JayMal0110

Thank you for your response. So it would be better to just go for pct/PCA after getting my CNA certificate? will I have a better chance of landing a job as an RN after graduation as a PCT than a CNA ? Just want to make sure I don’t waste time or money

Hi all, I am in my first semester of an RN program at a 2 year community college in which I will then transfer and obtain BSN and continue to work my way to NP. My question is, I’m 25, I have no health field experience, I’ve only ever worked fast food and I’m not sure why it never occurred to me to get a job in the health field but I didn’t. I think it was because I felt like I would be wasting my time going for CNA, LPN, MA etc if I already knew I wanted to be an RN and had the grades to do it. Now I am in sort of a rush to get some kind of a Certification and join the health field to gain some experience. I know it will be between 2-3 years before I’m an actual nurse and I can use this time gaining experience. My plan was to join a CNA, EKG, phlebotomy course on the weekends to become a patient care tech while In nursing school, but I’m starting to think that will just be a waste of money and time. Will becoming a PCT and having these certifications in any way help my nursing resume? Do they matter to employers? Would it be better to just go for CNA and gain experience that way? I know for grad school I need some type of experience. Will I get the best experience working as a PCT or CNA? Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated even if it deviates from my initial plan. I don’t really know what to do. Thank you