HELP! Failed nursing school after 1 yr, but still want to work as nurse technician

x_factor · Jul 27, 2012

I would apply and just not use your instructors as a reference. However, if you put on your resume or application that you were in schoool as a student, and that's where you were CNA certified and gained skills from, they may request that an instructor be used as a reference.

I was in school for my LPN and transferred out to another school to finish pre-reqs for my RN. I became CNA certified and I applied for a CNA position at a hospital. During the interview when we discussed that I was a student pursuing nursing, they asked for a reference from an instructor, and the instructor I used as a reference has been wonderful. I also signed up to volunteer at a health care agency, and since I was a nursing student previously and in school persuing nursing, they also requested a reference from my instructor, which she was happy to give. A good relationship with at least one instructor can be invaluable, especially as a student, since jobs may request a reference from them for employment.

In your case, as I said, it'd probably just be best to leave their names off and not use them as a reference, since they'd have to be willing to give you a reference (and a positive one at that).

panjia · Jul 30, 2012

Hi x_factor,

When you became a CNA, was your first job at a nursing home?

Thank you for your advice! You were very helpful! :)

caliotter3 · Jul 30, 2012

When I looked for CNA work, I found that I did not need any recommendations from nursing school. Leave that aspect of your record alone unless you are interviewing and feel you should point out nursing school clinical experience.

x_factor · Aug 3, 2012

Hi x_factor,
When you became a CNA, was your first job at a nursing home?
Thank you for your advice! You were very helpful! :)

I just got my first CNA job, I didn't work during my time in LPN school. I just transferred out after this past spring semester, and I start my RN pre-reqs in 2 weeks at my new school. I never worked in the healthcare field before, and had no CNA work experience at all. On my application and resume, under skills and qualifications, I just listed all of the CNA skills I learned in LPN school, experiences I learned in clinical rotations, and listed under education that I had did a year of LPN school and was pursuing my RN degree.

The job I applied for was a MedSurg unit at a large hospital. The application said 1 year acute care experience required but I applied anyways. I landed an interview, they seemed to love the fact that I was a CNA who was in school pursuing nursing, despite the fact that I had no CNA work experience.

Since I had no CNA related work or healthcare experience outside of school, during my first interview, they requested one of my references be from a former instructor, instead of a co-worker. Someone who could reference my healthcare related skills. During the final follow-up interview, I was offered the job on the spot and accepted it.

LifesAJourney · Aug 3, 2012

I think it depends on the requirements listed for the nurse tech position. Where I am at, the requirements are current enrollment in a nursing program and a 3.0 or better in the nursing courses. In addition, they wanted a copy of our grades, instructor reference, and that general application form or else HR would not forward the application. Since you have your cna, you can still get a job as a cna and then after you complete your next semester, apply for a NT position. Good luck and don't give up :)