Nursing Student (R.N. Program) but Interested in being a CNA for a Summer Job

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  1. How should I occupy my time during the final Summer of NOT being a Registered Nurse

    • 2
      Become a C.N.A & work as a C.N.A.
    • 1
      Become a P.C.A. & work as a P.C.A.
    • 0
      Work in an unrelated field
    • 0
      Relax
    • 0
      Visit R.N. to B.S.N. Programs (***I'm staying in school to pursue a B.S.N. after I graduate)

3 members have participated

Hello everyone. I am a 28 year old male nursing student at Capital Community College in Hartford, CT. I'm going to graduate next May (2013). I currently live at home & do NOT work but I would like to work during the Summer time in order to save money.

I was considering becoming a CNA. I understand that I can't just take the exam & that you need to be present for x amount of classroom & clinical hours. Is a PCA the same thing? How do you become a PCA? Which one is better?

I am sure that I would breeze through a CNA course. Should I just stick it out & attend the classes / clinicals???

Does anybody have any advice or has encountered a similar circumstance???

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

Many places will hire you as a Medical Assistant or NA without certification if you are a nursing student. I worked as a MA for a while without ever being certified.

Being 28, I am assuming you have worked in the past. If you can't find work as a CNA, I am sure there are many other jobs that you could find to fill your time in the summer. What did you do before nursing school?

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Specializes in Wound Care / Foot Care / Case Management.

Goodmorning! I'm not sure what a PCA is, but here is what I do know. I attend a ADN program in Mississippi, and here a student nurse is allowed to work as a student nurse during the summers after the first semester ( I'm not sure if the hospitals have a technical name for us). So maybe you could ask one of your professors if local hospitals, clinics, etc do the same. Hope this helps.

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Specializes in Long Term Care,Cardiac Care,Pediatric..

You can get a job as a CNA/PCA/PCT/CA/MA pretty much anywhere without being certified because you are in nursing school. If you look at the job descriptions a lot of them say to be certified OR nursing student that has done med-surg clinical's etc. Good luck! :)

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Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.

Sometimes when I see postings for PCA's they require that you are a CNA..and then some PCA listings say that being a CNA is not required. A PCA basically is just another name for a CNA, patient care technician, etc.. Check with your state board of nursing and see if you can apply to become a CNA since you have completed your first semester of nursing school. Good luck :)

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I just did various jobs like working at the front desk of a hotel, worked at starbucks. I was just looking at the "Prometric" website, which is the website that connecticut uses to administer the CNA exam.

Apparently there are different ways to satisfy the training requirements to be a C.N.A.

According to the CT - CNA Handbook:

"Route 2—Nurse or Student Nurse

Select this route if you have successfully completed a course, or courses, of no less than 100 hours of theory and clinical instruction in an approved practical nursing or registered nursing program within the past 24 months. Reminder. You will need to submit a copy of your nursing school transcript or current LPN/RN license with your application."

I have successfully completed Nursing 101 & Nursing 102 & Pharmacology 221.

Nursing 101: 5 hours of theory per week x 16 weeks = 80 hours

Nursing 101: 14 hours of lab/clinical per week x 13 weeks = 182 hours

Nursing 102: 5 hours of theory per week x 16 weeks = 80 hours

Nursing 102: 14 hours of lab/clinical per week x 13 weeks = 182 hours

Total Hours: 524 Hours

These are estimates but I would say that they are very accurate.

Does anyone out there have experience with proceeding down this route to become a CNA???

If so, please let me know about your experience doing this. I'm very interested.

Ryan

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Thank you for your reply. Did you complete a B.S.N. program>??

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Specializes in Tele.

Here a RN student can take the cna test after the first semester and not have to go through the class. I would double check that you can't do the same thing.

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When did you begin the ADN program? Do you plan on working as a student nurse this summer??? Have you applied for the position yet?

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I was just looking at the "Prometric" website,

which is the website that connecticut uses to administer the CNA exam.

Apparently there are different ways to satisfy the training requirements to be a C.N.A.

According to the CT - CNA Handbook:

"Route 2—Nurse or Student Nurse

Select this route if you have successfully completed a course, or

courses, of no less than 100 hours of theory and clinical instruction in

an approved practical nursing or registered nursing program within the

past 24 months. Reminder. You will need to submit a copy of your nursing

school transcript or current LPN/RN license with your application."

I have successfully completed Nursing 101 & Nursing 102 & Pharmacology 221.

Nursing 101: 5 hours of theory per week x 16 weeks = 80 hours

Nursing 101: 14 hours of lab/clinical per week x 13 weeks = 182 hours

Nursing 102: 5 hours of theory per week x 16 weeks = 80 hours

Nursing 102: 14 hours of lab/clinical per week x 13 weeks = 182 hours

Total Hours: 524 Hours

These are estimates but I would say that they are very accurate.

Does anyone out there have experience with proceeding down this route to become a CNA???

If so, please let me know about your experience doing this. I'm very interested.

Ryan

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Umm..none of the above. :lol2: I would simply just find a job at a local hospital as a nurse tech. Sheesh, there are so many names for these titles but my understanding leads me to believe they are all the same thing in one form or another. Nurse tech/CNA/PCA/nursing assistant/nurse aide .... whatever!

When you apply, just state that you are a current nursing student who is looking for summer work, and then tell them your progress through your nursing program (what classes you've taken, where you are at in your program, what skills you've learned etc.)

No, there is no need for specific CNA classes or whatever. Most likely you have already learned all there is to know/do as far as CNA duties. In doing so, you'd just be wasting money.

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Specializes in Pedi.

In a hospital, a PCA is the same thing as a CNA. In the community, a PCA (at least in Massachusetts) is a Personal Care Attendant... someone who helps people with disabilities with their ADLs.

Most hospitals will hire nursing students who've completed clinicals into the aide role without actually having the certification.

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