Did being a CNA help you get an RN job?

DreamsPrevail · Jul 17, 2010

I noticed this post about a week ago, it's a really good question. I would be interested to hear fellow AllNurses' perspective as well.

Thanks in advance!

Mommycakers · Jul 23, 2010

No. I was a nursing assistant at a hospital for a year and no job yet. I don't think it helped because the market is just so saturated right now and they want to hire RN's with experience. Meaning RN experience not nurses aide experience.

My sister is a nurse and she says that a lot of nurses she knows are delaying retiring or coming back because of the economy. So maybe in a few years when the economy comes back it won't be so tough to get a job. Having a BSN might give you an edge because I have heard a lot of the hospitals in Philly want to hire nurses with their BSN.

I live in the western suburbs of Philly so maybe someone who lives in Philly can answer your question better. I do feel it was great experience helping me have more interactions with patients and nurses to feel more part of the healthcare team. I am sure it was a key factor in my comfort level in clinicals. I don't regret my decision to be a nursing assistant but I didn't do it to guarantee a future job. I did it for the learning experience to help me move forward towards my goal of becoming a nurse.

kdrose01 · Jul 24, 2010

Thank you so much, Mommycakers! I really appreciate your response. I'm from the western Philly 'burbs and have several friends there who've had a difficult time finding nursing jobs, even with BSNs and before the market crashed.

I'm really happy to hear it made you feel more comfortable with clinicals and to feel more like a part of the team - that's something I'm hoping to gain too. I'm already nervous about clinicals, so I believe gaining any type of experience before nursing school would be very helpful. Not to mention I'd pick the brains of the nurses to see what they could teach me!

Anyway, thank you again for your response. It's greatly appreciated! Good luck with the job search!

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2010

Well, when I graduated, you didn't need help finding a job. I was being targeted during my third semester by two different hospitals.

What it did do for me, and no less valuable I might add, was get me acquainted with working in a hospital. I got the inside view of what the RNs liked, disliked, what complaints people had. I went into my first job more aware of what to look for than I would have otherwise. I knew to look for a place that had only a few GNs on the unit at a time and to avoid a situation where there was a large percentage of first year nurses. I knew location would matter due to being called in frequently and different schedules (from night to day then back, a long commute would have killed me). I also knew to avoid a unit with a manager who was overseeing more than one unit.

Looking back, having been a CNA did help me, but maybe not as much as some would think. I tell people, when in school, go for a HUC (unit secretary) position. You learn the in's and outs of taking off orders and what sorts of complications go with the paperwork side of the nurse's job. I wish I had done that instead of being a CNA.

shockable_rhythm · Jul 27, 2010

I know some students who are now being offered RN jobs where they work as techs. Also know some who aren't. I think it depends, but overall getting health care experience is a good thing, especially in today's market.

kdrose01 · Jul 28, 2010

Thanks, both! Much appreciated!

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2010

I know some students who are now being offered RN jobs where they work as techs. Also know some who aren't. I think it depends, but overall getting health care experience is a good thing, especially in today's market.

This wasn't in PA, it happened when I was travel nursing, but I knew a CNA who couldn't get an interview at the hospital she worked at after she graduated.

Seems to be the manager didn't want to replace her AS A CNA. Kept telling her she'd be hired on her own unit, put off the interview, kept asking "do two more weeks in your current position". When she didn't get any interviews from other units, she had no other alternative than to believe her current manager was blocking the other managers and apply elsewhere.