Becoming a cna

[autobrey, ADN, RN]

I currently have a non nursing BS degree. I am wanting to get my foot in the door, so I am currently in a cna program here in PG County MD. I have taken all the prereqs for nursing school and have applied just waiting to gain acceptance.

My question to you all is, is it better to try to get work as a cna in the hospitals in the area or nursing homes. i really would like to work with children like a childrens hospital or washington hospital center.

Can anyone give me any advice concerning this? And also pay in nursing home vs hospital?

[STACIELPN]

I personally would never work in a nursing home. If you want to learn how to feed, bathe, diaper the old folks...then nursing home it is. But for more experience, work in a hospital setting where you will see more and be allowed to have more hands on.

[autobrey, ADN, RN]

Thank you kindly Stacy for your reply. Is it hard to get a position as cna in the hospital? I ask because I have read other people's threads and that's what it seems like. I already have experience bathing, feeding, and lifting patients. Even a few months experience with alzhiemer's patients. However, that experience was over 10 years ago when I was working with an assisted living facility.

I look forward to you response.

Thank you

[muskan]

I am in the process of getting certified as a cna as well in p.g county. I was just thinking to myself today if hospitals hire cna that has no prior experience. i went to take pre entrance exam at u.d.c for the lpn program that starts in september i am waiting for the result for that one as well. please let me know if you find some hospitals that cnas with no experience please.

[mdnurse1]

I started working as a CNA 3 years before I started nursing school. I started in nursing home/ assisted living home, where I also became a medication tech which I think gave me a great upper hand when it came to knowing the medications once I was in nursing school. After I started nursing school, the whole first semester was CNA work and being in nursing homes, which again gave me an upper hand because I had been doing that for years. I did eventually start working as a CNA in the hospital where I moved up to a LPN last summer. Working in a hospital gave me a great deal of experiance, the nurses were great and helped me to understand more of what they were doing plus I had the chance to see and do a whole lot more than in the nursing home. I think getting into a hospital as a CNA gives you a better experiance and a foot in the door for when you are a nurse. Dont get me wrong, I loved my time in the nursing homes but I love the hospital even more.