If I didn't enjoy being a CNA will it make me a bad PA?
If I didn't enjoy being a CNA will it make me a bad PA?
So in an effort to get HCE, I took a CNA course that included 2 weeks of "clinicals" at a nursing home. I have been severely depressed for a week. I really don't do much to do with peoples' health, I make beds, change adult diapers, serve food, feed food, get juice, bathe, and dress. I know that the people there need help, but I know without a doubt that I could not do this job. Does not being willing to help these folks mean I don't have enough empathy/sympathy to be a PA? I'm hoping that's not what it means. And, I see why the schools don't value nursing home and home health experience as much: changing diapers isn't the same as bandaging a wound or counseling someone on why they feel tired all the time or giving a vaccination. I'm also re-doubling my efforts to stay in shape and I'm taking all my vitamins and increasing my calcium. Gosh I don't want to end up there.
Last edited by mgholm on Tue Feb 14, 2012 6:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If I didn\'t enjoy being a CNA will it make me a bad PA?
Uh.....no.
CNA work is much different from that of a PA. Of course your ability to connect with patients and you willingness to help them with their daily functioning is fundamental to both, but I think that\'s about the extent of it.
I have no interest in disparaging the CNA profession. They do needed and important work. But as a PA you will be making management decisions about patients. This was driven home to me recently when on two occasions (at my clinic), I did some of the medical assistant duties when I couldn\'t find one. \"Why shouldn\'t I do it, if it needs doing?\" I asked myself. So I spent about 15 minutes trying to copy and fax a patient document or something and later I dressed a patient\'s wound after a procedure - a punch biopsy, I think. The manager of the back office (a very experienced nurse/radiology tech) sat me down and gave me the following speech:
\"It\'s really sweet that you took the initiative to do those things - that\'s one of the reasons I like you. It shows your willingness to do whatever needs being done, and your respect for others. But you don\'t need to. You need to learn that your time is more valuable than ours [referring to the MAs]. We need you to see the patients and make the decisions, because that\'s what pays all of our salaries. Though I\'m heartened that you want to do those things, just leave them to us; that\'s why we\'re here.\"
It felt weird. The I\'m-just-a-regular-guy-no-better-or-worse-than-anyone-else part of me had trouble with it, but after some thought, I realized that the treatment providers (MDs, PAs, and NPs) get paid more for just these reasons. Every member of the team is important, but that doesn\'t mean that every member of the team does the same thing. It takes a little getting used to, but as a PA, you\'ll be asking/politely telling others to do things like change diapers, dress wounds, give injections, take x-rays, call pharmacies, fax documents, and all those other (important) things. That\'s just the way it works.
If you really have it in you to become a PA, then I\'m not surprised your CNA activities were unsatisfying. Just learn all you can from them, and be ready to leave them behind when you become a PA. Though becoming a CNA is useful to prepare you to become a PA, the two are totally different.
Keep your respect for everyone on the care team, and nobody will hold this against you. And you\'ll be doing what you love.
Great question! -P
CNA work is much different from that of a PA. Of course your ability to connect with patients and you willingness to help them with their daily functioning is fundamental to both, but I think that\'s about the extent of it.
I have no interest in disparaging the CNA profession. They do needed and important work. But as a PA you will be making management decisions about patients. This was driven home to me recently when on two occasions (at my clinic), I did some of the medical assistant duties when I couldn\'t find one. \"Why shouldn\'t I do it, if it needs doing?\" I asked myself. So I spent about 15 minutes trying to copy and fax a patient document or something and later I dressed a patient\'s wound after a procedure - a punch biopsy, I think. The manager of the back office (a very experienced nurse/radiology tech) sat me down and gave me the following speech:
\"It\'s really sweet that you took the initiative to do those things - that\'s one of the reasons I like you. It shows your willingness to do whatever needs being done, and your respect for others. But you don\'t need to. You need to learn that your time is more valuable than ours [referring to the MAs]. We need you to see the patients and make the decisions, because that\'s what pays all of our salaries. Though I\'m heartened that you want to do those things, just leave them to us; that\'s why we\'re here.\"
It felt weird. The I\'m-just-a-regular-guy-no-better-or-worse-than-anyone-else part of me had trouble with it, but after some thought, I realized that the treatment providers (MDs, PAs, and NPs) get paid more for just these reasons. Every member of the team is important, but that doesn\'t mean that every member of the team does the same thing. It takes a little getting used to, but as a PA, you\'ll be asking/politely telling others to do things like change diapers, dress wounds, give injections, take x-rays, call pharmacies, fax documents, and all those other (important) things. That\'s just the way it works.
