LTC or Hospital?

[I♥Scrubs, LPN]

Hello everyone! I should be starting CNA classes in a few months, (I will be graduating from college with an associates degree in May, so once I graduate I will begin.) I am hoping to further my education as a nurse once I have some experience as a CNA. I was just wondering how much a CNA would make in a hospital? I know here in my area they call the position "Patient Care Associate" and it is preferred you are a CNA but not required. The hospital near me has had three openings for this position in the past 10 days, all full time, in the surgical unit, or special care unit. And in the past couple months there have been about 20 openings for it. Or, the nursing home near me is also hiring and does all the time. (I have two friends that work there and keep me informed) and their starting CNA pay is 14.60/hr. I know the hospital would most likely be less money, but is it worth it to try to get into the hospital so I have more "clinical experience" since I would like to go to LPN next?

[Thujone]

Hello everyone! I should be starting CNA classes in a few months (I will be graduating from college with an associates degree in May, so once I graduate I will begin.) I am hoping to further my education as a nurse once I have some experience as a CNA. I was just wondering how much a CNA would make in a hospital? I know here in my area they call the position "Patient Care Associate" and it is preferred you are a CNA but not required. The hospital near me has had three openings for this position in the past 10 days, all full time, in the surgical unit, or special care unit. And in the past couple months there have been about 20 openings for it. Or, the nursing home near me is also hiring and does all the time. (I have two friends that work there and keep me informed) and their starting CNA pay is 14.60/hr. I know the hospital would most likely be less money, but is it worth it to try to get into the hospital so I have more "clinical experience" since I would like to go to LPN next?[/quote']

What is your final goal with nursing? If you want to be an LPN and then start working without intentions to get your RN then I would say take the job at the LTC because LPN's are typically hired in the LTC setting while RN's are hired in the hospital setting. That being said, if you want to be an RN then I would take the job at the hospital.

[PinkCupcake]

If you want to work as an RN I would work as a CNA in a hospital. Assuming you want to work in one when you become an RN. Many hospitals prefer to hire from within. When they are looking for an RN and they have a CNA who is now a RN they will offer them the job first. That's how it works at the hospitals in my area, yours may be different.

I think working in the hospital will give you time to observe what the nurses are doing and how the floor works. It'll make the transition from CNA to RN a lot smoother imo.

Where I live CNAs in LTC make about a dollar more than min. wage. At a hospital they start around 13-14 an hr. There is a big pay difference!

[nguyency77, CNA]

Either way it's "clinical experience" but you should try hospitals first! I personally don't like LTC much. Skilled nursing units are okay, but I really miss volunteering at the hospital.

In LTC it's not so much the residents I dislike; it's about the management and administration.

I work in a skilled unit and float to long-term once in a while. My pay is about $12-13 an hour depending on what shift.