Experience to Work in a Hospital as a CNA

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Specializes in CNA.

Title says it all, I really want to end up working at a hospital but I think I’m lacking experience. How much experience would I need in order to get a position in a hospital setting? 

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Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.

Many CNAs’ first jobs are in hospitals. Call up a few in your area and ask when they’re hiring, and I’ll bet you’ll find a position quickly. 

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I’ve been a CNA for 18 years and a lot hospital do not hire CNA they rather hire PCA, nursing home will be easier to get into then a hospital. I do currently work in a hospital in NYC, but there are very few hospitals in NY that hire CNA and the one that do want you to have experience. You would need at least a year of experience in a nursing home.

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I earned my CNA certificate in 2019, but I got my first job as a CNA in a hospital last month. I made sure to have a solid cover letter and resume. I applied to about 10 different hospitals. Only one reached out but that's all it takes!

Practice interviewing confidently and have reasons for why your lack of experience can actually be a positive thing for the hospital. 

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Yeah it takes a while if you don’t have experience but I’ve worked in a hospital for 10 years but prior to that it wasn’t easy to get into a hospital and now I have one year left for my BSN so being in a hospital does have its benefit if you want to grow and become a nurse.

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11 hours ago, Channie512 said:

I’ve been a CNA for 18 years and a lot hospital do not hire CNA they rather hire PCA, nursing home will be easier to get into then a hospital. I do currently work in a hospital in NYC, but there are very few hospitals in NY that hire CNA and the one that do want you to have experience. You would need at least a year of experience in a nursing home.

I should clarify, it did not take me two years to get the job. I applied for about a month or two this year when I got the interview. I'm just trying to illustrate that it is possible to get a CNA job in a hospital with no previous experience, and I wasn't even technically considered a new grad anymore.

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Specializes in CNA.

Thank you everyone for the advice and help.

 I did get in at a nursing facility and I am looking forward to starting. The company that owns the ALF also owns two hospitals so my plan is to stay at the ALF for a year and then apply to both hospitals provided they are hiring. 

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It took me a bit to get a hospital job. BUT I told them in both phone and in person interviews what my long term goals are, plus me checking like crazy and personally emailing the manager(professionally of course thanking for the time to interview me). And it was about two weeks laters I got the phone call and my official date is a week from today.

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