Nursing Assistant Job?

[NursingNewbie21]

Hello! I'm new to this forum, so thank you for your advice in advance!

I am currently enrolled in a BSN program at an accredited university. I have no previous experience in the nursing field. I am not an STNA or a CNA. Truthfully, I work at a grocery store, but I know nursing is my calling!

I know that as a nursing student, nursing assistant jobs are available at hospitals. The requirement is clinical rotations. I will have completed my fundamentals of nursing clinical rotation in December. Some hospitals in the area prefer med/surg rotation.

My questions are; what has your experience been as a nursing assistant? Was it an easy application process? Was the hospital flexible schedule wise? Also, how early do you think I should apply? I was thinking early November, is that too early since my rotation isn't over until December?

Thank you!

[schnookimz]

When I started at the hospital, there was a three week full time orientation from 9-5 that was mandatory for all new hires. Make sure the hospitals in your area don't orient this way because it would be almost impossible to attend class and clinical while doing this.

[RNstudent13renee]

I recently got a job as a nursing assistant in nearly the exact same position as you, I have no previous healthcare experience and I'm young, with basically retail and restaurant background. I finished my fundamentals in May and I had been applying online since March, didn't get a job until late August. My advice is to apply fairly early, November is good but I'd try mid to late October. Usually the need for NAs increases when school starts back up, so it could be January before you get a call, or it could be a week from the date you apply depending on what they need. I did hear from my clinical director's mouth that student's are preferred over licensed assistants in my hospital, but that could be different in other areas. She said that because she likes to hire assistants and train to RN on her floor so that she keeps her people around. So you may have the advantage there. My schedule is very flexible, suprisingly they love to work around school. 3-11P and night shifts are great for school, plus you can get shift differentials where they pay you more. My orientation was flexible too, most of the new hires had to do two day orientations 9-5 which isn't school-friendly but ours was also available online.

Good luck!