What else should I do to get a job as a PCA?

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Apr 2, 2012

A week is hardly any time at all to wait, especially if you applied online to a large hospital. 7 jobs is hardly any applications to submit. You have to assume that the large hospitals are getting hundreds of applications from each position. A lot of them do not look through every applicant- it's just impossible. Applications are filtered out based on the answers, such as experience, certifications, criminal history etc. Then the applications that go through are usually reviewed on a random or first-to-apply basis. So it's possible that no one has even seen your application. If you call HR and ask for an interview I can almost guarantee that they will say, "Fill out the application online and we will contact you if we are interested in an interview."

To make your search more effective, look through the online postings on a daily basis and apply for all new positions. Apply for as many positions as you can to give yourself the best shot of being noticed. Also, don't stick to hospitals. Apply to nursing homes and skilled rehab facilities. You can often go in an apply in person to these facilities. They get fewer applicants and you're much more likely to be hired with no experience into a nursing home then a hospital.

WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN · Apr 2, 2012

Is experience as a CNA in a home health setting not enough to get hired at a hospital? I really wanted to be able to just transition into a hospital setting without spending time working in a nursing home. How often, in your experience, does a hospital take to get back to valid applicants? Thanks for your help!

Should I also apply for shifts that I really wouldn't be able to do, just to be noticed by HR? I'm not able to do Day shifts, but should I still apply for those?

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Apr 2, 2012

I didn't see that you had worked as a CNA in home health. Some hospitals will consider that experience and others will want "acute care" experience. Nevertheless, the comments about needing to wait for the applications are still valid. If you need an immediate change of job, then nursing homes will give you a better chance of being hired quickly. If you can wait for the hospital process, then keep applying for many positions and wait for someone to pick you out.

No, you should not apply for a position that you can't accept. So if you can't work days then you should not apply for a days position. That would make you look silly if you go in to interview for a day position and say "I can't work days." Only apply for jobs that you can accept. So multiple units, but only shifts/schedules you can work.

WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN · Apr 4, 2012

I just got a call back today! I did an over the phone, screening interview. I wasn't even going to apply for the position because the hospital is a little farther away than I would prefer. The HR person seemed very impressed and said I should be getting a call back fo an interview anytime now. Do you have any tips on this or could you direct me to any threads that might help with this? Thanks again!

DarkLotus · Apr 5, 2012

No tips because you're ahead of me career wise! I just got my first home health job as a CNA. However I wanted to say congratulations and best wishes!

WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN · Apr 5, 2012

No tips because you're ahead of me career wise! I just got my first home health job as a CNA. However I wanted to say congratulations and best wishes!

Thanks! I'm excited!!!!

Is this your very first CNA job? Home Health was so strange to me, because I was trained in a nursing home where you had help, and lift teams, and a nurse to immediately answer to and ask questions of. It's a change of pace working in home health, but it's great being able to work one on one with most patients. Congrats to you as well! Home Health can be very rewarding.

ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Apr 5, 2012

be prepared for the standard interview questions:

why do you want to work here? (research the hospital's website and get to know what there values are and try to incorperate that into your answer, also let them know why you are interested in changing from home health to acute care and what you hope to gain from it)

what are your strengths/weaknesses? (dont give run of the mill answers like "im a perfectionist", they hear that a million times a day. be honest without making yourself sound like a bad candidate)

tell me about yourself. (tell them about your experience in the field, your career goals, education goals, etc.)

those are just a few. also be prepared to answer customer service type questions, as well as scenarios that may happen to you on the job and how you would act..

other than that just be yourself, be friendly and professional. dress professionally, give a good handshake and thank them for their time. good luck!

jchatlpn · Apr 6, 2012

Do not wear scrubs to your interview. I hate to even have to say that but I have seen it so much and have even made that mistake.

Good luck! I was going to say transitioning from a nursing home or long term care facility to a hospital would be more likely so maybe try going that route. They are going to compare your working one-on-one with a low patient load to their high patient to nurse ratio and fast-paced environment. If you can ace that confidently then you've got a fair chance!

You can also relate to how your 1-on-1 experiences allowed you to get a better understanding of how important it is for patients to feel comfortable and confident in their environments. Share a personal story about a specific experience where a client shared with you their emotional thoughts about their illness or condition and how it helped you understand the position patients are in when they feel weak and vulnerable or helpless.

Definitely touch on working with alzheimer and dementia patients and how you can work calmly even when dealing with irrational and scared patients. If you have a specific experience where you had an out of control and confused client and you successfully calmed them and alleviated a stressful situation, use it. Of course, only if you have done these things ya know but relate everything you know how to do to what they actually would expect out of you from a hospital.

Also bring up oral candida (thrush), dehydration, MRSA, UTIs, and C-diff and being able to recognize or protect yourself against them if you have that experience, too.

When discussing your experiences, don't forgot not to violate any confidentiality laws. lol...I see people do this all the time. They get to talking and talking and they give away too much information.

WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN · Apr 6, 2012

Do not wear scrubs to your interview. I hate to even have to say that but I have seen it so much and have even made that mistake.

When I first went to my interview for the CNA program, I dressed like I would for an office interview and my instructor told me to dress in scrubs next time I interviewed for a CNA position. "Always dress for the job you want". I've done it with every single interview and even when filing an application in person. Every time I was hired on the spot. That being said, I've never had an interview in a hospital either, so maybe the rules are different. I've been debating with myself as to whether or not I should wear scrubs to the interview.

jchatlpn · Apr 6, 2012

You know maybe that's a good question for the boards. What I can say about my experience as a CNA maybe really different than what you experience. One thing is I am in Phoenix, AZ and our retirement community keeps us working. When I was a CNA I applied for jobs in my scrubs and went to interviews in them, too. As an LPN, though, I won't. I did at first but I didn't get the first job I applied for at a school and at my next interview I wore interview clothes and got that job. I interviewed at CIGNA and was offered a position and at that point I was always wearing interview clothes. At this point all the nurses I speak to say not to wear scrubs. So maybe there's a difference. All I can say is when I was a CNA, my fat behind could've interviewed in a sheer leotard and I still would've gotten hired. I never didn't get the job, but I never applied to a hospital.

So is there anyone who responded have any advice in that area? I just think wow, there are people out there that don't hire nurses because they are dressed in professional interview clothes?

DarkLotus · Apr 7, 2012

For the interview is scrubs issue: What if you just come off of a shift and have an interview? Do you change into dress clothes in the car or bathroom or is it acceptable to apologize for you appearance and explain you just got off of work?

Thanks