An assist into nursing

Question: I understand that there is a shortage of nurses. In this poor economy, I want to prepare for a career where I will be able to find work. Several years ago, I volunteered at a hospital and liked being in that helping environment. What steps do you recommend that I take to become a registered nurse?
— Chris

Response: You are right, there is a shortage of nurses that is expected to continue over the next 10 years. You could start by becoming a Certified Nurse Assistant, CNA, since many first year nursing students work part time as CNAs.

Job Description For CNA
Certified Nurse Assistants dress, groom, and bathe patients in addition to preparing their food trays, feeding them and recording food and liquid intake and output. CNA's take and record temperature, pulse and respiration rate. They also assist patients in wheel chairs, turn the bedridden, change linens and take out trash. When working in a private home, they may cook, wash, clean and perform other related housekeeping duties.

Certification for CNA

California Department of Health Services

P.O. Box 942732

Sacramento, CA 94234-7320

(916) 327-2445

www.dhs.ca.gov

To be certified by the State of California Department of Health Services, you need to complete 100 hours of clinical training, and 50 hours of classroom theory training. Completion of these requirements qualifies the applicant to take the State Competency Evaluation examination. The test is administered at various local American Red Cross locations and at community college service centers. The examination fee is $47 and renewal fee is $20.

Training Options and Costs
Several community colleges in the Los Angeles area offer 8-week courses for CNA's and California Board of Registered Nursing, CBRN, approved two-year associate degree programs in nursing at a cost of $11 per unit, including the following:

El Camino College

16007 Crenshaw Blvd.

Torrance, CA 90506

(310) 532-3670

www.elcamino.cc.ca.us/

Nursing Division

(310) 660-3281

The Health Sciences and Athletic Division offers an 8-week Certified Nurse Assistant course, which includes 100 clinical hours. The college also offers a two year, 68 unit associates degree program in nursing. Coursework includes Beginning Nursing Process and Skills and Introduction to Nursing Pharmacology. Admission requirements include a passing score on the Degrees of Reading Power examination and completion of the Introduction to Nursing course.

Santa Monica College

1900 Pico Blvd.

Santa Monica, CA 90405-1628

(310) 434-4000

www.smc.edu

Nursing Program

(310) 434-3450

This nursing program offers an 8-week Certified Nursing Assistant course which includes 250 clinical hours. The Health Sciences department offers a two year, 72 unit associates degree program in nursing. Admission requirement including a passing score on the Nurse Entrance Test. Coursework includes Nursing Fundamentals and Introduction to Medical/Surgical Nursing.

Job Description for Registered Nurse
Registered Nurses (RN's) comprise the largest group among all the health occupations and most work as hospital staff nurses. RN's may work in different specialties such as geriatrics, maternity, intensive care, oncology, surgery, psychiatric, pediatric, or emergency room. While State laws govern the tasks that registered nurses perform, it is usually the work setting that determines their daily job duties. While some hospital nursing jobs are more sedentary many require the ability to lift up to 25 pounds.

Nurses may also work in doctor's offices, clinics, emergency care centers, and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO). They may also provide health care in patient's homes. Public Health Nurses work for governmental agencies, schools, clinics, and retirement communities with the aim of improving health of the general public.

Licensing for Registered Nurses
You can become a registered nurse by completing a two year associate degree program, but the four year Bachelor of Science in Nursing, BSN, is preferred. You can complete the BSN while you are working as a nurse.

State of California Board of Registered Nursing

400 R Street, Suite 4030

Sacramento, CA 94244

(916) 322-3350

Fax (916) 327-4402

www.rn.ca.gov

This is a state governmental agency established by law to protect the public by regulating the practice of registered nurses. Registered Nurses must be licensed by the California Board of Registered Nursing (CBRN). Licensing requirements are completion of a board approved registered nursing program and a passing score on the National Council Licensing Examination. For RN's to be in active status, the license must be renewed every two years by completing 30 units of continuing education. The licensing fee is $75, fingerprint fee is $32, and examination fee is $120. The license renewal fee is $80.

Additional Training Options
Many of the California State University campuses in the Los Angeles County area offer CBRN approved BSN degree programs and registered nurses who are working may find that employers are willing to pay partial tuition or sponsor classes on-site at the hospital.

California State University, Los Angeles

5151 State University Drive

Los Angeles, CA 90032

(213) 343-4710

www.calstatela.edu

Contact: June Humphrey, Nursing Advisement Secretary

(323) 343-4730

The School of Nursing offers a 198-unit bachelor's degree program in nursing. Coursework includes Introduction to Nursing Process and Skills and Clinical Introduction to Professional and Clinical Practice Issues. Undergraduate tuition for a full-time semester (6 units or more) semester is $654.75 and for a part-time semester (6 units or less) is $434.75, not including book and miscellaneous expenses.

California State University, Long Beach

1250 Bellflower Blvd.

Long Beach, CA 90840

(562) 985-4506

Fax (562) 958-5733

www.csulb.edu

Nursing Department

(562) 985-4463

The School of Nursing offers a 132-unit bachelor's degree program in nursing. Coursework includes Basic Theory and Nursing Skills and Critical Care Nursing. The program can be taken on a part-time or full-time basis. Undergraduate tuition for a full-time semester (6 units or more) semester is $786 and for a part-time semester (6 units or less) is $456, not including book and miscellaneous expenses.

Salary Ranges
The salaries of hospital staff nurses, in the Los Angeles area, range from approximately $20.00 to $30.00 per hour /$41,600 to $62,400 per year plus benefits. Shifts are generally 8, 12, or 16 hours. Additional pay, called a differential, is offered for weekend and/or holiday work. Part-time, "on call" nurses earn a flat per diem pay rate of approximately $18 to $30 per hour with no benefits. Per diem assignments often lead to full time staff nursing positions.

Full time Certified Nurse Assistants earn approximately $20,000 to $25,000 per year to start.

Job Resources
The following are major hospitals in Los Angeles that hire CNA's and RN's. These hospitals provide an online listing of job openings and positions can be applied for online.

Cedars Sinai Hospital

8700 Beverly Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90048

(310) 423-3277

www.csmc.edu

Job Hotline

(310) 423-8230

Century City Hospital

2070 Century Park East

Los Angeles, CA 90067

(310) 553-6211

Fax (310) 201-6723

www.centurycityhospital.com

Queen of Angels-Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center

1300 North Vermont Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90027

(213) 413-3000

Fax (323) 660-0446

www.qahpmc.com

Resources

Jobscience.com

www.jobcna.com

This is a career portal serving the health care biotech and pharmaceutical industries. They provide an online listing of employment opportunities including CNA, and RN.

NurseWeek

www.nurseweek.com

Nurse Week is a multimedia company that provides both a print publication and online career resources including a listing of job openings in nursing including RN and CNA. They also provide an online listing of career fairs such as the upcoming nurse career fair to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center on September 25, 2003.

Professional Association

California Nurses Association

2000 Franklin Street

Oakland, CA 94612

(510) 273-2200

www.calnurse.org

Los Angeles Office (818) 240-1900

Membership benefits include networking opportunities at conferences and seminars, discounts on industry publications, and continuing education programs. Membership is $300-$600 per year depending on membership classification.

 
Susan W. Miller, M.A., is a National Certified Career Counselor, a Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist and holds diplomate status on the American Board of Vocational Experts. She heads California Career Services, a private practice career counseling firm in Los Angeles.

E-mail career questions you'd like answered in this column to info@californiacareerservices.com or visit California Career Services at www.californiacareerservices.com.