What do hospitals look for in CNA applicants?

go to the hospitals where you want to work and contact the nurse managers on the units directly let them talk to you and leave them copies of your resume. you are having the same problem I did and being zapped by the recruiting staff before your resume makes it to them.
PS I start today as a CNA in a level 3 trauma center.

I didn't start getting replies from hospitals in Omaha until I added my American Heart Association CPR training for healthcare providers on my resume. I know that at least Methodist and Children's hospital want that specific one, they don't want people with Red Cross certification anymore. I also didn't get a response from Children's until I decided to apply for nights...since they ONLY hire new CNA's on nights (there is a waiting list with current employess for the day positions).

I did the same thing...I must have posted my resume and applied for at the least 40 positions online. Well...I finally got a call last Tuesday for an interview after 2 weeks of my resume being out there. I got a lot of rejections due to lack qualifications, because I don't have any experience. I'm in the process of a career change and will be going to nursing school. Anyway, what my interviewer told me was that the main thing that they look at is when you check off that you will work any time of day, any day and holidays. That's what I did and they called me. I also got my BLS from AHA, and my CNA Instructor was very sweet and wrote an incredible letter of recommendation for me. I passed the class with a 4.0 and got a perfect score on my clinical part of the state test, so she didn't have a problem with me asking for the letter. I went in full blazing and begging, just to get my foot in the door. Just to let you know...I was going to start to physically go down to the hospitals if I didn't hear anything that week. That was my next plan of action, but ended up that I didn't have to. I hope this helps you!!! Good luck!

OH! I got the job too...it's in the ICU. They said I will be called in 7-10 days once all of the background check stuff is done.

I have been putting applications in for just over a month now to all the hospitals within 60 miles. I must have applied for 70 openings. Every response(if I even got a response) said they were going with someone with more qualifications. Today I got a call from a huge hospital in Louisville,ky and I have an interview next week. So, my suggestion is to keep trying and keep trying. Also like the others said list ALL of your qualifications and the key is to take what you can get just to get your foot in the door.
Erin

GOOD LUCK ERIN!!!

I recently started a job as a CNA at a hospital with no experience. I applied online & waited for about a week to hear back. When I didn't get a call, I decided to call the HR office myself to ask if they had a chance to review my application. They offered me an interview once I called, so I think the trick might be to let them know that you are really interested. good luck!

alisant:

I did the same thing! I applied on-line. When I didn't hear for about a month, I went into the HR office. They wouldn't accept my resume there, but they must have called to let the Dept. know I had stopped in. I got a call and an interview within 3 days of that. Now I'm working there. I like it, but it's a challenge. It's a lot different than LTC.

Good luck, all!

First day on the job as promised...
I work as what they calll a CCT in a county lvl 3 er. My management rocks. They are really trying to change the culture there and improve attitudes of staff and better patient care. I get a positive vibe everytime I work with them. That being said our place is a nut house... We seem to always have more of a patient load than what staff can handle or bed can accomadate. In one day I counted bring back over 300 patients by my self. That being said I don't think I would have been as fulfilled working anywhere else. We get the people noone else would treat and I feel like any kindness I can do for them is a gift. I speak fluent spanish and so it seems I spend most of the day translating for docs and nurses so that makes me feel good to be useful and able to improve their understanding of their care. I am a white who has lived all over mexico and since im familiar with hispanic cultures from many othe latin countries I can be more sensitive to cultural differences. This makes a difference when you can put someone at ease using the right words and actions. I do vitals / will be doing blood draws / finger sticks and put people on 3 lead monitors. I have one cool nurse who taught me to put in IVs and take them out and swap bags of NS. My boss is ok with it as long as there are no meds running. To me its a huge thing since I will be ahead when I start nursing school in the fall. My coworkers think im nuts going straight to nurses with patient care issues. We are trying to improve CNA and nursing team work.