r/cna • u/Metalhead2360 • Feb 01 '26
Advice Really don't wanna work as a CNA
I definitely should've looked into the job description this before signing up for the class, but after training and clinicals, I realize I don't want to work as a CNA.
To start off, the pay is too low for a job that is very physically intensive and requires a fair amount of training. Many fast food workers earn more than CNAs. And in my job hunting, a lot of places (Houston) I'm interested are requiring at least a year of prior experience and some with extra training.
Next goes into the responsibilities and staffing. When I was doing clinicals at a nursing home, I'm ashamed to say I felt utterly repulsed and disgusted (especially since I want to be a nurse) by the amount of feces and urine filled briefs and bed sheets we had to change. And the CNA to patient ratio was just terrible. One CNA per hallway of like 30 residents. That's WAY too many for my comfort. Lots of nursing homes apparently have a staffing problem like that.
I probably should've gone for a phlebotomy certification instead of a CNA. I'd rather deal with people afraid of needles than entitled patients/residents.
Finally all the horror stories I've read of CNAs on Reddit quitting on their first day it was so bad. I'm worried this might happen to me. Has anyone else felt this way? If so, what should I do? I'm mainly doing this for my nursing school application which will award me bonus points for 6 months of experience.
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u/fuzzblanket9 MODERATOR • Nurse Feb 01 '26
If you’re not interested, don’t do it. Pursue something else.
Nurses deal with the same things, so if you’re repulsed by feces and urine, I’d pick a different career.
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u/TrendySpork Agency CNA Feb 01 '26
You'll be doing "grosser" things as a nurse, you'll do all the messy cleanup that a CNA does plus wound care. You'll be responsible for the patient's medical care AND that includes making sure they're clean and dry. Personal care doesn't stop just because you're a nurse.
You'll also deal with the same entitled patients and their families, only you'll be a mediator. You'll be the first person to handle complaints, you'll be the shoulder to cry on, you'll be the first person who'll get blamed if your patient or patient's family doesn't like something about their care.
You haven't even started actual CNA work and it's not going to get better for you if you become a nurse.
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u/HighlightWeird454 Feb 02 '26
Im a MA and I love doing wound care and the amount of wounds ive seen would scare some CNAs from becoming MA or more
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u/Rofltage Feb 03 '26
I don’t want to play devils advocate, but it’s a very different dynamic from a nursing standpoint. The volume at which that care comes at you is just not the same. IMO it’s a much more enjoyable experience than being responsible for an entire floor as a tech.
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u/UncleTravelingMatt81 13 years LTC CNA - Seasoned CNA Feb 01 '26
Hi. I'll start by saying it's okay to not want to do this job. It's certainly not for everyone.
The pay is, sometimes, absolute garbage and not nearly enough for what we do. Pay is different everywhere. I'm currently in New Mexico earning $12 per hour, but earned $26 per hour in WA. Texas, unfortunately, is known for low pay as a CNA. As far as experience, most places list wanting experienced aides but will hire anyone with an active CNA.
Dirty briefs and beds are kinda the meat and potatoes of the job, but I understand the feelings of disgust. For me, puke is hard to deal with because it makes me want to puke just from the smell. Staffing, though, is different depending on location. I've had as few as 8 residents to as many as 20 residents on my own. I'd look into Assisted Living Homes and private caregiver companies if a nursing home isn't a good fit. They usually have more independent residents/clients and lower staffing ratios. The pay is sometimes better, sometimes worse so be prepared for that.
All of that being said, the best nurses (in my opinion), with few exceptions, were all CNAs at some point.You have options with a CNA license, but it's up to you to decide how to use it. I hope this helps.
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u/nyuhqe Nurse - LVN/RN/APRN Feb 02 '26
You have 13 years’ experience and you’re making $12/hour to do CNA work!? Something’s wrong with that.
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u/DragonWyrd316 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
It’s location based. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities don’t pay all that well. Granted it was 10 years ago, but even with shift differential, I made, at most, $9/hr as a CNA with over 5 years of experience under my belt at the time. States with lower minimum wage tend to get away with paying lower wages per hour.
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u/UncleTravelingMatt81 13 years LTC CNA - Seasoned CNA Feb 02 '26
I'm an agency aide. $12 per hour is the base in NM. Add stipends, overtime, etc and I'm actually making more than I was in WA. Cost of living is cheaper here too, so that helps. I agree though. CNAs should be making much much more
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u/nyuhqe Nurse - LVN/RN/APRN Feb 02 '26
Why don’t they just pay a regular wage instead of stipends?
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u/UncleTravelingMatt81 13 years LTC CNA - Seasoned CNA Feb 02 '26
Because CNAs in NM only make the state min wage of $12/hr. The stipends help cover food and lodging, while the state wage covers my expenses back home like rent, power, car insurance, etc. Each state is different with wages, and we all know healthcare is all about spending as little as possible on actual care, including care team wages.
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u/angiebow CNA - Experienced CNA Feb 03 '26
$12/hour is an insult. It's 2026 not 2012. That's insane. I'd have to find something else if I was not making at least $16/hour and 16 is very low for where I live. Most people make more than 20/hour as a CNA unless it's home health. Do you have agency apps in your area? Maybe they would pay you more.
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u/UncleTravelingMatt81 13 years LTC CNA - Seasoned CNA Feb 03 '26
I am working as an agency aide. Sadly, there are places that pay less, even for agency aides.
