A question for BJC employees

[meatballexperience]

Hello, I had some questions regarding the BJC system. I am currently looking for a PCT job, and am getting nowhere with applying online. I have been accepted into a nursing program but wont start any clinical rotations until fall. However since I am still taking undergrads, which I am taking online and one night a week, I have a window of opportunity where I could actually go through the PCT training program. Ultimately my dream is to work in the ICU at the big Barnes. I had been told by someone that Christian hospital is hiring (do not know if this is true) and that once you are a BJC employee, it is fairly easy to transfer from hospital to hospital. I saw a flyer at school about a Student Nurse Dinner at Christian and am thinking about attending. So I guess my questions would be :

Is it easy to transfer between BJC hospitals? If I am getting nowhere with the online apps at Barnes, would it be worth my while to take a position at Christian if offered? Does anyone have any suggestions for the online application process, it just seems so impersonal! Would physically going to Barnes HR do me any good?

Thank you in advance, it's just frustrating knowing where you want to be but having a hard time getting there!

[listener]

In a word, "Yes!", go to the hospital's human resources dept. Regardless of who you speak with first, security guard, receptionist, whatever, the question/statement is "I'd like to find out about talking to the nurse recruiter." That's it. Oh yeah, be prepared! You might actually get through to them that moment, or you might get to someone else. So, know what being a PCT is about. There's more than enough info simply in this forum to get a good understanding of what a PCT does, so if you're not sure, start reading. The second question/statement is "I'd like to shadow a PCT in your xyz dept/floor." Even better, if you've already been taking NS prereqs, you've undoubtably had classmates who already are techs. Before even visiting the hospital just go straight to some of these people and if they respect you they probably will say "Sure, I'd be glad to let you shadow me sometime. Let me talk to my manager."

That should do it. Btw, definitely have your info already in the online system, so you can tell the nurse recruiter that it's there. Moreover, be sure that the info you've put in there has been well-written! No typos!, etc, etc. Ok, that's it.

[meatballexperience]

Well I will definitely head to HR then. I do have a good idea what the role of the PCT does because even though its been several years, I took a Health Occupations class in high school. I did nothing but shadow PCTs in hospitals 3 hours a day for half the school year. But I definitely will work on making some connections with some that are currently employed. I appreciate your advice and hopefully something will pan out. I have the will and the desire, what more could they want? :) First impressions really are important to me and I have gotten more than one job that I may not be fully qualified for by talking to someone and expressing my sincere interest. You can't fake that.

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

Good luck with your job hunt!

I know a lot of employers here have job freezes going on, but hopefully they'll have a position for you!

I was in school with a fellow student who was a tech at BJC on a critical care unit who was hired on as a RN at graduation, so it's a great way to get your foot in the door and have some options at graduation!

Best wishes!

[listener]

Well I will definitely head to HR then. I do have a good idea what the role of the PCT does because even though its been several years, I took a Health Occupations class in high school. I did nothing but shadow PCTs in hospitals 3 hours a day for half the school year. But I definitely will work on making some connections with some that are currently employed. I appreciate your advice and hopefully something will pan out. I have the will and the desire, what more could they want? :) First impressions really are important to me and I have gotten more than one job that I may not be fully qualified for by talking to someone and expressing my sincere interest. You can't fake that.

ha! 3 hours a day for half the school year!! i think you're ready :) Good luck!

[meatballexperience]

Didn't say I was an expert, just said I had an idea.

[Libra_8]

i graduated from hs last year with having taken health occupations also. I think some "indviduals" write off that class and the time spent in it as nothing but i know better! i think it was a great experience and i learned alot. I had a peer who got her CNA license in hs also and i dont think there was much of a learning gap. she had studied more A&P and sorts, but the day to day activites of helping or giving ADL's, i knew 95% of what she did. In fact the only reason i did not graduate with a license is because of the the class size was like two over what the state wanted it to be. not to say that i know it all but don't let ppl. tear down the confidence that that class gave you. I know of ppl. Who graduated and have gotten jobs as a PCT, just by the experience obtained from that course. H.O.E.S. for LIFE! (health occupations education student for those who don't know!) Best of luck to you!

[meatballexperience]

LOL @ H.O.E.S. for LIFE!!! Yeah I got a ton out of my health occ class. I had the option of getting certified through that class if I had chosen to spend all of my clinical hours in a LTC facility, and we had a few students who did, but I was too curious about the hospital and chose to spend my hours rotating floors. We actually did vitals, bed baths, fed patients, made beds, all of that stuff, not just shadowed. I even got to spend some time in the pathology department in the basement of St. John's Mercy. Now THAT was an experience. A lot of my classmates got hired as PCTs out of that class but at that point I knew I was going away to school so I chose not to pursue any job opportunities. It was a great class, that's for sure!