now that it was mentioned..

Lulu Belle, RN, EMT-B · Nov 9, 2015

When it's 21:00, and the only residents who aren't in bed are sitting with me at the nurse's station having an impromptu ice cream party, I'm really glad I'm not the nurse.

I am on my way to nursing school, but I like being an EMT and CNA. I get to participate in patient care without the crushing responsibility of having a license.

Princess Bubblegum · Nov 9, 2015

I'm 7 years in as a CNA and I'm not convinced I want to do it forever, but it's been fun. I do want to be a nurse eventually, but I'm happy working as a CNA until I have some money saved up for school. I've been able to see and do so many amazing things. I think I get paid well ($17/hr base wage, up to $21/hr if I work as a monitor tech), considering how little education the job requires.

babsg1979 · Nov 9, 2015

There's nothing wrong with staying a CNA. If you're getting much better pay, why not stay with it? Most of us are getting crap pay, so we have to move on. I'm getting a late start in life bc I got married and had kids first. I have 30 good yrs until retirement, I need to hurry up. So, I'm going to move on and be a nurse, a healthcare administrator, or whatever. I can't retire, pay my bills, or help my kids on 9.75/hr for home health.

CNAjellybean · Nov 9, 2015

I am a CNA who also works at a hospital. I don't think there is anything wrong with being a career CNA, however I remember the day I had to tell a nursing student for the third time that yes, she needed a gown, mask, and gloves to go into a droplet precaution room that I decided that it was time for me to go to school and get my RN.

You may have your "moment." You may not. It is totally OK.

There are also other options for you if you don't want to go the RN route...ultrasound, imaging, etc.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 10, 2015

I wouldn't want to be a career CNA due to the toll it inflicts on the body over time.

All of the 'older' career CNAs with whom I'm acquainted developed work-related health problems once they reached their late 30s/early 40s. Their backs and knees are worn out. Also, you generally don't see career CNAs in their 60s because injuries will force them to leave the workforce before then.

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Nov 10, 2015

I've never heard of cnas getting anything even close to that. I guess it would have to depend on the area.

2 different local hospital systems in my area pay CNAs very well. From 16/17 up to $23/27/hr.

I worked Ltc and agency and was paid much less.

caliotter3 · Nov 10, 2015

I wish you could talk to the CNAs I met who were working well into their 70's. Every one of them stated that they had been on disability at one point or another for back injuries during their career. If you are intellectually satisfied with this work, my only caveat would be to carefully watch over your personal health as you age. Even if you climb the ladder to LPN or beyond, you can still have a back injury that saps the joy of life from you.

FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2015

Of course there's nothing wrong with being a CNA.

I saw some CNAs and PCTs in my prereq classes who liked their jobs but couldn't live off the income. Unfortunately, not all of them had the academic ability to pass the prereqs for nursing school. Some wound up pursuing other fields as a result.

I have no idea what motivates an individual to say that CNAs don't "merit" $16 an hour. Where I live, that is barely enough to live on. No where in the US is federal minimum wage a living wage.

On top of that info, who the hell do people think they are making a judgment about how much a stranger is worth to her employer?

Kystudentrn · Nov 18, 2015

Well this may be an unpopular response but no, I don't think cnas merit 16.00 an hour. In some places that's more then an Lpn makes and in a few places I know about what an RN makes though most make quite a bit more. The nursing program is extremely hard in every way imaginable. 4 years ago we started off with 60. As of right now 23 will graduate in a few weeks. I've worked my way from Cna, pct, nurse extern and next month a registered nurse applicant. No, I'm sorry I don't feel that someone with a couple months of training should be making nearly what I do.

mindofmidwifery, ADN · Nov 18, 2015

Well this may be an unpopular response but no, I don't think cnas merit 16.00 an hour. In some places that's more then an Lpn makes and in a few places I know about what an RN makes though most make quite a bit more. The nursing program is extremely hard in every way imaginable. 4 years ago we started off with 60. As of right now 23 will graduate in a few weeks. I've worked my way from Cna, pct, nurse extern and next month a registered nurse applicant. No, I'm sorry I don't feel that someone with a couple months of training should be making nearly what I do.

Yeah, and when you're one of the two aides working evening shift doing full cares on 50 residents in a nursing home, I hope you're not risking your mental and physical health for $9 an hour... CNAs should merit $16 an hour where extreme help is needed or else there won't be that help. And you can be the nurse picking up the slack when there's no CNAs left.

verene, MSN · Nov 18, 2015

Well this may be an unpopular response but no, I don't think cnas merit 16.00 an hour. In some places that's more then an Lpn makes and in a few places I know about what an RN makes though most make quite a bit more. The nursing program is extremely hard in every way imaginable. 4 years ago we started off with 60. As of right now 23 will graduate in a few weeks. I've worked my way from Cna, pct, nurse extern and next month a registered nurse applicant. No, I'm sorry I don't feel that someone with a couple months of training should be making nearly what I do.

I think a lot of it depends on where one works. Cost of living is a factor. If one lives in a high cost of living city then yes, it really doesn't surprise me that CNAs are paid $16 an hour, because that is probably pretty close to the minimum required to live with out being on welfare in those cities. I also think it makes sense to pay experienced CNAs a higher wage. The initial training is very short, and a new CNA doesn't know much at all, it makes sense that they are paid little. However, I work with a couple of CNAs who've been doing this job for ~20 years - they may not have learned much in school, but there is definitely something to be said for all that they've learned on the job since then. I've seen MDs defer to these career CNAs' recommendations for patient care because they know they can trust in their observations, experience and knowledge base. Should that all knowledge and experience still be rewarded with $10-11/hour pay? (barley above min wage). A CNA with 20+ years experience in my hospital system is probably making close to $50K/year base pay if they are working full time.

In response to the OP: There is something to be said for being happy in one's job. If you are happy being a CNA and the pay is enough for you to get by then there is no problem staying a career CNA. I work with several I can't tell you how much as a relatively new CNA I appreciate their advice and knowledge. My facility is about 50% career and 50% pre-nursing/nursing school for our CNAs and I am glad we have that balance. There is also nothing that says you can't change you mind down the road and try something else - nursing related or not.

Kystudentrn · Nov 19, 2015

I agree with location being part of pay. Cost of living is definately a factor. We have a couple of career pcas (Cna) on the floor at my facility. They do pretty well and are very efficient at there jobs. However, I've heard them both say they are only around 14-15 in pay and that's after 25 and 30 years respectively. What I have NEVER seen is a physician consulting an aide on anything regarding a pts medical condition. They will always go to the nurse. At our hospital aides are normally told to leave the room when a physician enters.