Am I wasting my time? (work/school question)

Bucketman

Hello H/A. I'm currently in school to get my RN, I'm about halfway there but I hate my job so I decided to get my CNA, so far the classes have been really easy, but I'm worried now. Seems like on average when I get done I'll be able to make about 9 or 10 an hour depending on whether or not I work at a nursing home or a hospital. Not much, actually I make 9.75 now, so 10 would be ok.

Except my friend, hes just starting nursing school in the fall, so he has a full four years to go but he just got a job as a Patient Care Technician at a hospital about two hours away and said he started at 13. We talked about his job duties and I even looked it up online and as far as I can tell PCT is pretty much the same exact thing as a CNA, except I have to pay $675 for my training, plus my book and can look to make 10 bucks max, where as he is making more and got paid to do his training. This seems silly to me that the CNA thing even exists and I have to wonder why I never found a PCT job listing anywhere ever. Also makes me wonder if I'm wasting my time.

I was wondering if anyone who might know more would happen to have some insight into this. Thanks in advance

MegaMan001

Hey. Registered Nurse here. Two years in the MICU. Currently in graduate school to become a Nurse Anesthetist.

Just so I understand. You are currently in school to become an RN (bachelor's program, I hope) but you decided to pick up CNA training on the side to become a nursing assistant to make more money until you finish your RN?

That's a waste of time, bro. Get your money back. There is no difference between a CNA or a PCT other than your certification, which as you found out - means absolutely nothing when it comes to responsibilities at work. In fact, CNA work is actually more restricted (as a certified position) as opposed to a PCT (where most hospitals just delegate what tasks you can do).

Also, why the hell waste the time taking CNA classes when that same information is covered in your RN schedule (most likely a Fundamentals of Nursing) class.

Don't finish CNA. Get your money back as soon as possible. Instead, call around to various hospital HR departments and find a PCT listing. Also mention you are a senior nursing student (this is an important flag to any HR director in nursing because it means that one, you're not a felon and two, you're not an idiot).

Anecdote time. When I was a senior in my nursing program I was able to land a 'nursing technician' job at the intensive care unit where I was finishing a clinical rotation. This job, essentially, was invented for me because the manager said I had potential and they liked having me around. This job involved me doing the typical CNA grunt work (baths, turns, etc.) However, I was also allowed to start intravenous peripheral lines, perform in line endotracheal tube suctioning, removal central lines and femoral catheters, insert and remove foleys - a ton of shit that CNAs are not allowed to do (because, again, they are 'certified' and thus 'regulated' by the state).

Again. Drop the CNA work. Get your money back. Don't do it. If anything else just stick with your current job you hate. You hate it, but you only have to make it through a few more years of nursing training before you are done. Most importantly, you are just wasting time and money by learning stuff that is going to be covered in your fundamentals of nursing class anyway.

Good luck.

Bucketman

Well shit. Thanks MM, I wish I had known that two months ago. My academic adviser told me I should look into taking the CNA course. I don't think I can get my money back at this point, and class is at freaking 8 am 3 days a week.

I am technically a 'pre nursing' student right now. This upcoming fall is my last semester before the real nursing stuff starts (assuming I get into the program for the bachelors). Heres hoping I can find a decent job.

MegaMan001

Well. I mean, how deep are you into the semester? You might be able to audit the class, drop it, get a refund, or at least taken off your transcript so you don't have to show up three days a week to a pointless class.

If it stays on your transcript then man up and ace it, because it's going to impact your GPA to get into the nursing program. That's tough competition, so you'll have to work at it.

You'll have no problem finding a decent job when you graduate as an RN BSN. Certainly, times are tight and some of the bigger places have gone into a hiring freeze, but you need to focus on what it is you want to specialize in (ICU, ER, surgical, wound care, home care, oncology, palliative care, etc.) and then be willing to travel. That's the key, you have to be willing to travel to land that dream job out of school and then move onto graduate school or whatever you want - but you have to be flexible.

For example, RN jobs in Boston for the 'exciting' positions like ICU or ED are really hard to come by. One, because everyone applies for them and two a large majority of those nurses don't stay. They head into anesthesia school (like me) to make a lot more money. Outside of Boston, you can easily find those jobs - but a lot of nurses have families and don't want to travel - so they are forced to stay in shitty general care units.

Nursing is really great. You have a lot of options to specialize and you can easily make a six figure income in 6-8 years if you specialize correctly and get the best experience you can.

In my own career, I graduated from Northern Illinois University with a RN BSN, moved to Rochester, Minnesota where I worked in the MICU right out of college because they had an opening. So I moved from DeKalb, IL to Minnesota for a job. Then I applied for anesthesia positions across the country - I got accepted at the Mayo Clinic and Boston College. I took BC, sold all my stuff, and moved to Boston. Now I am set to graduate in May 2012 and I may move again to get a good VA job to pay back my loans.

It's all about flexibility, man. Set your goal and do it. This CNA thing was a bit of a speed bump, but no problem. You can get around it.