TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Hi all...I don't know if anyone else has experienced this frustration, but for some reason I am having trouble getting hired for a job to gain HCE. I have my CNA certification and recently graduated college, but everywhere local to me wants experienced CNAs, and for the most part there really aren't many openings. I cannot take an EMT course, phlebotomy, MA or the like anytime soon as it is not being offered until the fall semester, and I am applying this cycle. Starting in the fall I will be taking Orgo at a local university, so it makes it even more difficult to go full time for something like medical assisting, surgical tech, etc. Any thoughts on what to do until that point? It goes without saying that I need a job, and I feel like it is pointless to work in something completely unrelated until I can get hired somewhere as a CNA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbalaban Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Have you tried home health? What about maybe dialysis centers? I'm guessing by your name you are in NC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 yea..most schools don't really accept home health, but I guess it is always backup until something better comes along. I have tried dialysis centers with no luck. Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbalaban Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Schools won't accept home health or visiting nurse as experience? That makes no sense to me. I thought the idea behind the experience was the interaction between you and the pt. How does home health not do that? And yet shadowing is somehow good experience or something? That's strange. What about trying to find someone to shadow and maybe doing some lobbying while you are there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 I know..it doesn't make much sense to me either but that is what I have come across. I guess they figure because its more of helping with daily living activities versus "medical care" like vitals and whatnot. I am shadowng, and will continue to do that to build hours, just hoping something becomes available soon. Thanks for the input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbalaban Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Hmm, that's so strange. What schools are you looking at applying to? Wonder if you'd be able to get the schools to open up to it by explaining it was more than just sitting there holding their hands and feeding them. Highlight things like V/S or assisting with rx's? Sorry, just trying to be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 No need to apologize it is pretty helpful! I am applying to a lot of NC schools. Either home health isnt considered as valuable as others or not accepted. But if home health becomes available before a hospital job it would have to be better than no hce! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahChil Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Private message me, I might have a solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 SarahChil...I PMed you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKR007 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Hey--What if you talk to some PA's/MD's you've shadowed and see if they know any nurse managers or something on a floor of the hospital they work in, and see if they could hire you as an aide for the floor? i did this work for a year and the only way I got an interview was through knowing people, even though the floor was actively looking for people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 Hi! I could try that...not sure how well that would work because the place where I shadow is group of hospitals and offices, and I have previously been passed over there, so I don't know how well that would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpulayya Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Tarheel, did you try nursing homes? I know they are always hiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 I have applied to a few without any luck so far..not sure what gives! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KangaRu Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Idk if you're area does this but I was worried about getting a job as a new CNA last year as well but look into nursing homes that offer CNA classes. Even though you already have your certification they usually seem a little better about new aides. Also some hospitals have aides. Another idea: my nursing home has an activities dept. One of the activity girls is an aide. She's mostly responsible for well activities for the residents but since she's certified she often helps us out by taking people to the bathroom, walking people, feeding, etc. You could see if any nursing homes are looking for activity coordinators or even feeding assistants. Also, have you tried hospice work? Hospice always sounded depressing to me but after I've taken care of them in a nursing home setting (all aides at my facility are required to take care of everyone, even if they're hospice. we don't have specific hospice aides) it really isn't that bad. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KangaRu Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Try calling and asking what would make you a stronger applicant and if they say experience ask where you could get some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 Thanks! The hospice here unfortunately requires at least 1 year experience as an NA. I have applied at some nursing homes but not all, so I will be doing that this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccouture Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Are there any free clinics in your area that you could volunteer at? I started doing that this summer and have learned so much! I even met a PA-student who was in a clinical rotation there & got to ask him a ton of questions. This will allow you to gain hours, experience, and may help you to get an interview at a nursing home or hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 No, we don't have any free clinics :( I live in a small town and there is not much opportunity wise. I could check cities within driving distance..thanks I had not thought about that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 I actually found one local that I didn't even know about! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccouture Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 That's awesome! Its also a great place to network as well. Other volunteers are likely to be Pre-PA students & they may have suggestions for you. Also, the healthcare professionals that work there might be willing to let you shadow them and/or suggest places for you to apply. Good luck :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 I am excited to get my foot in the door! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris_ Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 If you are still in the UNC area you could try looking for a clinical research position Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelGirlx3 Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Is that direct patient contact though? I do have research experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris_ Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Yes, the key is "clinical" research. Bench work is in no way patient contact. I do EKGs, take BPs, administer exercise stress tests, take vitals, explain medications and side effects, and record complete medical and social histories from patients. You'll learn a lot about evidence-based medicine and how to understand and apply medical literature to your practice. I've also been published a few times from my research. People on this forum like to bash research and say that research doesn't have a place in the PA profession but I 100% disagree- the lessons you learn from clinical research are extremely applicable to practicing medicine, especially in today's changing healthcare system. I have talked to a lot of programs in NC and they've all said that this counts as hands on patient care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nj10 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Yes, the key is "clinical" research. Bench work is in no way patient contact. I do EKGs, take BPs, administer exercise stress tests, take vitals, explain medications and side effects, and record complete medical and social histories from patients. You'll learn a lot about evidence-based medicine and how to understand and apply medical literature to your practice. I've also been published a few times from my research. People on this forum like to bash research and say that research doesn't have a place in the PA profession but I 100% disagree- the lessons you learn from clinical research are extremely applicable to practicing medicine, especially in today's changing healthcare system. I have talked to a lot of programs in NC and they've all said that this counts as hands on patient care. I agree completely. I worked as a clinical research coordinator before applying to PA school and thought it was fantastic patient experience. I probably averaged 5 hours a day working directly with patients doing the same type of tasks that kris_ described (I also learned how to draw blood and conduct pulmonary function tests since I was involved with respiratory studies). The other 3 hours or so was catching up on paperwork, processing lab work, reviewing medical records of prospective participants, etc. I got to know my patients really well because I followed them from the screening process through study completion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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