Starting First Hospital CNA Job

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I'm a nursing student who'll be starting upper division next fall, and I've landed my first CNA hospital job. I'm incredibly excited to begin! I'm a per-diem who'll be rotating through a number of floors. It's also my first job in healthcare, and my CNA course seemed geared towards an LTC environment. In fact, all clinicals were at LTC facilities. While I feel prepared and ready to learn a ton, I'm naturally a little intimidated too!

Anyone been in my shoes and care to share things they found helpful to review/refresh?

Thanks!

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

so they got you floating to different floors without experience? that's cool because you'll get to meet lots of people and have a better chance of landing an RN position once you graduate. Good luck~!

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My first cna job was in a nursing home. I got some general pt care experience there that I definitely do not regret. From there, I went to the hospital. I was hired on IMU and we had a 4-bed progressive care unit. All our pts were on telemetry. LTC work and hospital work are two totally different worlds. In a nursing home those pts rely on you to take care of them....majority of them anyway. In a hospital, your pt acuity is gonna vary. You learn a lot but the work can be very demanding. Especially if the hospital is understaffed. Although I was hired on a specific floor, I was pulled all throughout the hospital. I learned a lot while I was a CNA on the floor. While waiting for acceptance into nursing school (bc I was done with pre reqs) I got my EMT-IV license and transferred down to the emergency room. I love it! Ive definitely found my passion in healthcare.

Just remember to be open to all the possibilities that nursing has to offer!

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Specializes in inerested in school nursing, peds, OR.

I was in your shoes when I got my first PCA (CNA) job. Straight out of my CNA class, and a pre-nursing student. All of my clinicals were at nursing homes as well. My first job was at a hospital on med/surg and honestly it wasn't much different. I liked the hospital atmosphere much more than a nursing home,

But as far as skills go I used the same in each place. I learned so much from that job though. Good luck and don't be nervous. I have found that having confidence in yourself in the health care world helps you out a ton.

And be able to float sounds exciting!

:)

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It sounds like a great first job for you. Hoping for all the best for you

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I am a pre nursing student and im pd and float...so ill go to every floor as well :) im almost a month into my position and i love it. When you let the staff your working with know that you are in nursing...they love that. They will want to teach you new things that they teach nurse techa or nurse graduates. I am very happy for how much i am learning from the different units and staff! I thought i was going to like a specific hnit...but i was wrong...i ended up falling in love with the MICU :D im thinking about being an icu nurse!!! I hope you enjoy it...i do!!! :)

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