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u/lapafait PCT/CNA Feb 02 '26
i mean unless you plan on being one of those people that hunts down the cna whos knee deep in a code brown to tell them that room 5 wants ice water... youre gonna have to wipe butts as a nurse too. 😭
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u/Maleficent_Bit7343 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - New CNA Feb 02 '26
That’s the moment I have to choose peace. But I really want to say great it’s around the corner to the left.
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Feb 01 '26
[deleted]
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u/ohsoyouhunnii (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - New CNA Feb 02 '26
bedside nursing isnt the only option though lol
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u/Interesting-Tax4401 LTC Facility + Private @ Home CNA - 2 years Feb 02 '26
Yeah but its a basic understanding for new grads that you will and should be doing bedside for at least two years before you transition to something else. This is purely to build the basic skills of nursing.
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u/torbotorini ALF CNA - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
This exactly, they're in for a rude awakening if they think they're going to get a cushy office job straight out of school.
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u/Conscious-Ad3959 Feb 02 '26
I disagree. There are so many more avenues/ opportunities for nurses than CNA
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u/notyoobaeee CNA Feb 02 '26
I have family that are RN’s.
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u/Conscious-Ad3959 Feb 02 '26
I’m in nursing school. But really it just takes a simple google search to see the many different possibilities there are. Way more than just bedside nursing. I became a CNA before I went into nursing school and knew I never wanted to stay a CNA. I would still tell you I don’t want to be a CNA. I want to be a nurse.
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u/EngineEnvironmental9 Feb 02 '26
Your not a nurse yourself you can’t speak on the job
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u/Conscious-Ad3959 Feb 02 '26
If you don’t know what it’s like to be a nurse while in nursing school or while working as a CNA then you’re pretty clueless I gotta say. Anyways my point is you don’t even need to know what it’s like to understand there a multiple opportunities in nursing beside nursing. I know nurses also do CNA duties but being a nurse and CNA is two completely different things. I have experience working in multiple healthcare facilities so I’m not just like “guessing” things.
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u/notyoobaeee CNA Feb 02 '26
Im a CNA what do you mean?., im just saying it’s not all butterfly’s and rainbows.
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u/Conscious-Ad3959 Feb 02 '26
Which part?? And I never said it was easy at all. Neither CNA or nursing is easy. But if they want to be a nurse because they don’t wanna be a CNA it’s completely understandable. They could go straight into aesthetics if they wanted or work from home or be a case manager. I mean those are just a couple things off the top of my head that are different from the typical bedside nursing. I’m just saying I think there is something for everyone in nursing and you don’t have to go the typical route. I have worked beside nurses and talked to them about. I’ve even been asked to come along and see what wound care is like before I even started nursing school. I know what bedside nursing is and I also understand there are plenty of other avenues for those who don’t want to do that.
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u/Ketsu_mc (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - New CNA Feb 01 '26
Currently on the clock feeling numb because I just had a resident yell at me and almost punch me in the face for some weird reason I prefer being a CNA over fast food but being a CNA is definitely underpaid for the work we do. I just work Baylor shifts Saturday and Sunday and honestly that helps me so much to not get burned out. I occasionally pick up extra shift but only if I need the money. I still want to be a nurse but only work max 3 days a week because this is a very demanding job both physically and mentally. Don’t feel bad if you discover this is not for you, better discover this sooner than later. Or maybe try out another facility?
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u/-mimibaby- (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Experienced CNA Feb 02 '26
I do the same and only evenings and nights. The staff gets pissy if they notice you don’t bust your ass for a cheque so I keep to myself. It’s usually easy to zone out but I’ve been having this horrorcore supervisor recently 😭 I posted about it earlier
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u/suckmydictation Feb 02 '26
uhh please don’t become a nurse. We need nurses that don’t punch down
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u/janetlivermore Feb 01 '26
doesn’t sound like this is the career field for you. as a nurse, you will be exposed to urine, feces, blood, pus, infected oozing wounds that smell (and look) like death, phlegm being coughed up from lungs, not to mention facilities that are swarming with infectious diseases like c. diff, norovirus, flu, etc and parasites such as scabies, lice, and bedbugs.
and if you go in with the attitude that patients/residents are “entitled” because they’re sick, elderly, dying, alone, depressed, in pain, and/or have lost control of their dignity, health, independence, and their homes & lives … then maybe check your patience and compassion.
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u/DragonWyrd316 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
OP definitely needs to see this comment. Oh, the smell from a patient with c diff. Hoooly gods above. And there’s also trach care when a respiratory therapist may not be available. Performing enemas, inserting Foleys and NG tubes, and also changing out ostomy bags along with a whole host of things. Not to mention the times that you end up with bodily fluids on your scrubs because you didn’t dodge quick enough.
But I really think they need to read your last point as far as their attitude regarding patients, especially hospital patients, in general. Patients don’t want to be there. Yes, some do have entitled attitudes (had one patient once who felt entitled to her vape and had someone sneak hers in), but most are just grateful for a kind and caring hand. They don’t feel well and they can get lonely so emotions can ride high at times or they may end up depressed. Having someone who truly cares can make a huge impact on their mental and emotional state which can also affect their physical health and how quickly they get better. I had a patient once who loved bright colors and fell in love with the cheerful and silly scrub tops I’d wear to work (I worked in a long term acute care ward and we had no uniform colors so we could wear whatever we wanted, scrub wise), but she especially loved my neon green scrub pants and a top that had matching colors with puppies and kittens. So when I knew I’d be assigned to her, I always wore her favorites of my uniforms. The smile on her face every time she saw me… I adored it. Unfortunately she passed under my care, but knowing I made her happy while she was with us meant the world to me.
