Nurses, help me! I want to get in the hospital!!!

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi All!

I was a CNA for 3 years, nursing home & assisted living. My license expired jan 2010 (i had a baby and didnt renew it) I take the test next month to recertify, this time in a different state. I really, really want to get hospital experience! I finish my last prereqs for nursing school this fall and petition in January. I think as a CNA I could network and LEARN, LEARN, LEARN!! How do I find these jobs? What can you recommend? I am shadowing a nurse midwife soon, but I want more, lol! I am in Albuquerque NM. Thanks for any insight!!! :)

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Depending on what state you are in, some hospitals require a CNA2 before getting hired into a hospital.

I worked as a CNA in a LTC/SNF for a year before I was hired into a hospital setting in the ER. When I was hired was right when they were transitioning to the CNA2s to the hospital ran the classes.

If you dont have your CNA2 and it is required in your state, look at your community colleges they usually offer the class.

Then just keep on applying. I had been applying in the hopsital systems for a year before I was called to interivew at my former hosptial.

Start stalking your local hospitals website job search. You'd be surprised some jobs only stay up for hours before they are gone. Apply to everything you can! Good luck!

Specializes in Pediatrics.
Start stalking your local hospitals website job search. You'd be surprised some jobs only stay up for hours before they are gone. Apply to everything you can! Good luck!

Very true, my former manager said they close the jobs after 30 applications because they were getting swamped with 100+ applications for every open job

this is interesting to me. i work in a hospital and got hired there as an inexperienced CNA fresh out of class. i wanted to work there to get experience for nursing school, etc., but i was SHOCKED by how little they pay. nursing homes pay much, much more. i wonder if CNAs who don't know better are under the impression that hospitals pay decently? i see so many saying they want hospital jobs, and as someone who has a hospital job and is getting ready to apply to nursing homes for better pay, i'm curious.

Specializes in Pediatrics.
this is interesting to me. i work in a hospital and got hired there as an inexperienced CNA fresh out of class. i wanted to work there to get experience for nursing school, etc., but i was SHOCKED by how little they pay. nursing homes pay much, much more. i wonder if CNAs who don't know better are under the impression that hospitals pay decently? i see so many saying they want hospital jobs, and as someone who has a hospital job and is getting ready to apply to nursing homes for better pay, i'm curious.

Might be the area you are in.

I went from a LTC at $10 and hour (4 years ago) to a CNA2 starting in the hospital at $13, when I left my hospital position in January because I finally got a RN position I was making $17 an hour.

As you are looking at LTC for better pay you might also want to consider the working conitions.

Come to AZ...no CNA2 required and decent pay with lots of job opportunities.

Specializes in Acute Rehab, SCI, Clinic, HH, Med/Surg.

What is the difference in scope of pratice b/w CNA1 and CNA2? I'm sure all states have CNA certifications but I have never heard of the two different certifications in some states ....:confused:

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