Masami

Student visa (F-1) visa strictly prohibits working in the United States, except on-campus with limitation. Yes, you can take CNA course which is usually offered trainings/classes on campus or you can take off-campus training course with referral from your International Student advisor and the nursing program advisor. I was former F-1 international student from Japan. When I was at school, one of international students from Japan was admitted to the nursing program and she graduated with honor, also she was the very first one and only one who graduated in 2004 successfully as an international student from our community college which has been run since 1962. She was F-1 student all the time. So, first answer that you can take CNA class is, Of course Yes. However, for the job part, you have to contact with your international advisor and your nursing program advisor because you need special permission if you want to work off campus. You may be advised to work as a unpaid volunteer and can work as CNA just because of visa limitation. If there is medical facility on campus, you may have a great chance, but usually very competitive. F-1 visa won't be consider as good value even on campus and competition will be with current nursing students. These days, it is not easy to find job as CNA or even RNs in the US, so you have to expect either on or off campus, it is very very competitive to get the position. Many places expect you have at least a couple months to a year experiences prior to the new position. But, school should be able to give you some chances and advises for you. Please please please, do NOT think work off campus without talk to your advisors or without permission. If you do it, you may ruin your career and all life in the US (you will be deported from US and can't come in even as vacation for 5-10 years). Many hospitals, nurshing homes, clinics are welcom for volunteers and you can count the unpaid opportunities as your own experiences.

I live in Olympia,WA and I graduated from SPSCC with non-medical degree(AA). I am just planning to go back to SPSCC to take their Nursing program. What they told me is you must have CNA to apply for the LPN and then RN program and must done all pre-req before you get into the program. It was very similar requirements at Tacoma Community College. You can take their CNA program and take pre-req. But what I remember was SPSCC's nursing program was super competitive. You must be very good stand (strongly recommended all A/A-). There is no waiting list at SPSCC. My nursing program friends are super active on pre-req classes to get all As. I am very worried myself because I am not really science/math person. http://www.nursingschools.com/states/washington-nursing-schools-programs.html So far, I never heard any nurshing program in WA or other states have no pre-req.

I am 30 years old and I have BA and not with medical field. I am interesting to be a nurse now and planning to go back to community college I graduated from with AA. First I did was to take a class/training to be CNA. I am still waiting for the test. Then, I will start volunteer/paid CNA jobs. Then, I will go LPN, and see what happens. I may start working as LPN and if I get confident being a nurse, I may go RN and possibly go BSN. English is my second language as well, but I saw many nurses are from foreign national. And, when I was in community college, many of my classmates who are preparing for nursing program are all mothers and their 30s or 40s. You are not alone!!

I just completed basic training at the Tampabay healthcare academy prep which is located on N. Nebraska+ Fletcher Ave (which is inside of RVpark; i know it is very strange location). They are a couple who run the academy and very very reasonable price. They are LPN and RN. You can earn HHA, CPR, First Aide, Med Tech and CNA prep training starting from 1 week and cost only $100 to $300 depending on how many certification you want. They just started PCT and phlebotomy training, which is 4 week training with CNA and all other certification including. http://www.tampabayhealthcareacademyprep.com/default.html However, this institution is not state approved or accredided, which is ok in FL because FL state doesn't require to receive CNA and other certification from accredided institution while some other states require. This is reason their tuition is significantly reasonable. Redcross cost about $495 just for CNA prep and it is 4-6 weeks program. If you care about quality of the training, I don't recommend to go tampabay academy. If you just need quick help to get CNA prep and other certifications and jump into work, I do recommend. They also help for job hunting and medical resume. If you need additional training until the date of test for CNA, as long as you get training from them you can go back to the academy to keep getting training without any extra fee. If you want traditional and formal training, you better choose community college or red cross or some others you get info from here.

Thanks everyone. I am still waiting for a letter for test date and location. I talked a woman who just took CNA test. She told me she didn't hear anyone even got bedbath part. She had bedpan, measuring scale, and ambulation. I keep practicing!

Hello! Currently I am taking a CNA training and I am preparing to take the exam (Tampa, FL). I learned that there is 35min skilltest and I will be assigned to perform 3skills+handwash+indirect care. Within the skill test, my teacher told me that the most difficult portion of the skill is Bedbath. I think I agree with it. But here is my question. When I researched about portion of bedbath skill test, I learned there is "partial Bedbath." However, my teacher told in my class that exam will be "Full Bedbath" so we must learn all about bedbath. Of course, I prefer to be trained to be able to perform full bedbath, and not just partial. But, I really need to know for the matter of the exam, it will be partial or full bedbath. I really appriciate if you can answer the question, and how was your skill test went if you have done recently. Thank you!!!