CNA hospital setting vs. nursing home/LTC

[sweetTnurse2b]

I am a CNA who has worked in nursing homes and worked as an HHA. I worked in a hospital as a dietary aid but by far the hospital setting has been my absolute favorite. My question is how does working in a hospital as a cna differ from working in a nursing home as a cna? As far as job duties/tasks, number of Patients, and pay. I am thinking about accepting a job as a cna in the float pool at a hospital. Thank you! :redpinkhe

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I don't know if the same holds true today as it did back in the mid-1990s, but I thought my hospital CNA job rocked! I was in nursing school at the time, and the nurses really took me under their wings---they taught me everything they could, and I just soaked it all up like a sponge while actually making a decent wage doing it. I also got to perform more skills---I could do FSBS, oximetry, O2 administration, and D/C everything but central lines and PICCs. I was even trained as an OB tech, worked on the code team and could do EKGs as well.

It was so unlike the nursing home, where we were just driven like beasts of burden all day (for about $4 an hour less) and were never given credit for having a brain or an original thought in our heads. Which is where I learned how NOT to treat CNAs, by the way.

Ironically, I've spent much of my RN career in LTC and enjoyed it a great deal, but I've always felt sorry for the aides because they really get the short end of the stick. If you have ambitions of going into acute care, go for it!

[parumph]

Around me, you can always make more money in LTCF vs. a hospital. The problem is finding the place that will pay you that much. Starting at the learning hospital was $10.45/hr 3x12hr shifts a week, every 3rd weekend and a $2 shift diff for that weekend.

my LTCF is $11 starting, shifts vary, and $2.75 shift diff for weekend (also 2nd and 3rd shift diffs).

But like the poster above me said, you can learn and do SOOOOOO much more in a hospital setting as you can, and likely will, get checked off to do all sorts of cool stuff. LTCF is good for gettting the basics, but if you want acute care, some trauma, and more stuff for your resume, hospitals are where its at. I'm racking up my LTCF experience while applying to every hospital job I can, and I drool and froth when i see an ER/ED spot. lol

[sweetTnurse2b]

Thank you both for the info! I think I would be willing to sacrafice a little money for the hospital position if it came down to it. sounds like you can really learn a lot more in a hospital, however, around where I am I have heard that hospitals will likely pay a couple dollars more on the hour. That would be nice!

[LaterAlligator]

I'm currently orienting at my local hospital after 2 years in LTC, and around here, the hospital pays more and the CNA's have a wider scope of practice because they require you to apply for another state certification. So I'm learning to take out foleys, do bladder scans, check blood sugars, etc. All things that I never did at my previous facilities. It sounds like the patient loads are going to be about the same for us at the hospital as they were at my facility (1:10). Good luck!