RN who wouldn't be CNA

Hello! I thought I would respond to your post about your cousin stating that she would never have become a CNA because it is boring and too much "dirty work". I am CNA here in Canada and I am finishing up my Practical Nursing program. I can surely say this...being an aide/assistant has given me excellent hands on training (ie) transfers, lifts, bathing, assising with all ADL's, etc. As far as dirty work is concerned I am assuming that perhaps what your cousin meant by that statement is the "heavyness" of the work load and the changing of briefs, toileting, feeding and other duties that an aide has. RN's and LPN's are all subjected to that exact same workload plus assessing, giving meds, treatments, dealing with families, etc...there is no way of getting around it. Also, I must say that as an aide I was never bored with my job because I knew that I was adding to and making a difference in the lives of my clients. For me, I have found being a CNA beneficial in pursuing my career as a nurse.

Hello All~

I've noticed that a lot of people on here recomend being a CNA for anyone who is interested in becoming a nurse. I was talking with my cousin, who is an RN, and she said she would have never been a CNA but she loves being a nurse - that CNA was just to boring and to much 'dirty work.' Just wondering how many RN's out there feel this way.

Hello All~

I've noticed that a lot of people on here recomend being a CNA for anyone who is interested in becoming a nurse. I was talking with my cousin, who is an RN, and she said she would have never been a CNA but she loves being a nurse - that CNA was just to boring and to much 'dirty work.' Just wondering how many RN's out there feel this way.

YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE KNOWN AS THE NURSE WHO DOES NOT HELP THEIR CNA!!! Your cna can make you or break you. I do "the cna's work" all the time. If the cna is busy you can't just give her a list of dirty jobs because you do not want to do it. If your CNA respects you and feels like you respect them they will bust their rear to help you.

*** when you get out of school cna experience counts towards experience in general and those newbies usually start out making more money!!

Melissa

I have to agree with you on that! A good CNA is worth his/her weight in gold. As much as you use your eyes and ears as a nurse, a CNA is another set for you! :) Teamwork is essential.

I could work as a CNA when I was young..now I'm older with a few back injuries, and NO WAY could I do that work for 8 hours. Of course, some unit/facilitiess are more backbreaking than others. some have lift devices, some staff better, etc.

Working as a CNA while you are young and a student helps a lot IMO. You get a birds eye view of the world of a nurse, and confidence in your basic skills. I did it and it helped me a lot.

I know many amazing CNA's who enjoy their work and would not want to do my job...too much politics and paperwork, as one tells me. And many are in school to become a nurse as well. :)

Just to be clear, I want to say that I (and my cousin) both have incredible respect for CNA's - we know what hard work it is! Just want to make sure there were no hurt feelings out there - we love our CNA's!

Hello All~

I've noticed that a lot of people on here recomend being a CNA for anyone who is interested in becoming a nurse. I was talking with my cousin, who is an RN, and she said she would have never been a CNA but she loves being a nurse - that CNA was just to boring and to much 'dirty work.' Just wondering how many RN's out there feel this way.

I don't think I've ever seen any bored CNA's...

Anyway, I was not a CNA before I was a nurse...I don't think that you necessarily need to pursue that route to find out if nursing is for you, but some people want some idea what healthcare is like before they make that jump. I was an LPN before I was an RN...and much of LPN school sometimes seemed like CNA work, so I definitely appreciate what they do. I certainly think most of the time that they have one of the hardest jobs in healthcare...at least physically, and often times mentally. I know for me, the physical stress has declined the farther I go up the chain, but not often the mental stress.

I think ultimately it depends on what you want to do....Being a CNA definitely puts things into perspective for those going into nursing b/c they think they'll make alot of money or b/c they think they look cute in scrubs. Nursing is much harder than that....and it is worth noting that CNA's are an important part of the nursing team.

Kathryn RN

I'm a CNA and a currently an LPN student. There are 16 people in my class, out of the 16, only 10 are CNAs or some other healthcare background. The other 6 sometimes seem lost during clinicals. Those that are skilled as a CNA progressed easily in Fundamentals and so on. I'm glad to have a little of that skill somewhere. I think of myself as the employee in the Mailroom trying to work my way up to CEO :)

I have mixed feelings. I was a CNA at the very beginning...that is what made me choose the nursing field--the direct care of patients, especially the changing of briefs etc...taught me enormous respect and patience for other people, especially the elderly. At the same time, it was difficult for me because I wanted to help so badly and we had some difficult nurses at our center that slept through their shifts and I had to wake them up for rounds and meds. I looked at the situation deeply and chose to be an RN because I wanted to help even more- and I just love paperwork *is that scary?does anyone else like that?* SO I think it is very important for both parties to contribute. The role of a CNA is so very important, especially to those patients who are lonely and ring their call bells just to talk. I hope that I can be the kind of nurse who will be attentive to my patients and to my CNA's.

I don't think it's necessary. There is nothing I do as a nurse in my unit that I would have done as a CNA. I respect a great CNA and they are worth their weight in gold, but it isn't something I'd want to do for long either.

I wasn't a CNA until my last few months of nursing school. It helped me tremendously with hands on and one-on-one communication. It wasn't necessary, and wasn't something I'd want to do for long, but I'm definately glad I did it.

I think by boring your friend may have meant she wouldn't have felt as challenged as she has as an RN.

I'm a CNA and a currently an LPN student. There are 16 people in my class, out of the 16, only 10 are CNAs or some other healthcare background. The other 6 sometimes seem lost during clinicals. Those that are skilled as a CNA progressed easily in Fundamentals and so on. I'm glad to have a little of that skill somewhere. I think of myself as the employee in the Mailroom trying to work my way up to CEO :)

I was very frustrated that I was the only one in my first clinical group that wasn't a CNA, LPN or an Army medic. I was at a great disadvantage compared to the others. But the program was designed to teach you everything from scratch. But I was definately one of those fumbling around lost ones during clinicals.

I chose not to be a CNA. I had lots of janitorial/housekeeping experience prior to going to nursing school, and where I work, they make as much as the CNAs and don't work half as hard. Besides I had to work full time to support myself through nursing school, so I worked nights as a HKP and went to school all day. I could do houskeeping in my sleep and often did, whereas as a CNA I would be afraid to give patient care and be that tired, too easy to make mistakes. I did get comments from some of the staff over it. Although I have a business management background and worked in Corporate America for 10 years, I was treated like the housekeeper who wanted to become a nurse. As badly as CNAs are treated by some RNs, housekeepers are even farther down on the ladder.

As an RN I have all of the respect in the world for the CNAs and housekeepers. They make our life much easier.