Florida CNA's

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I am considering going to school to become a CNA in September. :yeah:I was wondering if you can tell me how quickly you found a job, your starting pay and where you became a CNA first. I wanted to work in a hospital, but most job ads say you have to have a yr in a clinical setting.

Basically any advice-the good, the bad and the ugly! :D

Thanks!

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I just passed my state exam 2 weeks ago and have been looking for a job since :) I am staying positive. Central Florida here by the way.

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I passed in march. I lived on the west coast then 45 min from tampa. Still looking! there are hiring feeezes and with no exp it makes it harder. Pay 8.00-10.00/hr

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I live in the Jacksonville area. My goal would be to work in a hospital, but all of the avaliable positions say you have to have a year clinical experience. I guess my question is if everyone wants you to have one year clinical experience then how do you get your start????:uhoh3:

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The only salaries posted that I have seen here are all between $9-14 BTW...It's ideal to want to work in a hospital, but easier to get into a nursing home (LTC) there you will get the experience you need per resume and than can apply and hopefully get a job easier in a hospital. I am physically going to go to all places in the area tomorrow and talk to any available HR. It's easy to submit resumes online, but who knows how many of those they are really looking at.

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Wondering the same thing as the original poster! And if anyone knows of a good CNA program in the Clearwater/North Pinellas county area, I'd love some input...I'm on overload right now trying to finish up my summer A&P I class.

Thanks in advance!

Sharon

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Specializes in hope L&D/OB. 2nd-Geriatrics. 3rd Peds..
Wondering the same thing as the original poster! And if anyone knows of a good CNA program in the Clearwater/North Pinellas county area, I'd love some input...I'm on overload right now trying to finish up my summer A&P I class.

Thanks in advance!

Sharon

I just finished Florida Med Prep in Largo (66th and Bryan Dairy) last week. Really fast paced and you MUST practice/study on your own to 'get it'. It's a challenger course, so they're basically training you to pass the test. I had Ray as an instructor and he is awesome. Just enough insight to the 'real world', but definitely easy to learn from him. If you know anything about universal precaution, conditions that the elderly have, and pretty much common sense, you'll do fine.

I live near downtown Clearwater, and it took me little more than 15 minutes to get there. The 140 hour courses are different (not just in money- my course was $249.00, average for the 140 is $500+) is that they do a clinical portion in hospitals, LTC's etc.

I know it sounds like a promo, but I wanted a fast way to get my CNA training, and this did it for me. My husband and I can't afford for me to attend 140 hours and not be working. I think an advantage I have though (and why the course seemed easy to me) is that I've worked in hospitals for my clients, so I've been able to see how protocol works, etc.

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I just finished Florida Med Prep in Largo (66th and Bryan Dairy) last week. Really fast paced and you MUST practice/study on your own to 'get it'. It's a challenger course, so they're basically training you to pass the test. I had Ray as an instructor and he is awesome. Just enough insight to the 'real world', but definitely easy to learn from him. If you know anything about universal precaution, conditions that the elderly have, and pretty much common sense, you'll do fine.

I live near downtown Clearwater, and it took me little more than 15 minutes to get there. The 140 hour courses are different (not just in money- my course was $249.00, average for the 140 is $500+) is that they do a clinical portion in hospitals, LTC's etc.

I know it sounds like a promo, but I wanted a fast way to get my CNA training, and this did it for me. My husband and I can't afford for me to attend 140 hours and not be working. I think an advantage I have though (and why the course seemed easy to me) is that I've worked in hospitals for my clients, so I've been able to see how protocol works, etc.

hello fellow florida med prep student :wink2: i just attend their "power weekend" course this past weekend and feel while i am more knowledgeable now after taking their course, i still need a lot more study/practice time before taking the state exam. have you sent in your paperwork yet to take the state exam yet? if so, could you please keep us posted as to how long after it has been submitted you were given a test date? i am going to request to be tested at florida med prep's facility, since it will feel more familiar to me. please keep us updated and i will do the same.

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Hi I live in Clearwater too near downtown lol. I attended Reed's Medical in Tarpon . I loved it owned by Nurses and I kept attending until I felt confortable taking the state test. I know the one in Pinellas Park is good also I have a great job thru one of the local home agency's, and will be atending Nursing school soon I hope It's grat to meet someone local from here My starting pay is 11 per hour :nuke:

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what "nursing school" are you trying to get into? pTEC or SPC's RN? i'm trying for both actually. going to take whichever one offers me first LOL .... i was on the alternate list for this august SPC program, but i don't think i'll get into it then. going to go the LPN route once again and try for pTEC's LPN program.

what skills did you have to do for your state exam, if you don't mind me asking?

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I passed the state CNA exam today. I must say, seeing difficulty in finding CNA work is really discouraging.

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Oh yay! I love when I find post's for stuff I need to know too!

I work for HCA. I went to school already for accounting so I basically have to start from scratch. I begin the core classes (BSC 2085+L BSC 2086+L, Micro,+L, etc.) in January (I know late but budget cuts). I know I can keep my current job until the point of if I make into the nursing program but I was thinking about getting my CNA, CPR, and First Aid in the mean time so I can have a job while in nursing (again IF I get in).

I was wondering if this was a good idea? I know which hospital will take me and work with nursing school but I was wondering if doing all this in advance was maybe silly or not.

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