If you really have it in you to become a PA, then I\'m not surprised your CNA activities were unsatisfying. Just learn all you can from them, and be ready to leave them behind when you become a PA. Though becoming a CNA is useful to prepare you to become a PA, the two are totally different.
Keep your respect for everyone on the care team, and nobody will hold this against you. And you\'ll be doing what you love.
Great question! -P
Last edited by PaulK on Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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AlSter_PPA
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If I didn\'t enjoy being a CNA will it make me a bad PA?
Paul this is a great answer! Thanks so much for writing it. I just started a little over a month ago as a CNA, and while I truly appreciate the experience, I know I ultimately want to be the provider.
mgholm - Look for a position in a hospital if at all possible! I was fortunate to find one through a connection, and while a lot of it is cleaning up, I also get to be in a hospital. I\'ve learned tons about how a hospital functions from the ground up and what RNs do day in and day out, which I honestly didn\'t have a good grasp of before. I\'ve been able to identify strengths and possible areas for improvement when it comes to relating to patients and their families. I definitely enjoy working as part of a team for the health of my patients, which sets me up well for being a PA. Every once in a while - when I have two seconds to breathe during a shift - I learn a little nugget about medicine. Even the simplest piece of medical knowledge makes the less-than-pleasing tasks worth it because I\'m reminded that I\'m headed in the right direction for me. Hopefully you can find a position that suits you and gets you that HCE! Also I should probably follow your lead and get back on top of that vitamin regiment... Not trying to end up in one of those places...
mgholm - Look for a position in a hospital if at all possible! I was fortunate to find one through a connection, and while a lot of it is cleaning up, I also get to be in a hospital. I\'ve learned tons about how a hospital functions from the ground up and what RNs do day in and day out, which I honestly didn\'t have a good grasp of before. I\'ve been able to identify strengths and possible areas for improvement when it comes to relating to patients and their families. I definitely enjoy working as part of a team for the health of my patients, which sets me up well for being a PA. Every once in a while - when I have two seconds to breathe during a shift - I learn a little nugget about medicine. Even the simplest piece of medical knowledge makes the less-than-pleasing tasks worth it because I\'m reminded that I\'m headed in the right direction for me. Hopefully you can find a position that suits you and gets you that HCE! Also I should probably follow your lead and get back on top of that vitamin regiment... Not trying to end up in one of those places...
If I didn\'t enjoy being a CNA will it make me a bad PA?
Thanks to you both. I start today as a volunteer at the county health dept, where they have full adult, pediatric, ob/gyn clinics. Perhaps after I do that for a while, I can try to get on at the hospital, but it may be that they have all I need. I\'ll let you know how it goes! Thanks again.
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Human Resource Adm
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Re: If I didn't enjoy being a CNA will it make me a bad PA?
Tired of Being a CNA, I hear this phrase all of the time. CNA's, PCT's, Nurse Assistants, Health Aides, Home Care Workers all are overworked, underpaid and unappreciated. Working as a CNA causes all kinds of back and spine pain problems along with trashing the rest of your body. If you would like to hear what other CNA's have to say or looking to change careers here's your chance to be heard: tiredofbeingacna.webstarts.com
Hope this Helps!
Hope this Helps!