Should an RN accept CNA/PCT job for now

brianca44 · Sep 2, 2009

I'D say yes, there is no jobs outhere, If you have the opportunity to get a job get it. In the future when you apply for RN, that will be your experience, they will see that you really wanted to work no matter what, I know it must be hard to be RN and have to work as CNA, but better then sitting home.

Boog'sCRRN246, RN · Sep 2, 2009

You can work as a CNA/PCT but if something adverse were to happen you will be held to the standard of a RN.

OC_An Khe · Sep 2, 2009

NO no no. It can potentially be detrimental to your future nursing career as well as what the above poster mentioned re standards and liability.Unless of course you are really really really desperate for money.

tclema · Sep 2, 2009

Wow, that is a difficult decision. Either way, a Recruiter might look at your resume favourably, because you have worked instead of sitting at home, or, is this RN so bad, that he/she can't even get a job?

Can you not move to an area where New Grad Nurses get hired to get your first job, at least for a few years to get experience?

againmlg · Sep 2, 2009

I know someone who got her license last December and is doing CNA work while looking for an RN position. After graduation she spent 6 months applying for jobs but after living without a paycheck and staying home for so long she accepted a hospital based CNA position.

tuttle13 · Sep 2, 2009

Can you even work as a CNA? Where I live, you cannot work as a CNA once you are a GN, and forget about it once you have your RN license. I know many people who had to give up their CNAs jobs even though they still have not found a RN job because they are not allowed to work at a lower level then they are qualified for. Now those people are waiting tables because they still don't have a RN job. What gives?

Ms. Nurse Assistant, LPN · Sep 2, 2009

No. I'd feel disrespected. All that hard work you put into nursing school, and they employ you as a CNA. That is the ultimately low.

RNperdiem, RN · Sep 2, 2009

If the CNA job gives you an opportunity to make contacts who could be useful in securing an RN job, then consider it.

katkonk, BSN, RN · Sep 2, 2009

I do not believe that you should work as a CNA. Now that it is flu shot season, accept one of those per diem jobs going around giving flu shots at drug stores. Ask your neighborhood grocery stores who to contact re: contractors that give flu shots. Check with your city's health and human services to see if they need more

nurses for vaccinations. Look online under flu shot nurses on monster and careerbuilder. Ask at a local hospital to get into a staffing pool for med/surg to start out with (they should provide you with training to be in their pool). This will provide some experience on your resume toward getting your first full time RN position. If you can, take a travel assignment to someplace that will accept new grads as travelers (i.e. to work in med/surg in a high need area for the snowbird season). Good luck. Any experience as a nurse will count....experience as a CNA will not help you at all in furthering your career. It also sends a bad message to employers that there are RN's out there that are desperate for jobs, and the salaries will begin falling shortly thereafter.

island40 · Sep 2, 2009

Any place that would hire an RN to work as a CNA is a BAD place to work!!!

LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN · Sep 2, 2009

I have had several coworkers who graduated and were unable to find the new grad jobs, and then contiuned to work as a CNA. One worked for almost a year untill he applied out of state, however my employer while they said no more new grads did have the grads trained in ACLS and PALS.