Why?

I took a CNA class as a way to start a career in the nursing field.

I became a CNA to get more experience in the healthcare field before I started nursing. It is also a pre-nursing requirement at my community college. But I love it! I'm trying to advance myself as much as I can before I actually start nursing school.

I wanted to help others, and having a job to do that was why I became a CNA first. Secondly, I wanted to be a nurse all throughout high school. I figured out I simply couldn't just get into a nursing school without the steps to get there. So being a CNA made sense while attending a community college.

I was first a nursing assistant way back in the 70's as the medical field was one I was interested in. I worked on a busy surgical floor for over 4 years. I became a CNA a few years ago as it was a prereq for my nursing school. I did not work as a CNA until I had to take a long break due to when a class was next offered that I needed before graduating. I worked as the CNA for about 10 months then. I am now working as a nurse and, since that has always been my goal, I much prefer working as a nurse, especially when it comes to LTC. That is just me though. I have some wonderful CNAs who don't want to be nurses.

If you know there are a ton of threads, why did you start this one?

I'm sure there's a ton of threads out there asking the same thing but:

Why did you become a CNA?

I think there's a recent thread that already addresses this..

I'm getting my CNA certification because within 1 1/2 years from now I may have to quit my high-paying non-health-related job in order to get my BSN. CNA would give me the chance to work in a health related field until I'm done with school. It's basically just insurance in case I have to quit my current job because of its schedule conflict. If I get accepted into a ASN program first, then at least I can stay at work and not have to quit during nursing school, but if I get accepted into the BSN program, I have to call it quits. It sucks.

I became a CNA to get started in nursing.