So heres my situation:
Im starting my BSN program in the fall but I'm not sure what to do over summer. I am currently taking Pathophys ahead of time to lighten the workload of my first semester (by ALOT apparently), so its unlikely Ill be taking summer school.
Which leaves the options of work, volunteer, or kick back and enjoy my last free summer since Im going for accelerated.
Financially, Im fortunate enough that I dont
have to work, but it would definately help (8000$ in the hole atm). Problem is, I have absolutely no documented work experience. So I dont know if I can get a entry level job at a hospital or not. I have read several other threads on getting entry level jobs in hospitals, but most of the ppl have some sort of previous experience or certifications. All I really have is my GPA, my acceptance into the nursing program, and some recommendations from professors.
Ideally, I would like to work in a hospital where I can get money, some sorta hospital experience, and HC-related work experience. But with my weak resume, I may stand a better chance of getting a job in some random restaurant or store. I wouldnt get hospital experience, but I will get money and some documented work experience.
The alternative is to volunteer, but my last volunteer experience was so terrible I dont even see the point in that besides getting something "documented". I volunteered in an ICU during high school, but they didnt really let me do anything. All I did for 3 hours was sit by a phone or sometimes open a door. Occassionally I got to deliver stuff to other parts of the hospital, and those were the most exciting parts cause I actually got to move around and think about what I'm doing. After about 9 weeks of that, I stopped cause the boredom was simply insufferable. At the time, I was just trying to get hours for college applications, and wasnt actively trying to soak in hospital experiences. Now that Im actively pursuing nursing, I might have a different appreciation for it, but I doubt I will find the same responsibilities any more interesting now.
Im attending school in SoCal, and I hear the hiring for new RNs is good, so I dont know if I
need additional HC experience to land a job or not upon graduation. But since thats at least 2 years away, things can change and it couldnt hurt to do something to separate myself from my peers. Would it be worth it to volunteer and "maybe" get hospital experience, rather than work at McD and make actual money? Does volunteering even weigh much for employers?
I know my motives seem shallow and that Im trying to pad my resume, but thats sort of my reality atm. I would be lying if I said financial security was not an important incentive in me picking nursing. Im sorry I didnt pick this profession to save the world, you can admonish me for that if you want. But Ive been keeping up with the news and realized that I have been taken in by the whole "nursing shortage" myth. But I am committed to finishing and if that means I need to put in additional effort to be competitive in the job market, then so be it.
So any advice or comment would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.
Nursing News