Securely Loved

One thing that has been baffling me for a long, long time is that bls.gov pegs the CNA salary at anywhere between 10 - 13 dollars in NYC. This greatly conflicts with the average salary salary.com and the other salary websites give. They give average NYC salaries in the range of 28,000 - 31,000. Let's do some math: 13 bucks an hour won't give you 28,000 a year. So, what's responsible for the big discrepancy and what should I trust? Almost everyone I've spoken to have gave me almost identical numbers (however, they weren't CNAs and didn't know it upfront), they'd tell me anywhere between 12 at the average to 15 at the maximum. Again, large conflict. I have a training date coming up and I'm almost thinking of not going and blowing off the CNA thing altogether because I can't even stand the thought of being paid nothing for serious labor. NYC CNA's, please respond! Securely Loved

You read correctly: Pre-CNA! I'm in NYC and I'm considering being a nurse. I have yet to start my pre-requisites for the nursing program, however, in order to start you guys off I want to allude to a thread I just read. Please keep in mind I have just left a job that paid much less than this (it was a CNA), and I went through the same exact experiences as this very poster: I'm so horribly terrified that I will go through the same experiences as this poster. I need to be making this person's salary because I'm in a terrible living situation--this is what brought me to CNA in general. Becoming a nurse is a slightly different idea and revolves around personal interests. The CNA thing doesn't so much revolve around personal interests, but instead, around the need for money. There's absolutely no way to get around it but to get a job that pays enough and the only thing I am qualified for is this CNA business (or HHA). I am still in school. I have at least 2 more years to go. I support myself. Can anyone advise me on this matter? Will I end up miserable? Everyone I speak to about this tells me CNA's (and many nurses) are miserable. I JUST went through this--I don't want to go through it again. And the pay? They tell me they are miserable AND paid nothing ($12 starting)! I'm questioning it but I don't know what to do. I need this job. I need to get through school. I need to be making around $18 - $20 an hour. Not sure if my 3 years of prior working experience will pay off. The CNA course itself costs $350 and I hate the fact that I have to go to an underprivileged area to go to class. I'm so uncomfortable in that neighborhood. I wish things were different. Do I have anything to look forward to? Please respond. Thank you much in advance.