Do You Need To Work As a Nurses's Aid To Get a Job After Graduation?

[HappyMeNow]

I'm starting my RN program in the fall. I just wanted to know if we have to work in hospitals aside from our clinicals in order to make sure we can get jobs after graduation?

My husband works in Europe and I was planning on taking our daughter to see him whenever we have a break from school, and even that will be hard enough. If I have to work in the hospital during that time it'll be even more difficult.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

No requirement to work in hospitals at all while in nursing school. Those that do have health care setting work experience might be viewed as better cannidate as part of hiring process. Positions for new grads are reduced in Philly/ NJ area due to hospitals and unit closures, parttime staff picking up more hours when spouse/s.o layed off, economic belt tightening, etc. Many LPN's and RN's hired yearly without any experience beyond clinicals. Just might be little harder to find an ideal position. Bonding with the family is WAY more important.

:)

[HappyMeNow]

Thank you so much for putting my mind at ease!

I read on another post of mine that someone was able to work as an aide while the hospital worked around their schedule. Could you or anyone give me an idea of what it's like to work as an aide? Did you have to work many hours?

[emilysmom,RN]

I have 2 kids and I went to school full time. I was able to work on the weekends for the first 3 semesters then changed to pool aide for my last semester. It was hard but I was able to graduate and passed NCLEX the first time. I now work there as a pool RN and they are training me as a relief supervisor and I work full time night RN on a med surg floor at a hosp that is about 45min from home. I am tired alot but things are OK I plan on staying at the hosp for at least a year then decide if I want to stay in acute care or LTC.

Good Luck

[nursemissy8]

You can probably get a job per diem as an aide, which you can make your own schedule. The hospital I work at even has a position for student nurses, which they are basically aides, but they will pull them in on procedures and stuff since they are student nurses. I was going to take a position like that, and they were willing to work around my schedule, but this is a second degree for me, so that position was paying a lot less that the job I was working, so I just stayed there. I think working as an aide in a hospital will help to get you experience. I worked as an aide for 6 years prior to my first degree (social work). Good Luck!!