Job type during Nursing school?

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by taicjc
Jan 26, '07 Views: 2,131 Comments: 22

Hello everyone

I just started my first nursing class and I was wondering...What is the best type of job during school?EMT?CNA?ETC...

I have experience in healthcare as a Recreation Therapist CTRS and more recently in Nursing informatics. I left my job about a year ago to prepare for nursing school...

Thanks

Chuck
About taicjc

Joined: Sep '06; Posts: 4
Specialty: Med surg /tele

22 Comments

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Jan 26, '07
Joined: Aug '06; Posts: 9,034; Likes: 13,996

Quote from taicjc

I left my job about a year ago to prepare for nursing school...

Hmm we can stop working for a year to prepare? Lol, I must have missed that memo! I continued to work full time in retail through LPN school.
Jan 26, '07
Joined: Dec '06; Posts: 14

I am doing the EMT class right now, so that i can work two long weekend shifs once I start clinicals next semster-thereby getting my hours in over the least amount of days. I was going to do CNA, but the class conflicted with my schedule. EmT takes longer, but they love part time people, and have 8, 10, 12, 16 and 24 hour shifts.

Also, I am working as a pharmacy tech while I take the EMT class, and my nursing classes. Tech-ing is a little less flexible, because there aren't any over night hours really. This summer, though, I plan to work at both jobs, as many hours as possible.

I say figure out your schedule, and then choose the one that fits best.

I will mention, however, a friend of mine said it is easier to get a hospital job with a CNA license than an EMT license. Depending on where you work as an EMT, you may or may not have alot of patient contact, as you mostly just transport people, whereas you usually will deliver more day to day care as a CNA (get to practice basic skills daily). Hope this helps.
Jan 26, '07
Specialty: Med surg /tele ; Joined: Sep '06; Posts: 4

Thank you for your positive answer!
Jan 26, '07
Specialty: ER ; Joined: Mar '06; Posts: 386; Likes: 232

Another option.....you'll be working in the nursing field for (theoretically) the rest of your life. While I was in school, I worked in a completely different field. I can't imagine what it was like to do clinicals, go to work as an aide in a hospital, go home and study nursing all night, then get up and do it again. I'm sure it can be good experience for some people, but I would have completely burned out. I did work full time as an aide in the summers. I haven't had anyone say anything negative (and you probably won't need extra experience to land a job )
Jan 26, '07
Joined: Feb '06; Posts: 27

I work as unit secretary in the ER. I love it. I can sk questions about anything I see. I am reinforcing my termonology, and I get to see cool stuff. The nurses even let me do some stuff with patients. I would suggest it to anyone. Also, when its not busy, I can study!!!
Jan 26, '07
Occupation: Telemetry Nurse Specialty: 5 year(s) of experience in Critical Care ; Joined: Jan '07; Posts: 2

LOL! Hi Chuck!
Wow that's a great question. I worked as an EMT because the flexibility of the shifts for six years prior to and during nursing school. I think it prepares you for a great career in Critical Care. But, I had three kids, a house, car payment, insurance and another job at Casey's while attending school. It became very organized and made me learn to prioritize time and effectiveness. I did become very tired...after dropping the license I then did Nurse Aide without licensure and unit secretary. It definitely prepared me for the career of a lifetime.

sassynik
Jan 26, '07
From: US ; Joined: Jan '04; Posts: 3,163; Likes: 1,158

I worked as a CNA on weekends in a nursing home. It would have been smarter if I would have done night shift home care CNA on Friday and Saturday nights. It would be great if you could do home care and have a nice cooperative patient who actually sleeps during the night so you can study. Good luck:smilecoffeecup:
Jan 26, '07
Specialty: Med surg /tele ; Joined: Sep '06; Posts: 4

Thanks again for all the great advice.

Chuck
Jan 26, '07
Joined: Jan '07; Posts: 9

I agree with RunnerRN..if youre going to be working in nursing the rest of your life, why not have a part time job doing something else! Im a waitress on the side, so coming home to nursing homework is new and not so bad after a day of being around food!
Jan 26, '07
Occupation: Remote Data Review Consultant Specialty: 22 year(s) of experience in OB, Telephone Triage, Chart Review/Code ; Joined: Jan '03; Posts: 771; Likes: 77

"The nurses even let me do some stuff with patients."

SBTLAWREN...I question the above quote.
Jan 26, '07
Occupation: Med/Surg Specialty: 19 year(s) of experience in Ortho/MS, SICU,Home Health ; Joined: Dec '06; Posts: 711; Likes: 152

i worked as a unit clerk on a busy med surg floor. the medical ctr. paid for my tuition for nursing school at the community college, i got great benefits as well. i did the 3-11 shift and if there was a little down time, i got to study.
Jan 26, '07
Occupation: RN Specialty: * Cardiology * Oncology * Medsurge RN ; Joined: Dec '06; Posts: 1,220; Likes: 855

i worked as a cna in a stepdown unit which involved a lot of turning of patients,oral care, feeding, butt wiping (never got used to this task! butt someones got to doo doo it!) we also got used to dealing with a lot of tubes on our patients...ie vent tubing, peg tubing, picc lines, and rectal tubes. i can say that it was a great introduction to the nursing field; saw a lot of things i'd never would have seen in a restaurant (ie, steril wound changes and crashing patients) and, i don't hesitate to do simple cna tasks if my cna is down the hall and busy. cna work taught me to be effecient with patients and not dally around issues i see some rns on the floor do; like getting a posy jacket on a clients early before they end up on the floor.

Job type during Nursing school?

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