Hospital Jobs

[eprex]

This might be in the wrong section but I have some questions regarding applications to hospitals.

I'm currently in the EMT course. I realized that I have yet to put it on my resume, although I have been including it in my cover letters. Does EMS school go under education or extracurriculars/certifications?

Secondly, I have yet to get a single interview for about 20-30 applications. Unless there's something terribly wrong with my resume/cover letter I assume it's because I have no work experience with patients, only volunteer. Will adding certifications to my resume help only minimally? I know they can't hurt, but I'm wondering if it's worth $30-$200 for certs off AHA.

http://www.onlineaha.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=main.courseCatalog
http://training.fema.gov/IS/NIMS.asp

As for what jobs I'm applying to- anything with patient contact. Unfortunately, and I assume this is due to the ongoing movement towards greater efficiency and costing cutting, jobs like patient transporter are getting combined with other jobs that require experience (usually CNA, MA, phleb/ekg)

Lastly, I don't include my references on the resume. Instead I use 'References available on request'. I've been told to never give out references unless the employer actually takes an interest in me. Does anyone know if this is an automatic disqualifying for online applications? Keep in mind that online applications rarely ask for references to be provided.

 

[TransportJockey]

Wait... So are you applying without an emt cert? That is probably your problem. Wait to send out the applications till you have your state card in hand

 

[eprex]

Wait... So are you applying without an emt cert? That is probably your problem. Wait to send out the applications till you have your state card in hand

No, I'm trying to get a job so I can make money. I'm not applying for EMT positions in the hospital, I mentioned that in the original post. I'm trying to get literally any job in a hospital that has patient contact. I'd love transporting but I mentioned the problem I'm having with that.

I know I'll be more marketable once I'm an EMT but that's 6 months from now.

 

[eprex]

More crying but it's just very difficult to get a job in a hospital (at least on Long Island and NYC)

I have research experience, honors from my BS and I have yet to get an interview for even a research position.

Obviously the job market is flooded but I'm curious if certs will help show I'm proactive.

 

[VFlutter]

When I applied for hospital jobs I was asked to provide the emails to my references and they sent them an email with an online survey with specific questions and an area for free text comments. This was after I was contacted for an interview. I just put references available on request on my résumé. I was told not to provide specifics until requested.

I hear mixed opinions about added certs. I was considering getting ACLS befor applying for jobs but many of the managers I talked to told me that they do not really look for it because most people just get it through the hospital as a new hire. It won't hurt but it probably will not make a huge difference. If you get the opportunity to take them for cheap like through volunteer agencies then go for it. But it wouldn't waste money paying full price

 

[eprex]

Thank you Chase.

 

[xrsm002]

Most places in Texas won't let you do any patient contact stuff unless you have cna,ma, EMT cert.

 

[VFlutter]

Maybe put your EMT class under education and then put expected graduation date? So something like....

Emergency Medical Technican - Basic Course
Xyz EMS academy. Expected graduation December 2012


I have all my BSN information on my résumé with my graduation date. Not sure if that is the way your are supposed to do it.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

So I'm a bit confused right now. You're looking for a job with patient contact but you have no certifications? Or do you have other educational background that you just didn't list for us here?

No hospital is going to let you have patient contact unless you are trained in something!

 

[VFlutter]

So I'm a bit confused right now. You're looking for a job with patient contact but you have no certifications? Or do you have other educational background that you just didn't list for us here?

No hospital is going to let you have patient contact unless you are trained in something!

Not necessarily true. Patient care technicians at some hospitals do not require certification but rather go through a short internal training program (usually a week or two). Same with EKG techs, they get trained in house without outside certifications. They just go around recording EKGs they do not interpret. Patient transporters have patient contact but no medical training.

 

[hogwiley]

Probably the only job you could get with no licenses or certifications like EMT or CNA would be a housekeeping job, where you would come into contact with patients and clean rooms and equipment, but not do any actual patient care. If your in nursing school and have completed one semester of clinicals, they might make an exception, but thats probably it.

Even with your EMT or CNA, you probably would have trouble getting a patient care job in a hospital without some experience, unless you know someone who has some influence. An EMT cert in particular might not count as much more than say having a BLS card. I remember during an interview I had at a hospital I brought up my EMT license, and the supervisor said whats EMT, thats a first aid class or a first responder right? Then she pretty much dismissed it as irrelevant.

 

[VFlutter]

the supervisor said whats EMT, thats a first aid class or a first responder right? Then she pretty much dismissed it as irrelevant.

Well she was pretty much right...... And it is irrelevant in the hospital setting.

It does not take much training to show someone how to click a button on a Dynamap, make a bed, and use a glucometer. Which is pretty much all you will be doing as a tech.

 

[eprex]

So I'm a bit confused right now. You're looking for a job with patient contact but you have no certifications? Or do you have other educational background that you just didn't list for us here?

No hospital is going to let you have patient contact unless you are trained in something!

I hold a BS in psychology (technically I studied neuroscience) and various extracurriculars (research, teaching assistant, etc)

I'm trying to get ANY job that has patient contact. I'd like it to be in a hospital so I can move up once I'm EMT certified.

