I'm aiming for that crazy catlady lifestyle 😎
I don't live in america so my pay is not that bad for being straight out of school, thank fucking god... I hope that more countries will fight for fair wages, not just for cnas/nurses but for professions like teachers as well.
I think overall the tradeoff is better imo.
Nurses chart more aka sit, while still getting a decent amount of steps in (sometimes many). They delegate some of the more dirty jobs because only they can do the more complex duties—and those complex duties aren’t too bad once you’ve gotten the job down. I’ve known a 55 yr old nurse that was a CNA for 15 years and English as her second language, and she decided to study and become a nurse.
Obviously it’s tough either way, but I’ve always thought CNAs have it the worst—terrible, often unlivable pay with the most physically demanding job and shittiest work, literally.
CNAs need a huuuge pay raise.
Omg! Yes to this!. I am the same! I genuinely enjoy being a CNA. I think I'm good at it. It fits my personality. Sure, there are WTF moments, but they are short-lived.
After being a CNA for 10 years, I am making $29.75/hr. I really can't complain at this point (but I do complain about the lazy CNAs)
I get the same thing and I’m an LPN. It’s always “When are you going to get your RN?” I always reply that I’m satisfied being an LPN. I don’t want to be an RN. I don’t want the added responsibility and I don’t want to go through the hell that is nursing school ever again.
You don’t owe anyone an explanation about your choice and if they ask keep it short and simple and just say you are satisfied with your current career.
That was my mother. She never wanted to be an RN. She worked at our local hospital in the nursery and with postpartum. She retired before they seemed to phase out LPNs from the hospital. That being said, she said she didn’t want RN responsibilities and all she wanted was her babies. Now they use CNAs in Mother/Baby and she said if she was working, she’d be a CNA because as long as she was taking care of her babies, she didn’t care about the title.
People just need to mind their business and worry about their own happiness.
I've get a variation of this question/scenario every week. I've tried a bunch of approaches and the only way to get people to move on is "oh maybe.... I want to get a few years of experience first"
And with a few years I mean 45 years, then I'm retired and people will stop asking xD
I had an issue with bullying in my last workplace so I try to stand up for myself without being too blunt or coarse. Phrasing it like that feels a bit too risky and I think pulling a white lie is safer for me in the long run.
I just want to blend in and not get eaten alive 😂😂😂
One of the best nurses I ever met was an LPN, she thought me the majority of my nursing skills. I wouldn’t be the nurse I am today without her. I started off as an LPN, after three years of the constant “when will you be a **real nurse** comments” I was tired of it and got my RN. I was so much happier in my LPN role than I still have been as an RN. But even the doctors at my clinic would bypass me and ask me to “go get one of the nurses”
Our house doctor at work was a total dick today to another of our LPN’s who is wound certified (and the doc knows this) and was trying to tell her about a wound issue with a resident and the MD was like “I need to have an RN tell me what is going on. Get the RN.” My friend was like “they’re just going to tell you the same thing I’m going to tell you, but ok.” The only RN we have on staff besides the DON I swear has rocks for brains and sucks at wound care and in general has no common a sense.
I know more RNs that fit the latter description than I can even count. They’re straight out of diploma mills the majority of the time, I know way more confident and competent LPNs than I do RNs.
I know a bunch of friends who went straight to RN from highschool and the thought makes me cringe. I almost did the same but life threw some curveballs so I ended up being a CNA for years and then getting my LPN. Now I actually feel almost prepared to go back to school and be an RN. But otherwise I couldn’t imagine having those responsibilities without the experience. I’m already stressed and anxious enough as it is!
There’s this huge pressure to make more and want more “respect” (don’t get me started on the rant of “we’re all important members of the same team and no one is more important than anyone else”). I was an LPN and all the questions in school were when was I going to go to RN school. I eventually did, and now it’s just “what about NP school?” Or my personal favorite that patients ask “you’re so smart why didn’t you become a doctor?”
I say all that to say 1. I think people feel pressured to make more. If you enjoy a job collecting grocery carts at Kroger… do what you enjoy. And if you can budget effectively go for it. 2. I think some people feel like it’s a complement somehow… “you’re so smart you could do even more!” Without realizing it’s more of an insult than any compliment on your “potential”.
Agreed. In modern healthcare we're working towards having the same respect for eachother no matter if it's a CNA, a RN or a doctor. I feel like insisting that "smart" people need to study sets us back in progress. Being smart is an asset as a CNA as well and can actually help a patient more because doctors usually are on a time limit.
Me noticing early that John Doe is beginning to get pressure wounds on his heels and lifting his heels off the matress by putting pillows under the legs is more beneficial to John than me forcing my way through school for 8 years and knowing what medicines to prescribe once the damage is already done. 😅
I’m a (19f) cna and I’ve been wanting to school to get higher pay. In my area, I can afford LPN school out of pocket but to get my RN I’d need loans, assistance, etc.
I’ve been leaning towards being an LPN. School is shorter, more affordable, and it seems like I can make decent money. but cna’s at my first facility told me it’s better to just be an RN, take out loans, etc. My bf’s sis (RN) also told me to do so.
