Nurse Apprentice Position

[MikeyJ, RN]

I thought I would share my elation with others -- I am merely a 1st semester student and I applied for a Nurse Apprentice Position (NAP) at a local hospital in their pediatrics department. The manager called me back today and basically offered me the job contingent on my application (I had a really good nurse put in a wonderful review for me though -- so that helps). How exciting! :)

Anyone else here take on a similar position? What type of responsiblities were you responsible for as a student nurse working for a hospital?

[shock-me-sane]

I've worked as a student nurse assistant and it may be completely different from what you are going to be doing. But I worked as a patient care assistant. A CNA without a CNA license.

I am guessing that it will be similar for you? Most of those student programs are after fundamentals so you can do CNA work.

Did you not get a job description before you applied?

[MikeyJ, RN]

I've worked as a student nurse assistant and it may be completely different from what you are going to be doing. But I worked as a patient care assistant. A CNA without a CNA license.

I am guessing that it will be similar for you? Most of those student programs are after fundamentals so you can do CNA work.

Did you not get a job description before you applied?

I will find out more on Monday when I go in and speak with her. The job description was extremely vague. It basically said "Will work in the pediatrics department under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse." And then it went on to talk about customer service, accountability, performance improvements, etc... And then it says the applicant will perform those "...job functions related to the indicated position." Very vague as you can see.

I spoke with a friend who works in L&D at the same hospital and she said she basically does everything she would do in clinicals and much more. She said the only thing she can't do in L&D is IV pushes and checking dilation of someone in labor. Otherwise they let her do a lot of duties and many duties out of her scope of practice, with direct supervision of course.

But considering I am only a 1st semester student, I would assume that I would be doing a lot of CNA work on the peds flood because I am obviously very inexperienced. But I think the experience will be well worth it and the pay is absolutely amazing (compared to what I make now).

[shock-me-sane]

wow, if you get to do all the clinical stuff, congrats! I am getting to do that with an internship after 2 years in the nursing program!

Good luck and let me know what you will get to do, I am interested.

[Race Mom, ASN, RN]

It depends on the hospital. Where I NAP, they let me do everything the BON allows me to do. I do not function as a CNA, which I heard some hospitals here in town, that's all you do. My nurses are terrific and I have learned so much more than I have in school.

I recommend you go to the website for the BON and read about what you are and aren't allowed to do when you are a NAP.

Congrats on the job!