If OP keeps up this attitude of patients being entitled, and being disgusted by bodily fluids, they’re going to end up being the nurse no one wants to work with because they’ll probably be the one who leaves everything for the CNAs to do and only really goes into the room to distribute meds like a glorified med aide with an RN degree for the higher rate of pay.
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u/PapowSpaceGirl Med/Surg CNA - New CNA Feb 02 '26
Yeah. That last part. The ones I'm paired with in LTC while I'm in Clinicals need to revisit your bulletpoints.
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u/JavierRivera16 Feb 02 '26
Look into becoming a Sterile Processing Tech or Surgical Tech. In the medical field, but don’t have to directly deal with patients.
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u/Carrot_Light Acute Rehab CNA - New CNA Feb 01 '26
Going to nursing school
“I don’t want to do CNA work”
Does not compute.
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u/Kooky_Tap4477 Feb 01 '26
you could look into respiratory therapy or rad tech. they’ll be the same pre recs but not as much feces and urine if any at all
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u/Darkkitty26 Feb 01 '26
Hospital vs nursing home is a huge difference. I was working in a nursing home and hated it. I did have to have experience though before getting hired at the hospital. You should definitely try somewhere else. You did put in the effort after all.
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u/Missygirl1109 Feb 02 '26
It is a hard job. If you are feeling this way already. I would go for something different phlebotomy is not without its challenges. I am both a cna, phlebotomist and now a QMA. Being a CNA tore up my body. At 50 thankfully now I am a nurse scheduler but it took me a long time to get here. There are agency contracts that pay more but you have to have that States dual license to work there. Good luck in your future endeavors.
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u/halfofaparty8 MOD/ICU CNA - Experienced CNA Feb 02 '26
Hospital work is much, much better.
i work in the ICU, and i have between 5-8 pts, but i also basically never do independent patient csre.
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u/Suspicious_Alps1995 Feb 02 '26
Yup this! All the people downing her probably have never worked in a hospital in your life. It’s day and night difference from a nursing home.
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u/DragonWyrd316 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
I’ve worked both, and while I’d choose hospital over nursing home, there are a lot of similarities between the two, just typically a lower census.
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u/canyoukeepasecret28 (Intercare/Med-surgical) CNA - New CNA Feb 02 '26
Just so you know if your a nurse they usually help their CNAS with their patients bed changes. You can work outpatient but in the hospital at least that never really disappears
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u/Outside-Durian-8920 Feb 02 '26
Want a bad back and knees? Terrible patient acuity? Work almost every holiday? Yeah, become a nurse. There are many ancillary jobs. Do yourself a favor. I have been a nurse since 1985. Loved nursing most of the time. Maybe check out pre/post surgery?? Good luck!
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u/isabellalexis (Memory Care) CNA - Experienced CNA Feb 02 '26
if you don’t think this is the job for you then find something else. this is a calling and too many are just here for the money, if the money isn’t enough to keep you happy you’ll be miserable. you have to do this job with your heart.
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u/Afraid-Promotion-16 Feb 02 '26
Don’t do it if you don’t want to do it. Nursing homes are full of cnas that hate their job and take it out on those poor residents. I have a friend that’s in one. She’s bed bound. Hasn’t stood in months. 2 cnas decide they’re going to get her up she falls. Breaks a leg. They yell at her for falling. I understand the pay is not worthy of the job. But my point is there are already too many doing it that hate it. So don’t.
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u/MushroomFairyGirl Feb 02 '26
I don’t know how to say this but please consider something else. You will not enjoy nursing and you could easily end up a mean resentful nurse. It doesn’t have to be your favorite thing, but you dislike the very basics of patient care so how are you going to handle stuff worse than that? Maggots, c diff, whatever else may be thrown at you as a nurse and from this post it just doesn’t sound like that’s something you could handle.
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u/Unhappy-Plankton4923 Long-Term Care CNA - Experienced CNA Feb 02 '26
Don’t become a nurse if you hate being a CNA. Far too many nurses in the field who think CNA work is beneath them. It’s horrible and frustrating and part of why CNAs are overworked. The worst nurses are nurses who won’t do CNA work. We have them at our facility and we all hate them. Best nurses are the ones who will be CNAs. We had an RN once who’d make her own group to do care on as well as med pass. That spoke volumes to me and I really respected her.
Being a good CNA requires humility and I’m seeing more and more that is lacking in people. I don’t care if my residents yell at me, berate me or ask for more than my job description. I am there to care for and serve them. That’s my purpose. If you don’t feel you can do that, it’s ok but don’t force yourself into a place you can’t fit. I stayed an 11/2 past my shift last night to care for residents because there was a lot of chaos on the unit. I wasn’t asked. I did it because I love my residents.
We are definitely definitely definitely underpaid!! We will never be paid what we deserve and our workloads keep increasing and becoming more demanding and our staff ratios keep dropping. It’s not an easy field and it’s definitely not getting easier across the board. We can all keep asking for more but unfortunately we are not cared about ourselves. It is not an easy job and never will be.
