Community Chat

[appleseed]

I'm considering this as a new career direction and wondered if anyone here has done this kind of work. Thanks!

[lovescats]

I've never done it but bless the people who do because from what I see it is a lot of hard work. I think it's one job that you would really have to know yourself if you can and are able to do it and if you want to do it.

[CelticCrafter]

My niece did it for years and she loved it.

She worked the overnight shift so she didn't need to send her two girls to day care. She would put them on the school bus and sleep while they were in school.

Unfortunately she had to stop, she broke her foot and when it wouldn't heal, she was diagnosed with CRPS/RSD so it wasn't safe for her or the patients if they needed help.

[YorkieonmyPillow]

You better have a STRONG BACK!

[terrier3]

It's a hard, physical, low paying job.

I always wondered why we pay the people who care for our loved ones so poorly...but that's the way it is!

[adelle38]

It's generally very low paying even if you get a higher level certification. Different states have different requirement as to training and certification. CNAs can do work that doesn't require a ""strong back"" and if you want something part time it might be a way to look into other health related careers.

[bikerbabe]

Yes the pay is low and many employers do not treat the CNA's very well. Doctors offices, home health care, assisted living.

[Pashmina_1]

You do not want to be a CNA! they do all the grunt work with very little pay!

[Colonel Meow]

I agree with the above posters who stated that being a CNA is a hard, undervalued, and low paid occupation. And keep in mind that they truly do all the grunt work (toileting, bathing, bed pans, etc) with none of the respect given to RNs or LPNs.

I'm not a CNA, but I work with many at my hospital. Very few are happy with their jobs, and most of them are doing CNA work while pursuing their LPN or RN. If this is the eventual track you hope to take, then being a CNA in the meantime may not be a bad decision. But I wouldn't recommend it as a stand alone career goal.

[betteb]

On 4/7/2015 Colonel Meow said:

I agree with the above posters who stated that being a CNA is a hard, undervalued, and low paid occupation. (And keep in mind that they truly do all the grunt work.) I'm not a CNA, but I work with many at my hospital. Very few are happy with their jobs, and most of them are doing CNA work while pursuing their LPN or RN. If this is the eventual track you hope to take, then being a CNA in the meantime may not be a bad decision. But I wouldn't recommend it as a stand alone career goal.

Yep, you've got it right. In my state, the only place CNA's can work is a nursing home and maybe a very few in certain areas of a hospital.

I did it for a few years when I was in my 20's. I moved on to CMA (Certified Medication Aide) and passed meds in nursing homes. Not all states use CMA's and in my state they are used only in nursing homes.

I went on from that to Dialysis Technician and worked in an outpatient hemodialysis unit for 8 years. I loved that job, but grew very tired of the personalities you have to deal with in the medical field in general, so be prepared to work with some of the best, but mostly the worst people you will ever know in your life.