Ok maybe a dumb question but.....

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Did all of you have some sort of medical experience before becoming a nurse? I was a CNA for about a year before i decided thats what I wanted to do. I am just asking this because at the school where I take my prereqs there are some students in their late teens and early 20's that work at banks and offices and have no hospital experience. With a 2 year waiting list to get into the nursing program at my school I think these students should have some experience so they know what they are getting into before they take up a spot in the program they are not prepared for.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Did all of you have some sort of medical experience before becoming a nurse? I was a CNA for about a year before i decided thats what I wanted to do. I am just asking this because at the school where I take my prereqs there are some students in their late teens and early 20's that work at banks and offices and have no hospital experience. With a 2 year waiting list to get into the nursing program at my school I think these students should have some experience so they know what they are getting into before they take up a spot in the program they are not prepared for.

I don't think that is necessary.

Nursing is composed of a diverse group. While a large population of students DO get some work in the field, as a CNA or unit secretary for example, I don't think that should be a requirement.

In fact, I don't think that there is a direct connection between the critical thinking necessary and taught to be a nurse and working 'in the field' in an area that doesn't train or hone those skills.

Technical skills can be learned as you go. How to 'think' like a nurse simply isn't taught in other 'healthcare' experiences. Previous healthcare experience might be a 'plus', but I would think that it is but one of many factors.

btw, I worked as a CNA through school.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

I had no experience whatsoever. I'd hardly even visited people in the hospital!

What I did have was a liberal arts degree. I believe that it was a tremendous help to me in learning to think like a nurse. It was certainly a help when I had to write papers! I also knew how to study.

I may not have known what I was getting into, but I sure don't think I was a waste of a spot in any of my programs (practical nursing diploma, ADN, BSN, MN) and I never had to wait to get into any of them.

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Thank you all for answersing my question:wink2:

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Sounds like a good idea, but that's not always practical. I see what you're saying. How dreadful is it when someone quits the first week taking up a spot of someone who really wanted it.

But that's too much favoritism in my opinion.

I had no experience whatsoever either. I worked in a restaurant. While the CNA's and LPNs held a distinct advantage over me, nursing school started at the beginning with the basics and I caught on just fine and stuck with it.

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there are some states that required that you do take the cna classes in order to get into the nursing schools.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

I will have no experience when I get into clinicals, and yes, I have wondered if this will leave me at a disadvantage to my experienced counterparts. The community college where I did my gen-ed classes actually required all of the nursing students to take a nurse's aide class before they could start clinicals. Interesting idea, that, upon completion of the class, does lead most students to get jobs as nurse's aides.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
there are some states that required that you do take the cna classes in order to get into the nursing schools.

I don't think so, but I could be wrong.

There are some states that GRANT you CNA status after your first semester of nursing school. But that is different than requiring it as a pre-req.

~faith,

Timothy.

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I don't think that schools should be able to make that a requirement. I know it is disappointing when you don't get in and they end up with spots open but excluding people who have no experience is not the answer. Upon entering nursing school, I had absolutely no experience. I have worked in Accounting ever since I graduated and it took me quite a while to decide what to do with my life. I had wondered quite a bit if I would be at a disadvantage over my peers because almost all of them are CNA's MA's or at least work in a doctors office or the hospital. However, I have been in the top 3 in each of the classes/clinicals thus far while many of them (sadly) are no longer with us. Prior experience (IMHO) is great, and I think it would have only helped me even more, but I don't think it should be a pre-req.:nuke:

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Specializes in Ortho/Neuro.
I don't think so, but I could be wrong.

There are some states that GRANT you CNA status after your first semester of nursing school. But that is different than requiring it as a pre-req.

~faith,

Timothy.

I don't know about states, but I know there are some schools in my area that require you take the CNA course before your application will be accepted. In my area it is the community colleges.

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Specializes in Almost everywhere.
I don't know about states but I know there are some schools in my area that require you take the CNA course before your application will be accepted. In my area it is the community colleges.[/quote']

Same for my area. Must take the CNA class and pass and have your certification before your application is even considered.

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CNA is also a requirement at the CC I'm attending (SoCal). You cannot even get on the wait list until you've completed all the prereq's.

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