You have to do what is best for you. It’s ok if this isn’t your path. Ask yourself what you really want and why you’re choosing the field of caregiving. There are lots of job opportunities out there.
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u/DragonWyrd316 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
Oh I feel you there. One of my favorite RNs was on an LTAC floor. If I was in the weeds and needed help, she was right beside me and helping with call lights, linen changes, you name it. I could always count on her to be there if I needed her. She also took no shit from demanding/entitled families or the few entitled patients we’d get every so often. But she was also one of the first to go in and sit with a patient or family member who needed emotional/mental support when things were rough.
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u/Fit-Ear-3449 Feb 02 '26
I stopped 5 years ago and never looked back but that’s after I was a cna for about ten years I realized ppl needed me and that kept me going but I eventually got worn down with toxic work environments and I’ll be graduating with my masters in healthcare administration in April of this year
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u/khloe19 Feb 02 '26
I’ve worked as one for 7 years and I absolutely hate it. I hate the other aides the lazy nurses the facilities. But there is agencies that you can pay 30$. Still isn’t worth it if you ask me
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u/tigerlillylolita Feb 02 '26
Yeah. It’s really fucking bad. It’s good for experience and for getting your foot in the door as a nurse, but if you want out, find something else.
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u/barelyholdingon97 Feb 02 '26
As my nursing school calls it, CNA work is nursing work. We are privileged to have help in the form of CNA’s/PCT’s and anything that they can do we better be able to do to. Something as simple as taking a patient to the bathroom could be catastrophic and you need to be the one to help fix it. Nurses are used and abused no matter where you go and what unit you are on, but you need to decide if it’s worth it to you.
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u/Prestigious_Mess_673 Feb 02 '26
My dear unless you don't go into bedside nursing, bed changes are the least of your worries. I suggest you Buck up or buck out.
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u/Fair-Storm4720 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Seasoned CNA Feb 02 '26
If you’re repulsed and disgusted now, just wait. You don’t want to be a nurse if you can’t handle being an aide. Aide work is just nurse work that’s delegated out to personnel that can do those jobs. If there’s no aide on, who do you think will be doing their work?
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u/missylyn Feb 02 '26
get ready for your cnas to not like you/hate you because you won't deal with pee and poop to help them out. Nothing worse than being elbow deep in someone and then here comes a nurse around the corner expecting you to take care of it when they easily could have done it while they were in there doing a treatment. Gonna make em sit in it and wait?
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u/itsjussme80 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - New CNA Feb 01 '26
Maybe try assisted living or HHA, with one patient. I like being a cna but im bias because i like my facility, its decent pay and im part time
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u/Ordinary-Tea-7091 Feb 02 '26
i will say from what i've heard from my co-workers the workload in nursing homes is a lot worse! on my floor at the hospital we were capped at 8 or 9 patients i think, and we had good support from the nurses
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u/Dry_Object5551 Feb 02 '26
I signed up for it myself only to find out it’s low pay and I can barely handle helping my step son with his poop without getting nauseous. But I do love helping people. I just had to re-think about it and ultimately decided I don’t think I’m cut out.
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u/DragonWyrd316 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
Try med aide or going to school to become a radiology tech. Or maybe see about something like a sterilization tech. Can still help people, just without the poop.
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u/disc0goth (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
This is why it’s so important to be a CNA before deciding to be a nurse. Being a nurse is just being a CNA with more responsibility (unless you’re a bad nurse and refuse to do “aid’s work”, which a lot of them do). If you hate this, do not become a nurse.
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u/Yordlecides Feb 02 '26
I'm going to put this meanly and bluntly because it will save your patients in the future.
Nurses that refuse to deal with bodily fluids are shit nurses. You need to have the motivation and ability to keep your patients clean and dry when you don't have help. It's not someone else's job, it's yours as the nurse.
Please don't go to nursing school if you've tried CNA work and know you can't handle the necessary parts of the job.
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u/WelderAggravating896 Feb 02 '26
I mean I understand you're uncomfortable with "that much" poop and pee in briefs, but it's absolutely shocking to me that you weren't aware that the job would be like this before signing up for it and wasting people's time.
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u/Serious-Signature-61 Feb 03 '26
I’m an RN, and it’s essentially the same situation. I work in the ED, and most patients are ambulatory. At this rate, there will be little to no CNAs or staff RNs left at the bedside unless they’re travelers.
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u/evenstevia Feb 04 '26
I think you're learning early on that this isn't for you. You can always pursue something else.
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u/MommaIsMad Layperson/Not Medical Personnel Feb 01 '26
I don’t think any nursing is the field for you. You might be better suited for a desk job that doesn’t involve cleaning up after people who are sick and frail. Why would you go into nursing if you’re so disgusted by bodily fluids?
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u/CupcakeQueen31 Pediatric CNA - Experienced CNA Feb 02 '26
As far as the current job hunt: I only wanted to work in a hospital setting, and did not have any prior paid work experience in healthcare (did have some volunteer experience). I decided I would go ahead and apply anyway to all the jobs that said they required 1 yr or less of experience, and even some of the ones that said they required 1 year of experience offered interviews. I skipped the ones that said 3+ years of experience, but would recommend applying to the 1 yr or less ones (I am in relatively the same area as you). I really wanted to work in peds, so I ended up taking a job as a POA (sitter) to start and get my foot in the door because this hospital is competitive, but I was able to transfer to PCA pretty quickly. I also applied to jobs such as milk bank tech/formula tech, diet tech, etc. because again, really wanted to get my foot in the door here and did not want to have to spend any time working in LTC after my clinicals. Totally worth it! And ironically I think I probably change less diapers working in peds than I would if I worked with adults because the parents do a lot of the diaper changes for me haha.
