Can I apply for a job a week before graduating?

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I am finished with a cna course in a couple of days and am wondering if I can apply to a job pending licensure? Obviously it would mean passing the clinical test and getting licensed before working. If applying is ok, should I put pending licensure on my resume?

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Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

Check your state regulations. In my state you may work as a "Nursing Assistant - Registered" after completing the class and before certification (120 day window). I would guess many other states would have similar rules. I certainly doesn't hurt to apply to jobs before graduation so long as you are up-front with any potential employer about the fact you only have training and have not yet passed the exam.

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

Sure go ahead any apply, just make it clear on your resume you expected course completion date and pending status. For example, I recently graduated, but prior to that, my resume said:

SuperNurse University, expected graduation August 2017

Then once you graduate you can change it to just have the date your "graduation" occurred, and under your licenses/certification section put "Pending licensure".

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When I was taking the CNA course , one of my classmates applied to jobs a month before she

Finished the course, so you definitely can do that , if you're applying to the hospital make sure to put when you'll be graduating.

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