Just starting CNA in Iowa

[Fran88]

Hi- I'm starting my CNA in a few weeks at Mercy in Des Moines. After I finish my CNA, I will go on the waiting list for DMACC. I already have a BS and JD so this is a second career for me. I'm interested in getting a job at a hospital after I get my CNA while I wait for DMACC. Is it hard to get a job as a CNA in a hospital? Any hospitals in the area that hire CNAs without experience? I'm interested in Cardiac, OB or Psych. Is that unrealistic to think I could get a job as a CNA on any of those floors at a hospital while I wait to get into DMACC?

[island40]

The hospitals are usually more difficult to get into than LTC but start checking them out. Do you have a goal to do legal consulting or malpractice work? CNA is backbreaking labor that doesn't pay well.

[debblynn13]

Hi Fran,

I graduated from DMACC and worked my first nursing job at Methodist. I would suggest you try to get a job in a hospital. It would help immensely in your nursing classes. I just checked online and Methodist has quite a few clinical partner jobs. Mercy is a bit harder to see online. If you are taking your classes at Mercy you probably would have first chance at jobs there over people on the outside.

My other suggestion is to take any none nursing classes you need before you start nursing classes. You probably have most of them done since have a degree already. If you have any questions about DMACC or the DM hospitals just message me.

Debblynn

[Fran88]

THanks to all your suggestions. This is a completely new field for me and I'm not sure how to go about it. I have wanted to do this for some time now but just had my hands full with my four kids and they are just getting to the age where I think I can try and go back to school and start a new career. I will look at Methodist.

To answer your question, Island40--I have not thought of doing legal consulting work yet at this time. Who knows what the future holds, but I am more interested in hands on care at this moment. We'll see how everything plays out though. Thanks for your suggestions!

Fran88

[Revvy1337]

Being a CNA sucks.. I am one!!! Ask for a tour. If you have more than 16 residents per assignment I wouldn't do it.. Also look for sit stands, hoyers, lift chairs, lift bath chairs, etc.. Don't get stuck working an prehistoric nursing home.

[missnurse2011]

i just moved to iowa from michigan and luckly for me when i moved here i already had my cna, but it was very hard for me to get a job in the hospital so i took a job at a ecf and yes the work is backbreaking. as mentioned it's very hard to get a job in the hospital (unless you know somebody) i'm also interested in persuing a nursing career. i'm43 yo & i don't think i can continue to work as a cna another yr. here in dubuque there's a 1 1/2 waitlist for the lpn program @ nicc and once your done with that you can complete the rn session which is good. i just say take the job in a ecf and make it work until you conplete the nursing program.