VinTX2019

Personally, I think no one is ever too old to help others whom are in need of care. Maybe that's your angle and message to your interviewer when that time comes for you. I'm a 44 year old CNA, passed my state exam last year with zero experience. Since my dad passed away at 84 years old, I began a passion and love for helping senior people in need and that's my core reason to do this. I agree with the above comments that hospitals would be harder to get in, so aiming for LTC facilities / home cares to start of with is much easier and makes a lot of sense, which is what I'm currently doing to garner the experience I need. On a side note, I had a fellow student in the class actually got a job at the hospital as a CNA without prior experience! It just depends on your timing, whom you know, and maybe a little luck. His mother works at the same hospital as a RN, so that might have helped him in some ways, I don't know.

Yes, same here. There were a lot of reading and studying, but we had a lot of practical skills to do too, which definitely made the program a little more fun and interesting to endure. Maybe you could ask your trainer about the details of the program and the upcoming schedule for the next few weeks? That way, you can at least mentally prepare for the hands-on practical skills and the externship portion, which I personally thought was quite fun, or certainly more fun than reading text books.

Absolutely! Don't give up. You'd be surprised that once you're trained and certified, there are many homes and facilities in your area needing CNA support. I also don't have any experience, but LTC and rehab centers were waiting for me to finish my CNA program, so I could join them after passing exam. Luckily, my school had great connections to the industry in my area. They invited HR people from different facilities in town during class sessions, so they could start recruiting future CNAs. Not sure if you picked out your school yet, but definitely ask the school before signing up with regards to LTC/ rehab center connections in your area. Most schools, if not all, actually want their students to be employed after graduation. It's their way to prove success in their program and help them recruit more students to their school program. Hope this helps and makes sense. You definitely have hope ?

Agreed! He's not demonstrating what a good effective leader should be. Criticism and complaints are one thing, but constructive feedback to do better is another, and that's what you and anyone new on the job truly needs and deserves. I always say you don't know what you don't know. Next time, ask him on specifics, so you could learn and improve on them. If he continues to discourage you without productive reasonings, then I would speak to the next level up at your facility. Committed CNAs are already getting shorter in supply and harder to come by in our growing industry. The last thing any facilities should do is by making their valuable resources to quit because they think they aren't good at their jobs. Don't give up. Work harder and smarter. Love to hear your progress!

I've just recently joint this forum looking for advise and support working in LTC/rehab. Then I noticed your posting. I totally understand your pain and frustration. I'm also on a similar boat as you, but I don't have plans to move on just yet as I just started my position as CNA, fingers crossed. Anyway, I just wanted to drop a note here and say that at least you tried it and did your best and now you can take that valuable experience with you and enjoy your next big step. I want to wish you the very best on your next journey. Truly congrats on your upcoming residency program!