Is it worth my wife getting her CNA certificate?

[diabeticman]

My wife has a B.A. in Travel and Tourism. However here around the Pittsburgh area no one wanted to hire her without 5 years experience IN THE FIELD. They kept telling her go down south or out west and come back in 5 years they would love to hire her. (Keep in mind "Hotel experience" didn't count.)


Do to family obligations my wife needed to stay in this "Hell-hole" (her words for the town we are in now) So she started working in group homes and working with disable individuals. She has done A LOT in her 15 + years experience.

Bed baths

showering people

transferring people

feeding people

has some experience with feeding tubes and hoyer lifts.

Should she bother getting the certificate?

We searched info about CNA pay and it basically the same amount she is making now. We have to consider the cost of classes our current financial situation ETC.

We live in PA. Does she need to take classes? Would her years of experience basically be equal to training?


suggestions?

[boston bean]

1. I think in some states, not sure about PA, but you have to have a cert to work

in certain environments, unless you were grandfathered in.

[mucifer]

2. You have to be very careful about where to get the education.

People have gotten ripped off by expensive schools that don't have proper credentials and the graduates are totally screwed.

[diabeticman]

4. Another reason why she's debating about it as well.

[ismnotwasm]

3. I think so

In my state, once certified you can become a 'nurse technician'-- with a license that covers things like taking and recording blood sugars or removing IV's and Foley catheter's. (in a hospital setting) the laws that cover what she can and can't do vary from state to state, as well as from facility to facility. I think it's good to have the classes, they also teach you about scope of practice, mandatory reporting of abuse, patient safety, and safe lifting for instance.

[libodem]

7. You are correct on all counts

I taught CNA classes at our community college for about a year and a half. Lots of my students were headed to nursing school and it gave them 30 preference points towards being accepted.

I recommend the C.C. route rather than a pricey private school. There are some hidden costs. It was $750.00 for the 3 months of lecture and the hands on training. Students had to purchase a set of scrubs in the school color. Have all their shots verified and be updated. Buy the book and workbook. There is a written national test you pay for and a physical skills demonstration you have to pass. If you fail you have to pay to take it again. There are (gad I can't remember) like 3 weeks of unpaid clinical experience, you must complete. Quite a few people earn their CNA in high school. It is taught at about an 8 th grade level.

Nursing Assistants may only work without a licence for a few months before being required to be licenced in my state.

[mucifer]

5. I would try to contact the state board of regulations.

They should be able to tell you if the school is accredited. Of course a school could lose the accreditation.

[Lars39]

6. Sometimes teaching hospitals have very

affordable programs for training like what ismnotwasm was mentioning. They're not well known sometimes, so you may have to reaaly dig for the info.

[marzipanni]

8. I think your wife could find many older client/patients who need help at home.

Has she looked into home health care agencies? I'm not sure how well they pay, but I don't think some require a CNA, at least here in California.
Here's a description, and a list specifically for Pennsylvania-

http://www.carepathways.com/HC-state-PA.cfm

[diabeticman]

9. That is what she was doing now. Granted it isn't that much more BUT these agencies do pay 50 cents

to 2 dollars more for the certificate. My wife is doing the same job and is getting $9 as oppose to some with the CNA who may be getting 9.50 or even 10.50 and hour.

[rug]

10. DPW is heavily involved in group homes.

Check if there's a hiring freeze by the state. AFAIK, the tasks you describe do not require a CNA if you're hired.

http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/employment/index.htm

[MrMickeysMom]

11. Given the fact that certification still offers little above minimum wage in this area...

(UPMC, in particular), why doesn't she consider completing a course in medical assistant, which at least opens some opportunities out of the hospital or nursing facilities. While pulling a day job, she might consider taking some part-time courses. Not sure how close you live to community college or technical schools.

You have to piece meal it, but at least medical assistant doesn't wear your ass to the bone while you're looking for the next thing. Hang in there.