Working as CNA while doing pre-reqs for RN

[biochemnurse2b]

Hello nurses,

I have been following this forum for several months now and am very grateful for all the shared stories, experiences and information. Thank you!

Here is what I'd like to get your advice on:

My situation: I am taking pre-reqs while working full-time in the biotech/pharmaceutical industry. My job being temporary might come to an end in a couple of months. Plan A (contingent upon having a job) is to work in the same industry until 6 months to 1 year before RN graduation when I'd take a CNA job for experience and smoother transtion into an RN job. Plan B is to take a CNA class and work as a CNA while continuing to take pre-reqs and continue into Nursing school. (This would mean a substantial pay cut for me and make it very hard to support my family, I'm the main bread winner, so I might have to interrupt working as a CNA after awhile for a better pay and go back to it before graduation).

Question: 1) If I were to do a CNA course and get certified but postpone working as a CNA until 1-2 YEARS LATER, or with an interruption, WOULD IT BE A PROBLEM?

2) Would a 6 months-1 year CNA work be a good way to transition into an RN position?

Thank you in advance,

:thankya:

[bitter_sweet]

Hi,

You may want to check how long the nurse assistant certification will last. In my state (Minnesota), NA certification is only good for 2 years. If you have not worked for at least 8 hours as a NA, then you lose your NA certification and have to either re-take the NA class or you have the option to challenge the NA state test.

Sorry, I can't help you with your second question. I work full-time (not as a CNA) and will keep this job during nursing school. Working as a CNA might be helpful, but is not necessary to get a job as a RN.

Good Luck in whatever you decide!

[biochemnurse2b]

Thank you very much. I will check on how long the CNA certification is good for.

I wonder why there are quite a few posts by nurses (RNs, either fresh grads or not) who are having a hard time getting a job...

But I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Thanks for the good wishes. The very best to you, too!

:)

[andpeggy]

Hi biochem,

I've actually struggled with this question for 4 years, and it's what held me back from considering nursing school for a few years. Most of my friends from my CNA class immediately left their corporate jobs and started working as CNAs as they took their prereqs for nursing school. It took a long time for me to reconcile the fact that that just wasn't a financially viable option for me, and that I could still work towards nursing school while I also worked my 8-5 desk job.

I recently re-visited the choice, and once again decided that I just cannot afford to take the paycut to work as a CNA, as much as I'd really, really like to. Luckily, I'll be doing an evening/weekend nursing program, which works best with my office monkey gig. But what I think I'll do (and have done in the past) is volunteer at a hospital. It's a good way to get your feet wet, meet people, and just observe the workings of a unit.

I think having CNA experience would definitely help make the transition to RN easier, and it can help in finding a job, but as bitter_sweet said, it's not necessary. It's a leg up, but there are other things you can do (I think). Like get really good grades. That also seems to be a common theme among experienced RN posters on here--get good grades in school!

Wow, that was probably way too much exposition! Anyway, I guess my point is, I think it helps to take a hard look at your situation and know what you honestly and comfortably can and can't do. Follow your own path to nursing school; there are a million different ways to get there and to support yourself while you undertake this journey. And you can always change your mind--maybe it's best to stay in your job now, but if you get laid off, things could change.

As for the lack of job postings, I think that the economy has really affected things. I've read on boards for my state (MN) that a lot of hospitals are on hiring freezes, and that's darn near impossible for new grads to get jobs right now, at least in acute care. It freaks me out, but then I remember that it'll be at least 3.5 years before I'm done with nursing school, and who knows what it'll be like then? It could be the same, worse, or better. Let's hope for better!

I hope that helped! Good luck in your decision.

J lola

[jjjoy, LPN]

In many places, having completed certain courses in nursing school makes one qualified to work as a CNA without having to take a separate certification course. In my program, by the end of the first year of a two year program, we could apply for jobs as nursing assistants and many of us worked as part-time NAs during our second year of full-time nursing school.