Volunteer?

Wishful, I volunteered in a busy emergency department before my clinicals started. It was invaluable. Once the nurses knew that I was a nursing student, they were constantly alerting me to interesting procedures and giving me interesting tasks. They were terrific, and I felt very fortunate to be there. I learned a lot.

The alternative is to work as a CNA, which will be of greater value on your resume. No matter how good your grades or interesting your volunteer experience, hospitals look first to people who have done aide work. Can you get work without being an aide? Absolutely. But that credential and that experience could open a door in what is right now a very difficult job market in Maine that appears unlikely to change any time soon. And you'd be paid for your time while you learn.

Doh - didn't read properly, you're not a nurse yet so my suggestion isn't helpful!

Wishful, once you've completed a semester-long fundamentals class in a nursing program, you are automatically eligible to apply for CNA status. You don't have to take separate CNA classes. So if you wanted to, you could then go to work for pay. Good luck!