Any tips for a newly certified CNA? :)

AtomicxKitten · Dec 20, 2013

Normally hospitals want you to have 6 months to a year of experience. You MIGHT have to start out in a LTC to get the experience you desperately need. I also want to work in a hospital but I don't have the experience I need either and most want you to have a Basic Life Support certification as well or CPR. At least around here they do. I've seen this problem not just in where I live but in other states as well... you might just have to bite the bullet and work in a LTC for awhile... :/ even private care wants a certain amount of experience.

Guest757854 · Dec 20, 2013

Hello there!
I will be getting my CNA certification soon and I am hoping to look for employment in a hospital. I know that a majority of CNAs work in geriatrics at a LTC facility, rehab etc.
My issue is that I know most hospitals want experience when they are looking for CNAs (understandably so). Does anyone have advice on how to make my resume look more impressive than it is? Should I add that I am also currently a nursing student? Or perhaps any ideas to get my foot in the door?
I would greatly appreciate it!
-Jen

Hang in there!

ArtClassRN, ADN, RN · Dec 21, 2013

Does anyone have advice on how to make my resume look more impressive than it is?

Get some healthcare experience. Even if it means working in a SNF/LTC.

That's what I had to do and I had an impressive job resume that included a bachelor's degree and 27 years of work experience. Nobody cared until I had paid my dues.

Your turn.

Missingyou, CNA · Dec 21, 2013

You will very likely need 6 months LTC experience before a hospital will consider you. It may help that you are a nursing student but not much.

Where ever you end up in your first job, know that you will be overwhelemed at first. You will eventually get a routine and things will still be crazy, but you will have learned how to cope after a month or so.

Good luck! :nurse:

flipflop763 · Dec 21, 2013

I started working in a hospital as my first job as a CNA. It is possible, at least in my area (TN). The best advice I can give you is apply apply apply! I applied to multiple jobs at every hospital within an hour of me, and only got one interview. A lot of times it is luck of the draw; if you continuously apply to jobs you will eventually come across one where the staffing is so low that they are willing to take a chance on you.

The other advice I would give you is be as professional as possible. Since you do not have CNA work experience yet, focus your resume on nursing clinicals and your experiences gained from those. The nurse manager I interviewed with loved hearing about my CNA clinicals and the fact that I was in nursing school. Hospitals oftentimes like to hire CNAs that can eventually become RNs.

Good luck!!!

RNstudent13renee · Dec 23, 2013

The fact that you are a nursing student definitely helps. My clinical director actually will only hire those with no experience if they are in nursing school. That's how I got the job and nearly all of the assistants that work on my floor are in nursing school or are on the way. They trained me on the job, I was qualified to work as an NA since I had a semester of nursing under my belt. Some places like to train up their future nurses. It also helps to apply to a ton of positions, and make your application stand out. Get that BLS cert, mention nursing school, provide a well-written resume, etc and call the clinical directors!!! They receive tons of apps so make yourself heard.

Natasha A., CNA, LVN · Dec 23, 2013

I agree with @RNstudent13renee. Before the class ends ask your teacher if she can write a letter of recommendation for you. It will go a long way!....Ask one of the nurses on the unit where you mostly did your clinicals if she can write you a letter of recommendation. It's possible. Although I haven't applied for a hospital job as a CNA, I do know a little about a resume standing out. say things like your a "dedicated RN student willing to grow and learn" is what recruiters like to see. If you did anything to show your "leadership skills" during clinicals "put that on your resume" ... Also, if you can do a search on google to find the HR recruiters on linkedin and reply to them there or if you can get the dept manager that's hiring email address and send a career package (resume, references, CPR card/ TB test if you have if done, and lots of LETTER OF RECOMMENDATIONS) sometimes you have to do apply using out-the-box strategies.

taylynnfree · Dec 24, 2013

Hello there!
I will be getting my CNA certification soon and I am hoping to look for employment in a hospital. I know that a majority of CNAs work in geriatrics at a LTC facility, rehab etc.
My issue is that I know most hospitals want experience when they are looking for CNAs (understandably so). Does anyone have advice on how to make my resume look more impressive than it is? Should I add that I am also currently a nursing student? Or perhaps any ideas to get my foot in the door?
I would greatly appreciate it!
-Jen

I had the benefit of a patient care tech cert through a community college and the program was designed just for bjc ...so I was hired on a cardiothoracic floor at a hosp right out of school. I was subsequently fired before my 90 day probation was up..so I found myself unemployed w/ no job experience....I filled out 30 apps at 1 hosp and got a call back..and got the job and stayed there 3 yrs. Both hospitals trained me for four weeks as part of pre employment. In both of my training classes there where cnas w/ and w/o exp. .. I would try my hardest to not go to an ltc..I would apply to every hospital in your area and consistently follow up... you might have to go to an ltc for 6 mths ..but leave as soon as you can ...ltc's are not the place to be at the bottom of the ladder..and they pay less than hosp... also your scope of practice at a hosp will be bigger at a hosp depending on what area you work.

Daniglam91 · Dec 27, 2013

Well it all depends on where you live, I live in San Antonio and many of the hospitals do not require a CNA to have any experience to serve basic care, now if you want to assist the OBGYN or Cardiac Nurses, than they look for 1 year. I would include any details that you have at any of your jobs that can relate to the job. Worked at the mall, or restaurant...thats customer service, say that you "provided customers with appropriate items and needs that they desired" It sounds like you can you that sentence for any job. If you have to start in a Nursing home, start...at my job I work in the dietary department and I plan on starting CNA school in March, we have to stay in our department for 1 years before we trasnfer. So it all depends!