Want to get my foot in the door! Help

Lovely_RN, MSN · Jan 21, 2007

Well as a former CNA I can tell you that being a CNA is not that big of a deal as far as helping you to become a nurse. It will help you feel more comfortable around the patients and you can work on your bedside manner; you will also become a master at taking vital signs if you work in a hospital setting. If you work in a LTC you will be mostly responsible for bathing, feeding, dressing, bed making and changing incontinent patients. I rarely had to do vitals in LTC.

If you're lucky a nurse might show you a thing or two once you tell them you are a nursing student but it can only go so far because they are the licensed person.

If you do decide to become a CNA (which took me 8 weeks of full-time school, a clinical of two full weekends, and a state exam.) you will likely have to sit through the same material during the first few weeks of nursing school. We are starting week 3 of my nursing program and we are all taking our CNA certification test this Friday. If you want the hospital experience you can always volunteer in a hospital or apply for an internship once you have completed a few semesters as a nursing student. If you need a job then by all means become a CNA because that is usually the easiet healthcare job to get. I used to work through an agency and I always had plenty of calls to work in the hospital or LTC facilities in my area. Just be ready to get that 5:00am call to be at work by 7:00am.

Good luck in nursing school!

ryny143 · Jan 21, 2007

Thanks for your reply! It was definitely a big help. I'm looking for hospitals or other facilities that offer the course, that way I don't have to lay out $1,000, but I guess it's worth it if it's my last resort. Thanks again! Good luck with school to you, too!