How flexible are they with a CNA's work availability?

[InterestedinCNAjobs]

Hi All,

I'm sorry if this post is kind of long. I would appreciate your help so much! I would like to ask if it is possible to obtain CNA positions at nursing homes and with elderly home care without prior experience once I get certified or do CNA's with a lot of experience get those jobs?

I have been thinking about starting the CNA training program but I have absolutely no plans to become a nurse or to work in a hospital. I would like to work with elderly people and I understand that the pay is not great. That does not bother me.

I am a military spouse with a Master's degree. I have no healthcare experience. My family moves even more frequently than most people in the military (every 2 years). We have many nursing homes where I'm currently at and I feel that I have the caring and emphatic personality that this job would require. I'm just afraid that wouldn't hire me for the following reason:

I have applied to everything and anything (retail, food service, janitorial etc) but people want someone more flexible...I can't work weekends or nights because of my child's schedule and my husband's upcoming deployment (he works on the weekends sometimes and we have no relatives nearby so I always have to work around his schedule).

1. I would like to know if nursing homes/companies providing home care normally accommodate the 9-5 Mon-Fri schedule. I don't mind working PT either.

2. Would this be a dead end job for me once we move to another state? I'm in NC right now.

3. What is the cost of getting re-certified? Is it the same as the original certification's cost?

I have been looking for a job for months. I have been underemployed for several years and I don't know how to get on with my life, something has to be done because this is emotionally crippling...this seems to be a good option but I don't want to end up with another license that I can't use. Please advise. Thank you!

[llg, PhD, RN]

I work with a lot of military wives -- and they find child care even though they do not live near family. Have you tried making friends with the other wives in your husband's command and finding out what they do about child care?

Most jobs will require at least some flexibility on your part. It's rare to find a job that lets you pick all of the hours that you work -- particularly when it would be your first job in the field, with no experience.

[InterestedinCNAjobs]

Thank you for your reply! I do not feel like I can tell any employer what hours need to be accommodated. Whatever they need needs to be filled but I wanted to know if it's possible with this CNA position to have a Mon-Fri job because if it's not, I won't start the program. That's what I'm trying to figure out.

I am sure you are right but everybody's situation is different. My son is already 8 years old so he is at school. I have availability from 7 am to 5.30 pm just like most people so it's not like I'm picky. I have done min. wage jobs from retail to food service. We have moved 7 times in 10 years and it takes time to form new friendships because you can't trust a stranger with kids. We moved here just a few months ago and we live almost an hour away from the base so I have no contact with his command. The base we got assigned to this time is not in a good area and we thought it would be better for everyone to live in a different setting. I have had tons of job interviews and 98% of the places would have hired me if I could work on weekends, Sundays especially. I had to turn down 2 jobs today because the hours were till 7 pm. I don't know how others do it but I am not aware of any child care facility providing services on Sundays or after 6 pm and when your husband is away for 9 months, no "friend" will care to watch your kids almost every single weekend. Getting a sitter for a job that pays $8-9/hr is not really worth it either.

Some other branches like the Air Force or the Navy keep people at the same place for multiple years and/or around bigger cities with better job opportunities. I personally don't see that a lot of spouses would have full-time jobs. We volunteer a lot and many spouses with good jobs either have no kids or they have relatives living in the area helping them. It feels like a catch 22 to me.

[missprnqday]

Thank you for your reply! I do not feel like I can tell any employer what hours need to be accommodated. Whatever they need needs to be filled but I wanted to know if it's possible with this CNA position to have a Mon-Fri job because if it's not, I won't start the program. That's what I'm trying to figure out.

I am sure you are right but everybody's situation is different. My son is already 8 years old so he is at school. I have availability from 7 am to 5.30 pm just like most people so it's not like I'm picky. I have done min. wage jobs from retail to food service. We have moved 7 times in 10 years and it takes time to form new friendships because you can't trust a stranger with kids. We moved here just a few months ago and we live almost an hour away from the base so I have no contact with his command. The base we got assigned to this time is not in a good area and we thought it would be better for everyone to live in a different setting. I have had tons of job interviews and 98% of the places would have hired me if I could work on weekends, Sundays especially. I had to turn down 2 jobs today because the hours were till 7 pm. I don't know how others do it but I am not aware of any child care facility providing services on Sundays or after 6 pm and when your husband is away for 9 months, no "friend" will care to watch your kids almost every single weekend. Getting a sitter for a job that pays $8-9/hr is not really worth it either.

Some other branches like the Air Force or the Navy keep people at the same place for multiple years and/or around bigger cities with better job opportunities. I personally don't see that a lot of spouses would have full-time jobs. We volunteer a lot and many spouses with good jobs either have no kids or they have relatives living in the area helping them. It feels like a catch 22 to me.

Since you mentioned only having availability from 7-5:30 through the week, there are places that have shift start times of 7am-3pm or a 6am-2pm. A lot of LTCs I know of are staffed on 8hr increments. You can do PT, FT, or PRN depending on what the requested need is. As far as experience is concerned, some places will hire regardless of experience or not, although it is preferred, but not a must. Lastly, as one other PP mentioned, there are very few places, if any, that will let you pick and choose your hours at free will. Best of luck to you!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Have you explored the possibility of becoming a Home Care Aide? The actual work is the same as a CNA, but since home care is a completely different environment, the work is arranged differently. You're more likely to be able to arrange a work schedule that fits your needs. The down side? The work is done in the client's home rather than a more highly controlled inpatient setting.