amy874

I'm a new CNA, and about 3 months into my first job. When I read your title I thought that I could have very well written this post too! I took this route to get an idea of the health care field, to see if I really wanted to put the time and money into becoming a nurse. And I've decided no! I work in LTC, and yes all the nurses do is push pills, and fill out tons of paperwork. Yes I know there are other aspects of nursing, but I've realized that I wouldn't work well under that kind of pressure. I feel enough pressure trying to get all my residents cared for properly and in bed when they want to be, I can't imagine actually having someones life in my hands. Giving residents/patients medication worries me too, what if I missed something and gave the wrong thing, or didn't catch that the new prescription might not go with the current meds. It's also a bummer always working every other weekend, and knowing that I will have to work on many holidays. I would like to have a family one day, so I need to think about that. I went into being a CNA wanting to help people and feel like I'm doing something beneficial to humanity. I know that I am accomplishing that, but I also feel quite jaded by the work load, and the constant bell ringers. I always thought of myself as a sweet go-for type person, maybe it's helping me to turn over a new leaf in life. Through this experience I have decided I still want to help people. But I think I may take a more alternative medicine route. I believe our bodies are so amazing, and would like to learn more about the truly holistic aspect of things. I know there is definitely a time and place for medications, but I feel like we jump too quickly into them. It would be nice to learn more natural ways to deal with different ailments. Sorry for the long post, I guess I needed to vent.

P.S. I guess I didn't read your last paragraph fully. I too have heard about not working in LTC if you want to go on to a hospital. I'm not sure if that's the case for LNA's and RN's. I think if you are going to LNA LTC is fine, but I bet it might be harder to start in LTC as an RN and then move into a hospital. I guess this is kind of a pointless post, but those are my two cents.

Hi Erin, I too am a newly licensed nurse aide in NH. I primarily applied at LTC because I really needed my reimbursement. I applied at a bunch of places, and every place seemed to want experience. The first and only interview I got, I thankfully got the job. I'm not sure if you are looking just to get into a hospital or if you are willing to work LTC, but I'm now working at Hanover Hill Health Care center. Mostly all the LNA's I've meet there started their career there, so they are open to newbies. Good luck, I know it's a difficult but you will do well!! Best, ~Amy

Wohoo!! I got my first job!! Thank goodness I will get some much needed experience before we move to CO! Thanks for all the responses and info!

Thank you Sart45 for your response. Gives me some hope that one day I can make it into a Hospital! That is hilarious that there's such a pay gap between you and your co-worker, I guess education really does pay! Are you planning on going on and becoming an RN?

I'm a new LNA in New Hampshire. I'm looking for a job right now, hoping to get some experience and save some money. My fiance and I are hoping to move to Colorado sometime in the spring or summer of 2011. I was just wondering what the job market was like for CNA's out there? Is it hard to find a job? I'm finding out here that everyone wants experience, not exactly sure how I can get experience if no one wants to hire me with out it. So my fingers are crossed that some prospects will pan out. I'm hoping to make decent money, and was wondering what your experience was with Agencies, hospitals, LTC, and home health options? I feel like I was lied to from my LNA instructor. She said the possible pay was between $10-$26. I really have yet to find anything over $14 or $15, I guess it was the "too good to be true" statement that came back to bite me in the bum! Oh well, I can hope right?!

Thank you MadeABigMistake for your reply! I will email you and get some more info. I felt like the school seemed kind of shady, but It would nice for it to be affirmed.

Thank you for your response! It seems to be a rumor that has been going around for years about getting rid of LPN's. Sounds like it came true for a bit, but that's great that they are hiring LPN's again, gives me some hope! Good luck working as a CNA during your LPN-RN schooling! Happy Easter!

So, I've always thought about going to nursing school but talked myself out of it. I finally signed up to do a cna course and I'm almost finished with that. I did cna first to see if I could see myself in the nursing field. So far I really like it, and I've enjoyed the clinicals. I've been looking into different opportunities to start my advancement, and I'm thinking LPN is my next step. I'm going to talk to a school adviser on Monday. I've seen sooooo many mixed reviews on LPN. Some say that they are being phased out, some say there is going to be a high demand. I'll have to take out a loan to pay for the school, so my fear is when it's completed that I wont be able to get a job. The usual LPN listings are for those who have experience. So what is it going to be like as a new grad LPN? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!!!

