to CNA or not to CNA that is the question

So...I have finished my phlebotomy training, but it will be a while before I get my certification all ironed out with the state, and it could even longer before I'm able to nail down a job in that field, if at all.

The local college did not need me to teach any classes this term. They go to the faculty first, the graduate students next and *then* the part time pool by seniority, and between the low course offerings during winter and being the newest of the newbies, no luck for me.

I've still got my retirement home receptionist job, but that is only 19 hours per week, and at $10.50 an hour and no benefits, you do the math. No es bueno. Not getting by. So...

At the end of last week I saw that a caregiving facility I applied to almost a year ago for their in house CNA training program was starting a new training round at the end of January. I managed to get an application in the day after the announcement went out, and I put a lot of energy into my resume, references and cover letter, so I'm hoping I have a good chance there.

Secondly, I also put in an application to be a "medication technician" at a care facility across town from, but owned by the same company that I currently work for. The CEO at my current job found out pretty much immediately, asked me about it, and I explained the situation. It turns out they won't hire a non-CNA for meds passing, not really, but several days later he told me that I should apply to be a caregiver at yet another facility owned by the company. I put that application in tonight. It would be full time, so I would get benefits after 90 days. However, they do not have an in-house CNA program; I would not graduate to certified nursing assistant over time or have the job portability and pay raise that comes with it.

My inclination is that doing the CNA program at the un-related-to-my-current-job place may be the best opportunity long-term. I would have to find out pay rates, etc to be more confident in that statement, but even if I just stayed there 6 months, got my license, and then moved over to the hospital where they make twice as much, it would be totally worth it.

However, if I tell my current employer that I need more hours, they say, alright, here's an opportunity, and then I don't take it, that's a little awkward. Or what if it becomes a timing issue...what if my current employer says, okay, sure, let's start training you in the new job, and then *days* later I get word that I got into the on the job CNA training program?

I should call the on-the-job-CNA place tomorrow and ask if they have had a chance to review my application, and make sure there isn't any contract that mandates 1 year of FT work following training (as some places do), or anything like that. How can I carefully bring that one up, huh?

On-the-job-paid-CNA-training-thingy:
$8.70 per hour (lame)
3 months-ish to get CNA license
benefits, probably after 90 days
my friend who used to work there said the new company cut down on overtime possibilities
the last time I applied, when I met the teacher, I had a positive impression of her
After establishing my CNA license I could move somewhere that pays way more

Caregiver position with my current company
Pay unknown (maybe more than the other since I already have a history with the company?)
Benefits, but after 90 days
they are not set up to train someone who has little experience in caregiving, to my knowledge
No idea what hours they'd want me to work


When it comes down to it, I really don't need the CNA training if I'm going to be an RN in a couple of years anyway, but it might help me stay better afloat financially while in school...maybe....

Beginning the scholarship search process

As nursing programs go, the community college here is a very good deal. Only around 5k for the whole 2 year program (plus normal living expenses), versus more like 60k for those accelerated bachelor's programs that they offer in the bay area. But I still have to find a way to finance it.

I do still have some $ socked away in my retirement fund that I started in my early 20s, but I've already had to withdraw some from it this past year to get by and I'd rather leave it be.

I'm not eligible for federal financial aid or loans at the community college level because I have way, way, way too many units already. I looked at a private loan through my local credit union, and it appears their floor rate on an educational loan is 5%; not too bad, considering, but still I'd rather find another way. I don't think unless something big changes in my work situation, soon, that I'm going to be able to save enough cash up by the time I (hopefully) start nursing school in Fall 2012 to just front the money myself.

So in the mean time, I'm going to keep the private loan idea on the back burner, and look into a bunch of scholarships. There's also something called a board of governors fee waiver that may cover part of the cost for me since I'm low-income. I had to provide evidence to the school to change my state residency in order to be eligible for that at all (which I did today). Again, that's another thing I need to look into.

I got a photocopy of a list of websites to check on for scholarships and aid from the college financial aid office today. And I know there is another list specific just to nursing students on the nursing program's website. So I've got a good starting place. Here's hoping!!

