I'm still finishing up my pre-reqs and will be applying for the Fall of 2009. I can get the regular old gigs as a server or something along the lines of a regular part time work study college job. But I want to see if I can get a position that will allow me to interact with patients (and pay more than minimum wage). Does anyone know of any programs at the various hospitals in the Baltimore metro area that would offer such a position to students? Thanks!

My two cents would be that although there is value in being a CNA or tech from the experience standpoint, the pay is lousy, and if you have server experience or can bartend you will make far more money in far fewer hours. Good luck!

I have to agree with JulesA on that one! The time that it might be really worthwhile is if you need some(little) spending cash and you want to get some hospital experiance for your own benefit.

Have you ever worked in healthcare? What area do you like? How will the hours affect your social life or family?

These are some valuable questions to have answered early on.

Agrippa,

I currently work at a hospital, specifically the ED, in registration. I must say that the experience I have gained is priceless. Specifically the interaction with patients when they are sick. It's one thing to deal with people when they are happy but another when they are sick, cranky, and wonder why the wait is 5 hours. But I must say that I still agree with Jules and Clhrn. I intentionally searched for a job in the hospital to be closer to patient care. However, the pay was almost the same as what I was making anyway. I don't think it's best to take a job in the hospital for peanuts if you could have made more elsewhere. It doesn't help you when, on top of nursing school, you have to work 4 days when you could have worked 2 at a higher paying job. Or even if you don't plan to work at all during the program, having some extra money saved up won't hurt.

Bottom line is. Sure the extra experience is great, but even with the help you will still have to study hard and do a lot in the program, and most of it takes time. My advice is to do what ever you can to make sure you have enough time to study, make care plans/npa, goto open lab, study some more, and most importantly rest so you don't go crazy.

Good luck

MZTwin