Who else is entering a nursing program that . . .

[EthnicBeauty]

Has a C.N.A licensure as a pre-wreck? Had to do it, it's too cute. As much as I can understand my schools reasoning in it, I think it's irritating to add on another class like this that just prolongs the process even more. The nursing counselor said many students were getting into the program and then complaining and refusing to "wipe behinds" as he so elequently put it. That's the individuals fault if they went into the program without full knowledge of what nursing is about. Not saying it's only about wiping behinds but that is sometimes included in taking care of people.

Does anyone else have this as a pre-wreck of getting on the waiting list?

[DesertRain]

My CC requires this as well, and I'm ok with it....how much worse can it be than changing my gd's diapers? (ok, ok, I can already hear the replies to that one ). The only thing I don't care for is having to shell out an extra $538 for the course & state test.

Yeah, actually $538 is not so bad -- I think that's the app. cost at my CC as well but is better than the private institutes that ask for over $1500 to get it done in like 3 weeks--I did the shopping and was shocked to hear how much it was. The private schools or hospitals that teach it my area don't even offer any kind of financing or financial aid where as the CC's do.

At first I thought taking a whole semester to do my CNA was going to be too drawn out but I'm looking forward to it. I will be applying to the nursing school for Fall so unless I don't get accepted right away I will never even get to work as a CNA aside from my clinicals.

[tofutti]

I'm okay with this being a pre"wreck":lol2: as you call it, because they have to pare down the list of applicants somehow. But I hope they won't skimp on teaching the basic skills once I start the program, just because we all have cna certs already.

[manofcare]

Client contact is client contact. It's all a learning experience. My CC requires that ALL RN apps. go through CNA. Some of the students in my class could not handle even touching the clients in the nursing home. They were too freaked out. I'm sure glad they went down the road to another program. If I need help with a pt, I want to know that contact with a pt won't freak out the student helping me. Not only that, but how would you like to lose a spot in the program to someone with a little better grades that walks on the first day of clinicals because they were uncomfortable with performing personal care for someone? I had some really cool clients in the CNA program, really sweet people. I approached it from the aspect that I was there to help and that I would keep a positive and upbeat attitude regardless of the situation. It was really easy. My CNA instructor will not let me get by now without a great big ole hug. I love her to death. Try not to focus on what you consider busy work or drudgery. You know you make the situation a positive or negative experience. If you go into the CNA program with the opinion that it is below you or not worth your time, I bet it won't be. If you go into it with the idea that you will learn everything that you can, you will be better off in nursing school clinicals, trust me. You will really be surprised how open and informative nurses in the nursing home can be when you show a genuine interest in what they have to offer. You don't live in a vacuum either. If you don't think that instructors talk and compare notes on students you are sadly mistaken.

[pjgarrett1388]

Hey my program doesn't require CNA as a pre-req, but I was able to get my CNA license through my High School when I was a Senior. I really think it helped me understand exactly what I am getting into and you know what I found that I really loved what I was doing. That is what was the final deciding factor of whether or not I wanted to go on to Nursing School or do something completely different. There were people in my CNA class that could not touch the residents at the nursing home. I am really glad I took the class.

PJ

[MrsMommaRN]

working as an cna is good hard work that gives you the basic foundation of nursing care. regardless of your title you still have to "wipe butt" every now and then. please don't think that once you become a nurse that you delegate everything to the cna. it is not below any of us to help another person with their daily adls.

[stpauligirl]

Some of the rest of us had to spend an entire semester in "fundamentals" learning just this sort of thing. I think it's a good idea. It gets your feet wet and gives an idea to you and to your school just how dedicated you are.

I will say I have very little patience for nurses who refuse to assist with toileting and other ADLs.

I am starting "Fundamentals" in August in a nursing home....so it's going to be like CNA training, huh? something to look forward to

In all seriousness:

I was a substitute teacher for severely handicapped children a few years back, it never bothered me to change them and keep them comfortable. Those crabby old ladies working there thought that they could push all those "nasty" tasks on me....since I was ONLY the substitute...little did they knoe that it was my pleasure to be able to be there for those kids since it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that they didn't get a lot of love anywhere....many lived with foster parents and I felt that the care they got at that place was less than minimum....not a place I would want my child to spend the majority of the day at . I knew that at least for those few hours that I worked there someone cared about these kids....ME! It was very rewarding and I took every opportunity to go back, I even turned down "normal" classroom assignments. I am sure I'll feel the same during my first clinical rotation. Nursing is a bit of "self sacrifice", if one is concerned with ones own comfort than it might be the wrong field to get into. I think that at our school we could get our CNA certification after completing the first semester of nursing school, Sounds like your curriculum is structured differently but you will have done the same in the end! I'd say, just do it the way they want you to do it, stick it out don't matter what and get your RN in the end like everyone else.