Work as a CNA during nursing school: YES.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Congratulations, you have been accepted to a nursing school!!!!

You are well on your way to becoming a nurse!!!

My school held an orientation prior to starting the program. They spent an entire day focusing on teaching us how to change our lives so that we would be successful in nursing school. We were told not to work (at all), to make sure we got enough sleep, ate right, studied enough, made time for exercise, and realized our social lives would basically be on hold until graduation.

Now, let me tell you, I was a non-traditional student. I was 28, married and in a position that I had to work through school. The first month of classes, I noticed a job post at my school looking for a private home health CNA. I jumped on it, and got the job. I absolutely loved it. I worked there until that patient passed away, which was at the end of that semester. During my first clinical, I also snagged a job at the hospital working as a CNA. I was beside myself with excitement, because in my city, it is difficult to get in with little experience.

I continued to work through nursing school as a CNA in the hospital where I will soon begin working as an RN. Yes, it was difficult to work and to juggle school, but it was definitely doable. I won't even touch on the fact that I got pregnant the end of 1st semester, carried my baby for semester 2 and 3, and then managed to care for my newborn the 4th semester... all while continuing to work as a CNA. I say this to motivate you, if I can make it with all that, you can definitely do it too!! :-)

Why I recommend working as a CNA??? Well, for one, you learn something that nursing school just cannot teach you: the culture of nursing. You will bypass a good deal of the whole nurses eating their young dilemma, as you will go through this when you are a new CNA. You will learn that while you may aspire to save the lives of millions, and that you have nothing but good intentions, that you also need to develop thick skin for the workplace. I began my career showing up to work, naive and excited to HEAL and touch the sick! I was very naive, and I had no idea how cruel co-workers could be. I was bullied at times, and I was talked down to many times. I even went home crying and thinking that nursing wasn't for me. I had no idea how to resolve a conflict with a seemingly mean old batty nurse. But, with time, I realized that they were just stressed out, and that underneath their rude ways, they were actually very sweet.... a lot like I was when I first began working. What happened is this: they made me better, they made me stronger, they made me learn how to stick up for myself without letting a conflict ruin my day, or a relationship. They also taught me that although sometimes the presentation of their message wasn't the best, they usually had really important things to point out that helped me become a pretty awesome tech. I stuck around, and kept trying my best to do better, and get the hang of what was required of me as a tech. Slowly, even the meanest nurses on my floor became my friends. They stopped being rude, bullying and cruel, and they became my allies. They had to see that I was there to do my job, I could take constructive criticism and that I wasn't afraid to stick up for myself if I was talked to in an inappropriate way. This experience is invaluable, and I am SO glad I learned this BEFORE becoming an RN, as now when I move from tech to RN, I am not learning the culture of the workplace... I can simply focus on my new role as NURSE.

Another equally important reason to work as a CNA: you develop your bedside manner. You get over wanting to puke in a corner at the sight (and smell) of c-diff BM... a GI bleed... squirting blood.... etc. You learn how to talk to your patients, and how to multi-task. You develop buddies throughout the hospital, but especially with the other techs. There is nothing like bonding with another human while cleaning a completely BM covered patient. Trust me, you are friends for life. ;-) You will acquire informal learning, that will only help you in nursing school.

I can tell what nurses were techs before they became nurses. It really shows. Working as a tech first gives you firsthand knowledge as to what your techs are going through. You will be a lot less likely to tell a tech to go clean someone up while you sit and talk about what you did the night before with your nurse friends. This is something that I don't fault nurses for who didn't work as techs, but I told myself, that's definitely NOT the type of nurse I will be.

Lastly, if you work as a CNA in a hospital and develop a great relationship on your floor, you will also have a job when you graduate. This is pretty important!!

So, if you are contemplating the lowly title of CNA, I say go for it!!! You won't make much money, and at first you won't make many friends.... you will work hard, and you will be pretty tired, but if you stick it out, you will see that it isn't so bad, and you might actually like it. You will begin to make buddies, and you will become better at what you do. You will be a better nurse because you will have developed your bedside manner, you will know how to talk to your patients and you will also know the nursing culture of your workplace. None of this will be a surprise, which will provide for a smooth transition once you are an RN.

