Anyone have a NON healthcare job while in nursing school?

Nurses General Nursing

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:uhoh21:

Just wondering if there are any out there that went thru nursing school and DID NOT hold down a healthcare job? Currently I work FT in medical claims (no clinical stuff) and will drop to PT to attend nursing school. I make more money in this job than I ever would in any other entry level clinical healthcare job. Right now the advantage is not having to learn a new job while adjusting to the demands of nursing school (school starts July). To me, that is a big plus! I think quitting now and having the stress of a new job on top of school starting would be hard!

If you had/have a job outside of direct patient care, how do you think it affected you? Pros and cons. Will I still be able to suceed in nursing school without a direct patient care position?

I am thinking I will hang with my job now until 2nd semester or so and then try for direct patient care when I can make over $10 an hour (maybe!):stone and when I feel more confident to "jump in" to that arena. What do you think?

THANKS!!

:uhoh21:

Just wondering if there are any out there that went thru nursing school and DID NOT hold down a healthcare job? Currently I work FT in medical claims (no clinical stuff) and will drop to PT to attend nursing school. I make more money in this job than I ever would in any other entry level clinical healthcare job. Right now the advantage is not having to learn a new job while adjusting to the demands of nursing school (school starts July). To me, that is a big plus! I think quitting now and having the stress of a new job on top of school starting would be hard!

If you had/have a job outside of direct patient care, how do you think it affected you? Pros and cons. Will I still be able to suceed in nursing school without a direct patient care position?

I am thinking I will hang with my job now until 2nd semester or so and then try for direct patient care when I can make over $10 an hour (maybe!):stone and when I feel more confident to "jump in" to that arena. What do you think?

THANKS!!

I worked as a CNA and LPN through nursing school and did fine. I really think both of these jobs helped me process the clinical aspects of being a nurse. Book work is great and needed but there is so much that can't be taught in the classroom that you HAVE to learn on the floor. Additionally I think there is not enough clinical time in nursing school to really learn everything you need to learn to be a nurse.

In my class of 60 nursing students there were 4 people that didn't pass their boards. 2 of the 4 were the top students in our class and it was very surprising that they didn't pass their boards. When I talked to all 4 of these women they all did not have experience on the floor as a CNA or LPN before taking the RN boards. After finding out they failed all of them got jobs as CNA's on a Med/Surg floor before taking the boards again (I know 3 of them had to take pay cuts for this experience).

So my thought is - even though it might be stressful to switch jobs right now, in the long run it would probably be better for you to gain the experience and clinical knowledge, only working on a hospital floor can bring.

Good luck with all of your decisions and nursing school. It is worth it in the end!!!

Gwen RN, BSN, CRNI

I am currently in nursing school (night and weekend program). I work at a fortune 500 company in a job that has nothing to do with healthcare whatsoever! Yes I would love to be gaining experience in the nursing field, but every job I have applied for (unit secretary etc) would be taking a large paycut. So for now I decided to stay at a job that allows much flexibility for my classes and allows me to take time to study. I am nervous however I will miss all the great perks of being here when I leave to work as a nurse..the gym, the massages, the summer socials! But knowing I will be doing something much more rewarding and actually making a difference in people's lives will hopefully make all the difference.

during my nursing education I had worked evenings doing data processing. This was a comfortable atmosphere, no pressure, a great supervisor, nice people, and it had flexibility about my work schedule.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
:uhoh21:

Just wondering if there are any out there that went thru nursing school and DID NOT hold down a healthcare job? Currently I work FT in medical claims (no clinical stuff) and will drop to PT to attend nursing school. I make more money in this job than I ever would in any other entry level clinical healthcare job. Right now the advantage is not having to learn a new job while adjusting to the demands of nursing school (school starts July). To me, that is a big plus! I think quitting now and having the stress of a new job on top of school starting would be hard!

If you had/have a job outside of direct patient care, how do you think it affected you? Pros and cons. Will I still be able to suceed in nursing school without a direct patient care position?

I am thinking I will hang with my job now until 2nd semester or so and then try for direct patient care when I can make over $10 an hour (maybe!):stone and when I feel more confident to "jump in" to that arena. What do you think?

