LifeChanges

Personally, unless it was a warehouse/laborer type of position, I would never show up in jeans and sneakers. Even though you will be wearing scrubs while working, I would still wear a nice pair of dress slacks with dress shoes and a nice top or sweater. Good luck!

It is actually Federal law now that if you are hired within 12 months of finishing school at an "extended care facility" that you get the cost of schooling and test fees returned to you. If it takes more than 6 months to find a job than you get 50% back. In PA you get it back in two parts... half after 130 hours of work, the other half after another 130. Perhaps you can borrow the money from a friend or relative knowing you will get it back?

Thanks, but it'll all work out. If I wasn't assured by the program admin. that I would get the total cost for schooling back, I would have had to wait until the cheaper class. I had to borrow the money from my parents to be able to go and there is NO way that I would go in debt to my mother if I didn't know I could pay her back. Besides, the school I chose has a 100% test pass rate and most people in the class have offers before they even finish. The area where I live is extremely short handed. The other "cheaper" school doesn't have a very good reputation... I have spoken to seven women who went there and all of them said that they didn't feel prepared, five didn't pass the test, and only one is even working in the field. So although it is a high price for CNA school... I will get it back in the end. So it'll all be okay.

Bbo.w - I couldn't agree more, and I wish I could afford to wait until the less expensive class began... but it won't start for two more months and I have to go to the bank for a loan to get a new roof put on my house. I currently have income... I own a small hair salon attached to my home. And I do make a profit, however, banks frown upon self-employment as the only source of income. So I need to have at least a few paychecks under my belt before going to apply for the loan. I sort of already have a "verbal" job at an SNF in a local hospital. I know someone who works there a a CNA and have already talked to the RN in charge of the unit. Not sure if that's where I am going to end up, depends on the pay rate and if I get offers elsewhere. So essentially, the sooner I get done and get my certification, the sooner I can be working.

Ok... found some links. The Act is called the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987. Here is one from the Pa Dept of Education (it can be searched for other states however): http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/nurse_aide_training_program/7685/nurse_aide_reimbursement_information/507878 This is also from PA but it does say 'National Nurse Aide Assessment Program' on the cover (Pg 5 in the pamphlet has the reimbursement info): http://www.asisvcs.com/publications/pdf/063900.pdf I hope this might help someone else... and Kitsey... I would talk to some one at the school you went to to see if they think you should have your claim resubmitted.

Meo, I know that when I went to college years ago, I was in a similar boat... my house was headed into foreclosure. But there was some way that I could take the student loan for the entire cost, but because the grants paid some I could get the difference. It may not be a huge amount, but hopefully it will help you in your situation. Good luck!

I second the roommate idea... or can you dorm at your nursing school? Sometimes depending on your situation, you can get student loans to help pay the cost of room and board as well as school. Yes, it would mean higher student loans in the end, but you would have food and a roof... and you won't have to start paying until you are out of school 6 months.

Oh my... yeah... def wearing my hair completely UP!

jjic3982- Yes, the law is - if you are hired within one year of the end of your CNA training, the company who hires you is required to reimburse you for the cost of test and training. The company must be an "extended care facility" with Veteren's homes excluded. If you are hired more than 6 months after your training ends, the company only has to pay 50% of your costs. Kitsey - After a sleepless night of wondering what the hell I am going to do... I called first thing this morning and spoke to the program lady at my school. She is going to give me a copy of the Federal statement tomorrow when I go back to have my second TB test checked. I expressed my concern that because I am borrowing the money from my parents to go to the school, that I really need to be sure I will be fully reimbursed. She still says that I will be, that it is federally required. I told her what you are getting paid because of a "medicare cap" and she said that your company must submit the paperwork to Medicare incorrectly, that it should not vary by state as the law is Federal and therefore nationwide. I tried looking up the PA side of this, it was listed as being posted in the PA bulletin... in volume 25. Naturally, their online database only goes back to volume 26. So I have to call the 800# to find out where I can access older copies. As for the cost of the program, I know it is expensive compared to Tech schools. All of the programs in this area are between $1800 and $3300, with one exception a local Vo-tech that charges $450, which covers nothing but the course and is the lowest amount of hours. The school is in the middle of nowhere and in the opposite direction of where I want to work. They also don't start until the end of June and I need to be working before that. I have called every state approved training place within a 40 mile radius and this is what I found. The other benefit in my opinion, is that the place I chose is a testing site for PA. I think I will feel "at home" testing there after having taken classes there for almost 5 weeks. Hopefully, I won't be as nervous. I will try to find a way to post the federal statement she is going to give me tomorrow.

I am sure they are still considering you if they called. Most employers are pretty ignorant when it comes to that. If CNA's are needed where you are as badly as they are here, they want to make sure YOU are still interested by the sounds of it. I think you are still in the running, and don't forget they may be interviewing for more than one CNA position. Good luck and don't drive yourself too crazy!

That is what I am understanding as well (about the $$ limit). I guess this is good to know now since I have only paid the $35 application fee, the tuition isn't due until Friday. The private school I was planning on attending is over $2000, kind of middle of the road for classes around here, but they include the test, uniforms, texts, physical, TB tests, etc. The program administrator really mislead me if that is the case, because she too implied that I would get the entire class cost back. Since I have to borrow the money off my parents to go, I will have to wait, because I told them I would have the money to give back to them within a few months. I read that in PA you get 1/2 back after 130 hrs of work, and the other half after another 130, maybe it is the same where you are? The money didn't matter to me as long as I was going to get it back... but now I'll have to wait a couple of months until the local vo-tech has theirs... it's much, much cheaper. But now I'll have to wait until the end of June to start, which sucks since I could have been working by then.

That is what my school IMPLIED as well.. as my money is due on Friday, I will find out before I pay... that's BS. Thanks for finding that, I couldn't find anything on the web.

I am going to be starting my CNA training next week and was told that it is now Federal Law that if you are hired within 6 or 12 months (one other school said 6, the school I am going to says 12, can't find anything about it on the web.) at a long term care facility (veteran care places excluded), that the employing company is required to reimburse you for the cost of your training. Anyone have to actually ask the employing company for the money or are they pretty forward about giving it to you? I hate to beg, lol. I know the program administrator at the school I am going to said to wait until they actually hire you to bring it up, not during the interview. So I was just wondering ... do they give you grief about giving it to you? I am just guessing they would like to get away with not paying it, if they could. Also, anyone who has gotten hired, some places in my area are offering sign-on bonuses because they are so short handed... is the bonus in place of paying back tuition costs or on top of that? Thanks! Dawn