Does volunteering as a CNA gonna help me find the job easier?

escapebigd · Nov 20, 2009

What do you mean volunteer as a CNA?

As far as I know you can't do any patient care as a volunteer. I know when I volunteer I get to gather supplies, and observe, but I can't do anything that CNAs do like Peri care, showering, taking vitals, etc. Have you tried applying for a job where you did your clinicals? I think volunteering has a lot of benefits and I do believe it looks better on your resume than nothing.

tavia_yeung · Nov 26, 2009

What do you mean volunteer as a CNA?
As far as I know you can't do any patient care as a volunteer. I know when I volunteer I get to gather supplies, and observe, but I can't do anything that CNAs do like Peri care, showering, taking vitals, etc. Have you tried applying for a job where you did your clinicals? I think volunteering has a lot of benefits and I do believe it looks better on your resume than nothing.

What I mean is that I am certified so when I'm volunteering can I do the tasks that other CNA are doing like do I get to do direct patient care? I understand that volunteer can't do the job that other CNA do cos they probably not certified yet, but I'm already certified so can I do the CNA job as a volunteer cos that's how I get the experience.

Also can some1 please let me know whether volunteering can help me get a CNA job at the place that I'm doing the volunteering? And like how long do I have to volunteering to get that job?

PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP ME ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS!!! THANKS!!!

escapebigd · Nov 26, 2009

No you can not do patient care, I'm pretty sure even if you were a nurse you couldn't do patient care if your volunteering, but to know for sure ask the volunteering coordinator. I'm a CNA and during orientation they advised me that I can't do any patient care. The best answer I can give you is theres no sure bet volunteering will help. If you make it obvious your just volunteering to get a job and you dont really care I doubt you will get good references from there to help you get a job. A lot of hospitals also have a minimum amount that you must volunteer. Like Methodist where I volunteer it is a minimum of 4 hours a week or 80 hours a year. There are a lot of benefits to volunteering and I hope even when you get a job you will continue to volunteer. I wish you luck in finding a good job, but again its up in the air if volunteering will help and there isn't a timeline really.

tavia_yeung · Nov 26, 2009

Thank you very much escapebigd for your reply and advice!!! It was very helpful!!!

work&play · Nov 26, 2009

I volunteered in a county health clinic just to gain experience while doing my Med. Assistant training. I was not looking to get a job there because I wanted to work in a doctor's office.

Well, two days after I left the county clinic to beging my M.A. extership at a doctor's office, the D.O.N called me at the doctor's office to give me the a job.

As a volunteer I was doing vitals, body weight and assisting during pap smears because their regular nurse attendant died in a car accident.

Unfortunately, I wasn't a CNA back then and couldn't take the position.

During the summer I was laid off, I took the CNA and filled an application and put the volunteer experience from back then, and was hired.

I thought I was going to take a pay cut, but as a CNA, they started me at 2300.00/month!

tavia_yeung · Nov 26, 2009

Very appreciated for sharing your experience work&play cos it was helpful to me as well!!! If the places that I applied for not call me in for interview then I'm planning to start volunteering at the beginning of December cos I already staying home 2 months and having nothing to do which is so boring!!!

By the way, I'm very admire you that after you put in your CNA application you get hired right away. I hope that after I do volunteering that I get a better chance of hiring too!!!