This is my first post and I came here because I am sure all of my friends are tired of listening to me talk about school. Here's my story.
I'm 41 and have 2 kids ages 14 and 16. Always had a great job but since the economy took a turn for the worse I have been home. My DH has a good job and I don't need to work if I don't want to.....but I am so tired of staying home every day. I started looking for a job but every job I came across wants a college degree, if you don't have one it starts out at minimum wage. When I was 18, college was the last thing I wanted to do. Now I really hate checking that box on the job application that says "high School only" under education.
I decided I would go back to school, problem is, I'm not really sure what I want to do. I thought about a radiology or a physical therapist assistant. Everyone I know in the medical field has told me to stay away from these two careers. They said if I was going to go to school I should be an RN, would have more jobs to pick from ( RNs can still find jobs in my area, I pulled up 4 or 5 hospitals in my area and each one had at least15- 20 jobs listed, nothing for radiology or PTA).
I took the first step and signed up for the CNA class. It is a requirement for Nursing school. I am really exicited about taking this first step and can't wait for it to start. I really hope I like it because I think I would make a great nurse....so, just wanted to stop by and say "Hi" to everyone. I should be around these boards a lot the next couple of years!
Just so that their prospective students have some understanding of the skills they will be learning, and what kind of things will be required of them, should they get in.
This is so true.
Even if my school did not require it, I would still sign up. I am so undecided on what I want to do with my life (yeah, I'm 41 and still don't know what I want ) I think I want the nursing program, but really worried that after I invest time and money in classes, I will end up not liking it. I think taking a CNA classes will show me a little of what I am in for.
Every nursing school differs in their admission requirements, so just because a school requires its students to be CNAs prior to admission does not make them weird!
I think it would be weird to NOT require CNA certs prior to admission.
I think it would be weird to NOT require CNA certs prior to admission.
I have to agree with you. I myself took a CNA prep class and am challenging the CNA boards next month. I did this on my own, for my own education and preparation. In my state no school that I know of requires CNA certification prior to admission. At least I know I will not be entering the profession blindly.
CNA, in my opinion, is a great place to start! You will get a feel for what the field is all about and how CNA,LVN, and RN work together. I have heard that most CNA classes have the same type of duties you will be doing in your first semester of the RN program, and if you acquire a job as a CNA, it is a great way to get your foot in the door at a hospital/clinic. I completed the CNA program at my school last year and it was an great eye opener to the roles of different positions in the medical field in the clinic we "worked" at. It also allows you to see how you really feel about working with patients on a daily basis. The CNA program was just the confirmation I needed to make sure that nursing is what I really wanted to do for a career. It was also a great way to meet new people with the same goals as myself, and I have made many friends which I hope to complete the RN program with. I believe that starting as a CNA will build a great foundation for any nursing career. I'm sure you will have many stories to tell after finishing the CNA class too, it was such a fun class for my friends and I! Good luck to you;)
I also forgot to mention that here in CA we had to complete 110 hours of clinicals in a short period of time, so 12 hour shifts were incorporated into our schedule. This class is a great way to see how you feel about working shifts. It also prepares you for state testing, which is, for sure, an experience of its own lol.
Getting your CNA would probably be the best decision before you apply to nursing school. I'm a CNA at a new hospital...and unfortunately, EVERY day I feel sorry for the RNs I work with.
I used to live in Missouri! : ) I live in WA now, and I was finally accepted to an LPN program after 1.5 years of Pre reqs while working full time. I too decided to get my CNA before I started working towards my nursing career. It is not required for my program, but I think it was a great choice on my part. I feel like it will make me a little more comfortable when clincals start. Also, reinforced that I can handle the "dirty" work that some people don't realize nurses have to deal with...
I just went to a CNA information session today to start the course next month. I'm in VA and you get advanced standing for admission to the nursing program if you have your CNA license. I got my BLS for Healthcare Providers cert last month so I feel I'm on track. As soon as the CNA class ends I'll be taking summer classes to work on some of the prereqs. I was really excited today and feel like I'm making the right decision. I've been working in the accounting field for the past 7 years and I'm REALLY burnt out and I've been thinking about nursing for just as many years.
can'tdecide
24 Posts
This is so true.
Even if my school did not require it, I would still sign up. I am so undecided on what I want to do with my life (yeah, I'm 41 and still don't know what I want
) I think I want the nursing program, but really worried that after I invest time and money in classes, I will end up not liking it. I think taking a CNA classes will show me a little of what I am in for.