Should i become a CNA

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello, I am considering quitting my full time day job to become a CNA. So that i can have more study time for my pre requirements for nursing. This new career change is big for me. I just completed A and P in summer one and it was very challenging. I just want time to focus and continue to do well. I only have three more sciences to take before i can begin my clinicals. Someone please tell me what you think, i do not have much support in this area. It will definately be a pay cutt for me. I could work 2-4 days a week at night as a CNA. :confused:

Being a CNA has its ups and downs like any job. I can tell you though that 8 months as a tech in an ER just made pharmacology. I made a B+ with almost no sweat at all. and I relate it directly to daily exposure to hundreds of meds and DX. So if you an afford the pay cut by all means do it. If you can, try to work in the type of specialty you would like as an RN. (ie I am going ER all the way)

Good point here...

The area where you work can make a difference. The unit I worked on has 36 beds...Imagine, vitals q4h, ice, breakfast, baths, lunch, dinner, oral care and everything else that goes on in a 12-hour with 2 techs...and sometimes one of them calls out.

The ER is treat and street...no "I want my jello" call bells to answer!

ER or the Units...thats the way to go.

Also...MEDICAL OBSERVATION -- our hospital pays for "sitters". No care involved...basically you SIT and WATCH to make certain the patient does not get out of bed, flee, choke or attempt suicide. You document every 15 minutes and thats it...the pay is something like $10.00/hour. So basically you get paid $120 to study for 12 hours. I think its great!

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I say get another job until you at least are in nursing school where you can then get an extern position. As an extern, you can do more registered nursing stuff other then just basic care such as wiping ass, and making beds all day long. It's up to you. If you really need a job go for it. I just don't want you to get burned out until you find out what registered nursing really is about.

I would suggest another job such as a security guard which pays about the same and you do less, and plus I've seen guards review school material while on the job, something to think about, just until you score that student nurse position. You'll have plenty of time to learn how to be a nurse later on.

I totally disagree with you on this one. As a registered nurse, you will be expected to do the same work as a CNA. If you can't handle doing that type of work as a CNA, then you wont be able to handle being a nurse. Plus, I would think that working as a CNA would look much better on your resume than being a security guard. Not that being a security guard is bad, but you sure wont learn much about nursing that way and it is never too soon to learn.

MissLo

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I totally disagree with you on this one. As a registered nurse, you will be expected to do the same work as a CNA.

MissLo

I agree the experience is valauble, however current BSN curriculum indicates the RN will delegate most basic ADL's to support staff. Of course if a patient needs attention and the RN is the only one availble the RN is the one providing care.

I am not an expert but I have experience -- 5+ years in healthcare, several spent as a CNA/TECH -- on which I am basing my current "CNA" opinions. By no means would I ever devaluate CNA services, however this skill set is basic level and can be learned in a short period of time.

As a new CNA I felt "comfortable in my skin" after about 6 months of working in a hospital setting. Some of my friends clicked right from the start. My bed side manner is no different now then when I was a noob...what is different is I have become more efficient. I believe the experience helped me to feel more comfortable in nursing school. I do not think I performed any better or worse then my fellow nursing classmates...I am simply more comfortable with touching a patient, or taking a blood pressure which could be perceived differently...some might say I am expert, a natural...I would simply say "I've done this before"...but I don't think I needed a year of practice or even five for that matter to do the job. The CNA's I know are naturals...after all this a career that you must enjoy doing.

I think people skills are innate...you can learn to commmunicate effectivley...however you either ARE or ARE NOT a people person. So working 1 month or 1 year as a CNA makes no difference when if comes to interacting with people...I am the same drooling, smiling baby I was a few years ago...less drool though. People still want to pinch my cheeks. :)

My first nursing lab was CNA 101 -- I moved at the same pace as the class...I was able to teach other students which was great...but at the end of lab we all had the same skills and moved on together. My first clinical was in a nursing home setting - Some 30 hours of patient contact. We all worked together at the same level of care.

What I am saying here...If your goal is to be a CNA then by all means start early. If your goal is to be an RN you will be taught in school how to do the job. Working as a CNA prior to nursing school will HELP to prepare you for your career advance, but I don't think it makes you better...or worse...You will be PREPARED.

And in regard to butt wiping...I call myself a butt wiper. :p

BUTT...No one is going to tell me they enjoy wiping butt, the smell of poop, cleaning up vommit, suctioning...no one enjoys any of that. We do these things because they are important...invaluble! These acts help our people...and "knowing" we have helped them is what makes us feel good...so its not the acts themselves...its the end result. Does that make sense?

With all that said...if you want to feel good about helping people then try handing out balloons at a carnival. The CNA job itself is brutal and takes a toll on your body. I swear on some days I felt like patients were sucking the life out of me...I hear call bells in my sleep and when my wife asks for ice I twitch! :no:

Get yourself trained as a CNA and work a shift or two, or even three a month until you start your program. You don't need to be a veteran CNA to go to nursing school and I see no benifit in killing yourself in the name of "being a better nurse"... If you want to be a good nurse then become a good nurse...but good CNA doesn't necessarily = good nurse.

I have had 4+ years of schooling and have a degree 180 degrees out from nursing...and I am back for more. Looking back...just before I grabbed the next rung on the ladder I thought "Hey I'm good...I'm ready"... And then as I stood on that new rung I felt my knees begin to shake and thought "I know nothing". It's easy to say "Hey I am awesome" when standing on familiar ground.

Take this for what it's worth Focus...Focus...FOCUS on nursing...CNA is a rung on the ladder. Grab it and keep going.

My 2 cents...:twocents:

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