RN graduate trying to find work as CNA?

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I graduated last year from an ADN program. I do not have any prior healthcare work experience, that's probably why I cannot find an RN job in this bad market.

Since my RN license is getting more stale without revelant work experience, and it is very hard for me to find an entry-level RN job, and I have another full-time job that give me benefits and pay the bills, I'm thinking about taking the CNA certification exam and become a CNA. I saw a lot of ads for part-time CNA, the ads do not say experience requirement. So if I can work as an CNA part-time, in, say a nursing home, and when there is RN position available inside, I might be able to get it.

I'm also thinking that work as a CNA can give me some work experience in the healthcare field, even though it does not count as an RN experience, but when the market pick up, I might have a chance to get an RN job. Also, I can make a little bit extra money by working as a CNA. It is better than sitting there doing nothing and let the my RN license get stale.

Anybody has any suggestions? If I apply for CNA job, should I tell the potential employer that I have an RN license as well? Or I should not mention it at all.

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Hi my fellow new grad :) I am currently running into similar situation as you, but I am forcing myself not to go the CNA route yet. I too feel my license is getting more stale being 7 months out. Being a CNA however may or may not be possible depending on various facilities..(some may not want to hire you to be a CNA due to liability issues in case you accidentally step out of your scope). You can try, but make sure the unit you're doing CNA with might potentially be a foot in the door for you on that unit-- a unit that is new grad friendly. Yes you have to disclose that you have a RN license. If you want to go this route, be a CNA at a hospital, they will treat you a hundred times better than in a nursing home. If you're thinking of gaining experience, you don't necessarily have to go the CNA route.. you can always go back to your nursing professors and volunteer to do research projects with them/ volunteer to teach nursing students with skills.. these are all relevant experiences that count just as much as a CNA experience for a new grad.

one thing about a CNA is that I remember telling my old clinical manager if this is a good route after licensure of rn. she told me no, because it's hard for future managers to overlook the fact that you didn't use your license and went ahead to pursue something less challenging. go out of state is what she said. if you wanna do nursing home, there are usually nursing home RN jobs..try those! my fellow classmates are fighting tooth and nail to land a job in one of the most populated new grad location- cali. it's working! one by one very very slowly. it will come to you soon :redbeathe

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There are reasons that those in the field will discourage you from working as a CNA. Primarily you must realize that you will be held to the professional standards of the highest license held, in your case, RN. Even though you are held to the RN standards if something goes wrong and you do not take appropriate action, you must not exceed your job description. You can not let your supervising nurse convince you to say, pass meds to a resident, if you are working as a CNA. But, if something goes wrong with the resident, and you notice it, it is your responsibility to inform the nurse. You can not just walk out of the room and pretend you did not observe the problem. If you do, you are placing your RN license at risk.

If you do decide to work as a CNA, you should try to get a situation where you are promised to be moved up as soon as a licensed nurse position opens. I did this one time. However, it was not a good situation. As could be expected, once I started working as a nurse, it was difficult to supervise the CNAs because they were well aware of the fact that the managers would never support me as a supervising nurse.

I would do this to gain experience in health care and to have a job while you look for an RN job. But you need to give yourself sufficient time to do a good search for an RN job before you jump into a CNA job and if you make this move, do it with the thought that you will not lighten up on your RN job search.

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Thanks for the reply.

I thought about volunteer at one time, but volunteer experiences is not actual work experiences. I agree with your supervisor that future supervisor will not overlook the fact that one didn't use one's license and went ahead to pursue something less challenging.

I'm not able to relocate these days. I think I do need to think twice about working as a CNA. Maybe I should look for jobs in doctor's office. Nursing homes do not seem to be hiring these days, they all want experienced. But I am going to try nursing homes in the nearby state as well.

I wish you luck in your job hunting.

Hi my fellow new grad :) I am currently running into similar situation as you, but I am forcing myself not to go the CNA route yet. I too feel my license is getting more stale being 7 months out. Being a CNA however may or may not be possible depending on various facilities..(some may not want to hire you to be a CNA due to liability issues in case you accidentally step out of your scope). You can try, but make sure the unit you're doing CNA with might potentially be a foot in the door for you on that unit-- a unit that is new grad friendly. Yes you have to disclose that you have a RN license. If you want to go this route, be a CNA at a hospital, they will treat you a hundred times better than in a nursing home. If you're thinking of gaining experience, you don't necessarily have to go the CNA route.. you can always go back to your nursing professors and volunteer to do research projects with them/ volunteer to teach nursing students with skills.. these are all relevant experiences that count just as much as a CNA experience for a new grad.

one thing about a CNA is that I remember telling my old clinical manager if this is a good route after licensure of rn. she told me no, because it's hard for future managers to overlook the fact that you didn't use your license and went ahead to pursue something less challenging. go out of state is what she said. if you wanna do nursing home, there are usually nursing home RN jobs..try those! my fellow classmates are fighting tooth and nail to land a job in one of the most populated new grad location- cali. it's working! one by one very very slowly. it will come to you soon :redbeathe

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Thanks for the suggestions.

I think I just need to persist and look hard for an RN job, and in case I do have to look for a CNA job, I will make sure I disclose my RN license to the potential employer. It's a complicated situation.

There are reasons that those in the field will discourage you from working as a CNA. Primarily you must realize that you will be held to the professional standards of the highest license held, in your case, RN. Even though you are held to the RN standards if something goes wrong and you do not take appropriate action, you must not exceed your job description. You can not let your supervising nurse convince you to say, pass meds to a resident, if you are working as a CNA. But, if something goes wrong with the resident, and you notice it, it is your responsibility to inform the nurse. You can not just walk out of the room and pretend you did not observe the problem. If you do, you are placing your RN license at risk.

If you do decide to work as a CNA, you should try to get a situation where you are promised to be moved up as soon as a licensed nurse position opens. I did this one time. However, it was not a good situation. As could be expected, once I started working as a nurse, it was difficult to supervise the CNAs because they were well aware of the fact that the managers would never support me as a supervising nurse.

I would do this to gain experience in health care and to have a job while you look for an RN job. But you need to give yourself sufficient time to do a good search for an RN job before you jump into a CNA job and if you make this move, do it with the thought that you will not lighten up on your RN job search.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

I think it will be equally difficult to find a CNA position as it is RN. Think of it from the employer's standpoint: why would they want to hire someone and train them, only to lose them as soon as an RN position comes along?

They'd rather find a true CNA candidate whose goal is to work as a CNA.

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lol i off topic but after i wrote to you about nursing homes, i went to take a nap.

I literally had a nightmare about nursing homes. In my dream, the nurse manager was chasing me around trying to make me work there. I almost didn't make it out of the facility alive. It was part psych ward/ part nursing home. i think i saw an old lady petting her imaginary pet. too freaky. i woke up sweating when the nurse manager forced me to sign their staff member contract. :lol2:

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I would not work in an unlicensed health care position. IMO there are too many ways that this could place your license in jeopardy.

A better use of your time is redoubling your job hunting efforts.....(NHs, public health, home health positions...)

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