Anyone from Pittsburgh, Western PA???

[colleen10]

Hi there,

Is anyone out there from Pittsburgh area, Western Pennsylvania?

I need your advice.

I am looking for an entry level clinical position (patient care tech., etc.) in the Pittsburgh area while I do my pre-req's. I don't have any Nursing School clinical experience yet nor any other hospital experience either.

I do not want to pay for a CNA course so that I can get a job in a hospital because I here that there are places that will take you and give you on site training. However, I can't find them!

I have checked the paper and websites of local hospitals but I see a lot ads that require 1 year experience and I don't see anything about training programs.

If you know of local hospitals that offer on site training please let me know. Or, if you have heard some not so nice things about certain training programs let me know also so that I may avoid them.

If you have any advice about breaking into an entry level position please feel free to share. Or, if you know of good CNA programs I'd appreciate that too.

I do not have any contacts here that are in the Health Care field so your insight will be much appreciated. Also, if you know what most of these types of positions pay in our area I would also like to know that too.

Thank you for any help you can give,

Colleen

[ma kettle]

Colleen,

I suggest that you call those adds that you see. I too live here in good old western PA. For example UPMC has alot of adds in the Pittsburgh Post Gazzette. If they feel that you are not able to do this with out a certificate, then you could always go to the nursing homes and long term care facilities. I am sure they would be eager to have you. But, I also caution you, this is very physical labor,ie lifting patients. UPMC has partnershipped with several hospitals in the Pittsburgh area. So I am sure you could find something local. They even had some tuition help to nurses agreeing to work following completion of the their training. Mercy Hospital, Allegheny General, West Penn and even St. Francis may have similar programs. Sure they are going to tell you they want experience, but there is a shortage. GOOD Luck!

Sandy