Good jobs for Nursing Students

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I was just talking to my friend about jobs, and he told me his mother worked as a Phlebotomist while she was in nursing school. I have classmates who are CNAs, Scrub Techs, and who work in numerous other nursing-related fields. What are some good options? have you worked in a field like this before? I'm looking for something that will help me as a nurse, look good on a resume, and something I could do part time while in nursing school would be wonderful. any suggestions?

thanks!

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Specializes in ER; HBOT- lots others.

IMHO, i think that ANY medical exposure you get is good. i was a medic in the USAR first, was and MA at a clinic for 6 yrs before nrsg school. i believe that ALL of it contributed to what i do now and who i am now. if you get a view of what another dept does, you have experience in something. any and all helps.

-H-RN

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Specializes in Cardiac.

It depends on what you can do, are you already in school, if so maybe you can be a Patient care tech or Nursing tech at a hospital, if you are not in school yet, get your CNA it will be well worth it. Any job you can get that is medically related will be helpful, you can learn time management and be comfortable giving care to patients.

I have a part time job at an ambulatory Surgery center as a nursing tech for the summer (in between nursing 2&3) , and it is great! I am getting some great learning opportunities.

Anything that you can find will be most likely helpful, even if its a receptionist/ type of job you can network with doctors and other nurses, just jump in where ever you can.

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It depends on what you can do, are you already in school, if so maybe you can be a Patient care tech or Nursing tech at a hospital, if you are not in school yet, get your CNA it will be well worth it. Any job you can get that is medically related will be helpful, you can learn time management and be comfortable giving care to patients.

I have a part time job at an ambulatory Surgery center as a nursing tech for the summer (in between nursing 2&3) , and it is great! I am getting some great learning opportunities.

Anything that you can find will be most likely helpful, even if its a receptionist/ type of job you can network with doctors and other nurses, just jump in where ever you can.

I heard people in my class talking about patient care tech - what does that involve? here in arkansas I think you have to have one semester of nursing school done before you can apply. I'll be done with the summer semester in another 4 weeks or so, and I think they'll count that. I don't have any prior experience in any kind of patient care or medicine, though.

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Specializes in Periop.

Im in the same boat. Currently working retail and starting nursing school in Spring 2010. They are very flexible with my schedule, but really need some exposure to what I am going to be doing in nursing. Plus making more would be great too.

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Specializes in Cardiac.
I heard people in my class talking about patient care tech - what does that involve? here in arkansas I think you have to have one semester of nursing school done before you can apply. I'll be done with the summer semester in another 4 weeks or so, and I think they'll count that. I don't have any prior experience in any kind of patient care or medicine, though.

PTC is sort of like a CNA. Depending on where you work, you can do basic nursing skills like take vitals, change linens, empty drains, D/C IVs, dress patients, help patients with non invasive things, and usually some of the non-glamourous things, but experience is experience.

Here in FL, or at least in my area places want you to be in, or have completed your second semester. If you are not sure, call the facility and ask, tell them you are nursing student and where you are in school, and that you are interested in working to get experience.

I didn't have any exposure other than being a patient before nursing school and the place I applied to doesn't hire anyone but nurses, I am their only nursing tech, so it pays to just stop in and ask what you can do.

Try hospitals, Dr. Offices, health departments, nursing homes, anywhere you can get experience working with patients. One girl in my class is working at a Center for recovering addicts and alcoholics as a counsilor because she is interested in Psyche nursing.

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Specializes in Intensive Care and Cardiology.

If you're interested in Cardiac Nursing then a monitor tech (monitoring heart rhythms) would look good on your resume.

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I'm a Nursing student from NYU, just finished my junior year (completed 2 semesters of med-surg or Adult & Elder -as we call it here-)

However it seems to be very hard to find CNA/PCT positions for the summer. I would really like to start gaining experience but all these positions require certificates or at least 1 year of prior experience.

Should I just give up and volunteer?

All the Nurse extern Jobs are so competitive and its been impossible to get one.

Just wondering if anyone had any experience finding jobs in 2012? The economy has changed and everything has become much more competitive compared to a couple of years back....

Hope to hear from someone soon!:)

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Same issue here slr. I tried to get that PCT job but nope....it never happened....

So now here I go charging onto the floor with zero real world experience....

Gonna be rough

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Specializes in CNA, Nursing Student.

Talk to a friendly instructor, some states permit you to challenge the CNA exam after a fundamentals or foundations course. Your instructors might be better knowledgeable to help you with this.

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.

Working as a CNA or tech is invaluable, IMO. I worked as a PCNA (patient care nursing assistant) for awhile and then got a job as a NT (nurse tech). As a NT, I was able to do a lot of things - the same things a CNA is responsible for (blood sugars, I&O's, basic patient care, d/c'ing IVs and foleys) in addition to inserting foleys/starting IV's, phelbotomy, dressing changes, and trach care/suctioning. I know several people who were HUCs (health unit secretaries) and that is great, too.

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