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LOL- it wouldn't let me put CNA in the box

I just read the post of cl131716 who announced her new job! congrats!

is anyone else here a CNA? I am considering becoming one and would like pros/cons. and where do you do your work? hospital, nursing home, home-health? how physically demanding is this job?

any feedback is appreciated. TIA~

I am a RN, BSN. I worked as an Aid/Tech when in school. I worked in hospitals only. I worked on an ICU stepdown floor in a very small hospital, and most of the patients came from the Nursing homes that were associated with it. I learned how to manage and deal with dementia patients here.

When I had enough experience there I went to a MAJOR Teaching Hospital, one of the best in the country, and did a job called Undergraduate Nurse, you had to be in nursing school, and have good grades, and have worked as an Aid. I floated this hospital, and worked everything from Trauma stepdown, to burn, to specialcare nursery, to transplant stepdown, to regular orthopedics. I can tell you that You will work your arse off as an aid, and it is fairly physically taxing. Esp with obesity rates climbing. Most facilities have lifts, and so forth to help save your back now.

It is very rewarding work, esp if you work with a group of nurses that have walked your shoes. They appreciate anything and everything you do to help take the workload off.

I did not work in a nursing home ever, but I do love the elderly and dealing with dementia. It can be very rewarding work.

Hospitals tend to have better benefits, and tuition reimbursement, so that may be something to consider, and a lot of them will hire, and train you.

Glad you asked this - I am also contemplating taking the courses to become a CNA. I see a lot of openings for soemthing called a Patient Care Technician that work in Dr. offices - is that the same as a CNA? If not, does it require more or a different course of study?

TIA for any information!

NL

Patient care tech. Is a bs name for a role that doesn't require liscencure and therefore can have you do anything and everything the dr deems appropriate.

Medical Assistants do have training and are worth every dollar they make x10. They keep the dr on track lookin good and function at a higher level than a CNA.

If you don't want to work in an office and want to be in the hospital setting the CNA is the path you want. If you want to work in an office (normalish hours no weekends no holidays) the. Medical Assistant is the path to take.

If you want to be a nurse and use it as a stepping stone you ate better off with CNA or Patient Care tech.

CNAs also work in nursing homes. There is a HUGE demand for good staff. Some training is required - 75 hours, I think? Also very physically (and emotionally) demanding, but great work for the right person.

What a wonderful profession - to be a CNA!

I work in a hospital with an attached nursing home and the people I respect the most are the CNA's. Every day they are invited into the homes (rooms) of the residents and they care for the residents as their own family members.

Of course, it is a 24/7 profession so sometimes the hours suck - but the residents deserve wonderful care 24/7. It can be a great profession if odd hours work for you. Day shift positions are usually filled from within so people usually start on the evening or night shift. There is typically a shift differential as incentive to work the off shifts.

Yes, it can be physically taxing. Our staff are required to use mechanical lifts on residents who are unable to bear weight. We haven't had a back injury in over 10 years once we made the decision to become a no-lift facility.

The pay is good for the length of time it takes to get the education. A CNA in a nursing home will earn considerably more than a CNA in a hospital or clinic. Part of that is market driven and part is the amount of responsibility. Plus, in a hospital the staff might get census days (days when they don't work because the census of the hospital is low.) There is more stability of hours in the nursing home because there isn't the variability in census.

In our state, the first facility that hires a CNA after school is required to reimburse the new employee for their CNA course. Facilities also pay for the med aide course if a CNA decides to go on to become a med aide. Because we are a hospital/nursing home combination, our nursing home employees have the same benefits as the hospital employees. Smaller, private nursing home don't usually have as good of benefits.

Some CNA's in our facility have been there for over 30 years. I believe they love being CNA's!!

[This message edited by confused girl at 5:20 PM, February 22nd (Saturday)]

thank you all so much for responding, I really appreciate the feedback.

I have about decided that CNA is what I want to do next... I think. there is a local community college that offers a night class for several weeks and the fee isn't bad. there are several nursing homes in the area and one hospital that hires CNAs.

thanks again!