As for needing a certification, that's false information. Jobs like patient transporter or safe-sitter don't require certifications. Even some research positions involve patient contact (I believe). Unfortunately the job market is saturated right now with over-qualified people looking for work, hospitals are eliminating or conjoining positions, and applying online is a nightmare. My father works as a radiological technician, but unfortunately he's at a heart hospital that's cutting down.

 

[eprex]

Probably the only job you could get with no licenses or certifications like EMT or CNA would be a housekeeping job, where you would come into contact with patients and clean rooms and equipment, but not do any actual patient care. If your in nursing school and have completed one semester of clinicals, they might make an exception, but thats probably it.

Even with your EMT or CNA, you probably would have trouble getting a patient care job in a hospital without some experience, unless you know someone who has some influence. An EMT cert in particular might not count as much more than say having a BLS card. I remember during an interview I had at a hospital I brought up my EMT license, and the supervisor said whats EMT, thats a first aid class or a first responder right? Then she pretty much dismissed it as irrelevant.

As I've stated clinical/working experience is paramount (as are necessary certifications obviously), but actually one can land a position of Emergency Department Technician and the requirements are EMT. The fact that a supervisor at a hospital had no idea what an EMT was is actually kind of frightening and hopefully not indicative of the other employees.

But just to be clear I said 'patient contact' and not 'patient care'. I might have to settle for housekeeping, perhaps OR housekeeping, but there are jobs where you work with patients in some way that are relatively menial and don't require certs. The issue is that hospitals can "prefer" certifications because why take the chaff when the wheat are unemployed too.

It was recommended to check out Psych technician positions, as they don't require certifications (besides bachelors) but most require experience. I understand that, but it's quite a quandary!

 

[eprex]

Well she was pretty much right...... And it is irrelevant in the hospital setting.

It does not take much training to show someone how to click a button on a Dynamap, make a bed, and use a glucometer. Which is pretty much all you will be doing as a tech.

I'd disagree that it's irrelevant. As an EMT you have patient contact, become familiar with medical terminology, learn how to keep airways, CPR. Is it rocket science? Absolutely not. But a competent EMT is going to be decidedly more qualified to work in a hospital than someone who took a CPR course and knows how to use glucometer. CNA isn't rocket science but apparently I need that to wash people with a sponge (I'm kidding).

There's a position called "ED technician" and basically you're a set of hands for anyone that needs you in the ED. You also might get to do phleb/ekg depending on the hospital. At my father's hospital they literally just trained people to do this stuff, the only catch being that they already worked in the hospital. That's why applying online is such a drag. Hospitals don't want people coming in anymore to talk to hiring managers; they just funnel everyone to the internet listings and sort through the applications.

 

[eprex]

Maybe put your EMT class under education and then put expected graduation date? So something like....

Emergency Medical Technican - Basic Course
Xyz EMS academy. Expected graduation December 2012


I have all my BSN information on my résumé with my graduation date. Not sure if that is the way your are supposed to do it.

Yeah I figured. Thanks!

I guess I'll just focus on hospital research positions. I did a year of endocrinology research at school.

 

[hogwiley]

As I've stated clinical/working experience is paramount (as are necessary certifications obviously), but actually one can land a position of Emergency Department Technician and the requirements are EMT. The fact that a supervisor at a hospital had no idea what an EMT was is actually kind of frightening and hopefully not indicative of the other employees.

But just to be clear I said 'patient contact' and not 'patient care'. I might have to settle for housekeeping, perhaps OR housekeeping, but there are jobs where you work with patients in some way that are relatively menial and don't require certs. The issue is that hospitals can "prefer" certifications because why take the chaff when the wheat are unemployed too.

It was recommended to check out Psych technician positions, as they don't require certifications (besides bachelors) but most require experience. I understand that, but it's quite a quandary!

The problem is that many certifications like EMT or CNA arent just preferred, but are usually the minimum requirement to be considered for the job. Note I also said minimum requirement, so they also probably PREFER additional certs or experience, such as phlebotomy or ECG training. Being an EMT doesnt necessarily mean you would be considered qualified to work in every hospitals ED. They all vary.

Where I work CNA is a requirement for any patient care tech job, including ER tech. EMT or other certs are helpful, but not required(phlebotomy training or experience is usually considered more important than EMT training). The hospital I work at gives additional training beyond the scope of a CNA for all techs(if a CNA can be said to have a scope of practice), but CNA is still a requirement.

 

[VFlutter]

I'd disagree that it's irrelevant. As an EMT you have patient contact, become familiar with medical terminology, learn how to keep airways, CPR. Is it rocket science? Absolutely not. But a competent EMT is going to be decidedly more qualified to work in a hospital than someone who took a CPR course and knows how to use glucometer. CNA isn't rocket science but apparently I need that to wash people with a sponge (I'm kidding).
.

Unfortunately that is not how HR departments look at it.

 

[eprex]

Unfortunately that is not how HR departments look at it.

Why do ED technician positions require EMT certification then?

 

[TransportJockey]

Why do ED technician positions require EMT certification then?

But not all do. Hell, some require paramedic to work as a tech.