I need help and advice! My nursing class was recently told by our program director the day that she had a meeting with hospital big wigs in our metro area that she asked them what the job outlook will be for this year's graduating class, our class, and the class that is coming in. What she told us didn't surprise me at all but the aftermath has been frustrating to say the very least. She informed us that if we had any intention of working in a hospital in the metro area after graduation then we needed to get a job as a CNA or student nurse tech in a hospital asap. So I went home that night and started applying and applying and applying for any and all nurse tech jobs at all hospitals in our area. To this day (she told us this back in April) I have probably put in almost 100 applications. My best friend, who is also in the program with me, started applying the same night I did, got a call less than a week later from a local hospital asking her to come in for an interview and then less than another week after that she got the call saying they wanted to offer her the job. I applied for the same job and heard nothing. I am so incredibly happy for her! But, yes I have also told her this, I am a little envious of her in the fact that this hospital is so close to my apartment and is a great facility to work for! She lives 45 minutes away and seems to complain about everything there. She even says that she wouldn't send her worst enemy there to die! I told her "Be grateful you have a job IN a hospital!!" after hearing that!
I've gotten 1 phone call, yes you read that right ONE phone call for an interview at a hospital that I've always said I wanted to work at after I become a licensed nurse. I was so excited! And even more excited because it was on the ICU step-down unit! Right up my alley! I prepared my resume, skills checklist, letter of recommendation from my health assessment lab instructor who was also my clinical instructor first semester in the program, and spent hours picking out an outfit that I felt was professional. I arrived for my interview 15 minutes early, was fully prepared for any and all questions, I even did research on this hospital about awards they had received, their ranking as one of the best hospitals for many specialties in the region, and knew the date they were awarded magnet status! I was even more excited when after my interview with the HR specialist was complete that she asked me if I could stay and interview with the nurse manager! I was ecstatic but didn't do my normal happy dance that I like to do when I get exciting news! I went upstairs had a fabulous interview with the nurse manager, she even told me that she thought I did wonderful in answering all of her questions, and then she asked me if I could stay to do a group interview with a few of her nurses! Even more exciting news! So I stayed, answered any and all questions they had, received a full tour of the floor and went home with high hopes. To this day I still have not received a rejection letter, email or anything saying sorry but we have chosen someone else. That has really deflated my spirits!
I'm a licensed CNA in both Kansas and Missouri, I've successfully completed all of my fundamentals skills tests for the nursing program, have a amazing letter of recommendation that raves about my attentiveness to patients, patience with those who test our limits, my quick head to toe assessment skills and about the time that I can successfully complete it in. My resume has been reviewed and edited by my fiancee, who is the king at those types of things but yet I can't get anything but an email saying well Thanks but no thanks! What else can I do? I know I have to just keep trying because there IS something out there for me but where it is right now I just don't know. I'm getting ready to take the Kansas medication aide test since I finished Pharmacology in May and I'm wondering could this help me? I thought that being a licensed CNA in 2 states was great! Guess not. Any and all words of advice would be appreciated!
just keep trying. i applied for over 15 positions in december, and no one called me until february.
at the end of january i was getting frustrated so one day i actually drove to the hospital and introduced myself to the manager of the floor i had clinicals on once. she called me back a week later. maybe try that? i've been working at the hospital since march and i've learned that the managers LOVE that kind of assertiveness in their employees.
Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, Flight.
I need help and advice! My nursing class was recently told by our program director the day that she had a meeting with hospital big wigs in our metro area that she asked them what the job outlook will be for this year's graduating class, our class, and the class that is coming in. What she told us didn't surprise me at all but the aftermath has been frustrating to say the very least. She informed us that if we had any intention of working in a hospital in the metro area after graduation then we needed to get a job as a CNA or student nurse tech in a hospital asap. So I went home that night and started applying and applying and applying for any and all nurse tech jobs at all hospitals in our area. To this day (she told us this back in April) I have probably put in almost 100 applications. My best friend, who is also in the program with me, started applying the same night I did, got a call less than a week later from a local hospital asking her to come in for an interview and then less than another week after that she got the call saying they wanted to offer her the job. I applied for the same job and heard nothing. I am so incredibly happy for her! But, yes I have also told her this, I am a little envious of her in the fact that this hospital is so close to my apartment and is a great facility to work for! She lives 45 minutes away and seems to complain about everything there. She even says that she wouldn't send her worst enemy there to die! I told her "Be grateful you have a job IN a hospital!!" after hearing that!
I've gotten 1 phone call, yes you read that right ONE phone call for an interview at a hospital that I've always said I wanted to work at after I become a licensed nurse. I was so excited! And even more excited because it was on the ICU step-down unit! Right up my alley! I prepared my resume, skills checklist, letter of recommendation from my health assessment lab instructor who was also my clinical instructor first semester in the program, and spent hours picking out an outfit that I felt was professional. I arrived for my interview 15 minutes early, was fully prepared for any and all questions, I even did research on this hospital about awards they had received, their ranking as one of the best hospitals for many specialties in the region, and knew the date they were awarded magnet status! I was even more excited when after my interview with the HR specialist was complete that she asked me if I could stay and interview with the nurse manager! I was ecstatic but didn't do my normal happy dance that I like to do when I get exciting news! I went upstairs had a fabulous interview with the nurse manager, she even told me that she thought I did wonderful in answering all of her questions, and then she asked me if I could stay to do a group interview with a few of her nurses! Even more exciting news! So I stayed, answered any and all questions they had, received a full tour of the floor and went home with high hopes. To this day I still have not received a rejection letter, email or anything saying sorry but we have chosen someone else. That has really deflated my spirits!