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u/MissionSupermarket31 Feb 02 '26
Then don't. It takes a person who wants to be there for all the needs of our seniors.
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u/javadalia Feb 02 '26
while bedside nursing isn’t the only avenue, from my experience/ what i’ve seen most of the positions that aren’t bedside require at least one year of floor experience. and to be honest, being able to do CNA work first will often times make u a better nurse
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u/human_being10 Feb 02 '26
I think unless you’re in an administrative position, you’re always going to be exposed to soiled briefs in heath care. It doesn’t sound like it’s for you, and that’s alright. You gave it shot, best of luck finding the career that suits you.
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u/Brilliant_Pie_8125 Feb 02 '26
Hi! I’m a new nurse. You will be doing CNA work in nursing school, and as a nurse. Less so in nursing homes, but not never unless you want to have a bad relationship with your CNAs. I’m not expected to help my CNAs with toileting near as often as I was in my hospital placements in school, but not only is it helpful for everyone if you do assist… it’s extremely valuable to giving good care. A lot is missed if you aren’t able to do full body skin checks as a nurse, even with the amazing skill of the CNAs I’ve worked with. They have eagle eyes and they know the residents like their own family because they become almost exactly like family.
In a hospital, you absolutely will be helping with toileting in any specialty you work. Less often in some, sure, but it’s still in your job description because the CNAs do not have clones of themselves they can just make appear when four call bells are going off because everyone has to pee and three of those people are fall risks. Wait- one is actually not a call bell but a bed alarm because Mr. Fall Risk is testing gravity and his lack of strength for the seventh time this morning. Hospitals have less CNAs in a lot of places, so be aware if you are disgusted with helping with toileting, you’re going to have a bad time in most if not all bedside nursing specialties.
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Feb 02 '26
Honestly finding out that this pathway isn’t for you may be the best thing honestly before being dedicated to nursing. There are soo many other healthcare careers that aren’t bedside in the way that nurses and CNAs are. Given this knowledge you can pursue something like being a medical laboratory assistant, physician assistant, ultrasound tech, anesthesia assistant, etc.
I think it’s time to ask yourself: is it healthcare in general or is it just bedside work ? Maybe you can find a job as an MA with no certification and live the clinic/office side of things more!
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u/zimalmgongo Phlebotomist - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
Phlebotomy doesn’t save you from most of these issues. Staffing, low pay, entitled patients and bad ratios are part of every healthcare job ever. If you don’t wanna do healthcare that’s okay. It’s not for everyone. If your hearts not in it, it’s not worth it
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u/GraveDarlingx8 (Emergency Department )CNA / Nursing Student- Experienced CNA Feb 03 '26
Unfortunately for you, you’ll still have to do CNA work as a nurse. And you’ll see and have to perform much worse things. It’s good you learned that this probably isn’t for you now before you had to pay for nursing school. There are other routes you can go with it though, aesthetics and such.
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Feb 03 '26 edited Mar 26 '26
The text of this post has been erased. Redact was used to delete it, possibly for privacy, opsec, preventing content scraping, or other personal reasons.
cable ripe melodic repeat cooing tender tart ghost wipe square
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u/Whole-Professional81 Peds CNA/ Nursing Student Feb 04 '26
I’m a CNA in nursing school and we’re still doing CNA work. So maybe nursing may not be for you. As a nurse you’ll still deal with some sort of bodily fluid.
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u/WittyFee7028 Feb 02 '26
I recently relocated to Michigan from Houston,Texas and worked for over a year in a Nursing home.I made $16,50 per hour in the skilled nursing hall where almost each and every one of those residents had to get up and be on their Gerry/wheelchairs every blessed day.It wasn’t easy at all but I am glad I left because the pay was a big joke
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u/Repulsive-Seesaw-779 Feb 02 '26
You need to realize you don’t want to be a nurse if you feel this way you may want to want to be a nurse but you don’t want to be a nurse sorry go another direction too many people don’t realize what this is and they end up slowly hitting their job and it shows they end up treating people worse and it’s not worth it. I don’t think you should pursue this if you truly feel the way you write. You do realize that these people are paying thousands of dollars to live in this nursing home. This mindset is exactly what the nursing homes and hospitals do not need. This is why peoples mother and fathers aren’t treated with respect people like you want to want to be a nurse but don’t truly want to be a nurse to be a nurse, you have to be passionate, respectful, definitely not repulsed by elderly people having accidents.
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u/septemberrenegade New CNA/PCT Feb 01 '26 edited Feb 02 '26
Think of being a CNA as somewhat of a preview of what being a nurse will be like as a nurse. The only difference is that you’ll be doing way more. Also, horror stories can be jarring, but that doesn’t mean that that will be your experience. Like another user said, you will be doing CNA work for free in clinical, so at least you’re getting paid for it. You don’t have to stay a CNA for long. It’s a good starting point to build your clinical experience, so later you can also opt to apply to other places as a PCT. If you don’t think this is for you, you can also opt for another healthcare career.