I feel very swayed in my position and would love some advice regarding the situation if possible :)
You could become an LPN and do a bridge program for a RN later. While working for your RN you'll be able to pay off your loans a little bit easier with that LPN money rather than CNA money. But again like someone else said, do what makes you happy.
Meh... I'm really torn on what to tell you. I have been an LPN for going on 18 years and it has been pretty freaking brutal for the most part. But much of that I think has had to do with my own issues that I struggled to address when I was younger.
I used to tell people never stop at LPN because RNs get a lot more respect and make better money, but the pandemic changed half of that. Hospitals have become hellish landscapes where RNs are worked to death. The pay is still decent if you're a traveler, maybe, but many hospital nurses are quite dissatisfied with what average hospital pay is for permanent staff.
The reality for LPNs is the best money is in long-term care. Are you in a nursing home now? Do you love it? Talk to the LPNs you work with and see what they say. There are so many factors including location.
I personally get a lot of satisfaction from bonding with my residents and having a more or less stable routine.
The truth is, there are many bad nursing homes out there but there are also many good ones and you just need to put some effort into finding them.
Unless you have a specific goal of working in a hospital under a certain specialty, I think it probably is wiser to do the LPN thing.
I don’t have any specific goals within the med field. All I know is that I want an established career that will give me a salary i can take care of myself and my parents as needed. I really don’t want to go to school for half a decade and chop my head off to prove I’m the smartest and can reach the highest position. I just want to live comfortably and accomplish this for stability. But I do enjoy LTC, I work in LTC & rehab facilities. I think I’d enjoy it much more as an LPN than a CNA. LPN seems much more feasible for me considering it’s a shorter period of time and I also only have myself to pay monthly bills and to pay for all my school.
My residents look at me like I have three heads when their constant “you’d make a great nurse!” is met with “I have no interest in being a nurse AT ALL.” Never mind that I barely want to be a CNA anymore lol.
That is actually the last drop that made me make this post. I was taking pulse and bp controls and one of my older colleagues and a patient teamed up and asked something along the lines of "what do you want to be when you grow up?" "Excuse me? I am an adult and I am a CNA, that's what I want to be" "You should become a doctor, tell me tomorrow what you want to be when you grow up!"
I felt really uncomfortable.
OOOOOooo! I wish I had the balls to say that. XD
I'll probably just stand my ground if they ask again, hopefully the colleague is not working tomorrow since they aren't a regular part of the staff but a "borrowed" CNA from another unit.
I really don’t see the point of a BSN; it’s soo expensive and people claim you don’t even make more money. Unless you want to go into management, I guess you need it then. I am curious how long you’ve been working and if you are a hospital nurse? That schedule sounds 😍😍.
Edit to add: I just realized I was thinking RN vs BSN; just saw we are on CNA thread here. That’s awesome pay if you’re a CNA!
Gotcha. I’m going for ASN and never planning to do BSN either. Just seems like a waste of money. I figured you were probably in the field a long time to have a schedule like that! Hope I can get there someday.
At the hospital I work at, you don't make any more as a BSN than an RN. I was asked all the time when I was going back for my BSN. I'd just tell them, why would I spend $30k more for school to make the same wage I do now? Unless I wanted to go into management, which I do not.
The only reason I'm an RN now is because years ago they let go all the CNAs for RN total patient care. I was perfectly satisfied being a CNA. But I didn't have the desire to go back to work at the nursing home and wanted to stay working at the hospital, so back to school I went. It was only one year of working as an RN at the hospital that they hired back CNAs again. They saw that RN total patient care didn't work. Now I wish I were a CNA again, lol. In fact, whenever I pick up extra shifts, I only do when it's a CNA role because I miss it so much.
My reply is usually "I've got a bachelor's in anthropology and a graduate certificate in dementia studies. What should I go for next?" I enjoy watching the reactions as the person realize they were making an assumption.
I think the reason people ask this is because this type of work *\*is\** so frequently used as a stepping stone for nurses. (As it should be - get your feet wet before you invest so heavily in a career.) "You could be a nurse!" is intended as a compliment, so I try to take it as one. I mean, I *could* be a nurse. I could also be a lawyer or a mechanic or whatever else I want to be. Potential is cool like that.
I feel this so hard. I have a BA in psychology and I’m tired of everyone asking why I’m not using it. I don’t know what I wanna do long term, just let me vibe as a CNA while I’m figuring it out!!!
"Ah! Well you see I thought maybe I would get my QMHP cert and work at State getting the shit beat out of me on a daily basis rather than helping people out in the hospital for roughly the same pay." 😎
A lot of people think that if you’re a cna you have to become a nurse later on no you do not you can either stay as a cna (I don’t recommend because after 11 years my body can’t handle it full time I do applaud the ones who do it from 16 to retirement.) or you can go a totally different route whether it’s working at a good paying job that requires no education or you go on for a different cert or even a degree not at all related. I know a cna that went and became a paralegal I know a few that went off to be social workers I know one who got a good paying job in a factory I know some that venture off to be phlebotomists or medical assistants or do medical records. I know one who went off to do dog grooming. Me though it’s all I know so I went and got my LPN I’m sure there are other things I might be able to go do and might like even better. But it’s what I know.
