No Callbacks From Hospitals

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Hi- I'm an RN student who'll be starting clinicals in the fall. I completed my CNA certification in March and have been looking for work since the semester ended in early May. In my area there are two large hospitals, and I have applied to literally dozens of open CNA positions at both of them. I've given one over-the-phone interview and one in person, but both were to no avail. I've been denied on every single position!

I have no experience, which obviously counts against me in this arena. I'm also honest about disclosing the fact that I'll be returning to full-time student status in the fall, and I'm wondering if this is hurting me in the application process as well. But it seems so strange to me that there would be so many CNAs out there to take these positions!

What do you all think? CNAs currently working at hospitals, did you and most of your coworkers already have experience? Can anyone offer any insight for why I'm getting shut down? It's pretty depressing. Thanks!

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I only had about 2 months LTC experience but they also hired 2-3 others that had NO healthcare experience at all.

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Sometimes Hospitals are picky when it comes to who they hire for nurses and CNAs. They want experianced people sometimes. Hospital CNA jobs are coveted and there are a lot of CNAs going for these jobs. It is usually the first choice by people. The best advise I have is find another place to work to gain experiance, and then maybe in a little while you will be more qualified to get a hospital position. Look into LTC, Home Care, Retirment Home, Hospice, VA Homes and Hospitals. You can sometimes get these jobs a lot easier then hospital jobs

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Yes the fact you wont be available much in the fall is hurting you. Hospitals aren't just open for business in the summer and on weekends, which is why some places avoid hiring nursing students.

As for being surprised there are so many CNAs out there to fill these positions. Think of how many nursing homes there are, then understand that each one of these nursing homes has probably dozens of EXPERIENCED CNAs desperate to get out of LTC, many of whom would be available full time during the school year. So there you go, that's why you aren't getting many call backs.

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If you know you are going back to school apply for a pool of per diem position so you can make your own schedule and work when you are available. Don't apply for a full time position and then tell them you are going back to school soon. If you apply for a per diem or pool cna position you can explain to them about school. Most hospitals do hire cnas in nursing school because they have experience as in clinicals. If you have already completed some clinicals, use that as experience. It counts. Good luck.

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Thanks for the advice everyone. I know hospital jobs are very desirable to most CNAs and thus coveted by others working in LTC etc... I guess I just didn't understand that it was quite to this extent! I've only been applying to per-diem/part-time positions.

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I don't have much experience with nursing yet and trying to get jobs but I suggest volunteering at either hospital you want to work at. Try to get placed in an area that will give you the best information. If you put in time and effort, the hospital will notice. It will also allow you (depending on the hospital) to fill out internal applications, giving you an advantage. I started volunteering at a hospital a couple years ago for a few hours a week to gain experience in the medical field. Most recently I applied for the first time, for a full time position (in the area I volunteer, so I already know everything I need to) and got called in for a final stage interview and was pretty much handed the position. I have NO experience whatsoever, aside from my volunteer work- I haven't even started my CNA course yet, however I already have a job waiting when I get certified.

So I suggest volunteering, it seems small but opens many more doors than anything else. It allows them to see just how serious you are and lets you get real experience with the hospital itself.

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Well, in my area the hospitals prefer people who have completed their first semester of nursing clinicals for patient care techs/nurse tech/nursing assistants (depending on which hospital you apply to). Then they have another position for nurse externs/advance nurse assistant that they look for and you need 1 year of nursing clinicals to apply for that job. A lot will not touch you till you are done with that first semester in my area.

Also, previous experience is a huge bonus. I would apply for nursing homes as they hire newer CNAs quicker in my area. Some CNAs have struck it lucky by applying and getting friends and family that worked at the company to give them a good reference. My friend applied as a new CNA and was hired in as a diagnostic scheduler so she made more than 3 dollars an hour than the CNAs do.

Also, there are a lot of CNAs in my area. We have a ton of schools pumping CNAs out each month. Also, you may come off wrong with the full-time school. If they think you may be difficult to schedule, you may not get hired. I would suggest something like you try to block your schedule so it's Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays. That way you have 3 other days and weekends to look at. A lot of places also rotate weekends so being free on weekends may not be a huge marketing point.

Also, try to find out what the hours are. Usually the main shifts are around 6-6 or 7-7, 3-3, 11-11, with 8, 9, or 10 hour shifts mixed in. Saying you are only available for 5 hours on some days do not help.

Any family member is a nurse at the hospitals? That is very helpful.

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Specializes in CNA, HHA, RNA,.
Hi- I'm an RN student who'll be starting clinicals in the fall. I completed my CNA certification in March and have been looking for work since the semester ended in early May. In my area there are two large hospitals, and I have applied to literally dozens of open CNA positions at both of them. I've given one over-the-phone interview and one in person, but both were to no avail. I've been denied on every single position!

I have no experience, which obviously counts against me in this arena. I'm also honest about disclosing the fact that I'll be returning to full-time student status in the fall, and I'm wondering if this is hurting me in the application process as well. But it seems so strange to me that there would be so many CNAs out there to take these positions!

What do you all think? CNAs currently working at hospitals, did you and most of your coworkers already have experience? Can anyone offer any insight for why I'm getting shut down? It's pretty depressing. Thanks!

Yep, its hurting you. Hospital shifts are 12 hours and it doesn't sound like you have any prior experience in working as a CNA. You can't be available all the time, etc. They will just end up hiring someone whose going to be a CNA forever, with prior experience in a hospital. Not a nursing student, not even if you were working toward your doctors or becoming a physician.

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Interesting to get these responses, which seem to be all over the board. Just to update, I received a job offer at a large local hospital and the fact that I'm a nursing student was actually one of the things that got me hired. Like LandD_RN_chica suggested, it's a per diem position. Really excited!

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Specializes in inerested in school nursing, peds, OR.

When I got my CNA job at a hospital it helped me that I was a nursing student and they also hired several other nursing students at the same time. When I went to full time student, the made me PRN and it worked out perfectly. I would suggest applying for PRN positions. I do think that being a nursing students definitely helps your chances though.

:)

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That's awesome! Congrats to you!

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