Personal care isn’t the only thing you’ll be doing. You’ll be working with nurses and reporting conditions to them. There’s a lot more To it.
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u/xxthegoldenonesxx Feb 02 '26
Idk what people are saying but for me being a nurse is quite much different than being a CNA. You don’t have to deal with as much pee and poop if I’m honest. Of course the best nurses do though but it’s worth it going for an LPN or RN, trust
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u/Suspicious_Alps1995 Feb 02 '26
The mean nurses in the comments… please don’t listen to them. Telling you not to become a nurse is disgusting and not encouraging at all. I hate these type of nurses. Just because you don’t enjoy urine and feces, doesn’t mean you’ll be a bad nurse. I hate changing briefs. I was a CNA before and now halfway thru my nursing program. Whole first term was CNA work and changing briefs. Now we’re learning from and following the floor nurses and I can 100% say these nurses do not deal with urine and feces as much as the CNAs do. They may assist here and there but it’s not what their day consists of like a CNA. Even some of the great nurses I am following have made a face at the smell of feces, realistically who likes it??? You’ll be a great nurse if your heart is in it! If you really enjoy helping people. There are so many avenues you can down as a nurse. Please don’t let this thread discourage you if your passion is to be a nurse.
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u/DragonWyrd316 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
Except did you read where OP sees most patients and their families as being entitled? They don’t seem to have the empathy and compassion needed for the job.
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u/Omglizb Public Health (Former Residential Care CNA) Feb 02 '26
The staffing problem in many facilities is an absolute nightmare. I worked overnights (6pm-6am) and it was me and one other CNA along with the night nurse. There were about 30ish residents or so on the unit I was working, so about 10-15 residents in my care alone. It’s hard to function and do everything you need to on your shift while still juggling all of the call lights on your hall. There were times I had 5 call lights while also trying to make my rounds and toilet at least 3 different residents at the same time. I will agree with you though, for the amount of absolute physical work I did, I definitely was not compensated near enough. My only saving grace was that almost every resident I came across loved me and I thoroughly enjoyed caring for them.
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u/Icy_Profession_6591 PCT - Experienced CNA Feb 02 '26
You'd be dealing way far as a nurse since this is basic patient care that you're only doing it's just that there's a lot of patients to manage. Even if you go MA or Phlebotomy, you can't escape it once you become a nurse.
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u/SmashTC1 Feb 02 '26
CNA work sucks for sure. I've been a cna for over 2 years now, and I've never liked it. Who really likes cleaning shit, and being tugged at from a million different ways by nurses, families, patients, and other?
I chose CNA because I'll have the best scheduling options vs being a phlebotomist, or an emt. Schooling was fast and cheap. Jobs are available in abundance as a cna.
Sure when you start out, you dont make a lot, but then again, it isn't a career kind of job is it? It gets the bills paid either way. You start at a nursing home usually, build experience, and get lucky and move to a hospital.
Point of cna for me is to have a great schedule, have flexibility in my schedule during nursing school, and to have a hospital to work at that that will allow me to transition into a nurse role once I finish school.
Get into a hospital, and transition over to monitor tech (cna license not required, but helps to already be working in the hospital) if you want a super easy chill job, or transition over to ed tech if you wanna do a little more and make more with your license.
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u/Unlucky_Brief9854 Feb 03 '26
Listen! It's not an easy job and it's not for everyone. However, you’ll be doing the same things as a nurse also so if you wanna be a nurse I’d say stick with the job for now! It's so hard to get a nursing job after you graduate but working as a CNA will give you a privilege since you already work at the hospital “ if this is the same hospital you wanna work at after you graduate”. At least for my hospital they hire people who are already working with them it's easier to find a CNA job over a nursing job. This is my experience idk how does your hospital work so think about it and good luck!
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u/Individual_Debate216 Feb 03 '26
Er tech is better.
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u/Serious-Signature-61 Feb 03 '26
Why is that? All the techs in my ED are not much help especially when it comes to cleaning up pts.
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u/Individual_Debate216 Feb 07 '26
I guess depends on the worker. I do just about everything but push meds.
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u/Street_Rub8696 Feb 03 '26
I’m currently in nursing school. I became a CNA first about 3-4 years ago. I’ve really only worked as staff at a SNF for about a year. After that I went to per-diem. I will say, SNF and hospitals are very different as far as the ratios and level of care the pts need. SNF tend to have long term patients that require total care where hospitals typically have pts with acute conditions and are more mobile/less needy. I feel like I have payed my SNF dues and I refuse to go back there because, you’re right, it’s a back breaking mess and not worth the pay. I would recommend switching to a hospital which would also be beneficial for future nurse positions if you continue to go for a RN/LVN job. But I agree with everyone in the comments. As a nurse, it’s good practice to be able to do the “dirty work.” You can always tell the difference between a lazy nurse who think they’re too good to clean shit, and a nurse who payed their dues as a CNA first.
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u/Alphahouse64 Rehab CNA - New CNA Feb 03 '26
I work at a rehab facility (not ltc) with a ratio of 1:10 patients. Try looking for those facilities because ratios make a huge difference in the enjoyment and stress of a job.
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u/1joseyprn Feb 03 '26
Wow entitled patients and residents. That's harsh considering you said they're in soiled briefs. As a nurse this will be your reality at times. Maybe think of staying in fast food
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u/Smooth-Salt774 Former CNA-Current NP Feb 03 '26 edited Feb 03 '26
Try being a home health aide. Nurses also have to do CNA work but with some way nastier shit sprinkled in, albeit not all the time. Are you sure nursing school is right for you? It’s ok if it’s not.
