LVN but working as CNA

Just had to vent....
There's no daytime nursing jobs in this rural town and Due to my teenage kids and other things i'd rather not get into right now, I can't work nights.. So they are letting me work as a CNA for now (They are VERY shortstaffed) and still paying me as an LVN. That makes it a little better but I want to use my skills. They said I can help the other floor nurses but if I do I can't get my cna work done on time. It's almost a kick in the teeth to go to school and not be any higher on the career ladder.
I could probly move to another town or drive back and forth but I haven't even had time to seek out anything else lately and I just mainly want to get through Christmas time right now.
In Fact, they have me down as PRN but they need me straight Mon-Fri and said if any nurses needed off they'd plug me into the spot. There are a few LVNs thinking of going other places so maybe they will and leave me a job opening....

*Bump.. and I want to add something*
Do you think I'm wrong in doin this? I could probably find a few PRN nursing jobs if I was more available by leaving the cna position, but that is kind of risky... I can't know ahead of time enough to know if I need to prn at an office or something to call in to the 'home' and let them have enough time to find someone. It seems like i'm always to afraid to leave everyone else in a bind and not worrying much about myself.. IDK.. Just having a down in the dumps day I guess and not looking forward to the long week of back breaking work.. it's ok to do it once in a while but not continuously and in such a hurry to have so many people up by meals etc etc.. you know the drill. I'm hurting but need the work....

sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to best fit your needs you have to work to live but don't have to live to work. If you do like the facility you are at if some of those others move on will you get first shot at the opening sincy your foot is already in the door?

Be aware you may still be held to your nurse standard of practice, even though you are working as a CNA. Might want to check with the BNE.

Push comes to shove, you need to put food on the table and pay the rent/mortgage whichever way you can.

I'd be very nervous about working as a CNA. It is physically much more demanding than nursing and you're still expected to perform at the level of your highest licensure. All you need is to pull a patient the wrong way and get a back injury.

Be damn sure that if you working as a CNA that they're not expecting you to do LVN duties as well. I'd keep looking for an LVN position doing LVN work and make that a priority. The sooner you've got an LVN job doing LVN work the better.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.nursinga2z.com