Demand for Unit Clerks in BC?

[vantastic]

Hello. This is my first post here. I am currently considering entering a Nursing Unit Clerk Certificate program here in Vancouver, BC. Since you guys here are either nurses or working as unit clerks/coordinators, I am quite interested in your impressions of this job position.

There's obviously a nursing shortage for RNs in Canada... but how about unit clerks in hospitals too? Do you guys see demand for this position in the future still?

Also, can any of you unit clerks give me an idea on what a "typical" day is like on the job. I would find that interesting. So you find your jobs fulfilling? Was it difficult to get out of casual part-time work and find full-time employment in a hospital?

[Fiona59]

I work in Alberta and unit clerks usually enter the system as casuals and then work into positions. Depending on where you want to work and how much seniority you have it could take a while.

Having said that there are lots of hours available on a casual basis.

A good unit clerk either makes or breaks a unit.

When I worked in BC, due to cutbacks and other fun stuff, I saw LPNs working as unit clerks (the LPNs had bumped, etc).

So ask around, find out how many grads of your programme are employed. The school will know.

[vantastic]

From looking at some of the health authorities websites in BC, I'm getting the feeling that if I want full-time employment right away, I would have more luck applying to unit clerk positions in the Interior BC like Kamloops or Vernon. I guess thats something I should be keeping an open mind about.