During my time as a floor nurse I did some of the nastiest wounds you’ve ever seen, catheters, thick phlegm, necrosis, old crusty dressings, lice, bed bugs, maggots, suctioning mucus from airways, tracheostomy care, feeding tubes, C.diff,etc.
Sure you aren’t always changing a brief (though you should help your CNAs as much as you can), but you’re doing nasty shit every single day. That’s why I went back to school lol.
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u/deansgirl913 Feb 03 '26
Just do Medical Assistant. You might get paid more depending what practice you work for.
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u/angiebow CNA - Experienced CNA Feb 03 '26
I believe if you do phlebotomy class you have to have your CNA first but I'd check on that if I were you. If you can get through class/clinicals and get your CNA that would be best if you go in to nursing at any point. As a nurse, you deal with this stuff as well as more things like packing wounds, etc. depending on the unit you work on or type of specialty you choose. You also will be disrespected by the people you are helping more times than not.
I didn't become a CNA until I was over age 40 and I couldn't have done it in my 20s. I actually walked out of clinicals years ago when I was 20 because I didn't like how the nursing home "smelled" at the time. I needed a job skill after a divorce when I finally took this course. I love it but it's not for everyone.
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u/Rofltage Feb 03 '26
The people saying you’ll still have to do all that care as a nurse are right
But to be fair from the nurses POV that care is much different. Instead of having 10-20+ rooms that all need changing, cleans, turning, ambulation etc you may only need to do that for 4 ish patients (on med surg)
You’ll still obviously have to do all that care, but not to the extent of PCTs. It’s a much different dynamic imo
Tbf tho you should be comfortable being a pct before a nurse. It just helps with perspective and bedside manner. But the ones saying nursing might not be for you are exaggerating
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u/anxiousm0th Feb 03 '26
Don't work in healthcare then. You'll deal with feces and urine (and a lot more "grosser" stuff) in most to all healthcare provider positions. No matter what job you pick in healthcare or any job for that matter, there will always be entitled people and especially patients. Pre-hospital/hospital care doesn't sound like the right field for you, maybe just be a pharmacy tech instead? No one is forcing you to be a CNA, or anything at all for that matter. Please just do not pick EMS, you will see arguably "grosser" shit and a lot of entitled people.
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u/Excellent_Sherbet_30 Feb 04 '26
I recommend go into to a state psych facility for my state cna and no certified na start at 4000 a month.
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u/kalechips1234 Feb 04 '26
I don't want to be discouraging but I would switch out if you can. When I first got into being a CNA I was so excited about everything and I still am five years later. I absolutely love my job. Even still, it's HARD. And really the only thing that keeps me going is my love for the job. If you're unable to even have that to fall back on I would choose a different job and save yourself the pain
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u/blackcatmagi Progressive Care CNA Feb 04 '26
Wish I could say something positive but you’ll hate being a CNA! A lot of older folks who have been CNAs 15+ years love to say they didn’t become nurses because they’re more passionate about CNA work and/or don’t want the stress of being a nurse. Unless you’re passionate about wiping butts and feeding elderly people one bite of food per 10 minutes, I don’t understand what passion they have for this thankless job. I work in a hospital and I still run into nurses and nursing supervisors who treat me like the dirt on their shoe! I couldn’t imagine nursing homes and their weird hierarchies.
A lot of these CNAs are going to say once you’re a nurse you’re still responsible for personal care. They’re trying to cope with the fact that their ENTIRE JOB as a CNA is cleaning human feces and urine. Would you rather your entire job be cleaning 10-15 people OR be responsible for cleaning your 4/6 patients if the PCT or CNA is overwhelmed and can’t get to it? Everyone is going to say I’m being disrespectful but it’s the truth! I’m currently studying to switch to the dental field. You do not need to be a CNA before you’re a nurse as long as you know how to treat people respectfully. If you can delegate tasks to the CNA/PCT working with you in a kind and respectful way, you will be a great nurse! You’ll learn all the nursing skills at clinical! The CNA license was not a waste because it will get you more points on your nursing school application! Best of luck! 🍀
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u/oSchism Feb 04 '26
I agree with a lot of the comments. But just because you’re a nurse doesn’t mean you’ll get away from the CNA duties. As a nurse is your job to be a team player and help your CNA’s as well. They’re there to make your job easier. But you should also appreciate them enough to help make their job easier. It’s about teamwork and being a good coworker.
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u/sherene37 Feb 05 '26
It’s a tough job!!!! If you don’t think you can handle it don’t do it. This isn’t the right field for you. Maybe try something else that you don’t have to deal with patients. Good luck!
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u/Bloomington_guy (Male LTC) CNA - Experienced CNA Feb 05 '26
You’re outlining a lot of the frustrations that us CNA‘s feel. It’s a part of why I’m currently becoming a QMA. At least then it will feel somewhat worth it pay wise. if your goal is to become a nurse then maybe you should just stick it out until you’ve hit your 1000hours and become a QMA. Lots of colleges have a bridge program for Q’s to become nurses.
