CNA cert. for a LPN?

[JourneyRN]

i'm a lpn (graduated december '07, licensed may '08) and i have yet to get a job! i'm trying to avoid working ltc, but this week i'm going to job shop at all of the nursing homes in my area. if that doesn't work then i'm up the creek, which leads me to my next questions...

if i'm already a lpn and i want to work as a cna then do i need to get a cna certification? if i get a cna certification then do i lose my lpn license or can i have both?

the reason i am considering being a cna is to get my foot in the door at a hospital where i really want to work. i've already interviewed there for a lpn position, but i didn't get the job. i'm thinking that if i work as a cna for a while then maybe i'd have a better chance at getting a lpn job there.

any info is greatly appreciated!

:heartbeat,

leigh alivia

[militarymom06]

I don't think you can work as a cna once you become an LPN, atleast I know you can't in Georgia. You are over-qualified to be a cna, and why would you want to? You spent all those long, hard hours in school and then clinicals just to work as a cna? I don't think so. LOL I noticed you are in AL. Have you thought about getting in touch with licensure in your state? That would be your best bet, but honestly, I really don't think you can work as a cna.

[bluegeegoo2, LPN]

I worked as a CNA when I graduated from PN school, but before I got my license. I didn't have an actual CNA certification, but could still work in that capacity because I had graduated. Some students applied for their certification after the first semester of PN school, as that qualified them as an aide. I was also paid a "new nurse" wage when I started as an aide, which was nice. Some days, I wish I could just go back an BE an aide! I guess it depends on your states BON what capacity you can work in.

[JourneyRN]

thanks for the advice! i'm going to contact my state's bon and see what they say. hopefully i can find a lpn job before having to resort to anything drastic like that, but you never know.

thanks again.

:)

:heartbeat,

leigh alivia

[natrgrrl]

Once my LPN license was issued, my CNA was "null and void". I received a letter from the state to advise me of the change. Also, when I checked my LPN status on the state website, I could see the null and void status for my CNA.

I'm sure it is something that varies by state, though.

Good luck on the job hunt. Where I live, there are very few hospital LPN jobs and all that I have seen are 7p-7a and I can't work that shift. So...I applied for every single LPN job I found and was hired at a LTC that is 15min from my house. Did the paperwork on Friday and start actual nursing duties in the morning. (YAY!!!)

[AngelaLPN08]

As an LPN you can do all of the same work as a CNA. At the facility I worked at we were always short staffed and the LPN's would pick up shifts all the time, doing the CNA work, but getting paid as an LPN - how sweet is that - We never higherd a LPN to work on the floor to work CNA duties. You could apply since you can do all of the work, it just depends if they would want to higher you knowing your over-qualified.

Good Luck!

[JourneyRN]

update:

i got the hospital job that i wanted!!! yay!

now i have to pray that i don't do anything stupid!!!!

:heartbeat,

la

[bluegeegoo2, LPN]

:clpty::ancong!: And don't worry about doing something stupid. How else will you learn?

Just yesterday, I tried to flush a PICC line and couldn't get it to budge. After conversing with other nurses as to a cause/solution, we figured out I forgot to unclamp the line. :imbar It happens, you giggle about it, and move on. Good luck!

[JourneyRN]

:tku:

that's encouraging, thanks for sharing that. i'm sure i have lots of "learning experiences" ahead of me. :chuckle

:redbeathe:nurse::redbeathe