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Amethyst · 05-10-2004, 08:02 PM

For one thing, I am male. I would imagine that there is at least discriminative prejudice against males who try to get into this sort of training...and I don't mean from the outsiders, but from nurses and staff already working there. Why? Because as a male, you're not assumed to be interested in nursing, I guess... So I would think you would get judged based on a different standard than female applicants.
I worked as a CNA for 3 years right out of high school. I loved the job and the people but my health would not allow me to continue working. Or I would still be doing it today.
Where I worked there were about 10 males on the staff and they were not judged differently than the females. there was no discriminative prejudice against them. We were all treated equally. Some of the residents even liked the males more than the females.

Furthermore, I'm overweight (6'2"/260 lbs), and having pretty much sat on my ass for months, I am not in a very good physical shape. I am wondering whether this would disqualify me from CNA training, or at least make the powers that be hesitant to select me for the training.

I don't think your weight is a problem in being selected for this kind of work.I was overweight almost the whole time that I worked as a Cna and many other people that worked there were overweight.

Hence I'm concerned about two issues. Firstly, I am certain that I would have to take a drug test if hired/accepted into training. I wonder if the fluvoxamine would show up on the drug test. But more than that, I do not know how to deal with potential mental health related questions. I've heard a rumour that you cannot become a nurse, if you've ever been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder, and hence I would think this would also apply to CNAs. Besides, I don't know if I would want to become a CNA, knowing that all the roads to advancing eventually to possibly become an RN were closed. The thing is, if asked about depression or BD or of the sort, I would not be able to lie, I'm just too...stuck up, I guess, for that. But at the same time, if the question never came about, would I ethically be incorrect not to disclose such information voluntarily?

I never had to take a drug test and was never asked any questions about my mental health. And while I was working I was on an anti dep-ressant paxil. No one even knew. So, unless they have changed things in the last few years I would say that you are okay and that if this is a profession that you would like to persue than go for it. It's not for some people but we always need more good nurses.

05-10-2004, 08:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
Amethyst Addict Location: Illinois	For one thing, I am male. I would imagine that there is at least discriminative prejudice against males who try to get into this sort of training...and I don't mean from the outsiders, but from nurses and staff already working there. Why? Because as a male, you're not assumed to be interested in nursing, I guess... So I would think you would get judged based on a different standard than female applicants. I worked as a CNA for 3 years right out of high school. I loved the job and the people but my health would not allow me to continue working. Or I would still be doing it today. Where I worked there were about 10 males on the staff and they were not judged differently than the females. there was no discriminative prejudice against them. We were all treated equally. Some of the residents even liked the males more than the females. Furthermore, I'm overweight (6'2"/260 lbs), and having pretty much sat on my ass for months, I am not in a very good physical shape. I am wondering whether this would disqualify me from CNA training, or at least make the powers that be hesitant to select me for the training. I don't think your weight is a problem in being selected for this kind of work.I was overweight almost the whole time that I worked as a Cna and many other people that worked there were overweight. Hence I'm concerned about two issues. Firstly, I am certain that I would have to take a drug test if hired/accepted into training. I wonder if the fluvoxamine would show up on the drug test. But more than that, I do not know how to deal with potential mental health related questions. I've heard a rumour that you cannot become a nurse, if you've ever been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder, and hence I would think this would also apply to CNAs. Besides, I don't know if I would want to become a CNA, knowing that all the roads to advancing eventually to possibly become an RN were closed. The thing is, if asked about depression or BD or of the sort, I would not be able to lie, I'm just too...stuck up, I guess, for that. But at the same time, if the question never came about, would I ethically be incorrect not to disclose such information voluntarily? I never had to take a drug test and was never asked any questions about my mental health. And while I was working I was on an anti dep-ressant paxil. No one even knew. So, unless they have changed things in the last few years I would say that you are okay and that if this is a profession that you would like to persue than go for it. It's not for some people but we always need more good nurses.