Getting a hospital job

[samoa33]

Hello! This is my first post here, and I just wanted to say thanks to all of you. This website has been so helpful to me.

I am in the process of getting my CNA certification through the Red Cross. I'm hoping to get a job in a hospital. Even though I still have a little over a month of training to finish, I've started applying to some hospitals. The thing is, I live in Boston and I've read that it is really hard to get a job as a CNA, especially with no prior experience. I've looked into another Red Cross program about an hour away that provides acute care training once you get your CNA certification. I'd like this to be my last option, as I don't think I could handle the commute while going to school full-time.

I know some people have mentioned calling the HR departments or going to them in person. What should I say when I call/visit? Who should I ask to speak to? I'm just really unsure of how to go about doing this. If it helps, I'm already an employee at one of the major hospitals in Boston as part of a clinical research facility.

Thanks to all of you wonderful people!

[aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN]

When you call a hospital, ask to speak to the nurse recruiter. That is what I did when I got tired of not hearing from the place I wanted to work. I had a job and was working two weeks later.

[samoa33]

That's the thing... It's a big, busy hospital. I know that if I call the main phone number I won't get anywhere. I'm thinking about calling the HR office and setting up an appointment with the person who recruited me. Maybe they will be able to pass my resume on or, at the very least, give me the number of a nurse recruiter who I could contact.

[TiggerBelly]

Call the HR department and say that you will be finished with your CNA training in about a month and was wondering if they had any open positions available for CNAs. Ask if you can come in and fill out an application and what would be a good time to do so. That way when you fill out the app, you can actually hand it to the HR person/recruiter and possibly introduce yourself. Then if you don't hear anything in about a week and a half to two weeks, call back and just ask if they had a chance to review your application and see if anything was open yet. Good luck!

[samoa33]

Thanks everyone for the advice - it worked! I called the HR woman who recruited me in the first place, and she put me in contact with a nurse recruiter. I will be meeting with her in the near future to dicuss some PCA opportunities!

[skyrocketocelot]

I'm in the same boat but without any training! I'd like to work at a hospital vs nursing home - should I call HR to see if the hospitals I'd like to work for offer CNA training? Thanks!

[TiggerBelly]

skyrocket- Absolutely! Calling them can't hurt, you never know what they may say. If they don't offer the training, they probably have an idea where you could go.