To get my foot in the medical door... CNA?

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Hello to all. I'm actually a beginning Respiratory Care student that switched from Computer Information Systems to a BS in RC after nearly three years in college. I currently work a midnight shift at an aluminum extrusions company and would like to get the heck out of there and into something medical and that could help me with my current journey of becoming a respiratory therapist. If I am right, I don't need a degree to beome a CNA correct? Just need to pass certification tests? Can I do this with self study? Or do I need to take actual classes? Finally, is this a good idea or am just shooting spit into the wind? Thanks for taking the time to read this post and BTW even though I'm not a nurse I love reading your guys' (and ladies :-) ) posts...Ha I check this website daily just to read

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hi Jon, i actually have been thinking the same thing. i am trying so hard to get out of part-time restaurant......its hard cause the money is good and the hours are real flexible.

i have been job searching and have seen openings in healthcare facilities needing cna's.

here's what i have found so far....

go to your state homepage, find licencing/certifications and somewhere you should be able to find what the guildlines are. in my state you need to take classes from certain, accepted orgs. sometimes you can find free classes at high schools, but they take long, like 6 months. also, sometimes healthcare facilities will offer low-fee clases, but require you to work for them, at least for a specific amount of time.

i found The American Red Cross here, and hopefully i start July 11th and it runs until Aug 17th...for 750.00 :uhoh3: and then of course the $$ for testing, and i am sure more fees will pop up somewhere.

I hope that helps, good luck!

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Hi,

I was a Cena(thats how we say it in Michigan for about 10 years before I became a nurse. It is a very good way to get you foot in the door. I know I learned alot over the years that helped me with nursing school.

In Michigan, our cena classes are two weeks or 80 hours, then we take the state test. We can work for about 2 months before we have to take our tests, I think.

In our state,Community Colleges offer the class for about $350 (someone correct me if I am wrong). Also some Longterm care facilities will offer the program and pay you while you are learning. Some facilities will pay for your state test.

It is a certification course. I hope I was helpful.

:nurse:

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nice to meet you ladies too. I'll have to look into the classes at red cross but ouch....750 is a bit of chunk change... :/ my state page doesn't have much but i live on the border of ohio and PA so either is a option. I'll have to look at PA's rules and classes available. and yeah where I work I make decent money and fully paid medical benifits so it's tough to change jobs but i what good is working at an aluminum factory going to do for a future medical carrer? Pretty much nothing :/

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yeah, i agree about the experience.

i also found 3 community colleges in the area that offer classes, and the $$ is the same, and the drive is about an hour.......i have been trying to cut back driving around so much with the gas prices.

i am going today to the red cross and see what they have to say.

good luck to you.

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I recently completed the Red Cross CNA program in Florida. It was a great

experience, the instructors were awesome and I received my certification 2 weeks ago. I really thought I'd be able to get a job right away (part-time until I'm ready to let go of my day job) but the problem is most places want

some type of experience. I too decided on a career change later in life but I didn't think it would be this hard to get started in the nursing field.:uhoh3:

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Its a good foot in. If anything check out the job openings at area hospitals and see whats open that you don't need to take a class for or something with on the job training. The pay might not be that great, but you won't have to spend your money and time doing the CNA training. Good luck to you!

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welp, i did it. signed up yesterday. july 10 - aug 17 3 nights a week then clinicals. they seem very nice, experienced, and its a small class, 10 people.

yikes! i sure hope i dont run into problems finding a job. i have seen so many in the paper around here...not just as a cna, but require it as experience. ?.

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Good luck on those classes

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Specializes in Level III cardiac/telemetry.
welp, i did it. signed up yesterday. july 10 - aug 17 3 nights a week then clinicals. they seem very nice, experienced, and its a small class, 10 people.

yikes! i sure hope i dont run into problems finding a job. i have seen so many in the paper around here...not just as a cna, but require it as experience. ?.

I've been told that a lot of times the easiest way to get on is to try to get hired where you do your clinicals. When I got my phlebotomy certification last year they asked me every week if I was sure I didn't want to work there! Other CNAs have told me they were offered jobs at the hospitals and/or nursing homes where they did clinicals. Good luck!

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Thanks eveyone for the advice... I'm looking into a few local hospitals and such since that's were I would like to get a job at. Got an uncle who is doctor at a local hospital so maybe he can pull a few strings for me ;)

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Specializes in Level III cardiac/telemetry.
Thanks eveyone for the advice... I'm looking into a few local hospitals and such since that's were I would like to get a job at. Got an uncle who is doctor at a local hospital so maybe he can pull a few strings for me ;)

They do say it's not what you know, but WHO you know!

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