working as a cna while in school-flexible hours?

ILClaire · Apr 30, 2008

Definitely! Definitely and Definitely!

Cna's can work VERY flexible hours...alot of hospitals or LTC facilities will hire you "PRN" which is basically on call...so you can set your own schedule, and work when you want or can work. I have been a CNA now for 9 years, and honestly, every new nurse that we hire that I meet always tells me (as I am getting ready to go into nursing school), that experience makes SUCH a big difference!

Check out the Nursing forums and read the new graduate section. Just because you get your BSN, doesn't mean you'll get hired right out of nursing school...and getting experience can only help you! I've heard some CNA's depending on where you live having a hard time starting out in hospitals...but LTC always hires new CNA's. Here in Rockford, IL they hire CNA's at the hospitals right out of certification....the best thing you can do is CALL the HR departments. From my experience, hospital HR departments are MUCH friendlier, and much more likely to give out information about their hiring processes.

Good luck to you...and from what new RN's have told me...you can NEVER have enough experience!

sunshine85 · Apr 30, 2008

Thank you for your reply-I had no idea that one could work on call with so much flexibility. Something like that would be great, so I'm going to check into the local hospitals around me. (there are lots).

I'm really anxious to get some experience, and I do think it will really benefit me when I get my RN.

caliotter3 · Apr 30, 2008

When I was in school, I worked as a CNA and as an LVN in a LTC facility on night shift. I was able to arrange my days off to coincide with my school schedule up to the point where a co-worker started playing politics. You need to talk about this with the person who hires you and make sure everyone is in agreement. Should circumstances change, like in my case, there are plenty of other opportunities for CNAs out there so that you could switch jobs to better accommodate your scheduling needs.

BreatheFree · May 2, 2008

I have a question. So if you get a job prn, can you tell them no if they call you to work and you can't work that day? I am not sure how it works.

FutureNurse23 · May 7, 2008

I hope to work prn soon. From what I got from the recruiter is weekly you tell them what hours you want to work and what days. Its not really a on call situation. Its more like if they have hours available they will call you and then you tell them what days and hours you want to work. The system is to accomadate your needs. Also alot of times PRN positions are supplement. This means you will not get benefits. Also its places where you can work 2 12hr shifts on the weekend and 1 8hr shift during the week to get fulltime benefits will going to school.

BreatheFree · May 7, 2008

Thanks for the response. I won't be able to get my CNA until next summer but I have been thinking about applying for a unit clerk position to work prn.

Gabby_101, BSN · May 11, 2008

i go to school full time. every semester i give the lady that does our schedules my class list of days and times and she schedules me around it. sometimes i work days if i have class in the evening. or evenings if i have class during the day. some days i have class all day so i don't work at all. i work 6 days a pay period, that is 3 days a week and an still maintaining a 3.5 gpa. the nurses are also tons of help on homework. just let the people that you are going to work for know ahead of time what is going on and what your schedule is. they love to have student nurses wokring for them. good luck!!!