WhatsSoFunny

Check what your local hospital requires for hiring. Do that much and only that much. They'll train you on the rest for free :)

I read somewhere that something you might try is sucking on a menthol cough drop or peppermint candy. I start my CNA classes on Monday so I haven't tried it myself yet, but it sounds like a good tactic. As for myself, I've got a 4 year old at home so the smells of urine, feces, and vomit are nothing new to me lol.

You lucky lucky thing. I had to pay 800 dollars for my CNA, then Home Health Aide then Patient Care Assistant thing (8 weeks total) and that wasn't including any of my tests. Also I've had the BCG vaccination (I was a resident of Norway for a few years) so I had to get the more expensive chest x-ray. I start on Monday and I, too, intend to use this as a stepping stone to RN school/career. Looks like there are a lot of us doing it at once :) Good luck!:monkeydance: -Heather

Thanks! I have a pair of tennis shoes but they're gray and blue and the department head (whom I met in the interview we all had to do to get in the class) made it very clear to me how she felt about the shoes being all white. Also, stethescope was on my class supplies list. We're required to wear uniforms to class from day one and submit to overall checks to make sure our fingernails are unpainted and clipped short, among a long list of other things. The department head at the tech school I'm going to is very Umbridge-like, if you get the reference. She even had a purple office with doilies and dried flowers all over the place, a simpering little giggle, and absolutely tore her assistant a new one on the news the fax machine was out for repair. I think I'm in for a very interesting 6 weeks.

I found a place online where I can buy Comfort Clogs for about 12 dollars. I'm in a bit of a financial pinch until I finish my CNA classes (which cost a couple hundred dollars more than I was told they would... grrr) and I need some shoes to get me through the classes, clinicals, and maybe the first month of work until I have some disposable income to buy myself some really good shoes. My husband is supporting us, but with car payment and daycare (and unexpectedly high tuition) it doesn't leave me with about $60 for some really good shoes. But would I be getting what I paid for? Would the skin just peel right off my feet? How necessary is it that I find the money for the really good shoes right away? Also I'm going to be needing a stethescope. A friend that I used to work with at my last (sales yeuch) job who left to be a medical assistant said she found one for about $18 somewhere but I've since lost contact with her. The cheapest one I've found on my own is about $37. Is there somewhere better online to find these or should I just make my rounds through all the medical supply stores until I find these good deals? Any help or suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance! -Heather

Hello! I'm just joining here. I'll be starting CNA training at the local vocational school on August 20th. I can't wait. I guess I'll mostly be lurking until I actually get some experience, but I thought I'd introduce myself. My intent is to be an RN eventually but I want to start working and get some other things done in my life before I really dedicate 2 or 3 years of my life to school (depending on how many prereq's they take from my previous college). Also, I really want some experience working at the bedside and doing the real dirty work before I'm sure this is the right - possibly life-long! - career for me to be pursuing. So hi! I'll be seeing you! :smilecoffeecup: