Question about CNAs

we_rn · Aug 30, 2003

CNA's are employed primarily in the long-term care setting. It is rather difficult to get a hospital position. You may get a leg up in securing a hospital position if you let a potential employer know what your eventual career goals are, even better if you have secured a spot at an nursing school.

Most of your skills will work in both the LTC and hospital setting. For example you will need to know how to prioritize to get your work done.

Being a CNA will also give you an insight into what the nursing profession is all about and will teach you how to get along with all levels of nurses. You will learn that all CNA's are not as bad as you have heard and that some licensed nurses are not all their cracked up to be. Good luck.:)

Noney · Aug 30, 2003

At our hospital it is not required to be a cna. We train na'a ourselves. At the hospital the na'accuchecks and alot of vs. The pt's are much acute so you'll see more then in the nsg home. In the nursing home you'll work more with the elderly (obviously), you'll most likely have a bigger pt load also.

I don't think you'll have to much trouble adjusting the acute care from longterm. I think nurses that work as na's first have an advantage. It will definitely help you not hinder you. Pheb class sounds like a good idea also.

Good luck,

Noney

MishlB · Aug 30, 2003

Our hospital employs MANY CNA's...called PCA's. It is not difficult to get a hospital job. In fact, they are a vital part of our team, assisting with baths, doing vital signs, etc.

mystc42 · Aug 30, 2003

I have worked in both, and to be honest i never wanted to work in a LTC facility either but i was just 16yrs old so i had no choice or i would have lost my license. I loved the LTC after i got into it but honestly i am like you dont know how much i want to persue in it. i am now in a hospital after applying many times and i do love it but am also glad i had my experience in the nursing home too. You would be amazed at how much it helps you. And the only thing about the hospital i dont like is that the CNA's dont get the respect they deserve. Alot of people think the world can turn without us that went straight to nursing school and straight to hospital. Some of them, (not all of them) truly dont understand how much they need us.

Good luck!

Brownms46 · Aug 31, 2003

I did the NA deal for about one or two nights in a LTC, prior to going to school for my LPN. It was probably not the best place to work at, or I just couldn't cut it. I had no experience outside of this one or two nite stint, and I did just fine. I also had instructors who ingrained in us the need to learn from the NAs on the units we went to, and to learn from them. They placed a high regard on the NAs, as they were called, before there was such a thing as CNAs.

I also agree with Cheerful, and will tell you I have traveled across the country, and found that there are hospitals, that will hired CNAS, but not LPNS! So yes you should have NO problem finding a hospital position, depending on the area you work in.

I also have worked with CNAs/PCAs who draw blood, and do EKG's. I feel whatever knowledge you gain, will always be useful. So go for it, and I wish you the best:cool:

rileygrl11, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2003

Now this is just what I've seen, but in nursing homes it is hard work because of the lifting/moving of pts with a lot of relying on yourself because other CNA's are so busy. You also do V/S, baths, feeds, etc. A lot of repetition but you have to have good time management.

In the hospitals I've worked at, they are PCT (patient care techs) and insert foley catheters or do straight caths, minor dressing changes, V/S, blood sugar checks, baths (in am), and feeds. Still need good time management.

Since you are wanting to be an RN, I would suggest applying to a hospital that hires/teaches you to be a PCT. In the hospital you will see all kinds of pt populations with various diseases and illnesses that will help you later down the road in nursing school. It's also helpful to "get your foot in the door" and they most likely have tuition reimbursement. I enjoyed working in a hospital the most because once some of the RN's found out I was wanting to go to school, they took me under their wing and were most helpful.

When I was a CNA, I always said that I could tell which nurses had been CNA's and which ones were not. This will only help you in your schooling and career.

francine79 · Sep 1, 2003

I think the big difference is the change in your routine. In a nursing home you get to know the residents and work with them throughout your career, whereas in a hospital the patients are always changing and just about the time you get to know what they are like they are being discharged.

As far as your skills, it depends on the hospital. Where I did my clinicals the CNA's (or rather CP1's) did anything from bathing to drawing blood, inserting and removing foley catheters. Where I work it's old fashioned. We just do baths, change beds deliver meals, record i's & o's, ambulate, & take temps. We don't even do blood pressures or pulses, however we are able to do accuchecks. I think the deal with my work is all the nurses are older and still see the CNA role as something that doesn't require any intelligence.

As far as pay, it depends also. Nursing homes where I live pay a little more than the hospital. But since I get a shift differential, I get paid more than if I worked in a nursing home.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Sep 1, 2003

Pay up here for CNA's in a hospital is 12/hr. compared to 8 in the nursing homes. The hospital has better benefits and a way more flexible work schedule thanks to the float pool.

I do very little pt. care with the exception of sheet and gown changing during a night sweat, because part of what depends on a pt. getting discharged is the they can do the basics on their own. The pts. can go to the bathroom on thier own, typically i'm taking the IV pole to the bathroom and measuring I and O, then getting the pole back by the bed and helping the pt. get tucked in, the Kendalls back on or that extra blanket from the warming box., or retaping the IV.

If an IV is alarming and saying "Stopped, distal line occlusion" i can take a look at the whole tube, straighten out the kink and reset, then tell the nurse what i did. If it goes off again, or says "dose end" or "proximal line occlusion", i get the nurse (after hitting the silence button to afford the pt. some quiet time. I also tell the nurse if i see an IV bag that is running low, and most of the time it gets changed before the alarm goes off.

If we have TURPS i can change out the saline bottles, record I and O and report to the nurse the color of the Foley contents and if i saw any clots. I also empty and recharge JP drains.

I assist on any dressing changes, cath insertions, etc. and also keep an eye out during any sterile procedure that the field was not broken.

I lucked out big time with this job. I get along with all of my co-workers, i work with a great group of nurses, and i am learning a LOT from them every night i work, and i absolutely love every minute of it.