Will it be a good experience for me???

Thornbird · Nov 9, 2008

It is very good to work as a CNA before or during nursing school. You get experience with basic patient care. You get to see things that nurses do. If you are lucky enough to work with nurses that enjoy teaching, you can learn a lot. And you get to have a "feel" for whether this is the right direction for you.

NeoNurseTX, RN · Nov 9, 2008

I think it will help in nursing school but it won't give you a good idea of what it is to be an RN. Had I been a tech BEFORE starting NS, I would have NEVER have gone this career path...I worked as a tech during NS and by then knew the job of a tech and an RN are far different.

ShannonRN2010, BSN, RN · Nov 9, 2008

personally, I think every nurse should work as an aide at some point because it is a hard job and it gives a nurse a great appreciation for what an aide does...they seriously should be paid alot more for what they do.

It will help you work more closely with nurses and see what nurses do, you may find some mentors along the way and you may find a facility that will pay for you to go back and get your RN.

wanderlust99 · Nov 9, 2008

It will be a great experience in that you will see how a hospital works and deal with patients. Nurses are still required to do what the cna does. Plus, you will be a lot more comfortable in nursing school during your clinicals. But, you won't have the knowledge a nurse does and you won't be making important clinical decisions. Tell them you are interested in becoming a nurse and hopefully they will teach you some things.

Another bad, but maybe good thing is you will see and feel how cna's are treated. I know when I worked as a nursing assistant, sometimes I felt a little belittled at times by some of the nurses. It will help you relate to them more once you are a RN and you will be able to work with them & get along with them much better. You will learn basic patient care, which is important.

casi, ASN, RN · Nov 9, 2008

Being an aide is was cemented my decision to become a RN.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Nov 9, 2008

Being an aide will not give you an idea of what it is like to be a nurse. If you are doing your job, you will be far too busy with your work. Often, nurses are too busy with nursing tasks, including charting, to be focused on basic tasks that are assigned to the CNA, and too often, CNAs interpret this as nurses being "lazy", not wanting to help, or not wanting to get their hands dirty.

However, what being a CNA will do is get you into the health care environment, and in contact with patients. You will learn basic patient care and have an opportunity to strengthen your interpersonal skills, and being in the health care environment might give you an idea if this is something you want to pursue further.