Are there any Tucson, AZ, CNAs here, advice needed...

I just got hired by a nursing home in Tucson 2 months ago as a new CNA with certification but no experience. I am also done with my nursing prereqs and on the wait list for nursing school. The job market is definitely tighter now than it was a year ago and I think you will at least need certification to get hired. My facility has a low patient count right now and is not hiring. I think they have trained people without certification in the past, but only when they have no other applicants. I saw some ads for that kind thing about a year ago, but I don't think there is a shortage of applicants in the Tucson area at the moment. I would recommend the Pima Community College CNA program since it is fairly good training and only about $200. I believe you are also eligible to test for CNA certification after the first semester of nursing school since that is basically CNA training. If you are on the wait list at Pima, I have been told some people are getting spots after only a semester.

I don't really know the reputation of too many facilities since I am new to the field. I would advise you to not be too picky and take whatever facility and hours you can find to get your foot in the door and gain experience. You can always apply elsewhere later. Hospitals in the area seem to want at least 6 months to 1 year experience now, so I would start by applying at nursing homes. Usually evening shift is the one with the most openings. It is a good shift to start out with since it is not quite as busy as day shift and you usually have to work alone during graveyard shift, which isn't a good fit for a new person. I was worried that working in a nursing home would be less desirable than hospital, but I have been pleasantly surprised. Also the job market will probably pick up a bit this winter when the winter visitors arrive.

I'm definitely glad I am working as a CNA before moving on to nursing. There is a lot to learn and a lot of it must be learned through experience and not a textbook. Nursing would be very overwhelming without some prior background in the healthcare field in my opinion. Good luck!

I applied for the nursing program after finishing Spring semester and they sent a letter saying I had a spot in two years, but they will email me if something opens up earlier. Most people I have talked to say it only actually took 1 or 2 semesters to get a spot.

I have seen some volunteers where I work. I would think most facilities have them. Don't really know much about how that works, but you could call the facilities you're interested in and ask. I think they mostly visit with the residents and help with activities.

Sorry you didn't get into the CNA program. I got a spot by arriving about hour early on the day the apps were due. There was a fairly large line by the time they opened the door. There are a few other CNA programs in town that are around $1000. One is at the Pima CC Desert Vista Campus. Might be worth it to pay the $1000 since you would make it back once you start working. I saw that Desert Life Rehab was hiring CNAs on their website. I know they do in house training sometimes, so you might want to check with them. They are right next to Northwest Hospital.