[SlySix]

*Also posted in the michigan nurses forum.

I was recently laid off and I'm looking to maybe get some training over the summer in the medical field. I had my heart set on phlebotomy but I missed the class at Marygrove College. Then I heard CNA was a better field. I've looked into Aress institute as well as Abcott institute so far but thats all I've really found, and I don't even know if theyre reputable. I feel really lost...I cant find too many other places for training. I hear about hospitals and LTC facilities offering it, but I cant find it and that seems kind of silly considering I hear that theyre everywhere but...I cant find any! No info on the hospital websites (not the ones around me), no classes at the red cross as far as I can see, nothing. My questions to my michigan CNA's are:

1) Where can I find a good place? Am I missing something? Where did you go?

2) Are the two places I mentioned above reputable? (Abcott or Aress)

3) Are there any phlebotomists in here?

4) Is there such a thing as PAID training? (like I know you can get it through your employed but I'm talking about government paid)

Thank you so much for your help, guys.

[SlySix]

nobody here from Mich????

[TheOneWithGlasses]

My employer used to offer paid training but they don't anymore. Most of the new hires here are from Athena Career Academy, which charges around $2000 for the program I think. From the way they talk, I don't think there's financial aid or anything, it sounds like it's pretty much out of pocket. I don't know anything about the two you mentioned.

Monroe County Community College recently started a CNA program; I don't know anything about it but I assume you could get some sort of financial aid for it.

[JenMarie82]

I'm from central michigan area, but here the local Visiting Nurses do a training course. It's $800 for 2 weeks full time. Maybe try calling them and inquiring. Good luck!

[iceyspots]

Have you tried Wayne County Community College? I'm pretty sure they provide CNA classes, my mom went there, I think it was around $600

[QueenBoudica]

I'm taking the course at the American Red Cross. The tutition cost is $800, but everyone keeps telling me I will make it back in spades.

Good luck...

http://www.redcross.org/where/search.asp

[SlySix]

I've decided to take the Red Cross one too. Which month and which location are you going to btw?

[QueenBoudica]

Originally Posted by SlySix

I've decided to take the Red Cross one too. Which month and which location are you going to btw?

June and the Warren location

I'm attending day program because I work nights as a Rehabilitation Assistant

[pagandeva2000]

I am an LPN that still keeps my phlebotomy certification active. These days, it is hard to find full time positions as a phlebotomist because the new wave is multi-tasking, which means that they are training CNAs to draw blood in addition to their current duties. I keep my certification active because I earned it and also, because you never know where an opportunity will present itself for me to use it for an interview or even to work part time drawing blood for a lab.

After I received my phlebotomy certification, I volunteered for one month at a hospital and it was good to earn my skills. They did hire me eventually, but they told me (and this was back in 1991) that their phlebotomists were slowly becoming patient care associates (a CNA + phlebotomy position). I quit after a few months because they only had part time positions for three hours a day 5 days a week. I spent as much time traveling as I did on the job, and if they wanted me to work overtime, it was a large gap of time between working; 6-9:30am on my regular shift, then waiting until 2 for the 2 to 7 pm shift. There was no place to rest and the hospital was located in a very expensive side of town in Manhattan, making me spend money just to occupy my time. Full time hours went to those that had been there for years, and eventually, after I quit, I did hear that they almost phased out their phlebotomy team to patient care associates and the ones that were left were in the lab. They had years of seniority and were not going anywhere.

I do believe that if you get both, the CNA and phlebotomy, it would take you further than just phlebotomy alone. Good luck!