pros and cons

Pros :wink2:

1. experience - i have been able to see & help w/ many procedures

2. learned how to deal w/ patients - no longer nervous

3. able to see what depatments/units i would or would not like to work on

4. know how to respond & remain calm in an emergency eg code blue, baby choking

5. got over the gross stuff eg decubes, sputum, poop w/ d-diff & CDT - smells really bad

6. know how to do basic stuff eg inserting foley catheter in male & female patients, small dressing changings etc

7. i know what nursing is really about i have no delusions at all

Cons

1. the pay is really bad

2. the pay is really bad

3. the pay is really bad ...get my drift

4. over worked - not enough CNA's on nights to do all the work that needs to be done

5. nurse vs cna drama - i keep out of the politics at work

6. sometimes i feel like the patients don't listen to me because i'm "just a cna''

i would say being a cna is worth it for me because my unit works w/ my school schedule and they are aware that i am working on my nursing pre-reqs

Thank you for your response.

When you say the pay is really bad.. do you mean it is bad compared to what nurses get paid or that it is terrible comparing it to any minimum wage job? Just curious.

the pay is just plane bad... it also depends on what state u will work in and if u do private duty or not ...but overall cna salary ranges from 6-11/hr...hospitals & nursing homes are low paying - please note that i'm in FL and i could go & work at mcdonalds and most customer svc jobs and get paid more

hope this helps:mad:

coco

the pay is just plane bad... it also depends on what state u will work in and if u do private duty or not ...but overall cna salary ranges from 6-11/hr...hospitals & nursing homes are low paying - please note that i'm in FL and i could go & work at mcdonalds and most customer svc jobs and get paid more

hope this helps:mad:

coco

I was a unit secretary before I decided to switch to CNA. I switched after my first semester of nursing school (12/2005). I took a $1.00 pay cut to become a CNA and the job is much more physically demanding and busy. It's a shame the pay is so low for what we do! However, the experience I am getting as a per diem CNA in the float pool has been invaluable. I know I have alot to learn when I graduate in May 2007, but at least I feel more confident with the patients.

As for the unit secretary position, I am so thankful that I did that before starting school. It really helped me in my nursing classes because I knew alot of the medications, abbreviations, lab work and diagnostic tests. Any kind of hospital position is helpful. Plus it lets you see if you really want to do the job. Nursing is not a glamorous job and the responsibilities are tremendous. Some people don't realize this until they start clinicals.

Thanks for the replies. It does help. I live in Michigan, and I am considering taking a CNA class but I just don't know if we can afford to pay the $500 to get certified if the pay isn't going to make it worth it.

Thank you for your comments. I really appreciate them.

It is true that the pay can be really low.

I am a bit of a career CNA. My experience has been that it IS worth the price of training. I love it.

I would suggest you call some local hospitals and see what your potential pay would be, and calculate the cost versus the benefits. Ask if they ever help with tuition. Also, do they hire CNAs with no experience?

It is really individual. If you really love the work, and can manage to live on the pay, it is the best!

And, if you are considering nursing school, it would be a really good idea. You will have a clear idea of what nurses do, you might even discover you are interested in some other discipline.....it is a real great place to get a birdseye view of healtcare.......

But, all that said, you either love it, hate it, or endure it....it is so different for everyone.

I have officially been working as a CNA for 2 weeks now. I feel soooo much more confident in my ability to deal with patients and with the day-to-day things that go on in hospitals. I get to see all kinds of wounds/diseases/people/procedures. And once my nurses found out I was in nursing school they have been a fountain of knowledge for me! I already have 2 nurses who always request me because they know how I treat the patients and like that I'm always asking question (which is something that not all nurses like!) I feel much more prepared for my nursing school clinicals and know how I will want to treat my aides when I eventually become a nurse! It is a physically demanding position and I still have not adjusted to that, but I LOVE MY JOB! Pay here in my hospital starts at just under $9.50 before shift differentials.

Thanks for the replies. It does help. I live in Michigan, and I am considering taking a CNA class but I just don't know if we can afford to pay the $500 to get certified if the pay isn't going to make it worth it.

Thank you for your comments. I really appreciate them.

If paying for the class is an issue you can always check out the red cross it is very inexpensive and some place (nursing home/assisted living) will train you for free if you give them some commitment maybe a year or so. You can also work evenings/nights or weekend and the differential makes a difference and there is always plenty of overtime...

good luck

coco

Pros:

-If you're in nursing school, you get to see first hand some of the things the books talk about. SEVERAL times i would read about something in school, go to work that night, and here it is, being used on a pt. Made studying MUCH easier.

-You get practice with pt. interaction.

-You get a rough idea what you might like to do someday

-You build up a tolerance for gross things

-If you're in nursing school, you have a better idea of what a nurse does by seeing it everyday.

Cons:

-Compared to the physical labor, the pay sucks

-Some people will see you as less than zero and will treat you as such

-It's most often a thankless job

-Was often not listened to when expressing concern about a pt. because i was "just a ***wiper" (actual quote from a nurse in 1997)

-Constantly worked short-handed in LTC.

I think it highly depends on the facility you work in as to how the job is. Working in the hospital was WAY better than the LTC facilities i worked at. I was more respected, plus we didn't work short.

just a note...oftentimes, nursing homes will reimburse your cna class fee. mine cost $345 including books, and the home i work for agreed to reimburse $285 of that...not bad, eh?

the pay IS bad considering what we do. i've had jobs that paid much much less, but none that were as challenging as being a CNA. it's true what they say, we're the eyes and ears of the nurses because of all the one on one time we get with residents. it's also easy to feel underappreciated, especially by the nurses. but overall, i'd say it's worth it. i love it so much

hi guys..here in b.c canada the pay floats between 13.oo to 20.54 an hour.the 20.an hour jobs are union and through the hospital association,there are positions in the hospitals,long term care facilities and home care.the lower wages are through private facilities and home care.there are pros and cons of course.here an average patient/ resident load varies from 6-12,usually 9? lots of variety here as to where you want to work..i am not sure yet,still in my second week of practicum!!!hey do you guys use lots of lifts,transfer belts and cammodes,bedpans? lol i mean your ressies!i p:nurse: lan on staying out of all the tension and politics..wish me luck!!

:penguin:

Thanks for the replies. It does help. I live in Michigan, and I am considering taking a CNA class but I just don't know if we can afford to pay the $500 to get certified if the pay isn't going to make it worth it.

Thank you for your comments. I really appreciate them.

$500.00, YIKES!! Have you checked to see how much the classes would be at your local community college?