CNA or hospital job?

[stigrl]

Hello.

I am in the process of getting my prereqs done, but won't be able to apply for a little over a year. I currently have a day job (office) that pays pretty well and am doing prereqs part time. I also got my CNA this summer.

I have two job interviews this week- they both work perfectly with my schedule and are the same amount of hours, 8 hours per week average. (Not too much with my schedule hopefully) I want to get a part time job doing something related to gain experience so next year I can quit my office job and get a full time CNA job which will **hopefully** help me get into a nursing program.

My two options are (assuming I'll get offers for both) - CNA in a group home, or a front desk coordinator in the Radiology Dept at a local hospital. It would obviously be nice to get CNA experience, but this hospital is *THE* hospital I want to work at and is 3 minutes from my house. (I volunteered there before and loved the place!) I know others in the hospital that started out in some department and transferred somewhere else as time went on. I am hoping that starting a desk job there I can transfer to Patient Care Tech or even Transport which has direct patient care also. I am leaning towards the hospital position but am just curious what other thoughts are or if anyone else started out in a hospital this way.

Thanks!

[Iridescent Orchid, CNA, LPN]

Go for the hospital! It's also my dream to work in one of the biggest local hospitals closest to me after graduation. If I could get in before, I so wouldn't hesitate! While the CNA experience may be a plus, you'll already have your foot in the door for the hospital you want to work at when you get your license! I've heard plenty of stories, but one that sticks out is a lady working in the cafeteria of a hospital while going to school for her RN, after she graduated, she received a position as an RN. If this is a place you are happy at and look forward to, and know you'll enjoy working there...go for it! Good luck!

[commonsense]

Hello.

I am in the process of getting my prereqs done, but won't be able to apply for a little over a year. I currently have a day job (office) that pays pretty well and am doing prereqs part time. I also got my CNA this summer.

I have two job interviews this week- they both work perfectly with my schedule and are the same amount of hours, 8 hours per week average. (Not too much with my schedule hopefully) I want to get a part time job doing something related to gain experience so next year I can quit my office job and get a full time CNA job which will **hopefully** help me get into a nursing program.

My two options are (assuming I'll get offers for both) - CNA in a group home, or a front desk coordinator in the Radiology Dept at a local hospital. It would obviously be nice to get CNA experience, but this hospital is *THE* hospital I want to work at and is 3 minutes from my house. (I volunteered there before and loved the place!) I know others in the hospital that started out in some department and transferred somewhere else as time went on. I am hoping that starting a desk job there I can transfer to Patient Care Tech or even Transport which has direct patient care also. I am leaning towards the hospital position but am just curious what other thoughts are or if anyone else started out in a hospital this way.

Thanks!

One of the toughest things to do after graduation is to get your foot in the door at a hospital. If you can get this done before you even get into a nursing program you'll be in a good situation. You already have a good plan in place, take the office job and when you've established yourself there apply for a position transfer to CNA. That increases the likelihood that you'll have a seamless transition from CNA to RN once the time comes, best of luck.