How much experience do I need before a hospital will look at me?

[futuresctRN]

Hey guys Just a question. I'm a nursing student who has completed a med surg clinical, so I already qualify for a PCT position. I'm currently working as a CNA in LTC and am wondering how long I should wait before applying for hospital jobs? How many months? The reason I got a job in LTC is because I've only had one other job besides the CNA position (which wasn't health care related at all) and I didn't think that hospitals would look at me because of that, even though I have nursing school clinicals experience.

Advice? Thoughts? How long do you have to wait in order for me to be able to put my CNA job on a resume and have people consider it "experience"?

My goal is to get a PCA/PTC job at a hospital in the area. That's why I'm working as a CNA right now - to get enough experience.

Oh, by the way, I live in cincinnati, and there are a lot of CNAs here for hospitals to choose from.

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

I would apply now. You have done your first semester of clinicals, which is what most hospitals want to see before they will hire a nursing student to be a tech. With your LTC experience on top of that you will make a great candidate. Good luck

[futuresctRN]

I hope you're right! I might wait for a few months, I just started the LTC job in september... if i try to stick it out for a few months it'll help me, won't it?

[Stephalump]

I don't think it hurts to apply now. Worst case scenario, they don't call. Then you can always keep applying.

It's really just a numbers game unless you know someone who can pull strings. The more apps you put in, the more likely you'll get to the top of someone's list :)

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

I mean what do you have to lose by applying now? Nothing, and you'll never know if you can get the job if you don't apply. FYI I got hired as a tech for a med-surg floor while I was in my first semester of nursing school (before any clinical had been completed) with no CNA or other healthcare experience.

[jonesel]

I received my PCT cert in August and just received a job at a local hospital with no experience after constantly applying for over 2 months. I say just go for it and keep applying. In the beginning I was being overlooked bc of lack of experience. But someone gave me that chance. I start orientation Monday and will be on the cardiac telemetry floor. So keep applying!!! Good luck!!

[Apples&Oranges]

I got a job on a transplant unit in a major metro hospital while in my first semester of nursing school. It took several applications and interviews, and lots of resume help, but paid off. You have more hospital experience than I did (working as a CNA) and the longer you wait the more competition you will have from your classmates. Apply now and good luck!

[luvnurses]

Doesn't hurt to try.

[TheHonestNurse, MSN, RN]

Its better to find out sooner than later... I'd start applying now

[evaughan]

I got a job as an emergency nurse tech in urgent care with only my CNA and 3 months clinical experience for the class. I volunteered for a local hospital as well. I only had 10 years experience in customer service before this hospital job…just keep applying like crazy! Some hospitals don't want you to have experience because they want to train you their own way.

[slilly]

I think that you should always put what work experience you have had, because it can never hurt. Most employers want their staff to have prior experience, and I was lucky when I got my first job in a long term care facility that I got hired, but I did really good on my interview too. I think with a hospital though you should tell them about your good time management skills and attention to detail, and computer skills too. I know the hospital I did clinicals in all the CNA's had to document on computers, and I do that at my work too.

On a side note, my brother who just got his master's degree is experiencing the same thing applying for hospital jobs, but here is the kicker he has no experience in healthcare really, and he wants an administration job, and all the people in administration do not want to give up their job to some 26 yr old who has no experience.