Why aren't CNAs/PCTs qualified for Unit Clerk/Medical office jobs?

[jss1985, ASN, RN]

I've been trying to assist my wife in getting a job in healthcare that is not as hands-on. Something like Unit Clerk, Patient Registrar, Medical Secretary, or even anything medical office related. My wife has been a CNA for nearly 15 years. A good chunk of those 15 years was spent working at a big-time city hospital where she received 3 awards for her service.

She applies for CNA work, no problem, people call her back and interview her (mostly agencies, sometimes a clinic or two, but hey). But when it comes to anything clerical/secretarial related in healthcare (i.e. unit clerk), forget about it. Not even an interview.

Before you say it's a resume problem, we checked that out already. We paid a professional resume writer to give it a makeover and tailor it for those kind of jobs: Unit clerk, registrar, etc. The resume is top notch.

Here's the thing...

I've looked at plenty of ads for these and my wife has showed me the ones she applied to. They will typically ask for:

1) Medical terminology knowledge

2) High School Diploma or GED

3) Experience in a healthcare setting (some will also require "clerical" or "medical office" experience, but not all of them)

4) Basic computer skills

Being a CNA in a hospital, that pretty much covers all of the above. It just boggles my mind. I don't get it.

If you were doing the hiring, why would you NOT consider a CNA to be your Unit Clerk? Is it really THAT much out of left field? I mean sheesh, at the hospital I work at, they hired a Unit Clerk with ZERO medical field experience, his previous job was working at Best Buy!

CNA may not primarily involve "clerical" duties, but clerical duties ARE involved in some ways. For instance, anything to do with filing important papers away in patient's charts, having to do clothing/property sheets for new admissions, as well as answering phones. CNA also deals with computers a lot too (flow charting, anyone?).

Does anyone have any insight into this puzzling phenomenon? Is it just one of those "not what you know but who you know" things?

[jss1985, ASN, RN]

Anyone? There must be a unit clerk/medical office worker here or maybe a RN who used to have a job like that. Doesn't anyone have any insight into this?

[AJJKRN]

Two reasons...

Absolutely who you know...

Degree inflation...

Better off getting a job as a CNA and then trying to transfer to a UA job as an internal transfer.

[jss1985, ASN, RN]

Two reasons...

Absolutely who you know...

Degree inflation...

Better off getting a job as a CNA and then trying to transfer to a UA job as an internal transfer.

That makes sense. Well in my wife's case, if she doesn't have a degree and theres no UA openings where she works, what other option does she have? Volunteer in medical office?

[Extra Pickles]

What AJJ means by Degree Inflation is there are many people who have higher degrees who are applying for the same jobs as your wife. She means that even basic clerical jobs that traditionally only required a high school diploma now have applicants who hold college degrees and need work, so they take anything. What used to be a luxury is now a necessity. And that would leave someone like your wife who might otherwise be a good candidate but who does NOT have a degree let alone multiple degrees without a shot.

I'm not sure what to tell you, except that if she's determined to go into clerical/administrative work she might want to consider some courses at the local community college, at least it could be included on her resume as "working toward A.S. in Business" (or whatever). Good luck.

[mindofmidwifery, ADN]

I think some places really take "clerical work" seriously. I worked as a unit clerk in a local, busy ER and I think I was hired as one because even though I was a CNA prior, I once worked as a call center lead and also worked as a prior authorization representative which showed my capabilities of working in an "office" environment and being in front of a computer all day. CNAs are on their feet all day moving, it's like day and night even though you're working on the same unit.