Possible to Work as a CNA without State license?

DesertRain · Jan 21, 2007

From what I know you could probably be a "caregiver" but you have to keep in mind what your scope of practice would be and if that's what the hospitals or LTC's are looking for at that moment. I have some friends who are going for recert's and working as caregivers in nursing homes right now and will probably have to look for new employment as CNA's when they get licensed again. You will proably have to contact your BoN to see what you can do depending on the state you live in as I know some states you can work for a while as a nurses assistant granted you will be getting your license in a given time frame.

AshleyF · Feb 27, 2007

In Michigan you can work as a CNA for 4 months but then you have to take the State certification. If you don't work you have up to a year to take your test.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 27, 2007

I worked as a direct care staff member (read: aide) in California without the CNA certification. I changed diapers, gave showers, fed residents, got them up in the morning, dressed them, prepared meals, and passed oral medications.

allantiques4me · Feb 27, 2007

Back in the day they didnt require that silly certification to be a nursing assistant.Sorry if I have offended anyone.I dont mean to.I believe you could still work at certain facilitiesw/o that certification.I dont believe it is a license.Certification?We are Licensed as an LPN or RN.

KellNY, RN · Feb 27, 2007

I got my CNA certification about a year ago but I never used. I'm in Nursing school now, started my clinicals last fall. I'm taking fundamentals of Nursing this semester. I want to get a job in a hospital or a LTC facility to get Nursing experience and earn some money.
I have called a few hospitals and they all wanted State license, which I'm planing on taking the State test in a couple of weeks.
I was wondering if it was possible to get a job as a CNA or other patient related type of jobs in a LTC facility while waiting to take the State test.
Is any of you working as CNAs without the State license?

You must mean state certification. A CNA is not licensed in any state.

Having gotten that out of the way-some places will hire you without the certification, but most likely at a lower pay rate, and almost certainly under a different title (direct care aide, patient care assistant, home health aid, etc).

Good luck on the test and in nursing school.

dana2006 · Feb 27, 2007

I got my CNA certification about a year ago but I never used. I'm in Nursing school now, started my clinicals last fall. I'm taking fundamentals of Nursing this semester. I want to get a job in a hospital or a LTC facility to get Nursing experience and earn some money.
I have called a few hospitals and they all wanted State license, which I'm planing on taking the State test in a couple of weeks.
I was wondering if it was possible to get a job as a CNA or other patient related type of jobs in a LTC facility while waiting to take the State test.
Is any of you working as CNAs without the State license?

Well i have mt CNA and i am working but I had to take the state test and get certified along with the class. I have had mine since jan. 06 and just have started workin with mine. It was easier than i though it would be to actual get a job. Keep in there and dont give up.

valifay · Mar 3, 2007

My first job I worked for a few weeks before I took my exam. Here in IL I think you have 30 after you complete your class to pass the exam. LTC usually comply to this rule. Either way, I would say ask when you pick up an aplication.

caliotter3 · Mar 3, 2007

When I went to my CNA class we had a person in our class who was working as an NA in a LTC facility. As I recall, she had 4 months to get her CNA, in order to keep her job. They were also paying her minimum wage instead of a few cents above minimum wage CNA pay. You can work as a caregiver, normally, if you answer a private ad in the paper, and can get somebody to hire you. Too much competition for this to work, unless you find someone who offers you bottom of the pay scale. Best to call your state's certifying authority and find out if you still qualify to take the test, then take it. Also do whatever you need to do to add Cert Home Hlth Aide (usually one week). This will help you with home cases. Easier work while going to school. Good luck.

shrimpchips, LPN · Mar 6, 2007

i'm currently in the process of finding a place for CNA training (i'm from ohio) and i went to akron general hospital...they offer nurse aide training classes but it does not result in a CNA license. you're hired after the classes tho and you work on the floor much like a CNA, i just think the only difference is the pay - you probably get paid more as a CNA because you have more under your belt.

most places require you to work with a license, however.

kcalohagirl · Mar 6, 2007

I know where I live (Kansas City) nearly all of the hospitals have positions availble to nursing students who have completed a certain amount of clinical training, without having to have the CNA cert. These can be called nursing internships, nursing externships, etc. At the hospital I worked at, there were JNAs and SNAs (Junior and Senior Nursing Associates) and the level of training you had at school would determine the levels of tasks you could complete on the floor. In fact, as an SNA, I could do several things (foley catheter placement and removal, blood draws) that the CNAs at our facility couldn't do.

Our pay was actually $1 an hour more an hour that the entry CNA's, but we were a PRN position, which meant we weren't eligible for benefits. However, I found that on my floor, my manager was incredibly willing to work with my school schedule and would work me as many hours as I wanted when my schedule permitted. During summer and breaks, I was often working 40+ hours a week1

Hopefully this will give you some ideas. It also was a great way for me to get my foot in the door at a phenomenal hospital!

kcnurse2b · Jun 9, 2010

What hospital do you work at?