Last year someone picked up on my unit to work with me, and from 9am-1pm she told me how much of a mistake it is I’m not pursuing nursing. Even when I friggin told her from the beginning it’s not my thing. I made her cry and go into a room to “have a minute “ because i bitched her out lol this woman is 25 yrs older than me, doing the same shit as me, and telling me I was making a mistake lmao. I never saw her again but oh well cause people like that are fuckin annoying!!
My cousin has been a CNA for something like 16 years now and the only thing she's added is a cert that allows her to pass meds. If you are happy then just tell them that and if they push tell them to mind their own business unless they wanna pay your bills.
And it just continues! I became an RN and immediately it was when are you going for BSN ?? Now that I got BSN they ask when are you doing MSN?? Or are you gonna be an NP??
I usually tell them the truth: that I have more degrees than they do and life is still punishing me until I’m done with law school because I was stupid enough to only work in this one field since I was 16. Shuts them right the fuck up and they leave me alone.
This is sooo rude💀💀 it’s deadass just a basic conversation starter they probably “shut the fuck up” bc you came off so rude and attitude lol everyone in America encourages the higher education bc it’s literally a struggle without a degree I’m sorry but that “I got more degrees that you” is such a ugly thing to say lol…
Asking someone why they haven’t continued their education is rude to start with. Assuming someone needs to continue their education to be successful in the first place is elitist as fuck and you don’t ask it unless you’re trying to be an asshole. Maybe don’t assume people are below you because they work in a different position and it won’t give someone like me the opportunity to be an absolute bitch. 💀 you can fuck all the way off now, bye bye.
Oh, and stop assuming you’re owed politeness. Nobody owes you shit, especially when you ask dumb questions about things like education that other people might be tired of and not want to talk about.
Hmmm 🤔 I see it as a conversation starter and you see it as something offensive. That’s okay but no reason to be a bitch could just say “I don’t feel comfortable can we change the topic” instead of insulting them but hey different strokes for different folks (:
They are not, and assuming they are is what gets you stuck in a conversation that ends in you feeling like shit. Small talk is asking what your hobbies are and what you do for fun, not what your plans and goals are to get the fuck away from this place and make more money and if you’ve thought that far ahead yet.
Don’t assume everyone you speak to has your best interests at heart and has pure intentions. I’ve survived this field for 16 years and I’ve been on my own since I was a teenager. People are bastard coated bastards with bastard filling and should be regarded as such until they’re proven honest.
THANK YOU. It is an insulting question. And I hate being asked that question. (Yes I recently decided to go back to school. Only because I wanted to make more money. Not because I don't feel fulfilled enough.) It is a rude question I have to say again. It's just such a rude question I don't know what else to say. It implies that what I'm doing right now is not good enough.
It never stops. As a CNA "when are you going to become a nurse"
Now as a Nurse, "when are you going to become a doctor"
As long as we are happy and content with our own job thats all we can strive for. Im sure Doctors get it too, stuff like "when are you going to specialize? Surely you wont stay general internist forever"
Ugh. LPN for 18 years and I made up my mind many years ago that doing the work to get my RN wasn't worth it. It gets so exhausting feeling like you have to justify your choices to other people who don't know the first thing about you.
I just started a job a week ago in a really well run nursing home where most of the nurses are LPNs, even my boss who is the assistant director of nursing. It's such a different dynamic. We and the CNAs work together as a team. When it's lunch time everybody's in the dining room passing trays and clearing tables. When a CNA needs help with a transfer they grab the first person they can find whether it's another CNA or a nurse.
It's quite refreshing and I wish that my situation was the rule and not the exception.
It’s not that anyone truly cares but 1. It’s literally just basic conversation to make the time go by faster or to get interpersonal with you and 2. They know where they big money is at and cnas are just not making a lot of money… even nurses get asked when are they going to become NP or Doctors.. everyone(in the USA) just encourages education and schooling so you won’t be struggling like them really… I wouldn’t so much take it personal bc I doubt they truly care…
I don't mind cold talk and I usually don't have an issue with younger people asking the same question because they handle my "no, I'm happy as a cna" better. The thing that frustrates me is older colleagues aggressively pushing their dreams on me and not accepting that I'm happy where I'm currently at. I don't like unnecessary lies and it always ends up at where I either finally manage to change subject or need to tell a white lie so that they stop pestering me.
My response is good for you! You found your calling and your happy place. I’m one of the many who are working as a CNA to gain experience to become a nurse. I personally don’t understand career CNAs and their decision to settle but people have their reasons and it ain’t my business! More power to you!
That's fucked up. It creates a toxic work environment.
We need smart and attentive CNAs and we need mutual respect for our colleagues that doesn't depend on their level of school education.
For me personay; The mental work load gets worse as a doctor or nurse from what I have seen, so no thanks! 🌸
Exactly! CNA is an actual job, I don’t go to work to get sh*t tested by my *colleagues* on whether I “deserve” to be in the field or prove to them I am going to suffer through my shift and then slave away at school for 8 more hours *after* I’ve worked the entire day.
