Now or future

jb2u, ASN, RN · Jul 30, 2006

at the hospital i work at now...we have pca 1 (pca=cna) and pca 2. pca 2's just learn how to do phlebotomy (blood draws) and go through an orientation.

i worked at a hospital in tampa in which i started off as a cna and cross trained into unit clerk and cardiac monitor tech by taking classes at the hospital.

you can also take an emt course and work in some er's...if that interest you.

sometimes i see ads in the paper for phlebotomy and ekg training.

personally speaking, if you KNOW that you don't want to be a nurse. i would take a medical assisting course (i did that too). medical assisting is a great field and you can learn front office, receiving, billing, coding. and with a business degree can progress in to front office manager or without a business degree (just ma experience) you can become a back office supervisor. it is a "cleaner" job with more "office type" hours and holidays off! it really depends on what YOU are looking for. some people make a "career" out of being a cna, but i couldn't (the pay is way too low and we don't get to do any real technical stuff. at least as a ma you can give shots and breathing treatments).

if you have anymore questions...ask away!

sincerely,

jay

NoWaNrN, ASN, RN · Jul 30, 2006

In Ohio they just started medication aids I know other states already use them but maybe you could do something like that. Here to be a med aid I think you have to of been a CNA for so long.

TerriB · Jul 30, 2006

Right now I have no thoughts of going further into nursing. I wonder though are there now or maybe in the futhur different levels of training for CNA's. If there are other training how would I get access to them. I could see there being CNA 1 or 2 etc.What do all you think or know?

I can tell you that here in Phoenix AZ that I am just finishing up Patient Care Technician classes. It's a level above CNA but Below LPN. We are trained to insert Caths, draw blood, give injections, Accuchecks, Hematocrits, Sterile and non-sterile dressing changes, Etc etc. I also know that in San Diego there are some hospitals that have the same thing.

Terri B. CNA/PCT:Melody:

casi, ASN, RN · Jul 30, 2006

I think the extra training depends on the state.

Check out your local community college. Ours offers an Acute Care CNA course (it's hard to get into hospitals in MN, not much of a shortage so they are picky), Trained Medication Aide, and ER Tech all have prereqs of being a CNA. There is also Health Unit Coordinator, Phlebotomy, EMT, and I might be forgetting a couple that you can take to add onto your skills.

Also look into local hospitals some may offer on the job training like Cardiac Monitor Tech.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2006

I've worked in nursing homes where there were what the facility entitled "Senior Aide" who were supervisors of other nursing assistants. Their job was to make sure the CNAs they supervised were doing their jobs properly, train, make sure everyone was documenting correctly, and orient new CNAs and report to the charge nurses under whom they worked. These positions generally went to CNAs who had been employed for awhile with the facility and had demonstrated their ability as good aides, good employees and an ability for leadership.

Lil123 · Aug 1, 2006

Thanks to all who replied. I guess to get further training I should move out of HH and get into a hospital or other setting.

chadash · Aug 6, 2006

Thanks to all who replied. I guess to get further training I should move out of HH and get into a hospital or other setting.

Lil, why not contact the local community colleges and see if you can pick up a few more skills? It might open up more options.

chadash · Aug 10, 2006

I don't think you would ever regret going further in nursing. I encourage you to keep going!

SeattleRain · Aug 11, 2006

I know it has been asked many times, but do you think 47-48 is too old to consider RN school? (Since I am so education-oriented, the question seems almost foreign!) I guess what I am really wondering is this: do you think younger students are considered more before those of us in their 40's? Anyone and everyone? Thanks!

jb2u, ASN, RN · Aug 11, 2006

I know it has been asked many times, but do you think 47-48 is too old to consider RN school? (Since I am so education-oriented, the question seems almost foreign!) I guess what I am really wondering is this: do you think younger students are considered more before those of us in their 40's? Anyone and everyone? Thanks!

47-48 is NOT too old. There has been plenty of studies that prove an "older" brain can learn just as much as a "younger" one, it just MAY take a little more time to learn or "add it to your already grand collection of knowledge." NO, I don't think that younger students are considered before those in their 40's. The average age of a nursing student is 35. Plus, it has been MY EXPERIENCE and certainly not indicative of what applies to the whole, that the younger students tend to put more emphasis on fun. This leads to poorer grades in pre-reqs and thus, a greater number of older students get accepted. Most schools go by gpa. Again, I am NOT saying that younger students only care about fun. I am saying that a lot of younger students that I know care more about having fun than I do. I care about becoming a nurse. For me, fun can wait. We do have some VERY bright and mature younger students in my class, but we also have a LOT of younger students that didn't make it.

It really comes down to grades. Are you going to work towards them or not. I think that is what the Nursing Dept.'s are looking for. They want a high first time pass rate on the NCLEX. How your academics are will help them determine this.

Sincerely,

jay

SeattleRain · Aug 11, 2006

Thanks, for your perspective. It expresses my view as well~ I definitely appreciated the privilege of higher education as an adult (and) I definitely have had a better concentration level I always seem to be about the 'average' 'middle' (age-wise that is) in my classes, I have taken~ I just didn't know if my view was 'out of touch'. Thank you very much for your encouragement and response:-) Suzi