Working as a CNA while in school...

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I'm eighteen and in my freshman year at a community college. I'm currently working part time and going to school full time, taking my pre-requisites for an RN program. I plan to take an accelerated CNA program that will last about a week and I'll be finished in early December.

The problem is that before the CNA class even begins, I will have to register for my Spring classes at the community college so I can finish my pre-requisites for an RN program. I can go to school any time, but I don't know when to schedule my classes so I can ALSO be hired to work as a CNA while I go to school. If I go to School Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, would that lessen my chances of being hired? What should I do?

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My employer works with my school schedule and the schedule of the other students that work there. My understanding is that any of the LTCs around here will work with their student employees. Hopefully you can find some place that will be understanding of your need for certain days off for school.

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Hmmmh, hopefully I will. I suppose it never hurts to try, but I just wish I knew what days would be best for me to schedule school for.

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If you have days with no classes at all, like Tuesday Thursday, just work those days. It's part time, just tell them you want to work part-time those days and they should work with you. It's not really a big deal, or hasn't been for me in an LTC. Although I know a girl who's a CNA at a hospital and they want her like 32 hours a week. Just make it clear in the interview and ask about it then.

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Thanks, Compassion. :) I'll be sure to do that, then.

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Specializes in OB.

I never heard of an accelerated CNA course. I think the regular 6 weeks training is accelerated enough. 4 hrs a day for 6 weeks covers a lot of material plus clinicals and skills practices. How many hours will you be in class for during that 1 week of training?

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What about going to school the days of M-F, and working only on weekends? That's what many of the people I know did. Most of the time they had classes M-Thurs., Friday off, and worked Saturday and Sunday. It all depends on how much you can handle, and if you are going to school full time.

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mom2beanurse, I went to visit the school yesterday and found out that I misunderstood the length of the program. They meant that it was one week shorter than the original program, so the accelerated one is three weeks as opposed to four. I will go Monday through Friday from 5pm - 10pm and all day on one Saturday. :) Sorry about the confusion.

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What about going to school the days of M-F, and working only on weekends? That's what many of the people I know did. Most of the time they had classes M-Thurs., Friday off, and worked Saturday and Sunday. It all depends on how much you can handle, and if you are going to school full time.

I am going to school full time, but that sounds like a really good idea. I just didn't know if they would hire me to work only weekends.

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Specializes in ICU.

No one likes working weekends -- so if weekends are the only time you can work, they will definitely hire you. If your class schedule is something like MWF, I would work TR and every other weekend. That is a very doable schedule (in fact, it's what I'm doing right now, and I'm 3 semesters away from my BSN).

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No one likes working weekends -- so if weekends are the only time you can work, they will definitely hire you. If your class schedule is something like MWF, I would work TR and every other weekend. That is a very doable schedule (in fact, it's what I'm doing right now, and I'm 3 semesters away from my BSN).

Thanks, I'll give it a shot! c:

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Facilities are usually understaffed on weekends. You have a great shot at getting them. Best of luck :)

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