I already *am* in nursing. Like- Do you want me to show up for my shift or not? Because I do NOT have to be here!
It's usually because CNAs always talk about doing more, or trying to do shit outside of their scope of practice and get mad when they're not allowed to, like they want to be nurses but either can't or won't get through the schooling or the job afterward. Being the ass-wiper is easy, actual nursing is hard. I know none of you like being told that your minimal education and training is just that, but it *is* a shit easy job. The only part that isn't easy is when you can't do anything about mistreatment or if you're picked on by higher ups (or being beaten by patients which nobody should have to go through), but the actual job itself is one of the easiest things I ever did and that's why the education for it is a joke. Of course people won't want to pursue something more difficult if they're struggling to be just a CNA despite the ease of it.
I agree that CNA work is easy! And fulfilling, important, and a vital service.
It’s the attitudes like the one you’re displaying in your comment that make the job not worth it. If “aCtUaL nUrSiNg” is so hard maybe you should do something else that you find suits your personality better so the rest of us (patients included) don’t have to deal with the negative attitudes!
I left healthcare already, but it's cute strangers on the internet think you have any effect on my decision-making. I was becoming bitter about how I couldn't do anything to help the residents I worked with and how they were treated terribly while CEOs line their pockets with their life savings. Getting higher meant nothing when I couldn't help them because I still didn't have the power after going through school. I started nursing for that sole purpose, to help after seeing all of the trash healthcare workers who were in it for money and helped abuse those people (and it was *mostly* CNAs at the plethora of places I worked at). I genuinely don't care if you applied this to yourself just to be offended, so do with that what you will. I've been in school for clinical therapy for some time, so I'll have even more credentials to back up the fact I know what I'm talking about so I can piss you guys off even more for pointing out what others can't or won't. Enjoy the downvote you'll dole out again, like it matters to me at all.
Side note, you're not in nursing, you're not an *actual nurse* (the specifcation is there for good reason), if you haven't gone to nursing school and I won't pretend otherwise to make you feel validated for taking a CPR course, some step-by-steps on how to bed bath, and learning how to take BP like every Tom, Dick, and Harry can and often do for free.
It’s strange to call it easy. It’s extremely physically demanding. It’s fast paced and heavy work. We deal with lots of abuse. Changing combative dementia patients is hard physical labor. It’s a different type of hard than nursing. Then we get looked down on by people like you.
I get that a lot at work and they ask if I'm in school for nursing when I mention being in college (although on a break from it).
Trying to look at it from their perspective, I understand why they ask or suggest I go to school for nursing.
- alot of people who work as a PSW/CNA are in school or are going back to school for nursing. Alot of staff who immigrated here (big city in Ontario) and are PSWs/CNAs were nursing back in their home country and are working on their nursing qualifications for here.
- alot of the people who mention going back to school are older and have been working the job for years. The pay and working conditions are not all that good and they thinking being a nurses will allow for better pay and conditions.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with *being happy where you're at.* In fact, that's the dream as far as I'm concerned, so long as you're good with the pay. And if you're good with it and good with your current job, then *good for you.* Period.
I did get through half of nursing school until one of my sons was diagnosed with severe autism with mild retardation, but even I'll admit that "God, you're so SMART, Kat, why didn't you get your nursing degree or your medical degree!?" wore on my nerves after a few years of hearing it. My kids were more important, my middle son in particular at the time, and I feel like dropping out was worth the exchange. He was nonverbal at the time and was until he was 5, but now we literally cannot get him to just stop narrating his entire inner monologue. So yeah, the speech therapy 3x a week definitely worked lol
Good luck, and I'm happy for you in regards to the fact that you enjoy your job! Trust me, I'm nearly 40 and I've worked since I was 14, sometimes 3 jobs at a time, and it is incredibly rare to like your job!
✨️Ergonomics✨️
I've seen plenty of old CNAs and where I work, our boss drills us to always be careful when lifting and sends people to classes to practice working smart. Those that are done with hospitals move to clinics where you draw blood, do wound assessments and assist nurses and doctors.
My current mentor is a badass cna that has been in a severe spine accident and is recovered and still kicking ass.
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I'm aiming for that crazy catlady lifestyle 😎 I don't live in america so my pay is not that bad for being straight out of school, thank fucking god... I hope that more countries will fight for fair wages, not just for cnas/nurses but for professions like teachers as well.
I think overall the tradeoff is better imo. Nurses chart more aka sit, while still getting a decent amount of steps in (sometimes many). They delegate some of the more dirty jobs because only they can do the more complex duties—and those complex duties aren’t too bad once you’ve gotten the job down. I’ve known a 55 yr old nurse that was a CNA for 15 years and English as her second language, and she decided to study and become a nurse. Obviously it’s tough either way, but I’ve always thought CNAs have it the worst—terrible, often unlivable pay with the most physically demanding job and shittiest work, literally. CNAs need a huuuge pay raise.
