ADVICE PLEASE

[JeffreyT89]

I am a new CNA in the state of Connecticut. I am also looking to pursue my RN so the health care setting is where I want to be (I.e. hospital) been applying to the local hospitals left and right but getting no responses back which is very depressing when you have high hopes like me that they'll hire you (I'm a 23 y/o male, very strong and athletic, bi-lingual, and a very great team player). My much need advice is this: should I hold onto my current job with great pay and benefits at a bank until a hospital gets back to me or opens a new position OR should I swallow my pride and apply to some of the local LTC and HHA agencies around town?

[s.wilson84]

Unless you have a connection, it is ridiculously hard to get hired in a hospital when you are fresh out of CNA class. Most places require experience and if you don't have it, they won't even consider you. My advice would be to apply at a LTC facility that has a short term rehab unit, or try a staffing agency. I know several CNA's through All Midlands ( a staffing agency here) who were given temp positions at hospitals which turned into permanent job offers. Good luck!

[mvm2]

It can be hard to come by a CNA job in a hospital, but I'd keep trying to apply for the jobs just in case you can become lucky and get one. But if you need a job now, then You would have better luck I feel applying for a LTC or Home Care fofr now, and maybe later that job opening will come to you and you can get that hospital job.

[funtimes]

Working in LTC or home health wouldnt mean swallowing your pride any more than working in a hospital as a sitter or transport tech, which is pretty much the only position youd be likely to get without any qualifications beyond a CNA class. Although being a sitter or transport tech would be an easy job(that pays horrible). If you are doing actual patient care as a CNA or PCT, they will want experience, particularly acute care experience, and/or additional education. Simply passing a CNA class alone isnt likely to get you out of their application pool unless you get extremely lucky or know someone with some sway in the hospital. Being a male, athletic or otherwise isnt going to help any.

Getting into a hospital with so few qualifications is possible, but would take luck and could take many months or even a year, so you might be better off working in LTC and getting some experience, just be warned you are only minimally qualified for those jobs as well, so you still might have to apply lots of places, and being male will actually work against you getting hired in LTC.

[WideOpenHeart]

Please strongly consider holding on to your well-paying job with good benefits and working per diem as a CNA at LTCs (at least to start). :)

[JeffreyT89]

Please strongly consider holding on to your well-paying job with good benefits and working per diem as a CNA at LTCs (at least to start). :)

Agreed. Going to start looking at the local places for work. And the positions here at the hospitals are PCT (your EKG certified within the walls of the hospital) clinician assistant which is basically ER CNA and nursing assistant on the med/surg and oncology/hospice floor.