Should I work as a CNA?

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Hello All,

I am a pre-nursing student at a local community college. I currently work part time at a major healthcare organization as a Call center rep. My employer offers a CNA training and guaranteed employment at one of their major hospitals after completing the training and passing the state exam.

The CNA license is a prerequisite for my nursing major. I completed the CNA training 6 yrs ago and had since expired because I never worked as a CNA and didn't get a chance to finish nursing school back then.

My question is would it be a good idea to get it through my employer and sign the 6 month contract? Or should I just pay out of pocket and complete the state exam on my own?

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If your employer offers it for FREE and placement at a hospital, I would 150% do that. I work as an aide a my local hospital. I had a conversation just last week with a nursing student about to graduate in May and she was asking me how to get her foot in the door doing what I do, because she is more likely to get an RN job with hospital experience. Hospital experience in priceless in my opinion. I would totally go for what they are offering you! And when you get placed at a hosp, any additional traning they want to offer, DO IT!! I have learned to draw blood and do EKG's. They don't even train you to draw blood in nursing school!

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I agree I would go for it. Work in a hospital get your foot in the door for when you become an RN. The only thing I would be worried about is the hours for this new job while in nursing school. This job may even pay for you to go to nursing school if you don't have financial aid. Good luck

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

I would totally jump on that! You're very lucky to have this opportunity. I finished my CNA and have a hard time finding any job, let alone hospitals because they don't hire people without direct experience. 6 months will fly by in no time.

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Thanks.. they will work around my school schedule as long I stay at or below 25 hrs a week which is fine, but I guess I just concerned if it will be high stress? Nursing school itself is stressful, last thing I need is a high stress job.

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Being a CNA isn't always easy. I work as a Patient care tech on telemetry at hospital. You have your great days, your good days and the not so good days. But it is what you make of it. I LOVE helping others. You will see me walking down the hall all smiles with a bedpan in hand.

Like i said before I'm in hosp, so a LTC facility would be somewhat different but you will be amazed at what just a smile or two extra minutes of your time can do for a patient. You really have to love people and be able to deal with MANY types of personalities. You have to make sure you can handle death as well.

Yes the job will be challenging at times, but I dont consider it to be stressful cause I enjoy it. I do get overwhelmed at times but I take a step back, organize my thoughts, make a mental priority list and I am ok.

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Thank you so much! You're probably the coworker anyone could ask for! I love helping people as well and I am an all around people person, it's just I've heard really bad experiences from other CNA's but hey like you said..it's all of what you make of it

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Specializes in Long term care.

Just make sure that the hours that you will be required to work fits in with your school schedule. If your school schedule changes with each new semester, make sure you get an agreement with the hospital employer that they will work with you on this.

Sounds like they may work with you since most places don't offer this training (especially hospitals) unless there is a big demand for CNA's...and I'm gonna guess that if there is a demand for CNA's, there is also a demand for nurses.

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I left my job to do CNA for the experience. Alot of people I know have choosen to go CNA-RN as well.

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