In Search of a Mentor in North/Central NJ

[CaitlinLiz]

Hello everyone! I apologize if my post is in the wrong category, I actually posted in it two because I wasn't sure where the best area was and/or if there was a specific mentors area or not. But anyway, I am a certified nurse assistant and am CPR certified. I have worked for about a year and a half as a CNA in long-term and sub-acute care and a little in home care. I live in North NJ and have been accepted into Holy Name Hospital for the RN program starting next fall. I'm really excited about it and am extremely anxious to get started. I think that I would like to work at Hackensack University Medical Center after I graduate from the program and have been applying there as a CNA just to get in there and see if I like it as much as I think I would.

The main reason for my post is that I would really like to find a mentor in the North NJ area. Ideally it would be someone I can spend a little time with, watch and learn from, and go to for advice and questions about homework in the future, etc. I know that I can get advice from anyone on here, and I really love that! But I had a mentor that lived close to me when I did my CNA program and it was just great, so I would love to find something similar for my RN experience. I would just love to grow and learn from this person for the duration of my nursing program and even after that. I love to learn, and I am truly passionate about nursing. So anyone that loves to teach, and loves nursing, and would like to help me/teach me... It would be great to hear from you!!

As a side note- I am thinking about calling the nursing recruiter at HUMC to find out if they would allow me to work voluntarily as a CNA on the floor in order to experience the hospital feel and learn about the difference in setting compared to long-term care. I have applied for... I can say easily 15+ CNA positions and have not been contacted, so I assume it is because I don't have any past hospital experience, and maybe other factors. I don't know if hospitals allow volunteer CNA's and that sort of thing, but I have a full-time job and extra time this year because I am not in school, and would be more than willing to work there voluntarily. What do you think about that? All advice is welcome :)

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