Help! Should I go from CNA to RN or LPN to RN

[piplup12345]

I am a freshman in highschool and am thinking of becoming a RN or NP in the future. Senior year I am going to become a CNA (there's a program in my school for seniors). I don't know if I should become a CNA and work as a CNA while getting my BSN and become a RN, or should I become a CNA then LPN then my BSN to become a RN. Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

[Ella26, BSN, RN]

If you can I would do CNA in high school and go to 4 year BSN program. If you can fathom the time and money. In the long run it will be better, especially if BSN is your ultimate goal. I did the CNA, LPN, RN(ADN) route and it has taken me about 8 years. I work full-time and went to school either part-time or full-time. If I go back for ADN to BSN then it will probably take me about 2-3 more years and a lot more money. That would be a total of about 10-11 years of school for my route: CNA, LPN, ADN, to BSN. so I would do CNA to BSN if possible, may end up being like 5-6 years instead (pre-reqs and stuff, wait lists).

[piplup12345]

Thank you! :)

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

If I were you, I would concentrate my efforts on going from CNA to BSN if you are able to afford going to the four-year college straight away. This can take up to 5-6 years, depending upon how long it takes you to complete all your Gen Ed stuff, prerequisites, and the program itself. If you go CNA to LVN to BSN, that can take an extra year or two and if you do ADN to BSN after getting LVN, that's yet another 2 years on top of LVN to BSN. It's good that you're thinking ahead before you get too deeply involved in going down any one particular path.

I had to get an ADN instead of a BSN as I already have a Bachelors and at the time, 2nd Bachelors BSN programs were closed. Otherwise, I probably would have done that path instead.

[piplup12345]

Thank you! :)

[piplup12345]

I was researching RN jobs here in Boston, and most say I would need a couple years experience in nursing. Would CNA experience count? Thanks

[AgentBeast, BSN, RN]

No. CNA experience is not nursing experience.

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

I would have to qualify what ScottE,RN said... While the CNA does a lot of the very basics of nursing duties, it's not nursing as an LVN/LPN or RN, so it's not considered "nursing" for the purpose of determining "nursing experience." I'm not saying you shouldn't be a CNA because you can learn things from that experience that will help you down the road. In fact, I'd almost bet that once you settle into being a CNA, you'll have learned some significant time-management skills for multiple patients that you should be able to translate that into caring for multiple patients as a nurse.

The end result is that when you graduate nursing school, you'll basically be just like any other new grad in terms of "experience" so what else will you have that will set you apart from the rest?

[piplup12345]

Thank you!

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

My advice is to keep an open mind regardless of what path you take. If you can remain flexible enough to be open to moving after you graduate, the chances of finding a job will be much better. A lot of new nurses find themselves having to move after they graduate. THe more flexible you are, the more likely to find an entry-level job.

[piplup12345]

Thank you!