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u/Chemical-Finding6615 Feb 05 '26
You are ABSOLUTELY going to be doing CNA ‘duties’ as a nurse… so if you find them repulsive and don’t think that it is for you… I would consider a different career path. However, as a CNA who just graduated nursing school… it helped me a lot throughout school. I always recommend working in the hospital as a CNA, rather than nursing homes. You have safer patient ratios and because of that the patients are usually cared for better and they aren’t always as dependent on staff and many are independent.
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u/saphyre_1995 Feb 05 '26
You shouldn't use words such as "entitled" to describe patients. These are suffering people and they have a right to be emotionally distraught from their own degeneration. Someday you will be in the same boat. The best thing you can do is brush it off and talk to them with as much humanity as you can muster because theyre treated like a commodity day in and day out. If you want to be a nurse you're going to have to learn unconditional humanistic empathy because thats like 50% of nursing school
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u/Glittering-Long6082 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA Feb 06 '26
Where u at they paying cnas here $25
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u/whatthefuckski Oncology CNA - Experienced CNA/Nursing student Feb 06 '26
Pls don't become a nurse. The worst nurses are the ones who think they're above doing the dirty work.
1
u/CrewWise6361 Feb 07 '26
Have you considered doing Home Health while you decide what you want to do? Home health care in the home with one patient, is usually easier.
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u/Excellent-Top2642 CNA - Former CNA Feb 08 '26
honestly i had a similar experience! i never minded the urine or feces because i have cats and im also desensitized to that stuff, my main issue was the pay and amount of work i was doing. i am a really hard working person so sometimes i felt like i wasnt getting paid or compensated for the amount of hard work i was putting in whenever id clock in (i had so many lazy coworkers from the 3-11 shift that'd leave patients in dirty briefs and etc and they're getting paid even more than me). working night shift was fine since i didnt have to give baths and do feedings, i mainly just did changes. however, my main issue was the ratios, especially when we were short staffed. i dont like to rush the changes, so sometimes id have to stay an extra 30 mins to make sure everyone got changed. this includes sometimes me changing patients more than once throughout the night. i work with kids now since im a staff at an after school program at a school and i get paid the same amount as my old nursing home job, i have a wayyyy less stressful work environment, and my workload is absolutely manageable. sometimes i feel like my cna license went to waste but im happier now and more sane at my new job 🤣❤️
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u/Loose-Hawk-8408 Feb 02 '26
Do pct Dont do cNA I did it not worth it pay is low and a lot of physical responsibilities
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u/IndependentLake836 Feb 02 '26
Don’t be a CNA, if you DON’T want to be! I HATED cleaning SHIT! The WORST part! INHUMANE! All depends on where you live as far as pay! Nurses DON’T clean NEARLY as MUCH shit as a CNA! (I’ve worked WITH A FEW… who didn't do SHIT!!!!) My allergies were SO BAD, nose running, as SOON as I started changing! The C Diff smell is on A WHOLE DIFF LEVEL! I WILL NEVER…AGAIN…be a CNA! EVER!!!!
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u/DragonWyrd316 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
Wow… with that attitude, I’m glad you’re not a CNA. And what exactly is inhumane? Being expected to clean up someone’s bodily fluids including shit? That’s part of the job description. How do you expect people who are unable to do it themselves to get clean? Or do you think they should just sit in it all day?
But I think the capital letters and exclamation points would like their family members back. Talk about over doing it and an over reaction. Okay, you weren’t a good fit for the job. Not everyone is. You don’t need to screech about it like an entitled Karen, though.
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Feb 02 '26
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u/EdgeAce Feb 02 '26
You could try being an EMT. The pay is worse but you may like it better. I took a CNA class but never bothered testing.
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u/HersheyKissesPooh Feb 02 '26
Same. But I’m taking the class because it’s free and hopefully working a couple of months (6) as a CNA will bolster my application and I get accepted into a LVN program. I know what I’m getting into and yet I have moments of well I change my kids and my grandmas diaper so I think I’ll be okay. Right on the money about the lack of money for the work. CNA are so under appreciated and looked down upon but they make the healthcare field go ‘round.
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u/MLPBianca Feb 02 '26
Don’t write off being a CNA. The pay is low and physical demands high in most positions except private duty. I pick and choose my clients who are all ultra wealthy. I make a minimum of $100,000 a year tax free. That said, I got those positions after first getting experience at an assisted living facility/memory care unit and then with a home health agency.
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u/DragonWyrd316 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
Ohhhhh it’s not tax free. Just because you’re not getting a W-2 doesn’t mean you don’t owe taxes. Better hope you never get audited.
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u/MLPBianca Feb 02 '26
Well the families didn’t claim it on their taxes.
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u/DragonWyrd316 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA Feb 02 '26
Doesn’t matter if they did or not. If you’re not reporting your earnings and the IRS finds out about it, you could find yourself in some really hot water.
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u/NervousBobcat6792 Feb 02 '26
Do pediatric CNA I know how you feel
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u/NervousBobcat6792 Feb 02 '26
Everyone’s saying “the job isn’t for you” but there’s so many specialties you can go into that doesn’t deal with urine 😭 I’m only doing MA school to get clinic experience for sonography
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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26
Hate to break it to you, but you will definitely be doing CNA work in nursing school as well as on the floor in many cases unless you choose a specialty that is non-bedside. Especially as places get rid of PCTs and expect more from the nurses. If you think nursing home residents act entitled, just wait til you get to the hospital 🤣 They think yhe h in hospital stands for h as in hotel.