Good luck!! :yes:

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Being a CNA helps with knowing how to change a bed or turn a patient as well as some patient interaction but for a lot of people it can lead to faster burnout. You have your entire life to work in a hospital....do something else while your in school. Any advantage a CNA has over a new RN is null after a few months on the job.

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Thanks for this post- this is motivating! I am starting my nursing program in about 3 weeks and they have already warned us (and I'm sure will warn us again 10x) not to work/have no fun/etc etc....I, like you, am a nontraditional student (25, already have my Bachelor's in Psych, married, buying a house, have bills to pay) so I NEED to work. Currently I work full-time in an unrelated field, but once I am done my first semester I do plan on (hopefully) working as a student nurse/CNA at least part-time! It's nice to hear of other "non-traditional" students succeeding!

And in my area, CNA's definitely have an upper hand on getting hired- so I agree!

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Specializes in Cardiac.
Thanks for this post- this is motivating! I am starting my nursing program in about 3 weeks and they have already warned us (and I'm sure will warn us again 10x) not to work/have no fun/etc etc....I, like you, am a nontraditional student (25, already have my Bachelor's in Psych, married, buying a house, have bills to pay) so I NEED to work. Currently I work full-time in an unrelated field, but once I am done my first semester I do plan on (hopefully) working as a student nurse/CNA at least part-time! It's nice to hear of other "non-traditional" students succeeding!

And in my area, CNA's definitely have an upper hand on getting hired- so I agree!

Glad to hear it!! Unfortunately, working as a CNA is almost like working for minimum wage where I live... but the benefits, as mentioned above, in my opinion, are far reaching and have proven to be invaluable in my case. :-)

Best of luck to you!!!!

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Lillian- I holistically agree! Was a CNA for three years before started school and worked during the program as well.

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Well said. I think one of the most beneficial aspects of being a CNA is learning the culture of nursing and learning your own bed side personality. I will be starting a job as an rn on my floor and I am glad I will just have to concentrate on being a nurse and not learning the floor.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

In NC, we have what is a called a CNA II where skills such ans IV removal, Foley insertion and removal, NG tube insertion, trach suctioning (not deep) on established trach, G-tube feeding is all part of scope of practice. Those are almost all the skills, other than IV insertions, that was learned nursing school. I worked as a HH aide and it helped me tremendously. I learned about the geriatric population and I had a peds job at the end. It helped me get a job and I was more comfortable with pts when I started clinical in nursing school. Many of my classmates were aides in a hospital which got them a job lined up as soon as they could take the NCLEX.

I think all nursing students should work as a CNA

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heh i currently work as a research coordinator at a hospital.. so again non-traditional student. A lot of my coworkers went back as non-traditional students as well, but all the nurses on the units that i know have been telling me that i should def do a part tiime CNA position while going through school for just the reason you stated up at the top.. so after the summer --- will have to start looking for some part time work somehow..

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Being a CNA helps with knowing how to change a bed or turn a patient as well as some patient interaction but for a lot of people it can lead to faster burnout. You have your entire life to work in a hospital....do something else while your in school. Any advantage a CNA has over a new RN is null after a few months on the job.

I have to strongly disagree with your last statement about a CNA's advantage. The medical knowledge of course does not compare, but it will take longer than a few months to even out the experience. Healthcare burn out is inevitable. At least you know your true passion if you experience burnout and still want to continue your nursing education. A Good CNA can defuse many difficult situations without a nurse even needing to be aware of it. This is taken for granted and is a skill I wish every nurse had. Years of RN experience won't do you any good if you don't understand importance of each employee role with patient care.

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@Lillian11 hi I'm a young 20 yr old female I was wondering does being a cna have benefits? I ugh live with my parents nd studying to ace my placement exam for community college. Any advice will greatly appreciate :) I respect nurses a lot :) I really want a job as an RN :)

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