CNA working as PT aide?

[Get2theChoppa]

I'm a CNA currently working in home health. It hasn't been as I expected. Most of the time I'm working jobs that are not local, like 20 miles away. I also spend more time cooking and cleaning than I do actually providing care. I feel more like a servant than a nurse assistant. I want to provide care, not be a caterer/maid.

I'm applying to nursing school programs this fall, and my ultimate goal is to obviously be a nurse in the hospital setting. I've been applying to per-diem CNA positions in hospitals, but since I don't have one year of acute care experience, I've had no luck. I've expanded my job search to private practices and other job titles, and I've been offered a job as Physical Therapy aide.

I doubt working in home health is going to help get me a job later when I'm a newly graduated nurse, but will a PT aide position will look any better? I would be doing direct patient care, helping patients with physical therapy and assisting with charting. Or should I continue to apply to hospital positions and hope for the best? Once my classes are done this fall, I'd be able to apply to full-time CNA positions which in my area do not generally require prior experience, but still there is no guarantee.

Thoughts? Advice?

[smoup]

I am not a CNA but am currently in nursing school. I LOVED being a PT aide!! You get to see how the organization operates, watch how staff interacts, and see some patients make amazing progress towards independence again. I can't speak as to whether or not it would help you land a full time CNA job next year, but if that's your goal, do think about the time and money the organization is putting in to training you if you only plan to stay until you can find something better. I'm not saying not to think about yourself, just make sure to take that into consideration as well.

And part of nursing is providing "maid" like services depending on the environment you work in. Changing linens, bringing food, assisting with eating, bathing, etc.

[Get2theChoppa]

I am not a CNA but am currently in nursing school. I LOVED being a PT aide!! You get to see how the organization operates, watch how staff interacts, and see some patients make amazing progress towards independence again. I can't speak as to whether or not it would help you land a full time CNA job next year, but if that's your goal, do think about the time and money the organization is putting in to training you if you only plan to stay until you can find something better. I'm not saying not to think about yourself, just make sure to take that into consideration as well.

And part of nursing is providing "maid" like services depending on the environment you work in. Changing linens, bringing food, assisting with eating, bathing, etc.

Thanks for the reply. I'd stay at the job at least until next September.

My issue is that the maid services are the only thing I'm doing. One client had guests visit and demanded I make lunch for her five visitors. Not everyone has been like that, but I want a position that is more like what I experienced during my CNA clinicals.

[Tinkk]

Have you tried applying at LTC (long-term care) aka nursing homes? I guarantee you would find a good chance at being hired there then at a hospital. A lot of hospitals prefer and sometimes require LTC experience anyway.

[Get2theChoppa]

Have you tried applying at LTC (long-term care) aka nursing homes? I guarantee you would find a good chance at being hired there then at a hospital. A lot of hospitals prefer and sometimes require LTC experience anyway.

I've tried LTC, but at least in my area, LTCs want at least six months experience in rehab / long-term care & previous experience with geriatric patients. I also cringe a bit at the idea b/c I saw (not quite abuse) but abusive habits during my CNA clinicals. Example, all residents had to eat within 30 min, so CNAs would dump milk into the puréed food, mix the puréed meat, veggies and rice all together into one big slop pile, then jam it in the patients' mouth. I wouldn't want to do that, but it's apparently standard practice around here. LTC administration won't hire enough CNAs in their facilities, so abusive habits happen.