Getting hired as an Acute Care Nurse Assistant

[seek1kees]

I am going to take a CNA course and apparently it is LTC/Nursing home focus and the school themselves admit that they don't have any graduates that find jobs at the hospital/acute setting (fresh out of school). Perhaps the graduates didn't try hard enough. Any one have tips to get hired as a recent CNA grad at a hospital/acute setting?

[casi, ASN, RN]

I tried as hard as I could to get hired right out of school... The only thing that really worked was getting experience in LTC.

[walkingon, CNA, LPN]

After I got my STNA and a job in home health, I interviewed twice at a local hospital and didn't get the job either time due to lack of experience. Seems to me that most of us have to do our time in the trenches of LTC in order to advance. It's hard, hard work....but hey....just today, a resident grabbed my arm and told me with tears in her eyes just how much she appreciated everything we do for her. :redbeathe

[Gabby_101, BSN]

expirence is your best bet. unless you know someone or have other connections. good luck!!

[Atheos]

It would be better to get your experience in a setting that is not so 'acute' for lack of a better word. Making a mistake in a nursing usually is not so serious. I imagine making a mistake in a hospital could result in more serious consequences.

[EmBeMap]

I can be done... follow protocol and fill out paperwork online then take a copy of appliation or just a paper with your info and statements why you would make a good CNA to the manager of dept you are trying for. Worked for me...was a brand CNA orn Jan 14 and hired into county ER on jan 31. Now moving on to better hospital with more education ops and wider scope of practice. WOOT

[EmBeMap]

PS I can spell I just keep replying on my cell phone keyboard and notice everything is messed up after I hit post reply.

[chevyv, BSN, RN]

I landed a CNA job in a hospital fresh out of class. It is possible, but most do want you to have 1+ years experience. The hsopital started me on the geriatric psych unit. Its alot like LTC, but my foot was in the door.

When I interviewed, I told HR that I would be the best CNA they ever had, I just needed the chance to prove it! The call came the next day and I was off and running. Good luck!

[Work in Progress]

My instructor said that no one in a hospital setting would hire a new CNA unless they had connections. Low and behold I applied to 5 hospitals, got 2 interviews and 2 job offers within 2 weeks. Oh yeah, and I haven't even taken the state exam yet. I thought it would take longer to get an interview. But I am off and rolling when I get certified.

I would suggest you just keep at it and be persistent even if you get a LTC job, just keep on applying to the hospitals and don't wait for the requisite experience. You never know when your resume could catch a desperate and understaffed floor manager's eye.

[MotivatedOne]

I got my CNA certification back in March of 07. I applied to the local hospital in my hometown and could not lock in an interview to save my life. I bugged the you know what out of them and they would not give me an interview. I couldn't even get a job at one of the LTC facilities. Finally when I was close to giving up, I applied to a retirement home and was hired. Was making little to nothing and I wasn't happy with some of the things that were going on there so I quit after 2 weeks. I was out of work for almost 3 months before applying to one of the largest hospitals in NC. The next morning, at about 8:30 am I was called to schedule an interview. I think that the thing that sparked HR's interest was the fact that I stated that I plan to apply to an ABSN program that they pay for. Took me about 2 months to start but I've been working at Baptist Hospital on a Women's Health floor for about 7 months now and although it has had it's ups and downs I am truly grateful to have a job with decent pay and excellent benefits.

My advice is don't give up! Don't let your instructors or your classmates or whomever prevent you from achieving whatever goals you've set for your self. Hospitals do hire people fresh out of the program. One girl who was working on my floor, which is not a geriatric floor, was fresh out of high school and got her certification her last semester in HS. So it is possible.

Good luck and God Bless!!!!

[NatashaFromOregon]

I will be taking a CNA class soon, too, and hope to get hired at a hospital. I think that what many here have said is good advice; apply and don't give up! One thing that was not mentioned was volunteer work. I volunteer as a Nursing Unit volunteer at two hospitals. I work right under the CNAs doing a lot of different (non-nursing) tasks, like answering patient call-lights, passing meal trays, stocking, discharging patients, running specimens to the lab...etc. It's given me a lot of hand-on experience on the unit floor and I've had the opportunity to observe and make connections with CNAs, nurses, RTs, therapists, and the like. I've actually met a couple CNAs who volunteered for a before becoming CNAs and while they were in CNA training and were hired right after they completed the program.

[Chrylinyuba]

I am wondering if you have your CPR certification and or your first aide card. If not I would try and find some where you can take these 2 courses. They are like a one day class. The more certs. you have the better your chances are to getting hired in acute area.