Which unit would prepare me best for nursing school?

[CNAinNeb]

I didn't post this in the CNA section, because I don't usually get many responses there, plus I wanted to hear from nurses, not just CNA's.

Anyhow, I work in long term-care now as a CNA. I want to transfer to the hospital because I think the exposure I get would better prepare me for nursing school. Is this assumtion correct, or would my exposure /learning opportunities essentially be the same? What units should I consider? Thanks!!

[SDS_RN, RN]

I worked in the NH for 4yrs as a CNA before I went to nursing school. Being a CNA helps you to get the core basics of nursing such a bedbaths, repoing pts, vs, and some general knowledge as to what a nurse does.

I did not work in a hosp prior to going to nursing school and when I went to the hosp for my clinicals it was of course different than the NH but I was able to apply the skills from the NH to the hosp. There will be some differences but you have the basics so I don't think it would be a difficult transition for you. Our CNA's on the surg floor I previously worked on have essentially the same duties but their are not as many aides as their is in a NH and the charting is different.

If you want to work in the hosp I would suggest a med floor or ER this way you get to see a variety of medical cases come in.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

Just about anywhere will teach you many of the hospital protocols, chain of command, etc. Good luck!

[ukstudent]

I would suggest the ER. Tech's/CNA's in the Er get to do more than in other areas. Depending on the State, techs can place IV's and foleys. You get to see multiple problems from acute ICU type patients, to the the chronic, to the why are they here pt's. You also get to see death, and actually do cpr.

You will also get a good understanding of the pressures of an ER. When you graduate, even if you don't work in the ER but on a floor, you will have a better understanding of why your pt is being brought up at change of shift.

[miko014]

I think any job you do where you work with patient care is good - one of the hardest thing about starting out in nursing is getting used to hands-on care for people you don't know. I think if you did go to a hospital, you would see more, and be able to relate a lot of what you do in your classes to what you have done/seen at work. But bottom line, you are doing great to have the CNA experience anywhere you can get it. I don't think it would hurt you to stay where you are...it's up to you whether you would like a change, or like to see what the difference is between the NH and the hospital.

[mianders, RN]

I worked in the ER a long time and none of the hospitals in our area, including the level 1 trauma centers allowed techs to start IV's or put in foleys. From a learning prospective the only advantage of working in the ER is participating in the codes and usually you can draw blood. Although, most nurses I know draw their own blood when they put in the IV. A medical unit (ie..telemetry, med surg, ICU) will actually give you more training in basic nursing skills.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I'd assume that you'd get exposed to a little bit of everything if you spent some time on a med/surg floor. You'd probably see every nursing skill, affliction, surgical procedure, disease process, and treatment within a few months time.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[Sweet James]

Some ER units will only allow their CNA or PCA's to do triage and add comments into records. Those CNA's and PCA's that work on the unit floors get to do everything from vitals to mortem care - including EKG, Phleb and IV starts.

I'm just starting as a PCA and have been doing my evals and clinicals this last week. A lot to learn, but everyone has told me that it will definitely make me a better nurse when I complete my program.

Good luck..!!!

[Ms Kylee]

I work on a Med Surg floor and I've gained tons of experience that translates very well into my current clinicals. I started as a Nursing Assistant and just got promoted to Patient Care Tech I. I can do the basic nursing assistant things (like bedbaths, vitals, etc) but I can put in Foley's and straight caths, pull IV's, do EKGs, give an enema, do simple dressing changes, and MRSA swabs. Had I not gone to work in the hospital, I know I'd be struggling a lot in nursing school.

Hope this helps! :nuke:

[Faeriewand, ASN, RN]

I've been working in a long term acute care as a CNA and I got to participate in codes and do everything I've seen the CNA's do in the big hospital med surg floors. In long term acute care (not a rehabilitation institute) the patients are really sick and some die. I've learned a lot there and have been able to go back to my school to relate the nursing stories to my classmates. It was a great learning experience.

As a nursing student on a med/surg floor I never saw patients who were third spacing and ready to code or had trachs. I didn't get the opportunity to work with patients on ventilators. I learned more working in my long term acute care hospital.

[Ms Kylee]

We average at least 1 code a week on my floor. In addition to being Med Surg, we're also the oncology floor... lotta sick patients.

[husker_rn, RN]

I agree with med-surg as a learning site. I see you are in a city; I lived south of there and found a small town hospital that was a wonderful place to learn. The nurses there should me a lot, always careful to point out that they were in the real not ideal world , but also pointing out to always try to exceed the standard. When I passed boards I felt they were as responsible as my instuctors.