certified nursing assistant (cna) or dental assistant??

SkateboardFi
SkateboardFi Posts: 1,322 Member
edited September 30 in Chit-Chat
i graduated from lsu about 2 years ago with a degree in african and african american studies (minor anthropology). until i can get to grad school i was thinking about going to tech school to get certified as a cna or dental assistant. if anyone has worked in either of these fields i would love to hear the pros and cons of both, as well as the probability of employment because i would really hate to go to school for either of these and end up waiting by the phone

Replies

  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
    bad economy means less dentistry work I'd do the CNA
  • TiniTurtle
    TiniTurtle Posts: 595 Member
    i graduated with my BA in psychology & can't do anything with it till i finish my masters, so i took a year to get my LPN so i can work until i'm able to do what i'd ideally like to do. :o) i can tell you that being a CNA will suck. they do all the b*tch work; diapers, bathing, feeding, etc.
  • KansasGal
    KansasGal Posts: 268 Member
    I did CNA for about two years and got out! I got tired of being treated like crap from the nurses! In my experience the nurses that will help you and not treat you like their personal dog are few and far between! I am not saying all nurses are like this but where I worked they were. It is an easy job and you meet some great people doing it. The money is ok, the hours can be long and some days can be so full of activity you get completely worn out by the end of the day. It is an ok job to get you through but I would not make it my lifelong job. Good luck!
  • Sarawoods
    Sarawoods Posts: 111 Member
    i graduated with my BA in psychology & can't do anything with it till i finish my masters, so i took a year to get my LPN so i can work until i'm able to do what i'd ideally like to do. :o) i can tell you that being a CNA will suck. they do all the b*tch work; diapers, bathing, feeding, etc.

    Agree.. If you have 9mos, go for your LVN. I got my MA Certification.. big waste of money I should have gone to nursing school. same amount of time but I would probably have a job right now -_-
  • SkateboardFi
    SkateboardFi Posts: 1,322 Member
    what would be the procedure for LVN/LPN? would it be possible to start out CNA and work my way up? if i like it enough i was thinking of getting more training/education and moving up the ranks a bit
  • Tarah1357
    Tarah1357 Posts: 139 Member
    I'm a CNA...I love my job, but it really all depends on where you work. I've worked in a group home setting, assisted living setting & now I'm currently a visiting CNA. For me, I like this better than the other places because I can work around my schedule and take on as little or as many clients as I choose. I also get paid for mileage which is nice too. Working in a nursing home or hospital setting wasn't really for me. I would constantly be asked to work doubles and pick up extra holidays and it was just too much, not only that but there was always a lot of lifting involved and it can ware on your body after a while. I've been a CNA now for almost 8 years. It really can be rewarding. The pay is pretty decent but not great, but that's ok to me because I love being around people and helping take care of them. It's a rewarding job but like any job, it can be very stressful too.
    Good luck! :)
  • Mamapengu
    Mamapengu Posts: 250
    Don't know if this helps but I hire both of those: the DA makes more than the CNA, but my experience is that DA's stay in a job longer than CNA's who tend to move jobs a bit more. Also, I avoid, if at all possible, advertising for CNA's- I'll get so many I can't keep up with them all and end up throwing out 50 or so resume's (and that was before the economy totally crashed). dental assistants are a little easier as there are not quite as many desperately looking. I'm in Northern CA, but you might want to check your area carefully...
  • Mel7759
    Mel7759 Posts: 8
    I'm guess what you call a CNA ( in Australia we're a PCA- Personal Care Assistant) I work in aged care, in an aged care facility. Just love my job. Can work shifts in around my life, rather than the other way round. I just find it's more fleixble for me. Love the oldies, they are the most beautiful people to work with. Yes you have your tough days, but these are outweighed by the laughs and fun you can have.
  • Tarah1357
    Tarah1357 Posts: 139 Member
    Yeah it definitely depends on where you live because I know in my area we always have tons of CNA positions available and there aren't many dental assistant positions. I usually browse craigslist and my local Sunday paper for listings every so often to see what's out there...
  • pffssas
    pffssas Posts: 128 Member
    i've been a nurse for 14yrs...started out as a CNA first right out of high school...there's so much work for CNA's that you dont have to worry about findn a job. they'll find u!!!
  • nurse_christieyne
    nurse_christieyne Posts: 231
    I work as a CNA in a trauma hospital. I love it. I work three 12 hour shifts a week. It is the best for having free time. Yes, you do crap work, but I have never had a nurse treat me like ****. All the nurses that I work with are more than willing to get in and help out. After all, I am working under their licence.
  • MisMolly
    MisMolly Posts: 88 Member
    I worked as an CNA for almost two years saving money before I got back into school. While every bad thing that anyone says is true [it is completely unglamorous grunt work, some nurses are useless and condescending and not helpful or see themselves as "above" doing "aid's work," it is easy to get overworked both by the physical demands placed on you and d/t constant short staffing and people feel free to treat you like a moron sometimes because you're "only" a NA] I loved it. I liked how hands on I got to be with my residents and how well I got to know them (I worked in long term care). I always strived to give them 110% and they really and truly appreciate it. All the crap matters less when patients or their families trust you and express their most sincere thanks. Also (it may vary by state) I got my Ohio State-Tested NA cert for free. Classes are offered by facilities (hospitals and nursing homes) for free, and then you only pay for testing.
  • SkateboardFi
    SkateboardFi Posts: 1,322 Member
    yeah i guess it depends on the market. my boyfriend's in the army so i'm going to be moving around quite a bit but i will always be near a base so i'm just not sure what would be the smartest move, what would be financially smart, and what i would enjoy more
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