Getting a hospital job

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So it's difficult to get a Job in a hospital. Has anyone gone a non traditional route to get their foot in the door? I have a friend that is working housekeeping and they said that after 6 months she can transfer to a tech position and they would help her transfer( she has no CNA experience just got certified). That just seems tough to me. We started looking for jobs at the same time so I know that is hard to find something but I don't know if would have gone this route. What do you guys think? Have you worked in a different area just to get a foot in?

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Specializes in CNA.

If you trust that they will give you a shot at transferring to a CNA job, then yes, go for it. This kind of thing is done all the time. However, I'm sure you'll hear stories from someone where they were promised a transfer and it didn't happen. Sounds like kind of a strange way to get a CNA position as they're not quite related, but they may want to simply look at how well you work, how reliable you are, how well you interact with the public. Just guessing, but it's possible that they can check you out by putting you in a 'lower' position. If you do go this route, make sure you go into it enthusiastically and give them 100%.

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Mmhmm, I know that sort of thing is done, but there IS a possibility that you would never get that promotion/transfer.

Another thing you could do is volunteer at the hospital (if you have time). When volunteering, makei t known that you'd love a CNA position there when one opened up. It's not guaranteed, but if you had been volunteering there and doing well, at least they'd already be looking at you in a favorable light.

Honestly I think a lot of it is just luck. If you happen to apply at a time they need someone, your odds are better. But, mostly, hospitals tend to want experience, so the best route for you might be to work in LTC or assisted living for a while and reapplying at the hospital once you have some experience under your belt.

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Specializes in ER, OB.

Most hospitals (at least around here) don't hire new CNA's. The reason they do this is not because they don't like new CNA's but because they are not "certified" to train new CNA's. It also seems that the patients in the hospital are a lot more critical and for that reason they want someone who knows what they are doing taking care of the patients. I worked in a nursing home before I transfered the my local hospital and I wouldn't have wanted to start working there if I hadn't had experience. Good luck if you can get in doing something else go for it. If not I would start looking at the LTC facilities and after you got in there start applying at the hospitals. Best of luck!!!

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

I just got a job at my states largest hospital and let me say it wasn't easy. I am a new CNA but I have been working for a home health company for three or four months. Here are some suggestions I have for you:

  • 1. Start by looking at the website of the hospital for job listings and apply to every CNA position that you are able to work, but make sure that you have the availability. Your most likely to get a position on a Med/Surg floor but apply for every CNA position you can.
  • 2. When you put in your application (either online or in person) submit a resume with your application, make sure it is a well formatted resume which can help you to stick out from other candidates. It doesn't matter whether your applying for a position as a dishwasher or the Dean of Nursing, everyone should have a well done resume which you use to sell yourself. Look online for samples of resumes for their formatting and the right way to sell yourself. If you or anyone else needs help putting together a resume feel free to PM me.
  • 3. After you submit an application, wait approx. one week and call the human resources department to follow up on your applications. (This is assuming that you have not already been called by the department if they've called you and given you other instructions then follow them.) Hospital HR departments are notorious for not calling people back or taking up to a month to follow up on an application, yes they are busy but sometimes its just because there is too much going on to follow up in a timely manner so you need to take it upon yourself to call them to remind them who you are and why they need to hire you.
  • 4. If after your first call you are told to wait or that they are still processing applications then ask when you should follow up again. If you are told to call back in a week or two weeks then call back when your told to call back (you want them to remember you but not because you harassed them.) You should also ask who is in charge of reviewing applications for CNA positions, write down their name and number and give them a call so that your name stands out and they review your application.
  • 5. Keep calling until you get to speak to someone who reviews applications. There is a fine line between showing someone that your eager for a job and harassing them, I make it a rule of thumb to do follow up calls no more then once every four or five days unless the person your speaking with tells you otherwise. Don't appear desperate by calling everyday because this is a turnoff for a perspective employer.
  • 6. Once you have finally got the attention of somebody who reviews applications make sure that you make your intentions clear, remain polite and express interest in the position and the company. If you are a nursing student who wants to be a CNA during nursing school you need to mention this right away because a hospital is more likely to hire a CNA who might be less experienced if they know that someday that the CNA is going to become an RN who will probably want to continue working for them.
  • 7. If you don't get the position your looking for then keep trying! Sometimes it takes a few interviews before you get hired for a position (especially in this tough economy.) Another way to beef up your application is to do some volunteer work in the hospital so you get to know people and form some contacts to help you get an "in" with the hospital. Although you could apply for another position (like a housekeeper or something) and try to get a promotion, that doesn't always work and you might find yourself stuck into a position that you really don't want to be in so its best to apply for the position you want in the first place.

At the moment that is all I can think of but once you get hired its worth it, especially with a large hospital. As a CNA in a hospital you get access to more resources (like tuition assistance and learning opportunities), you get more experience and responsibilities as a CNA (like EKG and phleobotomy experience) and (for the most part) you are more likely to get a higher salary then in a LTC facility.

