A New CNA Seeks Advice

[cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP]

Hello everyone

I'm sure a few of you have seen me around here but just in case I will give the quick intro. about me. My name is Chris, I am a nursing student going studying for my BSN. I was just accepted into my schools nursing program and I'm in my first semester. In the past I earned a certificated from my local community college for phlebotomy (it was a year long program with an ECG basics/waived testing course) but I never managed to find a job to use my phlebotomy skills so just recently I finished a training program to be a CNA and I have been working for a private duty company as a CNA for two months. As much as I like being a CNA I have realized that home heath just isn't the area of nursing that I am interested in. So I have been looking for other CNA positions and I found a 2nd/3rd shift CNA position in a local hospitals ER and I have applied for it. The private duty company is part of a local hospital's health care network so they are somewhat interconnected and my boss said she would try to help me get the job. I am just wondering if people think I have enough experience to be able to handle the job, due to being a CNA (even if I don't have a ton of experience) and the phlebotomy certificate. I am hoping I get the job, I was also wondering what do you think the chances are that I will get it? The job has been posted since the end of May if that helps.

!Chris

[rancelumsden]

I would assume that you would get training(?). I worked in hospital for a few years and they took inexperienced CNA's and put them through ER training. We all had general training, but as you realize, the ER has some different aspects to it than the 'general floor'.

No reason why you should not be able to do this. I sure saw others get into this. Of course, you have to enjoy every-changing situations and priorities, and often have to move fast.

Opposite of home health.....

[samsam22, CNA]

you can do it! i just got a job on the med-surg floor, and yeah its a bit different than the ER... but like you i only had about 6 months of home health experience and thats all i had

the first 2 nights i was really slow at doing things and took me a while to learn everything, the lady i was supposed to shadow didnt even show up! I was pretty much on my own...now i know how to do almost everything and i really enjoy working in the hospital, its the 11p-7am shift.

so if i can do it, i am almost sure you can do it, just ask questions and most of the time people are so helpful!

i hope you get the job and if you do take it!!!!