First Nursing/Medical Job Choices

[futuremidwife, CNA]

Hello AllNurses Crew:

I am looking for advice on what my first nursing/medical job should be. In the past, I have done extensive volunteer hours at a few different hospitals. I love the in patient setting vs. long term care facility. I would appreciate advice from current registered nurses or nursing students but I'm willing to hear everyone's opinion, especially if you work/worked in one of the fields below.

Here are my choices:

1. Nursing Assistant/Patient Care Tech

2. Medicine Aide

3. Medical Assistant

4. Phlebotomy Tech

5. Dialysis Tech

Please let me know your thoughts!

Thank you.

[PediatricMA]

I am currently a medical assistant and I was a nursing assistant in the past for two years. Personally I love being a medical assistant but I'm back in nursing school because I want to learn more and further my career. With all these jobs you can only do so much and you will only get paid so much. it does help having that experience on your resume and it helps you learn more about how you would want to further your career. Honestly all five of your choices are very all over the spectrum. if you want more patient care focused I would start with nursing assistant or medical assistant.

[futuremidwife, CNA]

Thank you. Yes, I really enjoy patient interaction so I'm leaning towards nursing assistant and medical assistant.

[PediatricMA]

With nursing assistant prepare yourself, its one of the hardest most underpaid jobs out there. I loved it but I was regularly hit or bit while having other's bodily fluids on me. it will really teach you if you want to be in this field or not.

[idkmybffjill]

I'd probably go with CNA/PCT. It will give you some patient care experience and help you with some of the same general skills I imagine you need for nursing (communication with families and patients, time management, etc). It's also faster and cheaper to get into. MA programs take like 10 months, which can be a lot of time to put into something that you'll be leaving soon, at least when there are other options.

[verene, MSN]

I was a CNA before nursing school. It's valuable experience and one of the fastest/cheapest ways of starting to work in healthcare. Depending on where you live you may need to get 6mths -year of experience in long-term care before a hospital will hire you, as hospital jobs tend to be more desirable (better environment/higher pay) and as such are more competitive. I started in an ALF and worked there for over 1.5 years before getting an in-patient job, both were valuable learning experiences.

It's hard work and the pay doesn't always feel commiserate to responsibility but I definitely benefited from my time as a CNA, it made nursing school clinicals easier and I had mangers comment positively on having a CNA background when I interviewed for jobs post-graduation.

[PediatricMA]

with anything you chose I would say get a job where they do tuition reimbursement so at lease while you're getting experience you can get school paid for.

[V3nom3nom]

Medical Asst.