What's your job in a hospital?

jschut, BSN, RN · Sep 6, 2001

Congratulations on your decision to return to school! I think that's wonderful!

I don't work in a hospital, but I do Home Health work and am a CNA also. I prefer the Home Health personally, but maybe you would enjoy either...

In a hospital, we have "transporters" who take people back and forth to x-ray and that type of thing, or "clerks" who keep files and records in order, and sometimes help with patients, or what about food service or maybe housekeeping? Those are all options to look at if you want to work in a hospital...

Good Luck to you and welcome to our board!

Julie:p

shyviolet78, LPN, LVN · Sep 6, 2001

I work as a Unit Tech (basically a combination of Nurse's Assistant and Unit Secretary) in a surgical ICU. The job is great, the pay is lousy. Thankfully we don't have kids or a mortgage and our one car payment is small, otherwise, I couldn't work for so little. I work 32 hours a week: 11PM-7AM Friday and 7PM-7AM Saturday and Sunday. I was offered the job the day of my interview, and the only minimum requirements were a high school diploma and the ability to lift 70 lbs. My hospital had a great training program- 3 weeks of lectures and clinicals, all other hospitals I applied to didn't have anything close.

Karen K · Sep 6, 2001

I have worked as a unit secretary and now I am working as an admissions representative. I basically sign admitted patients into the hospital and find beds for them. The fact that my resume said "nursing student" helped out I believe. But experience was not really necessary for either job. GOOD LUCK!

zannie · Sep 6, 2001

Hi!

I had no clinical or healthcare experience and I work as a Unit Secretary. Probably a pay cut from accountant, however, it's flexible, definately has evenings and weekends available and it's good experience. :)

Good Luck and Congrats on your decision to attend nursing school. I'm new at it all also. I started working at the hospital in July and I just started school 2 weeks ago..........

--zannie :)

pixxel · Sep 6, 2001

I started working as a CNA just a couple of months ago, and although I was scared about it at first, it has really made me want to be a nurse even more then ever. I took an eight week course to be certified, but I've heard of lots of people just getting trained while in a nursing home or hospital. I guess it just depends on where you apply.

I love my job. I get medical insurance through my school, so I chose to be "per diem" (not sure what it's called at other places): I get to choose my own schedule (which is so great during this busy semester!), don't have to work any specific number of hours a week and my pay is pretty nice (since I'm not taking benefits from the hospital).

Oh - and the best is that so many of the nurses try to take some time to show me the things I'll get to do one day when I finally finish school. I think being so close to the nurses and taking care of patients this way has really helped me decide if this is definitely something I want to do for the rest of my life. It was absolutely one of my best decisions...

Good luck to you!

essarge · Sep 6, 2001

Just wanted to pop in and offer a little advice.

While you are in school the studying is rigorous and the hours are long. If you don't have to work, I would strongly suggest that you don't. School carries with it allot of stress and to add the responsibility of job on top of that is allot to carry.

If there is any way that you can get out of working through financial aid etc. then go for it. If not, keep your hours to a minimum and by all means let your employer know that you are in school and that they will have to schedule you around that.

CPA2RN · Sep 7, 2001

Thank you all for the wonderful advice. No, I wouldn't try working and school at the same time if I didn't have to. Unfortunately my first degree has left me with enormous student loans already and I REALLY don't want to add to them if I don't have to and I don't qualify for any other type of aid. Hopefully after the first semester things will change and I won't have to work(my old car is almost paid for!!). I guess I will just march myself down to the HR dept at the hospital, try to charm them, and see what I can find. Again, thank you all!

SPINNIGDREAMS · Sep 8, 2001

Well Im a CNA in a med surg floor. I do patient care, empty foleys, JP drains, hemovacs, assist with dressing changes,assist with blood draws, and IV's take down doctors orders, stock, ansewer phones, pretty much everything, except pass med's, draw blood, start IV's. I have learned so much working there, yes We CNA's do all the gross stuff like taking care of all the elimanation needs, but that is something that comes with the job. The pay is great, I get paid what some RN'S in diffrent states get paid. So I can't complain. Plus I am doing what I love, WORKING WITH PATIENTS.

APinkston · Sep 9, 2001

:) Hi! I understand that you are thinking about job opportunities in hospitals. I'm a nursing student at North Georgia College and State University. It's my second year there and this past summer I got a job in a hospital. I work on a rehabilitation floor as a PCT (patient care technician). My responsibilities are to take the patients' vital signs, check blood sugars levels, give bed baths or showers, help get patient's up for dinner, help patient's get to the bathroom, change briefs if needed, and make sure that clean towels, wash clothes, and bags for laundry are in all of the rooms. Since this is your first year in nursing school, I think that working on a rehab or med/surg floor would be a great place for you to start working. Working as a PCT/nursing assistant will help you learn the hands-on skills that you will be learning this year. I wish that I started working in a hospital sooner, because it would have really helped me learn certain skills. I hope this information is helpful to you. Good Luck!

Andrea

kimtab · Sep 10, 2001

For those of you working as CNA's or PCT's, how did you get your certification? I may be laid off from my job soon and I am thinking of looking for a job in a hospital. Seeing as how it's what I want to do anyway. All the ads mandate prior certification- where do you get it? How long does is take, and how much does it cost? How about the pay? I'm a single Mom, I can't afford to be paid too lousy:)

Kim

d_vining · Sep 10, 2001

kimtab,

I live in the Atlanta area too. You can obtain the CNA certification from most any of the local Technical Colleges. I know of a few who offer them and they are covered by the HOPE grant. If you want more information on those that I have knowledge of e-mail me at [email protected] and I'll give you the information that I have.

Good Luck!!!