I've searched the forums and I haven't seen much about First Choice Training Institute in Salem NH. I was wondering if you or anyone you know has gone through this LPN program? If so what did you think? Any insight would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!:)

Hi all! I was just hoping for some guidance. I'm looking at most of the community colleges in New Hampshire, and most of their pre-reqs are just to have high school biology/chemistry/algebra. I've been reading all sorts of posts on here, and I keep seeing people saying they are working on their pre-reqs before they apply for the nursing program. I'm just confused. I've noticed on the 2 year program plan that A&P 1 and 2, as well as microbiology are included in the program. So I'm wondering if the pre-reqs that everyone is working on are these classes, so they can actually focus more on the nursing classes? I'm sorry if this sounds like a stupid question. But if any one can enlighten me that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Where is the $4000 LPN program in NJ? I'm in Philadelphia, wondering if it would be close enough to go to. Cheers!

Thanks for the info! Ya, I didn't think I could do my training and test in separate states. However I'm not sure where I'm going to end up forever, didn't know if I had to figure that out before I did my training and state exam. Thanks again!

Sorry for such a late response! Thank you so much for your advise! I will definitely use it!

Hi there! I really don't know if any of you can answer this question, but I figured I should try. I'm currently living in Southern California, and I may be moving to Philadelphia in January. If so I will be leaving behind one career, and hoping to start another. So I'm wondering, I will only be in Philadelphia for about 6 months to a year, just going to live with my bf while he's working out there. Can I go to CNA training and take the test if I'm not a Pennsylvania resident? I would like to do the program in So Cal but I don't think it will work with my schedule, and I'm afraid to go through the program and then be in Philadelphia when my test date comes up. Sorry for the random jumbled questions. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you for all your replies! I do know there is no such thing as a completely recession proof career. When I said that I had seen different articles stating that nursing was some what recession proof. It just seems like there will always be a need for nurses, there will always be sick people. I'm going to look into trying out the CNA thing. The more I think about nursing the more I get super scared, and almost talk myself out of it. I also feel like sciences are going to my complete obstacle. Once again thanks for all your advice!

Thank you for your reply. I haven't completely decided yet what to do with myself. Part of me thinks it might be nice to just stay doing hair, but I also think I will get burned out. And then I'm not even sure if I could handle being a nurse, and all the duties that might make my stomach turn. I just dropped my anatomy pre req, because I couldn't handle the work and school thing at the moment. So that freaked me out about trying to still work during nursing school, if I can't tackle this how the heck will I manage nursing school too?! But... I think if I do end up going for it I will look into working at a restaurant. How is the work load of nursing school? Do you have a bunch of studying to fit in between your nights as a server? Thanks again! Hope you have a good week!:wink2:

I'm a hair stylist who is contemplating going into nursing school. I was wondering if any of you have gone through a program while still working at a salon? Part of me thinks that doing hair is a perfect job to go through school with since it can be flexible. If you did do it, was it really difficult to manage both? Thanks a bunch!!

Hi there! I've been pretty addicted to this site once I found it a little while ago. I would love some insight. Around the time I graduated high school I really wanted to be a nurse, but I knew that science and math were not a strong point of mine. So I ended up talking myself out of it, and I became a hair stylist instead. With the economy tanking, and my desire to one day relocate, It hit me like a ton of bricks that I should get a recession proof career. So nursing came back into the picture. I started to take an anatomy class at my community college, but the intensity and the way the professor taught was not working for me. So I've dropped it. I felt like I wasn't even sure that nursing was for me, and so I was thinking about getting into an LVN/LPN program to see if nursing was really what I wanted to do in the first place. And then I could bridge over to RN if I liked it. My question is this, how do people manage the work load of school and work? In reading some of the threads it sounds so difficult and overwhelming. I'm not a work-a-holic type, and I feel like in order to go through school while I'm working I will get super burned out! Are the actual nursing classes more interesting or maybe easier than the pre reqs? Is all the 25-30 hours a week of studying because there is just so much information packed in to a small amount of time? Are there loans I could get to prevent me from having to work through school? I'm so uncomfortable right now. I don't even know if I could handle being a nurse. And giving so much time and energy to something I'm not completely decided on scares me. How do you just know? Thanks for reading my long rant! Hope you all have a good week!