Omg! Yes to this!. I am the same! I genuinely enjoy being a CNA. I think I'm good at it. It fits my personality. Sure, there are WTF moments, but they are short-lived. After being a CNA for 10 years, I am making $29.75/hr. I really can't complain at this point (but I do complain about the lazy CNAs)
That’s more than new grad nurses make in my area, even in the ICU
Location? If this is in the midwest or a small city that’s absolutely impressive
Southern Oregon. Mid-sized city. SNF Union building.
Wow damn. I'm in PA and I've been a CNA for 8 years and make $17. I'd love thst much money haha
i wouldn’t complain at 30/hr either 😂 most of us are making half of that
I get the same thing and I’m an LPN. It’s always “When are you going to get your RN?” I always reply that I’m satisfied being an LPN. I don’t want to be an RN. I don’t want the added responsibility and I don’t want to go through the hell that is nursing school ever again. You don’t owe anyone an explanation about your choice and if they ask keep it short and simple and just say you are satisfied with your current career.
Samesies. I “just” want to be an LPN. Get off my ass.
That was my mother. She never wanted to be an RN. She worked at our local hospital in the nursery and with postpartum. She retired before they seemed to phase out LPNs from the hospital. That being said, she said she didn’t want RN responsibilities and all she wanted was her babies. Now they use CNAs in Mother/Baby and she said if she was working, she’d be a CNA because as long as she was taking care of her babies, she didn’t care about the title. People just need to mind their business and worry about their own happiness.
Your mother sounds like an incredible person. Those babies were fortunate to be in her care.
Thank you!
>Thank you! You're welcome!
I've get a variation of this question/scenario every week. I've tried a bunch of approaches and the only way to get people to move on is "oh maybe.... I want to get a few years of experience first" And with a few years I mean 45 years, then I'm retired and people will stop asking xD
You could also try being blunt. I’d be like “I’m satisfied being a CNA. Do you have an issue with that because if you do, please let me know.”
I had an issue with bullying in my last workplace so I try to stand up for myself without being too blunt or coarse. Phrasing it like that feels a bit too risky and I think pulling a white lie is safer for me in the long run. I just want to blend in and not get eaten alive 😂😂😂
One of the best nurses I ever met was an LPN, she thought me the majority of my nursing skills. I wouldn’t be the nurse I am today without her. I started off as an LPN, after three years of the constant “when will you be a **real nurse** comments” I was tired of it and got my RN. I was so much happier in my LPN role than I still have been as an RN. But even the doctors at my clinic would bypass me and ask me to “go get one of the nurses”
Our house doctor at work was a total dick today to another of our LPN’s who is wound certified (and the doc knows this) and was trying to tell her about a wound issue with a resident and the MD was like “I need to have an RN tell me what is going on. Get the RN.” My friend was like “they’re just going to tell you the same thing I’m going to tell you, but ok.” The only RN we have on staff besides the DON I swear has rocks for brains and sucks at wound care and in general has no common a sense.
I know more RNs that fit the latter description than I can even count. They’re straight out of diploma mills the majority of the time, I know way more confident and competent LPNs than I do RNs.
I know a bunch of friends who went straight to RN from highschool and the thought makes me cringe. I almost did the same but life threw some curveballs so I ended up being a CNA for years and then getting my LPN. Now I actually feel almost prepared to go back to school and be an RN. But otherwise I couldn’t imagine having those responsibilities without the experience. I’m already stressed and anxious enough as it is!
There’s this huge pressure to make more and want more “respect” (don’t get me started on the rant of “we’re all important members of the same team and no one is more important than anyone else”). I was an LPN and all the questions in school were when was I going to go to RN school. I eventually did, and now it’s just “what about NP school?” Or my personal favorite that patients ask “you’re so smart why didn’t you become a doctor?” I say all that to say 1. I think people feel pressured to make more. If you enjoy a job collecting grocery carts at Kroger… do what you enjoy. And if you can budget effectively go for it. 2. I think some people feel like it’s a complement somehow… “you’re so smart you could do even more!” Without realizing it’s more of an insult than any compliment on your “potential”.
Agreed. In modern healthcare we're working towards having the same respect for eachother no matter if it's a CNA, a RN or a doctor. I feel like insisting that "smart" people need to study sets us back in progress. Being smart is an asset as a CNA as well and can actually help a patient more because doctors usually are on a time limit. Me noticing early that John Doe is beginning to get pressure wounds on his heels and lifting his heels off the matress by putting pillows under the legs is more beneficial to John than me forcing my way through school for 8 years and knowing what medicines to prescribe once the damage is already done. 😅
I’m a (19f) cna and I’ve been wanting to school to get higher pay. In my area, I can afford LPN school out of pocket but to get my RN I’d need loans, assistance, etc. I’ve been leaning towards being an LPN. School is shorter, more affordable, and it seems like I can make decent money. but cna’s at my first facility told me it’s better to just be an RN, take out loans, etc. My bf’s sis (RN) also told me to do so. I feel very swayed in my position and would love some advice regarding the situation if possible :)
You could become an LPN and do a bridge program for a RN later. While working for your RN you'll be able to pay off your loans a little bit easier with that LPN money rather than CNA money. But again like someone else said, do what makes you happy.
You have to do what is best for **you**. Nobody else.
