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Discussion

Working while in LPN school

I am so confused and starting to worry a little. I talked to SO many CNAs before I undertook this training program at my local college and I passed my boards in November of 2009. All of these CNAs told me how quickly they got work after they were certified and I have been looking for almost a year now. I'm sure the market is flooded with them but I really did think there would be plenty of jobs out there. Am I wrong? Am I marketing myself incorrectly? I just want to work and serve others to the best of my ability.

I just had an interview at a LTC facility and on my callback they told me I wasn't going to be hired cause "there was some concern that I was having trouble breathing during the interview"; to me that says discrimination but what can I do about it. I have asthma from working in the coal mines as a kid but they didn't know that. I'm a bigger guy cause for the last 15 years I worked in the IT industry and just sailed a desk the whole time. Once I get to working again and moving around I'll be back in shape in no time flat.

Another thing I would like some clarity about is it really seems like being a nursing student means "no way are we gonna hire you, go away". I literally had one hiring manager look me in the face and say "Well you can work here or go to school to be a nurse, pick one I don't have all day." My heart was broken into a million pieces and it's getting harder and harder to be turned down. Is trying to work while I'm in nursing school bad or something? I'm sure these places have got burned by a student a couple dozen times but I've got so many references that will attest to how hard working and dependable I am that it'd turn your hair white.

What do I do?

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    Hi Vince,

    Sorry about your troubles. I think it sounds discriminatory as well. You may want to look into it. If you were competent to get through your CNA training and get certified, there shouldn't be an issue with your health. Have you thought about having a doctor give you documentation of a passed physical? Not that it is any of an employer's business, but it's a thought. In my opinion, employers are just being picky now because they can be. With so many people looking for jobs, they finally have the luxury of really hiring who they think to be the cream of the crop. Whether that turns out to be true or not, is on them. One sector that always seems to be hiring and pays well (as well as or better than LTC, from my experience) is working with people with developmental disabilities. Your CNA will help you, but you may not be working as a "CNA". Some places will give you documentation to submit to keep your license current even though you are not working under that title. Again, just a thought.

    About working while you're in school: I am starting an LPN program in October, and it has pretty much been pounded into my head that working and going to school is a terrible idea. This isn't an issue for me, as I am not working before school and don't plan on working during it. I had my CPR class today, and a girl who was in it is going to school there and has to work too. She said she cries a lot... suffice it to say I am thanking my lucky stars I can just focus on school.

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    I wish you luck in your employment search as well as your schooling. If you are going into health care and you have neglected your own health (being overweight), employers may look at that as well. I am not judging you at all, it is hard to not fall into weight gain, I know because I too was in the same situation. I began much healthier lifestyle because I felt I could not educate my clients if I myself were not being responsible with my own health as well. I imagine employers would feel the same. How good of care can you give, if you can't take care of yourself? Would you trust a computer repairman that couldn't fix his own computer to fix yours? Just a thought.

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    I have to respond...what about nurses who have diabetes? Should they not be nurses because they have a disease?

    What about the OP's asthma, caused by exposure to coal dust...did he bring that on himself?

    You seem to think that obesity is something a person causes themselves, and at times eating habits can contribute to it, but other times it is an underlying condition or the result of medications.

    What about nurses with hearing loss, vision problems, bipolar, depression, recovering drug addicts. Should they not be nurses because they have these diseases? Or are you being so judgmental because a person can not HIDE their weight?

    Just a thought.

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