!Chris :specs:

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I got hired in as a PCA with no prior experience in the medical field. All though I did put on my application that I was going to school for nursing. The fact that I asked for 3rd shift, & being male may have played in my favor. Found out later I was the only guy on the unit.

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I've been a CNA for a little over 3 years now...and love it! I was lucky and started at a hospital where I volunteer, I do believe that was a major plus for me. Working in the hospital allows more exposure and more opportunities to take classes for advancement. For example, I started working on a telemetry floor (cardiac) and after 2 years I trained to become a monitor tech (read ECG's). After a year of that I transferred to Labor & Delivery/Postpartum/Nursery/Antepartum floor where I received OR rotation to learn the in's and out's of the operating room when assisting the OB-GYN in the delivery on the newborn. I know this may sound like fun but the situation varied I've seen many different types of scenarios where there was a healthy delivery of the newborn to no so good.

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if you know people in the hospital

espically rns or staff in Hr it helps

but the application process is sloooooooooooooow as molasses

pcas are hired but they are made to take a stna course

upon being hired

it is now becoming mandatory to be state certified

this way the registry knows if your a nurses aide with a clean history

of no abuse and negect

it records the date of hire and expiration date as well

states if the persons certification is active and no bad reports were left

on patient abuse or neglect

its by far the best thing when it comes to having taking care of a patient

to have the skills , not just come off the street and no knowledge of

basic to critial care

they will also teach to 12 lead ekg and how to set up telemetry

and monitor glucose testing as well

some pcas will train as a mst

multi skilled tech

and they will train you to do blood draws

espically if your in cardiac floors or med surg floors

Agency work will float you to hospitals to do work on different floors

its a good way to get your foot in the door ;)

Good Luck

angel wings :heartbeat

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Thanks everybody for you responses! I personally had no intentions of going the housekeeping route but just wondering if anyone else had done anything like that. I have a job at an assisted living facility for Alzheimers and dementia. Its ok but not great. They don't hire CNAs to work there so I'm only 2 out of a lot of people that work there that are certified. Also the training isn't super super great so although I know what I should be doing a lot of girls had no healthcare experience so the way they work isn't so great. I'm supposed to be full time but only get about 28 hours a week on really bad pay ( so I at least have to find something to supplement). And 2 out of the 4 nurses leave something to be desired. The residents are great though so of course that helps. A few of the residents have their own personal CNAs to come in to take care of them and they all told me that they much prefer working for the agency and I should try to give some of them a call but I always thought you had to have experience to start an agency job? Maybe not depending. Oh and a lot of our ltcs aren't hiring at all right now and our hospitals here will not hire a CNA without previous experience in healthcare or previous hospital experience. And one out of the 3 has a hiring freeze ( and that's the one I know people at!) sigh. Anyway thanks again for all the advice : )

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.
Thanks everybody for you responses! I personally had no intentions of going the housekeeping route but just wondering if anyone else had done anything like that. I have a job at an assisted living facility for Alzheimers and dementia. Its ok but not great. They don't hire CNAs to work there so I'm only 2 out of a lot of people that work there that are certified. Also the training isn't super super great so although I know what I should be doing a lot of girls had no healthcare experience so the way they work isn't so great. I'm supposed to be full time but only get about 28 hours a week on really bad pay ( so I at least have to find something to supplement). And 2 out of the 4 nurses leave something to be desired. The residents are great though so of course that helps. A few of the residents have their own personal CNAs to come in to take care of them and they all told me that they much prefer working for the agency and I should try to give some of them a call but I always thought you had to have experience to start an agency job? Maybe not depending. Oh and a lot of our ltcs aren't hiring at all right now and our hospitals here will not hire a CNA without previous experience in healthcare or previous hospital experience. And one out of the 3 has a hiring freeze ( and that's the one I know people at!) sigh. Anyway thanks again for all the advice : )

If you really want to work in the hospital then you should still go for it. There are a ton of firing freezes going on but you will find that when times get desperate they will start hiring again. Put in applications at the hospitals and keep calling and calling and when that fails... keep calling!

!Chris :specs:

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Long Term care.

Well I just got hired at Cincinnati childrens hospital a few weeks ago. i had been applying for months. My advice is to MAKE YOURSELF STANDOUT!!! The hospitals get hundreds of applicants to fill few positions and often they screen applications to make their job easier. Even little stuff like making sure all of your words are spelled right. A compelling resume and if at all possible try to get an employee referral, that really helps. I also worked in a LTC and a rehab center for 3 months. Remember that u really really have to sell yourself sometimes to get a job that is in high demand. And dont give up...i applied at least 40 times online before i got a response. I hope this helps...

kelley

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Yes yes yes. Persistence is crucial!

I applied to every open CNA slot at the hospital for MONTHS before I finally got the job.

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