I'm a licensed CNA in both Kansas and Missouri, I've successfully completed all of my fundamentals skills tests for the nursing program, have a amazing letter of recommendation that raves about my attentiveness to patients, patience with those who test our limits, my quick head to toe assessment skills and about the time that I can successfully complete it in. My resume has been reviewed and edited by my fiancee, who is the king at those types of things but yet I can't get anything but an email saying well Thanks but no thanks! What else can I do? I know I have to just keep trying because there IS something out there for me but where it is right now I just don't know. I'm getting ready to take the Kansas medication aide test since I finished Pharmacology in May and I'm wondering could this help me? I thought that being a licensed CNA in 2 states was great! Guess not. Any and all words of advice would be appreciated!
welcome to my life. Ive been trying to get a job as an ER tech and for like 1.5 years and cant get diddly. Im an IL/FL license EMT-B, im cert in ekg/phlebotomy, cpr, & im currently a vol. EMT , and i did a field internship last summer and I 3 years of nursing school/clinicals under my belt. So im experienced, not just some person whos like oooooooooooooooh er must be fun... you know? I found out that that this girl who is dumber than a sack of hammers got an er tech job & shes failed the state exam 3 times... but they only req. u to either have emt or complete 1 sem. of nursing school (which she has)...like seriously ...talk about slap in the face.
the same exact thing is happening to me. i'm a 4th semester ADN student who will be graduating this winter. during 1st semester, we were strongly encouraged NOT to work (or to work very minimally). but come 3rd semester, the teachers changed their tune and were suddenly asking, "you don't work in a hospital? you don't have any tech experience?!? oh my gosh, why not?!?"
umm...because you told us not to work, remember?
this past spring, my instructor said that i will have a helluva time landing an RN job without prior hospital experience, since most institutions are doing minimal hiring or hiring from within.
so, over the past 4 months, i've applied for about 70 CNA/PCT positions and have gotten nothing but rejection emails. i was able to snag an interview at a local hospital and had two rounds of meetings with HR, the floor mgr. and team members. i thought everything went well, but then...nothing. i've tried calling and emailing, but my messages have gone unanswered. i found out a week later by checking their website that the position had been "filled by another applicant." talk about disheartening.
i'm really mad at myself for not taking the CNA test last year after getting some bad advice from a 1st semester teacher. get this: she told our class that we didn't need to get our CNA license, since most of the hospitals in our area will hire nursing students without being certified.
lololol. good one.
i realize now that my window of opportunity to be a CNA has past and that not many hospitals are going to want to train me now knowing i'll be heading for RN-land in 6 months. i've pretty much given up on the CNA job hunt at this point.
so when are you graduating? that might be a factor.
but regardless, don't get down on yourself. this job market is *horrible* for so many people...CNAs in particular. unfortunately, unless you know someone in a hospital who can get you in or you have experience working in that hospital, your chances of getting call-backs aren't very good. try hitting up your hospital-working friends to literally dangle your resume in front of their manager's nose. seriously, use all the contacts you can to network. or apply at the hospitals where you've had clinicals...they may be more receptive to hire you knowing that you've done rotations there.
the good news is that despite the warnings, i see *so* many more hospital job postings for RNs than for CNAs...maybe it won't be so bad.
oh, and i totally know what you mean about CNAs who complain about their job. i'd be happy to trade them for my unemployed status right about now.
ya ive applied for 1million and one positions myself. i almost thought ab. taking the cna exam and i was like eff it bc ill be an RN in 6months and they probably wont hire me anyways =|
I recently got an aide position in a hospital where I did a clinical rotation. Before the rotation was over I asked one of the shift managers what was open on the floor and was told what to apply for and they pushed it through. It helps to know people. Try that?
She informed us that if we had any intention of working in a hospital in the metro area after graduation then we needed to get a job as a CNA or student nurse tech in a hospital asap. So I went home that night and started applying and applying and applying for any and all nurse tech jobs at all hospitals in our area. To this day (she told us this back in April) I have probably put in almost 100 applications. My best friend, who is also in the program with me, started applying the same night I did, got a call less than a week later from a local hospital asking her to come in for an interview and then less than another week after that she got the call saying they wanted to offer her the job. I applied for the same job and heard nothing. I am so incredibly happy for her! But, yes I have also told her this, I am a little envious of her in the fact that this hospital is so close to my apartment and is a great facility to work for! She lives 45 minutes away and seems to complain about everything there. She even says that she wouldn't send her worst enemy there to die! I told her "Be grateful you have a job IN a hospital!!" after hearing that!
I went upstairs had a fabulous interview with the nurse manager, she even told me that she thought I did wonderful in answering all of her questions, and then she asked me if I could stay to do a group interview with a few of her nurses! Even more exciting news! So I stayed, answered any and all questions they had, received a full tour of the floor and went home with high hopes. To this day I still have not received a rejection letter, email or anything saying sorry but we have chosen someone else. That has really deflated my spirits! 
you know? I found out that that this girl who is dumber than a sack of hammers got an er tech job & shes failed the state exam 3 times... but they only req. u to either have emt or complete 1 sem. of nursing school (which she has)...like seriously ...talk about slap in the face.
i almost thought ab. taking the cna exam and i was like eff it bc ill be an RN in 6months and they probably wont hire me anyways =|
meltnpointofwax
189 Posts
just keep trying. i applied for over 15 positions in december, and no one called me until february.
at the end of january i was getting frustrated so one day i actually drove to the hospital and introduced myself to the manager of the floor i had clinicals on once. she called me back a week later. maybe try that? i've been working at the hospital since march and i've learned that the managers LOVE that kind of assertiveness in their employees.
good luck:redbeathe