na2bsn

I am a CNA in the Oregon area. I am incorporated and have been working as an independent contractor for over 15 years. I have been working in-home care - longterm and hospice, an in na pools for nursing homes, and in Oregon there is one agency that works only with independent contractors (nurses, CNA's, etc) to help staff hospitals in the area. This has been a great experience for me save one thing. With recent changes in the economy in the last 2-3 years it has been harder to keep the company income coming in with steady work and off set the costs of accounting, etc. It has become increasingly harder to find families in need and for us to find them. At one point I was making $1200-1500 a week. Now, I am making 1/3 that. The clients that were willing to pay $20 an hour around the clock are no longer readily available. There are many new agencies saturating the market and soaking up all the work we had been getting. Some of us who found ourselves working together became an unofficial network of caregivers to support eachother. No one person, no matter how hungry, can work 24/7 to cover an in-home case if it lasts more than 3 days. Recently, I let my company become inactive while I accepted a job that with good benefits that will make it possible for me to finish school and get my RN. I am likely to return to independent contracting, even if only part time. Keeping my business means I can take side jobs for extra money. It kind of messes up the in tax benefit of doing extra work, but it may allow me some flexibility to fall back on. It is a wonderful thing if you have skills that can bring home the bacon. I really believe that I am at the top of my CNA career, and it's time to increase my skills and education. Thanks for reading and best wishes.

I am glad to find this forum. I worked at the VA as an agency NA. I just got hired on, but have been working there for a year. Will this year apply to the one year needed to apply for VANEEP? Also, I have been in a nursing program before, but wasn't able to finish at the time. I have to repeat a class or two, and now redo my science classes as they have expired most program requirements for being less than 7 years old. I did read on here that books and tuition top out at $22,000. I am assuming that is for the year; or is it for the 24 months? I am not sure what year that comment was posted, so I will have to check that, too. I report to my new floor on Wednesday (in 5 days). I will log on the intranet and see what I can find out about where to go to get the information on the program. Maybe I can print it off the computer. Thanks for any comments you can make on the VANEEP program!