Need Help Deciding on CNA Training Route

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hi. I have a question concerning CNA training options and would welcome opinions on the subject. I am a pre-nursing student, working on my prerequisites and without experience in the field of healthcare. I've decided to take CNA training classes and I am trying to decide which route to go. My options are the local Red Cross chapter, a nearby vocational school, or a LTC facility in my town that, after interviewing, offered to train and employ me. While the LTC option would allow me to earn a CNA license without expense to me, truth be told, I would much rather work in a hospital where many more opportunities exist. So I'm wondering if I would be better off paying for my CNA classes and then trying to find employment with a hospital, or if I should go ahead and accept a position with the LTC facility, get some experience, and then look for a position elsewhere with better benefits. I am really torn on which way to go. I am paying for my college tuition without any help and a free ticket to a CNA license looks really appealing, but at the same time I want a job that will enable me to reach my goals.

I would love to hear of experiences from both sides, pros and cons.

This is a great website and I'm really happy I found all of you knowlegeable folks.

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Since it is easier to obtain a hospital job with experience under your belt, I'd get the free training at the nursing home, work there for a while, then use your experience to apply at every job in your area. Good luck to you!

BTW, welcome to our online community! :welcome:

Specializes in ICU, ER, Hemodialysis.

I worked in a nursing home and then went to the hospital while in nursing school. Many of my fellow nursing students were not even cna's. They just applied after their first semester of nursing school and got "student nurse" positions. Maybe, that would be an option for you. I would suggest you call your local hospitals and tell them that you are in nursing school and KNOW that you want to work in the hospital environment when you graduate, so you would like to know if they hire "student nurses" as nursing assistants. Many hospitals like to hire nursing students because they will get the first opportunity to hire you when you graduate. Good luck and welcome to allnurses.

Regards,

Jay

Since it is easier to obtain a hospital job with experience under your belt, I'd get the free training at the nursing home, work there for a while, then use your experience to apply at every job in your area. Good luck to you!

BTW, welcome to our online community! :welcome:

Much thanks for sharing your thoughts. I am very strongly leaning in this direction and feel as though the nursing home experience would be helpful in many ways.

Also, thanks for the well wishes and welcome!

I worked in a nursing home and then went to the hospital while in nursing school. Many of my fellow nursing students were not even cna's. They just applied after their first semester of nursing school and got "student nurse" positions. Maybe, that would be an option for you. I would suggest you call your local hospitals and tell them that you are in nursing school and KNOW that you want to work in the hospital environment when you graduate, so you would like to know if they hire "student nurses" as nursing assistants. Many hospitals like to hire nursing students because they will get the first opportunity to hire you when you graduate. Good luck and welcome to allnurses.

Regards,

Jay

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I am not yet in nursing school, just working on my prerequisites. So far, I've knocked out my A&P classes (8hrs.) and microbiology (4hrs.). I would be much further along, but initially I returned to school to persue a medical coding credential, so I spent a lot of time taking health information classes. While I feel these classes will benefit me in my nursing career, they don't cover the requirements of an ASN. So I'm plugging away, and expect to have most of my nursing prerequites completed by next fall. Then comes the challenge of being accepted into a nursing school. So far, I'm maintaining a high GPA and keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks for the welcome!

Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

Worth mentioning, I earned my CNA license through a program the hospital had. They paid for the class, the test, and all materials including the book and uniform.

We were all guaranteed jobs at the hospital upon passing the test. If we didn't take a job, or didn't pass the test after 2 attempts, we'd have to repay $1,400.

I'd check if any of the hospitals in your area have a program like this. I found this one in the want ads.

Specializes in LTC.

I think it all really depends on the area you live in as to what route you want to take. I live in an area where in order to get a hospital job you need to have a few years experience or you need to be able to say the magic words, "enrolled in nursing school". But from Jared's post, in some areas there are hospitals hurting for CNAs.

First I would say find out about the area you live in. What kind of experience are the hospitals looking for?

Then I would call the nursing home that provides training and find out what their requirements are. If they put you through the test how long to they expect you to work for them for? Long term care can be a good place to start as it's a good place to learn time management and get comfortable with patient care.

Thanks JaredCNA and casi! I decided to take the CNA classes through the vocational school. There were too many unknowns with the nursing home. They couldn't give me specific start date because they need to make sure they had enough people for a class and they couldn't give me specifics on when I would sit for the licensing exam. I'd rather pay for my classes and have a known timeline for my goal of being a licensed CNA. My classes start on the 30th of this month and I'm excited.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I think that you have to investigate and be sure that you will be state certified from whichever route you apply yourself to. It seems that you got good advice here, so, I have no new contributions. Good luck with your course and nursing school.

Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.
Thanks JaredCNA and casi! I decided to take the CNA classes through the vocational school. There were too many unknowns with the nursing home. They couldn't give me specific start date because they need to make sure they had enough people for a class and they couldn't give me specifics on when I would sit for the licensing exam. I'd rather pay for my classes and have a known timeline for my goal of being a licensed CNA. My classes start on the 30th of this month and I'm excited.

I think you made an excellent choice! I've heard a lot of complaints (in my area) about these nursing homes that will pay for the classes because most of the time they teach you the information at the nursing home and it's pretty "short and sweet" and kinda geared toward work in LTC. The ones I know of do the BARE MINIMUM amt of classroom and clinical instruction needed to take the state exam.

I can also say I totally agree with your earlier statement. I had absolutely NO PLANS to work in LTC, ever. It isn't my style. So I know where you're coming from. I want to be in ICU, Med/Surg, ER...because that's where I wanna be as a nurse (after I become an RT.)

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