notamimic Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 Hello everyone. I am currently a junior, and I plan on applying to PA school next year. I just got offered a full ride to a two week CNA program from a nursing home, and once I am done I will be working for them in the evenings. I have read on this forum that CNA is considered good experience, but can someone tell me why? My roles will be bathing and dressing the patient, cleaning bed pans, and additional responsibilities that help the RN or LPN. Should I take this? Is it worth it? I have to make my final decision.. and I don't know if I will take it or not. Right now I am volunteering as a medical assistant at two different clinics and volunteering during the evening in the ER at my hospital. I know some schools require "paid" experience, but I am only applying to schools that count volunteer and paid HCE experience. Can someone give me some advice? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cop to pa Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 In many places, like hospitals, CNAs have a much more hands on role than just activities of daily living. They can take vitals, remove sutures, change dressings, draw labs, perform ekg, etc. These hands on tasks are valuable experience, as they give in depth exposure in patient care. Just performing assistance with ADL, while needed and necessary, doesn't offer that same level of care or depth of exposure. That is why CNA is often desirable over other roles such as a scribe, transporter, pharmacy tech, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notamimic Posted May 26, 2016 Author Share Posted May 26, 2016 In many places, like hospitals, CNAs have a much more hands on role than just activities of daily living. They can take vitals, remove sutures, change dressings, draw labs, perform ekg, etc. These hands on tasks are valuable experience, as they give in depth exposure in patient care. Just performing assistance with ADL, while needed and necessary, doesn't offer that same level of care or depth of exposure. That is why CNA is often desirable over other roles such as a scribe, transporter, pharmacy tech, etc. Well when I talked to the RN who was talking to me about what I would be doing, she said I would basically just help with ADL. I asked her about vitals and such, but she said thats what the RN will do and not me. The only thing that sounds good is getting the free certification... but I would feel kinda bad if they paid me to go to school, just so I wouldn't work for them. I didn't sign any contacts or anything. I don't really know what I should do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cop to pa Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 Who else is giving CNA classes? How long are they? How much do they cost? Are you willing to take it on your own? What else are you doing (besides the volunteer MA) to gain HCE? Personally, I wouldn't take it for the reason you cite. But it's a personal choice and we don't know your other area sources of HCE or certification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notamimic Posted May 26, 2016 Author Share Posted May 26, 2016 Who else is giving CNA classes? How long are they? How much do they cost? Are you willing to take it on your own? What else are you doing (besides the volunteer MA) to gain HCE? Personally, I wouldn't take it for the reason you cite. But it's a personal choice and we don't know your other area sources of HCE or certification. Well I checked all the other CNA classes around my area, and they are either to long or expensive. I am taking 7 hours this summer and I will be taking 19 hours of school during the fall. Some of the CNA programs around my area are like $600 per class.. and I can't afford that right now. The volunteer MA thing is the only thing I am doing besides summer school. I also have about 400 hours of PA shadowing, which is really valuable for the schools that I am applying too. By the time I apply I should have about 1000 hours of volunteer MA experience. I might just take a 12 week EMT class next summer.. because I don't know if the CNA thing at the nursing home will be worth it. That is why I came on here to ask. I know that CNA is valuable experience.. but I won't be gaining the valuable experience that you mentioned. Currently my stats:I have about a 3.63 gpa with a 3.55 science gpa. If I keep my grades up for the next school year then my last 60 hours will be a 3.98. My GRE scores are good. I really want to focus on raising my GPA and finishing my degree before I apply.. thats why my HCE is sorta low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cop to pa Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 It's better (IMO) to focus on grades and take a gap year or two to work and build quality HCE. This also helps you to learn if this is the career you really want. The volunteer MA is OK, as is the nursing home CNA. Just try and find something better than OK. Don't the red cross and goodwill near you offer CNA? Do they still do that? It's been a while since i looked into them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monte Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 Yes it's great experience.. you'll learn things about patients you never wish you had! All the professors in my program liked students having CNA experience... it beats a lot of other experience that people get by with in applying. Free ride on it too? yes.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maynard Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 My roles will be bathing and dressing the patient, cleaning bed pans, and additional responsibilities that help the RN or LPN. You forgot "wiping butts". The tasks you mentioned are not going to teach you much, but you will learn about working with the demographic with the most disproportionate share of medical needs and you'll learn about working in a medical facility and all the politics that go with that. Perhaps most importantly, working as a CNA shows that you have humility and that you can handle the dirtier tasks of healthcare with a positive attitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petunia Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 Does your state let you challenge the test? I never took a CNA class, I just showed up for test day and did the clinical and written test. IMO it was extremely easy, and anyone who has had some exposure to healthcare should be able to pass. Then you could shoot for a CNA hospital job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notamimic Posted May 26, 2016 Author Share Posted May 26, 2016 Does your state let you challenge the test? I never took a CNA class, I just showed up for test day and did the clinical and written test. IMO it was extremely easy, and anyone who has had some exposure to healthcare should be able to pass. Then you could shoot for a CNA hospital job I decided not to take it. I am just going to focus on my grades, volunteering, and shadowing. Hopefully that will give me a good change for atleast an interview. Im going to take a 12 week EMT course next summer, and start accumulating good quality hce afterwards. I guess I have a lot of time. i just turned 20. Thank you for your response though :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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