RNs can't be CNAs?

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sorry if this sounds dumb, but i will get my RN license soon but do not plan on being an RN for a few months. Is it illegal to continue in a CNA position because I have my RN license?

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

Not illegal, but if something happened, you would be held to the standard of an RN.

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma.

You can probably work as a CNA, but may be held to higher standards because of the license, i.e., if you found abnormal VS as a CNA, your responsibility is to tell the nurse, but as an RN, you're responsible for ensuring appropriate interventions.

Just curious, why would you want to?

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You can probably work as a CNA, but may be held to higher standards because of the license, i.e., if you found abnormal VS as a CNA, your responsibility is to tell the nurse, but as an RN, you're responsible for ensuring appropriate interventions.

Just curious, why would you want to?

Well there's a new grad program that doesn't start til october. This is my only job right now. So if I accept, them I will be jobless until october. But if my license is on the line then thats a different story.

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Specializes in SICU.

Talk to the hospital that you are currently working in, and find out what there policy is. Most hospital that I know will not allow you to work as a CNA once they find out you have passed the nclex and now have a license.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I know at my hospital in VA you cannot work as CNA if you are an RN. I dont know if this is state law or not. The problem is that, as NeneRN pointed out, you will be held accountable for what an RN should do, but your job desciption will obviously be as a CNA.

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Specializes in NICU.

I'd ask because they won't even let us where I work. As soon as our licenses come up we're bumped up. It's because they don't want us held to the higher standard when we haven't been oriented to it. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the raise we automatically get ;).

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Michigan and Illinois don't have reciprocity, so I worked as a CNA until I was able to obtain a valid Illinois license. I suppose technically, without an Illinois license, I didn't count as an RN. I wonder how that would be managed, as far as scope of practice...

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Specializes in PCU.

At our hospital in GA we have had nurses sometimes cover CNA shifts due to insufficient staffing and it works ok. However, when a nurse acting in CNA capacity comes across abnormal VS, he/she does not automatically step in and institute appropriate measures. He/she informs the patient's assigned nurse. The assigned nurse is aware of the pt's meds, acuity, has received report, etc. and therefore should be able to institute the necessary measures.

Now, should the nurse assigned to the pt not institute appropriate measures, then I would expect the nurse in CNA capacity to mention it to the charge nurse and go from there. This ensures professional courtesy while still maintaining pt safety and a high level of care.

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Specializes in Public Health.

Oddly enough, I managed to work for 2+ months as a patient care associate while a licensed RN. Finding a job took a lot longer than I expected, and I honestly don't know what I would have done had I been forced to give up my PCA job.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Not illegal, but if something happened, you would be held to the standard of an RN.

:up:Very true

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.
sorry if this sounds dumb, but i will get my RN license soon but do not plan on being an RN for a few months. Is it illegal to continue in a CNA position because I have my RN license?

At my hospital as soon as they know we've passed NCLEX we can't work in a CNA position anymore.

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