Postponing CNA class for a potentially good opportunity

verene, MSN · Mar 17, 2016

Volunteering may or may not give you a good idea if you like CNA or nursing work. It really depends on the volunteer position and what they have you doing. If you are sitting at an information desk answering questions and handing out maps the experience will provide very little insight into nursing related careers. That being said, if it is one of those rare patient contact volunteer positions where you are able to do a lot of work alongside and for the CNAs and nurses on the unit it could be very valuable experience in making a decision about this being a career path you want to pursue.

Also check with the hospital - would you be allowed to postpone the start date on the volunteer position or take a leave of absence, or just be a fill-in/substitute while in school? While it is very important to be professional and committed to a volunteer position - you do not actually work for the hospital and are not paid by them and most volunteer coordinators are willing to accept this fact and be flexible when school, work, or family commitments come up - provided you communicate with them about the conflict.

Finally - $1200 for a CNA course seems pretty steep. I spent about half that on training. You may want to look into other training options - which could mean a different schedual which would accommodate the volunteer position with out issues.

Jamieanne08 · Mar 18, 2016

Verene.

This can course is the second cheapest in my area, the first isnt in a good area that I would want to be at after 10pm. The class is 850 for 10 weeks, the clinical is 425 for 2 weeks.

As for the volunteering I actually got a patient based opportunity at the nurses station on ortho. I was given a list to check what I'd be doing.

-patient transport

-feeding help

-bed changes

-companionship

-answering call lights and reporting info to RN

-stocking supplies

A girl in my CNA course orientation meeting told me she did the volunteering at a local big hospital and they hired her before she finished her course. So I'm going to do that and use the upcoming months to save more for the fall course which is the only semester with a weekend option

Missingyou, CNA · Mar 19, 2016

Sounds like this volunteer position is a good opportunity if you aren't sure if patient care is something you want to do.

If you can afford putting off the CNA training and thus a paid position, then I'd do the volunteer position first.

I paid $1400. for my CNA training. I was also fully reimbursed for my training by the state once I got a paid position at a nursing home or hospital. So you may want to check into that with your state. The facility where you take the training or where you are hired will be able to tell you if that is an option for you.

Jamieanne08 · Mar 19, 2016

I actually found that out at orientation. If I get hired at a LTC facility that uses medicare they must reimburse me $850 in my state

verene, MSN · Mar 19, 2016

Jamieanne - Sounds like you answered your own question. :-) This does sound like a very good volunteer opportunity - much better than the typical volunteer position, and could lead to a hospital job down the road. If you can afford to put of training and work until this fall this volunteer position could be a really good things for you.