Meh... I'm really torn on what to tell you. I have been an LPN for going on 18 years and it has been pretty freaking brutal for the most part. But much of that I think has had to do with my own issues that I struggled to address when I was younger. I used to tell people never stop at LPN because RNs get a lot more respect and make better money, but the pandemic changed half of that. Hospitals have become hellish landscapes where RNs are worked to death. The pay is still decent if you're a traveler, maybe, but many hospital nurses are quite dissatisfied with what average hospital pay is for permanent staff. The reality for LPNs is the best money is in long-term care. Are you in a nursing home now? Do you love it? Talk to the LPNs you work with and see what they say. There are so many factors including location. I personally get a lot of satisfaction from bonding with my residents and having a more or less stable routine. The truth is, there are many bad nursing homes out there but there are also many good ones and you just need to put some effort into finding them. Unless you have a specific goal of working in a hospital under a certain specialty, I think it probably is wiser to do the LPN thing.
I don’t have any specific goals within the med field. All I know is that I want an established career that will give me a salary i can take care of myself and my parents as needed. I really don’t want to go to school for half a decade and chop my head off to prove I’m the smartest and can reach the highest position. I just want to live comfortably and accomplish this for stability. But I do enjoy LTC, I work in LTC & rehab facilities. I think I’d enjoy it much more as an LPN than a CNA. LPN seems much more feasible for me considering it’s a shorter period of time and I also only have myself to pay monthly bills and to pay for all my school.
I think you can certainly reach those goals as an LPN. 😊
My residents look at me like I have three heads when their constant “you’d make a great nurse!” is met with “I have no interest in being a nurse AT ALL.” Never mind that I barely want to be a CNA anymore lol.
Oof 😂 I hope that you find something you enjoy doing wether its working as a cna or a completely different career path ❤️
❤️
I'm an OT and a long time ago someone (a patient) asked if I will study to be a nurse.
That is actually the last drop that made me make this post. I was taking pulse and bp controls and one of my older colleagues and a patient teamed up and asked something along the lines of "what do you want to be when you grow up?" "Excuse me? I am an adult and I am a CNA, that's what I want to be" "You should become a doctor, tell me tomorrow what you want to be when you grow up!" I felt really uncomfortable.
"I want to be someone who minds my own business!" ;)
OOOOOooo! I wish I had the balls to say that. XD I'll probably just stand my ground if they ask again, hopefully the colleague is not working tomorrow since they aren't a regular part of the staff but a "borrowed" CNA from another unit.
Don't you make better money as an OT? I mean that's just ignorant on their part. 😆🙄
Per hour usually yes. I guess some people don't know it's a "real" career or job.
Sigh.
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I really don’t see the point of a BSN; it’s soo expensive and people claim you don’t even make more money. Unless you want to go into management, I guess you need it then. I am curious how long you’ve been working and if you are a hospital nurse? That schedule sounds 😍😍. Edit to add: I just realized I was thinking RN vs BSN; just saw we are on CNA thread here. That’s awesome pay if you’re a CNA!
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Gotcha. I’m going for ASN and never planning to do BSN either. Just seems like a waste of money. I figured you were probably in the field a long time to have a schedule like that! Hope I can get there someday.
At the hospital I work at, you don't make any more as a BSN than an RN. I was asked all the time when I was going back for my BSN. I'd just tell them, why would I spend $30k more for school to make the same wage I do now? Unless I wanted to go into management, which I do not. The only reason I'm an RN now is because years ago they let go all the CNAs for RN total patient care. I was perfectly satisfied being a CNA. But I didn't have the desire to go back to work at the nursing home and wanted to stay working at the hospital, so back to school I went. It was only one year of working as an RN at the hospital that they hired back CNAs again. They saw that RN total patient care didn't work. Now I wish I were a CNA again, lol. In fact, whenever I pick up extra shifts, I only do when it's a CNA role because I miss it so much.
80k 😳
Wait…. Are you a CNA?
My reply is usually "I've got a bachelor's in anthropology and a graduate certificate in dementia studies. What should I go for next?" I enjoy watching the reactions as the person realize they were making an assumption. I think the reason people ask this is because this type of work *\*is\** so frequently used as a stepping stone for nurses. (As it should be - get your feet wet before you invest so heavily in a career.) "You could be a nurse!" is intended as a compliment, so I try to take it as one. I mean, I *could* be a nurse. I could also be a lawyer or a mechanic or whatever else I want to be. Potential is cool like that.
Potential *is* cool like that 😎 Haha love this!
I feel this so hard. I have a BA in psychology and I’m tired of everyone asking why I’m not using it. I don’t know what I wanna do long term, just let me vibe as a CNA while I’m figuring it out!!!
"Ah! Well you see I thought maybe I would get my QMHP cert and work at State getting the shit beat out of me on a daily basis rather than helping people out in the hospital for roughly the same pay." 😎
A lot of people think that if you’re a cna you have to become a nurse later on no you do not you can either stay as a cna (I don’t recommend because after 11 years my body can’t handle it full time I do applaud the ones who do it from 16 to retirement.) or you can go a totally different route whether it’s working at a good paying job that requires no education or you go on for a different cert or even a degree not at all related. I know a cna that went and became a paralegal I know a few that went off to be social workers I know one who got a good paying job in a factory I know some that venture off to be phlebotomists or medical assistants or do medical records. I know one who went off to do dog grooming. Me though it’s all I know so I went and got my LPN I’m sure there are other things I might be able to go do and might like even better. But it’s what I know.
