CNA vs LPN vs RN

Becoming a CNA is often just the stepping stone in a health career.  Many CNA’s find themselves wanting additional education once they finish with the CNA course.  A lot of time people aren’t sure that they can actually pass the RN curriculum.  But once you’ve done the CNA course you may find that you really do have the ability to be successful as a nurse assistant.  This confidence then moves you forward to becoming an RN.

CNA’s can make very good money but an RN gets paid far more.  Also RN’s have a much easier job.  For nurse assistants its a lot of lifting and moving patients that can really take its toll on someone.  RN’s dont do this nearly as much. An ICU nurse for example only has two patients to take care of while working his or her shift.  When it’s time to move the patient they have a whole staff to help them and possibly a few CNAs to assist them.  One of the dangers of nursing is moving patients and hurting one’s back.  It does happen and it’s something to always be mindful of. If you hurt your back its going to be much harder to work in patient care.  Moving patients is a part of the job and it’s one of the ways that takes its toll on the body.

Often times CNA’s work 24 hour shifts, especially when they are working as a home health aide.  RN’s basically never have to work 24 hour shifts.  They often times work 12 hour shifts with 4 hours being over time.

You might even consider becoming an LPN.  LPN programs only take a year, and they often allow nurses to take accelerated programs to become RN’s.  What happens is an LPN takes their program and find work in the field. There is plenty of work for LPNs and they are often paid quite well. Then once they get some experience the decide to return to school to get their RN license.  The program only takes a year for returning students and the course is less impacted for the returning student.  There are far less students who already have their LPN then first time nursing students.  RN programs are often very impacted with usually long wait lists.

Lets take a look at salaries for these 3 fields of nursing. The annual median pay for RN’s is reported as 81,220 is the United States. LPN’s make $54,620, CNAs make $35,760.  So staying in school and completing the course work to become an RN or LPN is highly worth while.

In the long run whether you’re a CNA or LPN the end goal should be becoming a RN.  The RN job is far more desirable both in pay and in areas of burn out.