how many nurses did not like being a CNA?

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I was having a conversation with a co-worker and she is in nursing school but she hates being a CNA. Do you think she will make it as a nurse?

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She can still make it as a Nurse. But she might not be a quality one.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
She can still make it as a Nurse. But she might not be a quality one.

Not necessarily true. I didn't like having to work that hard for the little pay (and at times respect) I was getting for it, and I'm a quality nurse. I was a dedicated CNA, but didn't like it nearly as much as I like being a nurse.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.

There's six students in my class that are CNA's and they hate it but it's what's paying the bills right now so they stick with knowing that in a short amount of time (March) we'll be done and they will be promoted to a nursing position. They're very good at their job and have excellent patient skills during clinicals they just hate the way they're treated by other nurses/staff on the floor simply for being an aide. One is even a little sad that she's almost done with school because she won't be able to spend as much time with the patients that she does now because her shifts are soon going to be filled with meds, assessments, dressing changes,.....

Your co-worker has to make it through school before you'll know if she'll be a good nurse. A lot of people have jobs they hate but go to school for something related to the field they're in because that's the aspect they enjoy. It doesn't necessarily mean they hate what they do but they hate the position that they hold.

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Not necessarily true. I didn't like having to work that hard for the little pay (and at times respect) I was getting for it, and I'm a quality nurse. I was a dedicated CNA, but didn't like it nearly as much as I like being a nurse.

In the hospital Nurses are doing the exact same duties as the CNAs--that is where i live. So if you really hate being a CNA, you're gonna loathe being an RN...unless you are one of those RNs who thinks your duty is to just pass medication then sit down & boss the aides around all day.

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

I worked as a CNA in LTC for about 8 months, and it was the toughest job I've had so far. I had 18 patients, most total care, and obese. My back was always killing me, I had patients cursing me out, screaming demands all the time.... All my coworkers called in sick all the time, so we were always short. The LPNs were not able to help much, since they had to pass meds on 40 residents. I learned some helpful things for my practice as a nurse, but at a high cost to my body. I couldn't wait to get out of there and into the hospital where there were more resources, less total care pts, and more nurses.

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I don't think one thing has much to do with another. If she hates having to clean up patients, turn/position them, that sort of thing, then yes, I imagine she'd hate nursing. OTOH, if she hates JUST doing that stuff, then no, it's irrelevant.

If I did JUST the CNA stuff, I'd hate it too. But I like nursing, what makes up the REST of my job as an RN.

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Specializes in MICU.

I work in the expanded CNA role right now. I will be graduating from an RN program this June (yay!).

I do both love and hate my job as a CNA. I work on a cardiac floor with some very good and not so good nurses. We take a lot of CHF, post-op hearts, post caths, and MI's and fun things of that nature. I absolutely hate that I get talked down to, as many others do. Many nurses, and for good reason, treat you as if you know nothing. And, if I wasn't a student, I probably wouldn't get so upset. It is very little pay and I do work very hard. I love being a nurse in nursing school. I love spending time with patients and being there for them.

I guess it's just your point of view...

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I'm not a nurse, so perhaps I am not equipped to properly respond. I think she needs to revaluate her choice of career. I cannot see how any of the negative parts of being a CNA will dissolve once she becomes an RN. Many CNA's feel a total lack of respect from their coworkers, but once she is an RN, she will feel like Dr. Immajerk's pee-on. If she doesn't like the politics or the DON who thinks she is Jesus, then she will be in the same boat as an RN. If a CNA doesn't like the mess, patients will still puke on your shoes no matter how much education you have. Inserting a catheter isn't exactly clean either. If she doesn't like being overworked, she will be even more overwhelmed when she has to do all her RN duties, plus find a way to fit in charting.

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Specializes in OB, Med-Surg.

I loved being a nurses aide because that's when I felt like I really got to spend time with the patients, and really got to know them. I did however , feel like I was taken for granted someitmes, not given respect, and was even looked down upon by some of the nurses. Now I try very hard not to ever make my aides feel anything but valuable and wanted. I work with a nurse who hated being a CNA and for the most part, she is one to sit at the desk and boss them around while not getting her own hands dirty. No matter how busy they are she is adding more chores and questioning them when they don't get it all done when she thinks they should. I think she needs to work as a CNA for at least a week again to remember what it was like.

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i think it matter what part she does not like, if she hates answering a call light (she'll be the nurse that stands out side the door with her med cart and refuses to answer the light,) if she hates pay and only pay (she'll be payed more so hopefully she will learn to love her job for more money) on that note, cna pay really is not what they deserve. If she hates doing pt care most likely she should not work in the hospital because most nurses do pt care however cna's do the pt care in a nursing home so she might do better there. I personally think that you can be a good nurse however i do believe everyone should be a cna first. i just think that this neccary. You learn a lot as a cna even if it is the important of turning, prevent skin breakdown, nutrition.

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Specializes in Cardiac x3 years, PACU x1 year.
She can still make it as a Nurse. But she might not be a quality one.

I think that's a pretty insulting thing to say... CNA work is more about performing tasks, and being a nurse is about not only those tasks, but the results and their interpretation. Among a zillion other things...

I am a quality nurse, thank you very much. I wasn't a tech because I didn't *want* to be one.

And... what do you know about being a nurse?

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