Lacey1993

I'm about to start school for my ASN. Because my school isn't regionally accredited (it is nationally accredited and by the board of nursing in my state), there are only a few select schools I can go to for my BSN. I'm planning on going to Grand Canyon University online. The program is 14-16 months long, you don't have to go to clinicals (you do them online too), and it's $16,500 plus books. They are also regionally accredited so if you decide to go for your masters, you can go to a regular public state college.

I absolutely trust the vast majority of people I work with, however, I do not go to my hospital's ER. Like someone else said, I don't want my coworkers to know me THAT well lol! Our ER is always crowded too because we're the main hospital in the city and accept everyone, with or without insurance. The company that owns my hospital also owns another hospital about 20 mins away from the one that I work at, so I go there! It's east of the city where there isn't as many people and it's never crowded. My PCP (and my son's PCP as well) have hospital privileges at the hospital we usually go to, but not at the one I work at. I know and trust the doctors at my hospital and most of them have hospital privileges at both so if I ever need any sort of surgery, I'm sure I'll be able to be taken care of by doctors that I know and trust.

It's always hard at first! You'll start to pick up speed, I promise! I worked at nursing home before the hospital primarily in the Alzheimer's unit. I usually had at least 8 patients I had to do almost everything for! They were all incontinent, 6 out of 8 couldn't walk, and it was so hard at first! The more I worked, the faster I got! I worked there for 5 months before I got my hospital job. I love the hospital sooo much better! I usually work on the PCU overflow and have 12 patients maximum, but if I get floated the main PCU, I can have up to 22 patients! And.... all these patients get a bed bath... everyday! Luckily we have bath cloth wipes and most of them get bed baths that only take 5 minutes to do, but try doing that, plus answering call lights, grabbing supplies for the nurse in an isolation room, changing briefs, helping patients to the bathroom, and charting. And then, usually 80% of the patients are accuchecks, plus trying to get vitals for the nurse who is a little behind due to one of her patients almost coding! It gets a little crazy! I've really learned how to multitask and prioritize! I love it though!!! Oh and patients will sometimes use wipes and throw them into the bedside commode. I have to fish out wipes that are soaked in urine and BM multiple times every shift.

Becoming a CNA helped me figured out that I love nursing! I had thought about doing nursing school but decided a year after high school, that I really wasn't sure. A few months later, I got pregnant with my son. I needed to do something to get a good job and FAST! I also figured maybe I would good into nursing later on because it's recession-proof and pays pretty good. So I became a CNA and discovered that I actually absolutely love it!!!! I love my job, my patients, all the thinking involved, the multi-tasking, and I work with great RN's. This is truly my calling and passion! I start nursing school in January :). I plan to continue my education up to getting my DSN and becoming a FNP! As a sidenote: I definitely prefer working in the hospital over a nursing home. I worked 5 months in a nursing home and have been working at a hospital for 7 months now.

In FL you can challenge the exam. That's what I did!

I've been a CNA for a little over a year now. First job I made $10.00 an hour doing private duty. Second job I made $11.00 an hour at a nursing home. 3rd and current job at a hospital, I make $12.00 an hour on weekdays and $13.25 on weekends as a Unit Secretary/CNA. This is in the Bradenton-Sarasota area in FL.