Hospital CNA Job

[samrosejank]

Hi so i have been applying to hospital CNA jobs for months now and i cant seem to get an interview... i am BLS certified and ACLS certified. I am also a senior at my nursing school.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice as to how to follow up with these applications, or anything else i can be doing. Unfortunately, I dont have any former CNA experience.

[verene, MSN]

Do you have any previous experience working or volunteering in healthcare other than clinicals? Most of the hospitals in my area won't look a new grads for anything (CNA, RN anything). You have to have at least 6-12 months experience, preferably working with acute care patients. Try volunteering with one of the hospitals you are interested in - just a couple hours a week gets your foot in the door and lets you start networking. It may not lead to a job right away, or ever, but it is experience that you can put on a resume to help you get a job. And who knows, if the staff likes you, you may end up with work. I'm not looking for a job, but the hospital I've been volunteering at for 9 months recently let me know that they have a CNA position opening soon if I was at all interested, simply because the staff like working with me, and know I have a CNA license.

Do you have any specialty certifications like dementia care, or mental health? These can also boost your application, and give you insight into working with specific populations (Perhaps the regular hospital isn't hiring, but the psych hospital needs aids?). This can also give a boost in application particularly if you are willing to look into out-patient clinics and long-term care and not just hospitals.

You might also be running into issues because you are in your last year of nursing school, so they are afraid that if they hire you as a CNA, you'll leave them as soon as you pass graduate and pass the NECLEX.