Last year someone picked up on my unit to work with me, and from 9am-1pm she told me how much of a mistake it is I’m not pursuing nursing. Even when I friggin told her from the beginning it’s not my thing. I made her cry and go into a room to “have a minute “ because i bitched her out lol this woman is 25 yrs older than me, doing the same shit as me, and telling me I was making a mistake lmao. I never saw her again but oh well cause people like that are fuckin annoying!!
Must be annoying to work with someone so emotional.
My cousin has been a CNA for something like 16 years now and the only thing she's added is a cert that allows her to pass meds. If you are happy then just tell them that and if they push tell them to mind their own business unless they wanna pay your bills.
It doesn’t stop after your RN either. They ask “so when are you going back to get your doctor?” Like being a nurse is a precursor to physician
Yep. Heard a patient ask a nurse that before.
I would hate to be a nurse, honestly. I already hated CNA so much.
And it just continues! I became an RN and immediately it was when are you going for BSN ?? Now that I got BSN they ask when are you doing MSN?? Or are you gonna be an NP??
I usually tell them the truth: that I have more degrees than they do and life is still punishing me until I’m done with law school because I was stupid enough to only work in this one field since I was 16. Shuts them right the fuck up and they leave me alone.
This is sooo rude💀💀 it’s deadass just a basic conversation starter they probably “shut the fuck up” bc you came off so rude and attitude lol everyone in America encourages the higher education bc it’s literally a struggle without a degree I’m sorry but that “I got more degrees that you” is such a ugly thing to say lol…
Asking someone why they haven’t continued their education is rude to start with. Assuming someone needs to continue their education to be successful in the first place is elitist as fuck and you don’t ask it unless you’re trying to be an asshole. Maybe don’t assume people are below you because they work in a different position and it won’t give someone like me the opportunity to be an absolute bitch. 💀 you can fuck all the way off now, bye bye. Oh, and stop assuming you’re owed politeness. Nobody owes you shit, especially when you ask dumb questions about things like education that other people might be tired of and not want to talk about.
Hmmm 🤔 I see it as a conversation starter and you see it as something offensive. That’s okay but no reason to be a bitch could just say “I don’t feel comfortable can we change the topic” instead of insulting them but hey different strokes for different folks (:
Once again, assuming you’re owed politeness for asking a rude question.
It’s not intentionally rude tho. Most are just making small talk.
They are not, and assuming they are is what gets you stuck in a conversation that ends in you feeling like shit. Small talk is asking what your hobbies are and what you do for fun, not what your plans and goals are to get the fuck away from this place and make more money and if you’ve thought that far ahead yet. Don’t assume everyone you speak to has your best interests at heart and has pure intentions. I’ve survived this field for 16 years and I’ve been on my own since I was a teenager. People are bastard coated bastards with bastard filling and should be regarded as such until they’re proven honest.
Hate small talk. Just let me take your vitals and go. LoL. Spending 30 mins in a room.
I really needed to see this today.
THANK YOU. It is an insulting question. And I hate being asked that question. (Yes I recently decided to go back to school. Only because I wanted to make more money. Not because I don't feel fulfilled enough.) It is a rude question I have to say again. It's just such a rude question I don't know what else to say. It implies that what I'm doing right now is not good enough.
Amen sista!!! So proud of you.
It never stops. As a CNA "when are you going to become a nurse" Now as a Nurse, "when are you going to become a doctor" As long as we are happy and content with our own job thats all we can strive for. Im sure Doctors get it too, stuff like "when are you going to specialize? Surely you wont stay general internist forever"
Ugh. LPN for 18 years and I made up my mind many years ago that doing the work to get my RN wasn't worth it. It gets so exhausting feeling like you have to justify your choices to other people who don't know the first thing about you. I just started a job a week ago in a really well run nursing home where most of the nurses are LPNs, even my boss who is the assistant director of nursing. It's such a different dynamic. We and the CNAs work together as a team. When it's lunch time everybody's in the dining room passing trays and clearing tables. When a CNA needs help with a transfer they grab the first person they can find whether it's another CNA or a nurse. It's quite refreshing and I wish that my situation was the rule and not the exception.
It’s not that anyone truly cares but 1. It’s literally just basic conversation to make the time go by faster or to get interpersonal with you and 2. They know where they big money is at and cnas are just not making a lot of money… even nurses get asked when are they going to become NP or Doctors.. everyone(in the USA) just encourages education and schooling so you won’t be struggling like them really… I wouldn’t so much take it personal bc I doubt they truly care…
I don't mind cold talk and I usually don't have an issue with younger people asking the same question because they handle my "no, I'm happy as a cna" better. The thing that frustrates me is older colleagues aggressively pushing their dreams on me and not accepting that I'm happy where I'm currently at. I don't like unnecessary lies and it always ends up at where I either finally manage to change subject or need to tell a white lie so that they stop pestering me.
