misswillow

$12/hr day shift at hospital; $1.25 weekend diff Massachusetts

Congratulations Nobhill! It's such a good feeling to pass...I think I was more nervous for the CNA exam than the bar exam! (because I know I can take written exams, but this is the first time I ever had to perform skills for a test). Have you started looking for jobs yet? I start my first job, which is in a hospital, next week. I'm nervous, but excited!

I have not found that having a degree makes any difference in CNA pay - the only thing that seems to matter is CNA experience.

I wrote all the steps to the skills on big index cards, which made it easier to practice and just review them when I had time. As for the written tests, just keep up with the reading, review your notes, and you should be fine. And for supplies - I also needed only a notebook, pen, and watch with second hand. They'll tell you what you need for scrubs and shoes before clinicals start. Good Luck!

Sorry, I'm not from Florida. Maybe you could contact the Board of Nursing or Red Cross in your area for information about the exam. Good luck.

It sounds like you had a great interview! Can you call or email the DON and give her the correct number of your reference? I think this will be better than her calling the reference and having it be a wrong number. Also, you may want to send her a thank you note or email if you haven't done so already...this can never hurt, and sometimes can help your chances. Good luck!

Yes, I do have an orientation for a few days. I have to go in for a physical next week and HR told me I could pick up the scrubs then, so it sounds like I'll be able to take them home. Thanks, I'm very excited about the job! But very nervous too...this is my first CNA job (just passed the test yesterday), so I have a LOT to learn! But I've been really impressed with this hospital so far, so I think it will be good.

I have a new job as a CNA in a hospital that will start in a few weeks. I emailed HR to ask if there is a certain color scrubs that I am required to wear, and was told that they will be provided for me by the hospital. I'm assuming this means that they're free? Is this typical? I've never heard of it, but I am new to the healthcare field. And I'm not complaining - I think it's great - just curious.

Just passed yesterday, phew! I was fine for the written, but was a nervous wreck for the skills - I thought for sure I failed and was shocked when she told me I passed! Starting a job at a hospital in a couple of weeks, so I'll be getting nervous soon all over again!

Thank you!!

Hi everyone, I have my skills test coming up and there's something I can't figure out -- I don't remember learning it in class and can't find it in the book, so I'm hoping someone can help me. When you give a pt a bedpan and toilet paper, where do you tell them to put the toilet paper? I know it can't go in the bedpan if you have to take a specimen or measure output, so do you give them a trash bag? And also, do you do all the measuring of output and cleaning of the bedpan in the pt's bathroom? Or if you do this in the dirty utility room, do you have to take your gloves off before leaving the pt's room, and then put another pair on when you get to the utility room? Thanks for any help...I don't know if I'm overthinking all of this, but I keep coming up with questions that I don't know the answers to!

Floridadreamer, I'm in the northeast. I found the job just by looking searching "rehab aide" jobs on indeed.com, and I applied online. I didn't have any related experience (and just finished a CNA class, so no CNA experience either), but I expressed my interest in PT and OT in my cover letter. I also explained that I was transitioning to healthcare from the legal field and was planning on going back to school next year. I got a call right away for this position, but I had applied to several other similar positions and received no response. So sometimes it's just luck, I guess. In addition to rehab aide, you may also want to do searches for "physical therapy aide" and "occupational therapy aide" and just "therapy aide." Good luck!

Mindy, Happy 40th! (I'll be there quite soon myself) Just think, you have exciting new changes to start your 40s!!

That's a good idea about shadowing in different settings - I actually have a friend of a friend who is a school OT, so I can definitely spend some time with her. I've also seriously considered PTA, and have been having a hard time trying to decide between OTA and PTA, but I'm thinking that OT may be a little bit less physically demanding as I get older (I'm already in my late 30s). Also, there is an OTA to OT bridge program in my area, and from what I've heard, there is really no way to bridge from PTA to PT (plus PT requires a doctorate now, OT is still a masters). Although I'm not sure that I would want to go further with school, it would be nice to have the option. But, I have to admit, I'm still torn between the two because PT just seems so interesting to me. Hopefully working with OTAs and PTAs will help me to make a final decision. It does seem like people are pretty happy in both professions, as you mentioned, so hopefully either way I won't go wrong. I just wish I had thought of all of this earlier....I hate waiting until next fall to get started! :)

Hi Mindy, It looks like we have the same plan, as I am also thinking about going for OTA next fall and then hopefully OT. I'm hoping that this experience will be helpful for getting into school, and eventually getting a job -- also I think I'll be able to really get and idea of whether this is what I want to do. I think volunteering is a great idea for you, and once they need to hire another tech, you'll have a very good shot for the position. Good luck to you as well!!