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Discussion

No CNA Experience

Hello All,

I am in my first semester of nursing school and I have no CNA experience. I just left my job as a circulation clerk at a library. I loved my library job (which is why I stayed so long and didn't work as a CNA) but it did not offer a lot of opportunity for the future. When I took the nursing assistant class, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do and decided to keep my library job. I really don't regret that except that I do know that all the present CNAs will get hired ahead of me later on when we graduate. That doesn't really bother me either as long as SOMEBODY will hire an inexperienced nurse, I will clean toilets or anything, just hire me. I also won't look for full time right off and I think I would probably be more likely to get hired on part time as an inexperienced nurse.

Anyway, I was wondering what you know about people who have had no experience getting hired. I know myself and I think I am best off not working while I am in school. My husband works full time and we have a couple of businesses and that keeps us both busy enough. I thought I could maybe volunteer a couple hours a week at a hospital or nursing home and at least that would give me a little bit of experience.

Comments?

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    • New, Inexperienced Grads I Know Got Hired 4 members have participated

    1. 1. New, Inexperienced Grads I Know Got Hired

      • Yes
        50%
        2
      • No
        0%
        0
      • They struggled for months but finally got hired
        0%
        0
      • They got hired right away
        50%
        2
      • They had to take different jobs and never made use of their degree because they couldn't get a nursing job
        0%
        0

    Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

    Featured Replies

    Don't despair! In our orientation, they had several new grads from the year before come and talk to us about expectations and experiences, and they all got job offers within 3 months of passing NCLEX, and a few of them had no previous health care experience. It does happen.

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    • Author

    Thank you for the encouraging words! I was feeling kind of bummed about it yesterday!

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    I really think that having CNA experience doesn't make much difference to get hired as a nurse. I'm a CNA I work with all types of nurses and a lot of them never had experience before. I wouldn't stress this. Good luck:)

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    • Author

    Thanks!

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    • Experts

    I've never earned CNA certification or worked as a CNA. Although I worked as a caregiver for 8 months at a group home for developmentally disabled adults many years ago, the people who did the hiring never really paid attention to this experience.

  • Quote

    Honestly, all 5 CNAs in my class failed out. CNA experience helps mostly if you are already employed at a facility that is willing to allow you to transfer positions. Otherwise, it hasn't helped my seniors get jobs, and everyone universally seemed to have an easy time finding employment after taking their boards. I think it depends on the job situation in your geographical area.

  • Quote
    • Experts

    There were lots of girls in my class that had no previous experience.It didn't seem to make any difference when it came to getting a job.

  • Quote
    • Author

    Thanks for all the feedback. There seems to be a consensus!

  • Quote

    uh..you can get your CNA cert after 6 months of nursing school...but it's pretty pointless to start as a CNA after graduating.

    besides, didnt you do CNA work during clinicals?? that experience counts.

    i guess what you mean instead of CNA experience, is hospital experience. In which case, yes, it might affect if you do get hired or not. You will most likely get an advantage but either way, it's not really that big of deal.

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