jobs for student nurses?

Evie · Jan 25, 2004

emmy,

i work in aged care. i know it's not hospital but that's where the jobs are around here. i am just going into 3rd year so i have some experience but i got my first aged care job in 1st year before my first prac. i have had good experiences doing this type of work, being exposed to different things eg stomas and also having to develop really good time management skills.

i was with an agency but there was hardly any hospital work around (i worked 1 day!). there is always plenty of work available where i am now - but you work for every cent!!!!!

good luck finding a job - it is heaps better working in the area rather than at maccas or somewhere while you are studying because you're getting experience every day and i have been told it's very useful to have on your cv when applying for grad programs (which will be me this year - scary).

emmy · Jan 26, 2004

Hi Evie

Thanks for your reply.

Had you had any experience at all beforehand or did your employer teach you how to give bed baths and showers etc?

Good Luck with your final Year, I bet it will fly by!:)

Evie · Feb 7, 2004

hi emmy,

sorry it has taken me so long to reply. the first place i worked at was a nursing home and i had a tour of the facility, watched some of those really interesting tena videos and then i was pretty much dropped in at the deep end, having to work by myself after that. i had done the basics at uni first though.

my employer now seems to be great with education etc and because i've had that extra year behind me i feel so much more at home in my job. i got to work a few shifts as a supernumery so i could learn the ropes which was very helpful.

i guess it really depends how desperate the place is for staff - some will take people with minimal experience because they are desperate.. just be aware that this might correlate with a high staff turnover rate and thus poor morale and job dissatisfaction. always learned that one the hard way!

emmy · Feb 7, 2004

Thanks Evie

I think I'll wait until I've had my clinical before I look for work as I'm hoping I'll feel more confident, at the moment I'm really worried, although I suppose thats just fear of the unknown (well that's what I'm hoping) :)