Advice for pre-nursing student

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PaperPencil

44 Posts

I understand not wanting to work in a nursing home... but if you really "do not like old people", the hospital setting might not be right for you either.

nhunter6

12 Posts

I have found an alternative. I will be getting my CNA and getting a PCT job at my local Wellstar. I didn't want to work as a CNA because my last roommate was one and hated it. She said they were mean and would yell at her and even had poop thrown at her. And its not that I don't like ALL old people. I stated that poorly. Nursing homes just REALLY creep me out. Last time I was at one (I was 9 years old), a lady pulled my pigtail and said I stole her hair. She wouldn't let go. I'm pretty traumatized from that. In a hospital setting, okay. Nursing home? No way!

mazy

932 Posts

Most nurses that I know go into nursing school with the expectation that they will work in a hospital setting, and are adamant that they would never in a million years work in a nursing home. The reality is that hospital jobs are few and far between, the competition is fierce, and even highly experienced nurses are having difficulty finding hospital jobs, much less in their desired specialty.

At this time the job market is so bad that even nurses looking to get into nursing homes (most of whom went into nursing stating adamantly that they would never work in LTC) cannot even get hired in those facilities.

So if this is a deal breaker for you I would suggest you think about your career choice very carefully.

Do some research on this site. Just because you want something very badly, that does not mean that you will get it; you are out there competing with people who want it just as badly as you do, and who may have more to bring to the table.

It's a great idea to do some volunteering or CNA/PCT work to get your foot in the door and to learn more about your profession. But be realistic about your future, especially if you plan to take on loans to pay for you education. It's rough out there for nurses nowadays.

Ruby Vee, BSN

17 Articles; 14,030 Posts

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

if you're using your real name, you're going to want to stop. it would be a bad thing if future colleagues, bosses or patients found your posts on here.

AJPV

366 Posts

I agree with Mazy's advice to an extent, but I also have to add that the job market (both for new grads & experienced nurses) has VAST differences from region to region. I live in a midwest metro area. My nursing class graduates this December. Lots of people in my ADN class already have jobs landed (but like I said, almost 100% of those hired have CNA/tech experience). Of all the jobs landed that I'm aware of, 100% are in-patient hospital jobs. So our region's market is not nearly as gloomy as much of what I read on allnurses. But even in our region, you need to get experience, work hard, and sell yourself! One thing I might add - it REALLY pays off to time your graduation in December rather than May if you can. This often means going with an ADN program because often ADN programs are the only ones with December graduations. In our region, there are only 1 or maybe 2 community colleges with a Dec. graduation and ALL other nursing programs only graduate in May. If you graduate in May, you are competing against 8 to 10 times the number of applicants (many of whom have BSNs). Having observed May versus December hiring treands in our area, if I was a student slated to graduate in May, I would take the spring semester off and delay my graduation til the following December.

P51Mike1980

28 Posts

It REALLY REALLY depends on where you live. I live in CA, so even for CNA jobs, 95% of places want experience. There are many possibilities for jobs you can do while in school which will help you gain experience: CNA, ER Tech, Unit Clerk, etc. I have an EMT license and want to be an ER tech while I go to school and since no Ambulance companies will hire me either ("1 year experience preferred"), I volunteer in a couple ERs and have talked to the ER managers. Once a position is vacated they've guaranteed me at least an interview. Also, while you are in nursing school, try to get a Per Diem position; this will allows you incredible flexibility as you go through school.

I would also advise you to rethink your statement about old people. Being a nurse with a BSN doesn't guarantee you a specialty, you may want to work in OB, but everyone wants to work in OB so you may have to work in a department you don't want to at first. I would love to be an ED nurse, but I'm taking whatever job I can find once I'm done with school...

SkaterGurl

35 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care.

Most of the hospitals in my area prefer 2 years before they consider hiring for Mom & Baby/OB. They like to see well-rounded (i.e. Med-Surg) experience first. And with the aging population, most of who you will see there is, the elderly. If you don't like to work with the elderly population, start scoping out for externships with a pediatric unit while you are still in school.

And also consider getting your Bachelor's degree. You will go a lot farther and have a bit more choice if you do that.

nhunter6

12 Posts

To Ruby: My name does not show on my profile and I'm sure there are millions of N.Hunter's in the USA

nhunter6

12 Posts

TO SkaterGurl: Thanks for the info! I'm currently in school for my BSN now. Haven't applied to the program yet. I do that next semester. I have to take the TEAS first. To others: I prefer to be optimistic about my future even if it isn't realistic. If I end up HAVING to work at a nursing home, then so be it but a LOT of hospitals in my city are offering Nursing Jobs and a lot of grads from my school are getting them. Life is short and I'm not going to spend it looking at the negative. I'd rather be positive and cross the negative bridge when I get to it.

nhunter6

12 Posts

To AJPV: Just checked my school's site and because I would be starting in the Spring, I will graduate in December. With that, having a BSN, and hopefully having PCT experience by then, what would my chances be of landing a good job?

AJPV

366 Posts

That would be exactly how I'd want to be setup to graduate! You'll have an excellent chance. I'd recommend being intentional to build bridges with charge nurses & managers while you're at your school clinicals. After you meet them a couple times, you can mention you're interested in a tech job and when you are within 6 months of graduating, an RN job. School clinicals are a great opportunity to network.

nhunter6

12 Posts

Thanks for the advice! And the positivity!

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