Should I Bother w/ a CNA Cert before Applying for Hospital Jobs?

[JennyFields]

Hello,

I'm about to start applying to Patient Care Assistant/Tech jobs at hospitals in my area (Central Ohio). I have six months of home health experience, a BA in an unrelated field, eight years of uninterrupted work experience, am scheduled to get my BLS cert soon and am currently taking pre-nursing courses.

Originally, I had signed up for a CNA class thinking it would make me a more attractive candidate for a hospital job but not necessarily planning to work in a LTCF. The "requirements" on the job listing simply said "patient care skills required," which I thought meant that you needed a CNA cert.

However, a friend of mine who worked at a hospital in a major system here says she was hired with only an expired CPR cert and that they give you a two week paid training comparable to an CNA class in order to do the PCA job. Between her advice, that of a friend who worked as a nurse in a local hospital and the couple dozen open PCA/PCT jobs at local hospitals, I feel more confident than I was before that I will be able get one of these jobs if I apply.

Should I even bother taking the separate two week CNA class before I apply? I mean, I've already been practicing a lot of patient care skills in home health (hoyer lifts, perienal care, bed baths, ambulation) and it seems redundant to be taught the same patient care skills two more times (if STNA and PCA training is comparable). Plus, it would cost another $200 on top of my small down payment to take the STNA class. Also, I understand that if you don't work in a LTCF for two years after your STNA cert, you lose it.

So, do you think there would be any point in paying the money and taking the CNA class before applying to hospitals? Since I don't intend to work in LTC unless I can't get a hospital job, and I would be getting the cert anyway when I start nursing school, would it be unnecessary? I just don't want to waste time and money on something that wouldn't advance my career path.

Thank you very much for any advice you have.

[teason4]

I leave in nc and you have to be cna certified to get a job in the hospital

[funtimes]

I think most hospitals require you be a CNA. Around here ALL of them do. So you would be more limited in where you could work. You could apply now, and if no one calls you back, maybe take the CNA course and reapply.

If you want a job in health care you might have to work in LTC. Hospital jobs seem to be scarce. Around here the only way you get hired is if you know someone or you work for a LTC or home health service owned by a hospital system and then apply in house for a position in the hospital. If they belong to the same union you might get the job automatically if you are the senior bidder. Where I work half the hospital aides got hired that way, the other half through relatives or knowing the right person.

[LAJJmom, ADN, ASN, CNA, RN]

I am in Missouri and just about every hospital here requires a CNA certificate. I can't believe you can take one there in 2 weeks. Mine was 8 weeks (75 hours of class and 100 hours of clinicals). I know MO is one of the ones that requires more clinical hours than other states. You may be able to "challenge" the test in your state. Which means you take the test and get certified without having to go through the class. It sounds like you have a lot of experience. I was worried that I would only be able to get a job in a LTC but I kept applying to hospitals to see what would happen. I got my CNA license in February and in May landed a job in a hospital. So, it does happen but you may have to wait. I got tons of rejection emails. I am also in pre-nursing classes so I really wanted a hospital job. Good luck to you. If it were me, I would probably take the class because with that, your BLS and your experience you should have a pretty good chance! :)

[jjic3982]

It seems like your friend got hired at a hospital that provides training. There used to be a lot of LTC facilities around my area that used to do this but now they are all discontinued.

Why don't you ask your friend as a reference for that hospital. It would be great to work with a familiar face.

From what I know, here in CA proper certification is required to work as a CNA. This was to avoid having poorly trained care providers that end up harming patients or residents.

[angelee3]

Hi LAJJmom! I am taking my nursing pre-reqs and start my CNA class next week. I live in the St. Louis metro area and hope to find a job in a hospital rather than LTC as a CNA. Do you have any suggestions on landing a hospital job without any experience? Or, can you recommend any particular hospital(s) that will hire a new CNA? Thanks!.....Sorry, I don't know if you live near the St. Louis area or not, I just read Mo.