THANKS!!

When I was in college, I worked at a few jobs outside of healthcare, namely part-time cashier positions at the grocery store and at the airport. In my senior year I took a PRN position at GA Baptist as a tech. That job was physically and emotionally draining and in a way, it detracted from my student experience. It added nothing to my perspective at all except to show me how horrible some nurses can be to CNA and NTs. I think I could have waited to learn that lesson after graduation.

Will you be able to succeed in nursing school without a direct patient care position? YES. Please, there is no need to take a job in patient care at this time especially if you have a job which already meets your financial needs. There is no race in which you need to get a head start in order to succeed. Trust me on this, you will get all the clinical exposure you want after you graduate.

I worked a part-time job at Victoria's Secret at the local mall. The black smock covered my carbo-student-potatochip-hips, and the tape measure was sort of stethoscope-like.

Discount was great!!

Since I started a BSN program 2 years ago, I've been working at a daycare and a waitress. I figure daycare experience could be helpful if I decide to work in peds, plus i've become addicted to the kids and can't bring myself to leave yet. I don't see myself quitting waitressing cuz there aren't many jobs where you can beat making $50 an hour (at least legitimate/legal ones), and while you're in school money pays a big role in job decisions.

Specializes in cardiac/education.

Thank you for all the comments everyone! I have a better picture now of both sides of the argument. I will stay in my job for now and like I said, maybe after a year or so I will go hunting....:)

Specializes in Med/Surg, Emergency.

I work for a large aircraft company on a US Navy contract. I work in a warehouse full of airplane parts, and do a lot of good ole manual labor, as well as a lot of computer work keeping 2 of our other sites going. They are working with me real well, allowing me to leave to go to class, and come back and work late to make up my hours. Thank Goodness tomorrow is my last test for the semester, and I can get back to a normal schedule for a couple months. I am going to try and do an extern deal at the hospital that I just did my first semester clinicals in, because it's the closest hospital to my house. But that will be after the fall semester is over. Hoping to get some more experience that way, because ATC Transponders, and Weather Radar R/T's just don't seem to be helping me with nursing school. LOL

Specializes in ER/ICU/STICU.

I have worked for a trucking company all through nursing school. I actually found it to be beneficial because I found myself to be more receptive to what was being taught than another classmate that was an LPN for 20 years and is set in their ways.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, Psych.

I am a full time mom, nursing student, and employee. How do I do it? I work 32 hours on the weekend. Saturday 7am-11pm and same on Sunday. When not in class during the week, I spend all my free time with my 6 month old daughter. After my company closed last year, and I decided to go to nursing school, I needed something besides unemployment to make ends meet without burning me out. My husband being the Operations Mgr for a security company gave me a post at an office building. I sit at a desk in the lobby, and make sure the employees that come in have a badge and sign the log. On the weekends you can imagine how many people come in. Well when school is out, I bring my portable DVD player and enough movies and tv shows to last the shift. When school is in, I have all of my nursing textbooks spread out and study, study, study. I also tape the lectures so I get to listen to them over and over.... Can you beat making $10 an hour to study! Thats why I don't open a book during the week, I get 32 hours of study time every weekend.

I hold down three jobs.

1.) Mariachi musician. Benefits: being comfortable onstage, in front of people. Constant interaction with many different types of people, and most importantly... STRESS RELIEF

2.) Violin teacher at high risk schools. Benefits: working with disadvantaged children, I know more about their culture, their environment, how to and how not to interact with them. Also, learning how to communicate with their parents. Will help if I choose Peds.

3.) Secretary. Benefits: learning to conduct meetings, organize large events, communicate with rude bosses.

With no healthcare experience, I have had no problems adjusting to clinicals. Why? Because I know how to communicate, I know how to problem solve, I am creative. So in conclusion, although a job may not be in the healthcare field, it may help you develop characteristics/skills that will help your career in the future. Unless you can see no benefits whatsoever in your current position, a job change may not be for you. Consider wages, schedule flexibility, etc.

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