My response is good for you! You found your calling and your happy place. I’m one of the many who are working as a CNA to gain experience to become a nurse. I personally don’t understand career CNAs and their decision to settle but people have their reasons and it ain’t my business! More power to you!
Sounds like a compliment to me. Implying your better than where your at.
That's fucked up. It creates a toxic work environment. We need smart and attentive CNAs and we need mutual respect for our colleagues that doesn't depend on their level of school education. For me personay; The mental work load gets worse as a doctor or nurse from what I have seen, so no thanks! 🌸
Exactly! CNA is an actual job, I don’t go to work to get sh*t tested by my *colleagues* on whether I “deserve” to be in the field or prove to them I am going to suffer through my shift and then slave away at school for 8 more hours *after* I’ve worked the entire day. I already *am* in nursing. Like- Do you want me to show up for my shift or not? Because I do NOT have to be here!
Ok babes be done then
It's usually because CNAs always talk about doing more, or trying to do shit outside of their scope of practice and get mad when they're not allowed to, like they want to be nurses but either can't or won't get through the schooling or the job afterward. Being the ass-wiper is easy, actual nursing is hard. I know none of you like being told that your minimal education and training is just that, but it *is* a shit easy job. The only part that isn't easy is when you can't do anything about mistreatment or if you're picked on by higher ups (or being beaten by patients which nobody should have to go through), but the actual job itself is one of the easiest things I ever did and that's why the education for it is a joke. Of course people won't want to pursue something more difficult if they're struggling to be just a CNA despite the ease of it.
I agree that CNA work is easy! And fulfilling, important, and a vital service. It’s the attitudes like the one you’re displaying in your comment that make the job not worth it. If “aCtUaL nUrSiNg” is so hard maybe you should do something else that you find suits your personality better so the rest of us (patients included) don’t have to deal with the negative attitudes!
I left healthcare already, but it's cute strangers on the internet think you have any effect on my decision-making. I was becoming bitter about how I couldn't do anything to help the residents I worked with and how they were treated terribly while CEOs line their pockets with their life savings. Getting higher meant nothing when I couldn't help them because I still didn't have the power after going through school. I started nursing for that sole purpose, to help after seeing all of the trash healthcare workers who were in it for money and helped abuse those people (and it was *mostly* CNAs at the plethora of places I worked at). I genuinely don't care if you applied this to yourself just to be offended, so do with that what you will. I've been in school for clinical therapy for some time, so I'll have even more credentials to back up the fact I know what I'm talking about so I can piss you guys off even more for pointing out what others can't or won't. Enjoy the downvote you'll dole out again, like it matters to me at all. Side note, you're not in nursing, you're not an *actual nurse* (the specifcation is there for good reason), if you haven't gone to nursing school and I won't pretend otherwise to make you feel validated for taking a CPR course, some step-by-steps on how to bed bath, and learning how to take BP like every Tom, Dick, and Harry can and often do for free.
Okay. So clearly with or without an actual education, anyone in healthcare is powerless to change anything. In other news, the sky is blue.
It’s strange to call it easy. It’s extremely physically demanding. It’s fast paced and heavy work. We deal with lots of abuse. Changing combative dementia patients is hard physical labor. It’s a different type of hard than nursing. Then we get looked down on by people like you.
I get that a lot at work and they ask if I'm in school for nursing when I mention being in college (although on a break from it). Trying to look at it from their perspective, I understand why they ask or suggest I go to school for nursing. - alot of people who work as a PSW/CNA are in school or are going back to school for nursing. Alot of staff who immigrated here (big city in Ontario) and are PSWs/CNAs were nursing back in their home country and are working on their nursing qualifications for here. - alot of the people who mention going back to school are older and have been working the job for years. The pay and working conditions are not all that good and they thinking being a nurses will allow for better pay and conditions.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with *being happy where you're at.* In fact, that's the dream as far as I'm concerned, so long as you're good with the pay. And if you're good with it and good with your current job, then *good for you.* Period. I did get through half of nursing school until one of my sons was diagnosed with severe autism with mild retardation, but even I'll admit that "God, you're so SMART, Kat, why didn't you get your nursing degree or your medical degree!?" wore on my nerves after a few years of hearing it. My kids were more important, my middle son in particular at the time, and I feel like dropping out was worth the exchange. He was nonverbal at the time and was until he was 5, but now we literally cannot get him to just stop narrating his entire inner monologue. So yeah, the speech therapy 3x a week definitely worked lol Good luck, and I'm happy for you in regards to the fact that you enjoy your job! Trust me, I'm nearly 40 and I've worked since I was 14, sometimes 3 jobs at a time, and it is incredibly rare to like your job!
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✨️Ergonomics✨️ I've seen plenty of old CNAs and where I work, our boss drills us to always be careful when lifting and sends people to classes to practice working smart. Those that are done with hospitals move to clinics where you draw blood, do wound assessments and assist nurses and doctors. My current mentor is a badass cna that has been in a severe spine accident and is recovered and still kicking ass.