ER Scribe while in the BSN program?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I recently sent in my application for my university's College of Nursing. I also recently got hired as an Emergency Department Scribe. The job has been amazing. The physicians I work with assume that I'll be entering medical school because they typically only hire pre-med students as Scribes. Because physicians know that I'm a student interested in medicine, they teach me while I'm working and treat me like a medical student. With that said, the job has been very demanding, and requires committing to very long and fatiguing shifts.

If I were to be accepted into the program, people have recommended that I quit this job. However, I feel like I'm wasting an opportunity to be better prepared for an advanced nursing degree. I also feel like the opportunity for letters of recommendation from some of the physicians I work with would be vital to being accepted into a graduate program.

Would it be smart to work as a Scribe, while attending a rigorous BSN program?

As long as you can keep up with school, then of course I'd keep the job. The only exception to this is that it may help you develop good relationships with the physicians, but does it also help you develop relationships with the nursing staff? They are the ones you'll need to network with for a future job.

I mean if you like the job keep it although your hours will have to change obviously.

Personally I would give it up because it's not really going to help you all that much as a nurse and it is geared for pre-med students. By you leaving that opens up a spot for a med school hopeful. There are better jobs out there more suited for nursing students.

Just my 2 cents.

I've known people who were ER scribes throughout the BSN program and were able to get jobs either in that same ER they worked in, due to working really well with the physicians and nurses, or elsewhere as they had great letters of rec from the doctors. I think you should keep the job and excel while doing it. I think working side-by-side with the physicians would immensely help your understanding of patho and rationales for treatment as you will see the real life clinical picture of diseases and disorders you would be covering in class.

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