Would being a CNA first be wise

I'm in NC. I was a CNA 1 for a year and a CNA 2 for about a year. After that I finished school and became a nurse. I worked in a nursing home the entire time I was a CNA. Private duty (what you are calling home health...there is a difference) can give you an idea of what it is like to care for a patient. That alone helps. Its a lot different caring for a patient vs practicing on a mannequin in school. If you go to a nursing home, it will give you a chance to get used to working with multiple patients (unless you really want to do private duty after becomeing a nurse). You will also get the opportunity to work with nurses and see what they do. If you are lucky enough to work with some great nurses, they will show you all kinds of things and maybe even help you with school. I was lucky and worked with some nurses that taught me all sorts of things while I was in the nursing home. There is always the option to start off as an LPN. It takes about a year for the program and your pre-reqs may go towards other degrees if LPN doesn't work for you.

CNA 2 (some states don't have this option) allows you to do more skills and gives you a little further education on those skills. In NC it allows you to apply some topical ointments and to do some wound care. You can also learn to cath a patient and care for G-Tubes. But it depends on the facility. The facility can limit what you can do, but can never expand beyond what the BON allows you to do.

I think being a CNA is mostly the same in private duty vs a facility except for the number of patients. You definitely learn time management skills in a nursing home. Time management is extremely important in nursing.

I don't know much about social work. I do interact with them from time to time with some of the patients I work with. I don't know what the program is like. So I really can't compare it to nursing. You can always keep working as a CNA through either program. NC also has the med tech program. I say don't do that. Its a short class that allows you to give meds. While you or others may be excited to give meds, its dangerous. They don't require you to know side effects or interactions or any other pharmacology to give the meds. But you work under the nurses license that is supervising you. One mistake as a med tech can cost you the chance to ever have a nursing license.

I hope that helps! Good luck!

Thanks for responding SDALPN, I can see how you will get the chance to use time management in a facility vs. in home care. Your right, they do have med tech and I asked about that class a couple days ago. I'm glad you let me know, giving medication is a HUGE responsibility that should be taken seriously. I wasn't sure what the program was, but now I do thanks! I have some decisions to make!