Should I Bother w/ a STNA Cert before Applying as a PCA?

[JennyFields]

Hello,

I'm about to start applying to Patient Care Assistant/Tech jobs at hospitals in the Central Ohio area. 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 STNA class thinking it would make me a more attractive candidate for a hospital job, not necessarily planning to work in a LTCF. Reading the advice here, I want as much hospital experience as possible before/during nursing school.

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 STNA 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 get one of these jobs if I apply.

Should I even bother taking the separate two week STNA 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 STNA 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.

PS - If anyone has any tips for applying to PSA jobs in Central Ohio, I would also appreciate hearing those very much.

[AgentBeast, BSN, RN]

I wouldn't bother unless you find it hard to land a job. You'll probably learn most of the basic STNA stuff the first day of of your first nursing class.

[foreverLaur]

I have had two PCA positions at two different hospitals in Columbus without the cert. No one cared. They just wanted experience, knowledge, and passion.