What else can you do with a CNA Certification?

casi, ASN, RN · Sep 13, 2007

A CNA can't be a CMA unless they go through an MA program. They are two completely diffrent areas of health care.

I've seen CNA ads for doctors offices where CNAs room patients and take vital signs. CNAs are also often hired in home health care, but most places want experience for that.

I know that at least in my area jobs with children/babies as a CNA are hard to come by. The largest age group recieving health care services are 60+.

Have you looked at some of the school district websites. CNA training may give you a boost at getting a teaching assistant job or some hire CNAs to provide ADLs to their special ed kids.

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Sep 13, 2007

Definitely check with your local school district regarding school clinic jobs. In my area, I'm starting to see CNA's hired there as clinic assistants more and more commonly.

kless · Sep 14, 2007

Thank you guys for answering. I will definitely look into school districts and such. I asked my instructor today about assisted living, she said it's competitive also, because I'll need a medication license.

bethin · Sep 14, 2007

Where else can you work? I know a cna can get hired at a nursing home, hospital and ect. But can they work in doctors offices? Like I know medical assistants usually do that type of work, but can cna's work in intimate settings as well? For some reason I do not want to do long term care and I know a hospital job would be hard to come by with no experience, plus my instructor discouraged us from going that route too soon because she says the work is too gruesome. I would absolutely love to work with children/babies, but not necessarily the elderly. Everything that I want is in a hospital setting, but I'm wondering can CNA do the same work as MAs? Provided that they have a phlebotomy cert?

CNA's cannot work in dr's offices unless you become a MA. You could do home health, private duty, hospital, agency, or ltc. I don't think there are any other options.

I work in a hospital and I thought ltc was more gruesome than a hospital. If you like working with children, try applying. I had zilch experience when I got my job in med surg. I had been an aide for just a few months. It's not complicated work, and you learn something new everyday. The least you could do for yourself is give it a try. Don't listen to those who discourage. Do what you want. Good luck.

casi, ASN, RN · Sep 14, 2007

Thank you guys for answering. I will definitely look into school districts and such. I asked my instructor today about assisted living, she said it's competitive also, because I'll need a medication license.

Depending on where you live, that's not true. A good chunk of the aides I worked with in Assisted Living weren't even CNAs. Facility trained us all in giving medications.

The only reason I wouldn't suggest Assisted Living to start out with is that you have a lot more responsibility on your shoulders. In LTC you can report anything that makes you got "errrmmm..." to a nurse. Assisted Livings aren't staffed 24/7 with a nurse so sometimes you have to act quickly on the things that you are concerned about.

What about applying to LTCs with sub-acute or transitional care units. They'll probably give you a different type of patient then the traditional LTC patient.

kless · Sep 17, 2007

Well to be 100% with you guys, I really don't want to do "housecleaning". Why are CNAs responsible for cleaning? I mean ok we take care of patients but can't housekeeping be the ones changing the bedsheets and cleaning bathrooms or the mess the patients make? I just don't think that's fair. Everything befalls a CNA, it's really annoying...I would still try the hospital route and see what happens. I'm already getting discouraged with this field because I started clinical and walked into the worst adult daycare center I've ever been in. It was sad, the nurses were rude and sucked their teeth at us, the residents were walking around with urine in their pants and sleeping in the hallways. The showers smelled like urine. I mean I felt so sad for those residents, I swore I will never put someone that I loved into a nursing home. In fact I ought to warn others from doing so. Some of these LTCs are cruel! I can't wait to get this clinical over with!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2007

Why are CNAs responsible for cleaning? I mean ok we take care of patients but can't housekeeping be the ones changing the bedsheets and cleaning bathrooms or the mess the patients make?

It is cheaper and more cost-effective to get the CNA to perform basic care on patients and clean at the same time, rather than paying a housekeeper to assume the cleaning duties. Management looks for ways to cut costs, and using CNAs to clean up is a way of slashing costs for the facility.