and do most of the one-on-one patient contact and are the eyes and ears of the nurses. I hope this helps.

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No legal issues, as far as I know. Simply patient preference - if they want a female, all they need to do is ask - most women are used to having male health care workers in some form or another and don't mind. Others will just ask for a female - no harm done.

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I don't see why it would be pointless to be a CNA before becoming an RN. The experience will teach you not to mistreat your CNA when you actually are a nurse.

I don't think it's a legal issue; in fact, I think some people prefer male CNA just because you guys are strong. I'm very small (I weigh 100 lbs. For obvious reasons, some patients do not trust me to transfer them).

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I love my male techs. They are good at tackling my psych patients when they try to escape. Seriously, it's awesome when they do that, but all the techs I work with make my life 1000000000x easier. I've worked with very few male techs so I love that there are multiple male techs in my department to help with men who want male techs (yes, men can be as private as women!).

If you're a big guy, expect to be the one they call when they need help moving or restraining someone. Even if you're a smaller guy, still expect to be that guy.

The only time I've ever seen a male need a chaparone with a female patient is when a pelvic exam is being performed.

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I am actually a small guy...but I work out.

I am 5' 10" and 125 pounds (skinny little guy lol) but I can lift around 150 pounds, so far.

Ever since I have had the idea to become a CNA and then RN I has been working out more as I know what physical work it is. I knew that because my brother in-law is a nurse and is usually sore after a nights work.

I have decided to do CNA in the spring, prerequisites in the summer and fall. The prerequisites for me are only chemistry and algebra, the others I did in high school.

Then apply to nursing school before dec 20th. I am taking anatomy and physiology I&II and maybe microbiology, which aren't required but would save me almost all of first semester..leaving more time for clinicals. It would also help me get into nursing. I will work as a CNA while taking classes this fall and all that way until I am into nursing school (fall 2013).

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

Is it necessary to be a CNA before becoming a nurse? Definitely not (although in reading some previous replies, I see that some places being a CNA is a prerequisite for nursing school)--I know many great nurses who were never aides. I was a CNA before becoming an RN and some basic skills carried over...and I am still able to change an incontinent pt without the help of a aide (but that will get me off on a tangent).

As for legal issues--I have never heard of or seen a situation where a male CNA has a female 'chaperone' for pt care of a female. It would be impractical/a waste of time to expect a female accompany a male aide for any care that he is going to perform.

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Going for CNA is not a requirement anywhere in NY state as far as I know.

I am just doing it because I seem to learn most from hands on.

I could apply to this years nursing program if I was ready, but I am not.

There are 2 prereqs I didn't take. So even if I could sign up this year I choose to wait.

I could learn a lot more doing the hands on while getting paid. Then when I go to apply at the end of this year I will have had some experience. Plus the school that does the CNA program is the same school I am taking summer courses (prereqs) from and also the school that has the RN program. So I am hoping to show them that I want to learn and that I can get good grades. Working as a CNA to show that I am serious. It is just so competitive that I need to do everything I can to get in.

Yes, it would totally be a waste of time to have a female chaperone...let alone any chaperone.

I have just heard that male nurse student (whether CNA or RN) get hawked eyed during clinicals. A few stories I heard they were hawked eyed while doing their job (maybe because they were new). I just wanted to make sure I didn't have to be hawked eyed or baby sat just because I am a guy. In clinicals I will of course have to be hawked eyed but that is just for grading (I think).

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