Welcome! I am the Moderator of the new CNA - Nursing Assistant Forum. I am also an RN who works in various health care settings. I have experience in Long Term Care, Home Health, and Hospital settings. I have been a Nurse since 1998 starting out as an ADN; I received my BSN in 2001.
I wish I had been a CNA prior to Nursing School; I know it would have helped tremendously. The jitters I encountered make me blush now. I remember not wanting to look at a wound for a new patient because I was "uncomfortable" lifting the covers and envading someones privacy! It is safe to say, "those days are over ;)"!
Please take a moment to introduce yourself. If you have time, grab your cup and tell us about yourself. Feel free to PM me if there are any concerns that are of a personal nature. Oherwise, post your conversations and questions here so we can all learn.
I've been a CNA since December of last year and so far I am liking it. I am working at Christus Spohn Hospital as a Unit Secretary and CNA. Currently I am still taking pre-req. for the nursing program and will apply for "Fall 08". Being a CNA has showed me that for one I like the medical field and, two, that I want to help others. Not only does it introduce me to all kinds of diseases, how to read doctors orders, communicate with all the members of the hospital, it also prepares me for nursing school later .
Congratulations!:cheers: I remember how stressed I was about the practical part of the boards, I thought I'd forget everything! but I didn't :-)
good luck in the future! Have you already been working as an assistant or are you now going to be looking for a position (if so where do you hope to get?)
Specializes in Home Care, Hospice, Assisted Living.
I've been a CNA for a year and a half and not worked as one as of yet. I've applied at two hospitals for a job. I've always liked working with people.
Lexismom,
Have you only applied to 2 hospitals in all that time? Usually they won't hire you unless you have at least a years experience, so hit the pavement. Apply to nursing homes and other facilities. Be carefull thought do your research. For instance: assisted living facilities are good but can be a slower pace and have alot of grey areas, Skills could be lost. I would stick with a "nursing Home". I started as a PCSP (personal Care Service Provider) then took the LNA course through the red cross and got promoted within to LNA (Licensed Nurse Assistant). I worked in Home care for almost a year and I switched to assisted living. (for me BORING) I'm switching back to the Veterans Home that has more acute care. Bed Baths, whirlpools, Hoyer lifts, sit stand, Colostomy changes, and a more diverse age group. You can't expect anything with 2 applications. Well...I hope I help a little but it is all up to you where you are happiest. Good luck
Also.. be aware that you need to fullfill your requirements of working as a CNA and your CEU's if your going to keep your certification (here it is a license). So check with your Board of Nursing on the requirements.
Yes, only 2 hospitals and they were very recent. I retired from the Army Aug 05 and went to school since then. Thank you for the advice. I guess tomorrow I'll start "pounding the pavement"!
It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it! I strongly encourage anyone in this position to further your education. Your back will appreciate you for it!!
I am currently in the 2nd semester of a nursing program in Jersey, and so far so good. We start clinicals this semester so it's supposed to get tougher. Wish me luck!
I wish everyone the best of luck in the profession. This website is amazing in that we can all use it for support. God knows as nurses we will need it!
hello to all, i am a cna in sc. i worked in a nursing home for about 4 months and finally got hired to work in a hospital in the med surg dept. i am also a lpn student and will graduate in august. i will transfer to another school to be closer to my kids and finish my rn. working as a cna is a tremendous help while attending nursing school and the nurses i work with are very helpful. i work with some good cnas and some bad cnas but we have a new department manager who is going to weed the bad ones out. i truly believe that being a cna is a rewarding experience for anyone and we are the vital "link" from the patients to the nurses. your job is a very important part of the system and you should take pride in your work. beth:w00t:
Hi there everyone..I just stumbled upon this website while looking for help for the hesi-entrance exam. I have been a CNA for an incredible seventeen years and honestly I don't know where the time went to. I work in a nursing here in Maine and have five children. I will graduate in May with my Associates in Liberal Arts degree and then I will begin to take the final seven classes to achieve my RN.
I have to say that I am a little nervous about making the transition from co-worker to supervisor and hope that my friends and I can handle the change. I decided to go to nursing school after all of these years because I am tired of doing all of the nurses work while I still make my meager wages. (Don't get me wrong, not all nurses are the same, I just work with women that became nurses to be someones boss, not to help their residents) Anyway, I hope to learn some new stuff from everyone and maybe help someone else out...
I am so glad that I stumbled upon this website (I don't even remember how) Lol.
I will be starting my CNA training in February.
I went to college for nursing right out of high school, 10 years ago!! I was so clueless and unprepared for what was in store. After taking 2.5 years of pre-reqs, I had financial issues and had to drop out before even applying for the nursing program. I've been working in healthcare admin for the past 6-7 years. I've been a stay-at-home mom for about 3 years now and recently decided to register for a CNA course at the community college.
I thought it would be a great way to get my feet wet and back into the the nursing environment.
After browsing this site, I know I have made the right decision.
My Name is Michelle, I just recently passed my CNA class and state boards. I am now looking for a job in the field of LTC. I want to work with elderly residents. I loved doing my clinicals but didn't like alot of what i seen. So this is my reason for wanting to do this field of work originally I planned on going on to nursing school but I now think that CNA's are critical to the LTC facilities. This feeling of making someone a little more happy with everday care and devotion is what I was looking for. The only downfall I can see to this field of nursing would be getting attached to my residents and having to determine the limits of my job. I was asked several times during my clinicals to do things that weren't allowed by CNA's in the state of Ky so this scares me. ( I know this varies by state and no I didn't do them) Also just wanted to ask does anyone out there Know how long the state of Kentucky allows you to obtain a job after you get certified?? I was told that you only have 3 months and Feb. 13 my time will be up if this is true. I can't seem to find that listed on Ky's BON website. Any help would relieve my stressing out about it.
Hi, what a great attitude to have about being a CNA!! CNA work is very demanding and physically and emotionally draining. I wish there were more CNA's like you and me!! On your question on how long you can work in the State of Kentucky, I think you are confused. Even though I am certified in South Carolina, you can work as a CNA for four months in SC PRIOR TO BECOMING CERTIFIED. That way you can work as a CNA before you take your state boards. Once you become Certified, you are good for two years then you have to either re-test or simply fill out a form and submit it for re-certification. Most LTC facilities and hospitals or whoever you work for, will do the paperwork for you , but you have to keep up with when you will expire and have it done about 2 to 3 months prior to your cert expiring. But I think you have been given incorrect information and who gave you that information? You can work without being certified for a certain number of months before you test. After that, however long your cert is good for, you should be good to go. Let me know if that's what your question was and if not maybe someone else can assist you. Good luck on your career as a CNA!:w00t:
:cheers: I remember how stressed I was about the practical part of the boards, I thought I'd forget everything! but I didn't :-)
CrazyMommy, BSN, RN
71 Posts
I've been a CNA since December of last year and so far I am liking it. I am working at Christus Spohn Hospital as a Unit Secretary and CNA. Currently I am still taking pre-req. for the nursing program and will apply for "Fall 08". Being a CNA has showed me that for one I like the medical field and, two, that I want to help others. Not only does it introduce me to all kinds of diseases, how to read doctors orders, communicate with all the members of the hospital, it also prepares me for nursing school later
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