Should I work as a CNA

[FORUM9351]

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I previously wanted to be a nurse and after long reflection and thought, I decided medical school was for me. I completed a program to become a certified nurse assistant. I am trained to do basic patient care and take vital signs. My question is: should I search for jobs in hospitals at this position? I have not heard of pre-medical students doing this, but I assume it would only be a positive thing on my application. Should I do it or just volunteer at hospitals?

 

[M.Furfur]

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[Meatwad]

I wouldn't say the CNA route is the most original one; plenty of premeds seem to be doing either a CNA or EMT-B course these days to get some experience. What is a CNA even allowed to do, by the way? Don't they basically just feed and bathe patients?

 

[devlyyn]

By all means, DO IT. I've been working as a CNA in a local hospital for the past 3 months and plan on continuing during my off year. I've learned SO MUCH about nursing roles and what life is like in a hospital. I have tons of stories about patient care and the things I've learned about hospital care. Definitely worth the experience, if only to give you tons of examples and reasons why (or maybe not) you want to be a physician.

 

[Meatwad]

By all means, DO IT. I've been working as a CNA in a local hospital for the past 3 months and plan on continuing during my off year. I've learned SO MUCH about nursing roles and what life is like in a hospital. I have tons of stories about patient care and the things I've learned about hospital care. Definitely worth the experience, if only to give you tons of examples and reasons why (or maybe not) you want to be a physician.

Could you share with us what exactly your duties were as a CNA? I'm curious, seemedl ike something cool to do.

 

[FORUM9351]

Could you share with us what exactly your duties were as a CNA? I'm curious, seemedl ike something cool to do.

I did a my clinical classes for it at a nursing home and I did nothing medically related. I would pass out trays and feed residents who could not feed themselves. Bathe people of course. Help change residents (diapers all the time). Basic grooming (combing hair, helping residents brush their teeth if needed, shaving, etc.). I also made a lot of beds.

From my understanding, you get paid much more in the hospital (In Chicago, $9-10 in nursing home; $12-13 in a hospital. Also in a hospital it's not only geriatrics so you do vitals I heard a lot, make beds, and do the basic patient care. I hear in a hospital you work much more with the nursing staff and help them with what they do.

 

[shaggybill]

Go for it. The more medical experiences you have, the better.

At the hospital where I work CNA's work as ER Tech's and do all sorts of clinical stuff. Nothing overly complicated, but it's still clinical.

 

[Meatwad]

I did a my clinical classes for it at a nursing home and I did nothing medically related. I would pass out trays and feed residents who could not feed themselves. Bathe people of course. Help change residents (diapers all the time). Basic grooming (combing hair, helping residents brush their teeth if needed, shaving, etc.). I also made a lot of beds.

From my understanding, you get paid much more in the hospital (In Chicago, $9-10 in nursing home; $12-13 in a hospital. Also in a hospital it's not only geriatrics so you do vitals I heard a lot, make beds, and do the basic patient care. I hear in a hospital you work much more with the nursing staff and help them with what they do.

Looks like you really got your hands dirty, makes for some good clinical experiences. I've also heard you make more in a hospital than a nursing home. Go for it, it could only help your app.

 

[ChePibe]

In my experience, there are very few activities that give you the type of valuable patient contact you'd get as a CNA. I've been working as a CNA for almost ten months now and I can tell you that no one in the hospital spends more time with patients than CNAs. You should still do some volunteering but know that it does not even come close to the type of intimate contact you have with patients. As a CNA yo clean, bathe, feed, change, apply dressings, record I&Os, take out foleys, measure vitals, draw blood, etc. Once the nurses and doctors get to know you they will let you do extra stuff and participate even more in the care of the patient.
Warning: you do not get to interact a lot with doctors so you should have some shadowing on the side. Or should do what I did and bust the b***s of the doctors you see to let you in on their action.

 

[FORUM9351]

Thanks for all your replies. I'm certainly going to do it. You get paid and get clinical experience, win/win situation.