mtskier

LOL- does everyone feel better now?

I'm not sure what the nurses at my hospital got, but I received $150 and a $1/hr raise as an aid! Pretty grateful for that. I think the nurses made out pretty well too, though I haven't asked. Try using an old plastic card (e.g. credit card) instead if you're in a pinch... more effective scraping edge :).

This is a great question, and framed objectively and clearly by the OP. I have to admit I had similar personal questions raised during my own psych rotation this past semester. Good discussion thus far.

I currently work as an aid at an excellent local hospital. This hospital is also where we do many of our clinicals and where I'll be precepting this coming semester. In the past, most students from our program who've precepted at this facility got jobs there. I figure it's likely I will too. I've already began forging connections with managers through work and clinical and get great reviews. This is awesome and I am very excited about it. However, despite having excellent health care facilities (the best in the state and region), I'm not keen on continuing to live in the city where they're located. There are a number of other places around the state and country that I'd rather live and work. So here's my dilemma: In the next couple of months, I have my annual eval as an employee as well as precepting for school. Do I let my current manager/other managers know I'm looking at opportunities elsewhere? Would that limit my prospects within my facility? Judging by other nursing students who've gotten hired, they'll probably be looking for a commitment around March or April if I do get offered a job. Should I be forthright with everyone from the get-go, or wait until I get an offer?

Thanks for the helpful info everyone. I've already looked in to a couple of residency programs and will be applying shortly. My question was specifically about jobs in the strict sense.

I'm about to start my last semester of school. For those of you with experience doing this: when would be a good time to start completing out-of-town (and out-of-state) job applications?

25. After completing my BA in English Literature, I resolved to take some time off and went on an extended climbing trip to Yosemite National Park. While there, I befriended some of the SAR folks and thought that would be an interesting career. I needed my EMT-B to even begin, so I moved back to Montana and took a course that fall. We did our clinicals for the course in the local ED, which was the first time I was really exposed to nursing as a profession. I was sold after my couple of nights there and immediately began taking prereqs.

Thanks ICUman! That's a great overview of what's available. I would love to hear whatever else you want to share about your specific situation (especially since you're in the arena I'm looking to get in to). Feel free to post here or share with me directly (is there a way to do that on this site?).

Background: I'm currently located in MT, graduating in May '15. Very interested in SLC as a place to live (skiing & rock climbing are my main passions). I just drove through the other day and there appeared to be an overwhelming amount of hospitals visible from the interstate! Can anyone give a run-down of the hospitals in the area? Interested in any and everything between Bountiful and Provo. My experience and interests lie in ED, ICU, CV. General comments on nursing in UT vs. MT (or elsewhere)? Anecdotally I've heard things like the job market is really tough for new grads, wages tend to be lower, cost of living is high...

I'm not sure how you're qualifying "most job markets", but I could list at least 7 hospitals in the intermountain west (and AK) that advertise tons of nursing jobs without the "BSN required" or "BSN preferred" stipulation. Magnet facilities included.

Like others have said, it depends on the local job market. But for sure, there are places where ASNs are on a more or less level playing field with BSNs. At the hospital I currently work at, ASNs are paid the same, can get hired into critical care areas like ICU & ED, and are given an annual stipend for education if they're enrolled in an RN-BSN bridge program. A large part of this is due to the hospital's continual expansion and struggle to keep up with the demand for more nurses.

I'm a nursing student who'll be starting upper division next fall, and I've landed my first CNA hospital job. I'm incredibly excited to begin! I'm a per-diem who'll be rotating through a number of floors. It's also my first job in healthcare, and my CNA course seemed geared towards an LTC environment. In fact, all clinicals were at LTC facilities. While I feel prepared and ready to learn a ton, I'm naturally a little intimidated too! Anyone been in my shoes and care to share things they found helpful to review/refresh? Thanks!

Thank you!

Interesting to get these responses, which seem to be all over the board. Just to update, I received a job offer at a large local hospital and the fact that I'm a nursing student was actually one of the things that got me hired. Like LandD_RN_chica suggested, it's a per diem position. Really excited!

Thanks for the advice everyone. I know hospital jobs are very desirable to most CNAs and thus coveted by others working in LTC etc... I guess I just didn't understand that it was quite to this extent! I've only been applying to per-diem/part-time positions.

Hi- I'm an RN student who'll be starting clinicals in the fall. I completed my CNA certification in March and have been looking for work since the semester ended in early May. In my area there are two large hospitals, and I have applied to literally dozens of open CNA positions at both of them. I've given one over-the-phone interview and one in person, but both were to no avail. I've been denied on every single position! I have no experience, which obviously counts against me in this arena. I'm also honest about disclosing the fact that I'll be returning to full-time student status in the fall, and I'm wondering if this is hurting me in the application process as well. But it seems so strange to me that there would be so many CNAs out there to take these positions! What do you all think? CNAs currently working at hospitals, did you and most of your coworkers already have experience? Can anyone offer any insight for why I'm getting shut down? It's pretty depressing. Thanks!

Hello everyone! I've learned a lot from this forum over the years, having had many questions answered through my own research. I couldn't quite answer this one to my satisfaction though. I'll be finishing a CNA course towards the end of February and starting my upper-division coursework next fall. I don't plan on working once that begins. However, I do want to work as a CNA before that. I can foresee this being potentially problematic for getting hired... anyone have any insight?