P.S. I'm trying a new background theme for this blog. The tan with birds flying through it wasn't working for me anymore ;-)

Update on Job Status -- Receptionist Position

I still haven't heard anything back from the people I interviewed with recently for the receptionist position at the nursing home, but my current boss told me that they had called to ask about me. I guess that is a good sign. I get nervous thinking that they are calling around to that long list of previous employers I gave them. I think most of those folks would give me a positive review, but I know there's a chance one or two might not just to circumstances at the time, and it makes me nervous, that's all.

There is another woman who worked in the tutoring office last semester who is going to start the nursing program locally this fall. She came in briefly today to talk to our boss, and I asked her if she was excited about starting in August. She said, "Yes!...but I am a little nervous about what it will be like, with all that they put us through just to try and get in at all." She also said that she had bought her required uniforms, and that one of the required scrub shirts was like 50 bucks (the school has an embroidered insignia on there, but geez!!)

More Job Applications: Nursing Homes

I've put in two job applications for caregiver type positions at residential care for the elderly places in the last week. Both were advertised on CraigsList. The first was a reply by email application and I just sent them my resume and a cover letter. It was for a self-described "small" facility in town and they wanted someone who specifically could cover weekends.

The other position I applied for was in a moderate sized care facility in town that is known as one of the posher places like that locally. It looks really nice inside. They had openings for both full and part time, but I said I just wanted to work 20 hours per week on the days that I didn't have class.

I plan on keeping my tutoring job through the end of the semester (May) to build up a better job history, and then go for full time positions again, whether in the rest homes or maybe in the hospitals doing monitor tech work. I'm also still keeping an eye out for teaching positions.

I hope they don't just look at my resume, see that I have a couple degrees, declare me overqualified and move on. I need the money, and the experience. My application for a school loan at the community college was denied (the appeal, too) because I already have a degree/too many units. I need to get some more work hours in somewhere!

BTW, I got a 94% on the first physiology exam that I was posting about in the last entry. So far my average in the class is about 96%.

Anatomy: Results In, Money Stress

So, the letter grades haven't been posted yet, but our teacher posted our points for the term online, and as it stands, my overall percent for anatomy is 89.3. Gosh, it would be nice if my teacher considered that an A-. I won't know until mid-January what she decides...unless I were to write her a pesky email, which probably wouldn't be a smart move.

I am stressed about money right now. I am single, childless... my part time job, since it's affiliated with the community college I'm going to, is "on break" until the 3rd week of Spring Semester, which means no income for me. In the mean time it's the holidays, and while I don't need to travel anywhere for Xmas, getting a few presents for family, stocking my new kitchen (I've been living for almost 5 months without one), etc adds up. I've got a *very* part time gig lined up to do some babysitting until my school job is back in play, but jeez, money is tight.

I think this is probably an issue for many second-career nurses going back to school. Per the rules of the California community college system, I am not allowed to get any scholarships or federal aid there considering I already have a bachelor's degree. I can petition to have the privilege to take out loans. Which I'm in the process of doing.

I'm going to keep going on my cardiac arrhythmia course (which costs about $120 to get the certificate for), and see if that can get me a monitor tech job. I'm taking phlebotomy this spring semester, so in another 6 months or so I could start applying for phlebotomy jobs, and I won't be taking any classes at that point, presumably for the next year, so I could easily work full time again. Somewhere over the next 6 months, I need to start earning enough money that I can start not only covering my monthly expenses again (instead of further diminishing my dwindling "emergency" fund), but start saving up for needing to cut back on hours again once I'm in the nursing program.

It has been about a week since the blood bank job closed, and I haven't heard anything. So that might mean I am out of luck. Or maybe (hopefully?) they just aren't interviewing until after the holidays. Please, please, please. I also saw that they are advertising for a lab tech type job at the same location, but I'm not sure I'm qualified, even with my extensive biology background. There are certifications that you need. More hoops to jump through.

Maybe people will give me gift cards for groceries, etc this year for Xmas.