How do i get ahead start on my future RN Career?

[MusicEMT]

Hey guys and gals, im currently an EMT (been for about a year and a half.) and am currently working on my Nursing pre-reqs. i work at a retirement community as an overnight EMT (slow job). ive worked on an ambulance (transport) for about a year. I have my ACLS, CPR, and took an EKG/Cardiac Dysrymthias class. Im planning on getting my phlebotomy cert during the fall semester (for fun and maybe will make me look more marketable). I eventually want to be either a ED/Trauma Nurse or a psych nurse... ive been looking at ER/PCT jobs around the area but they are all very hard to get into..

i was wondering what else i can do to make me more marketable in the future as a nurse?

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I cannot think of a thing, except to learn as much as possible while in school. If you are able to network with nurses in an area you would like to work that would be good too.

[yuzzamatuzz]

Networking was probably the biggest factor in helping me get a job as an RN. I applied to so many places on the internet and it felt like my resume was just going into a black hole. I was offered interviews at 4 places, and I had personally contacted recruiters at three of those places. If you have a senior practicum at your school I would definitely recommend doing it in the area you want to specialize in, even if it is very specific. I really wanted to do peds and did my senior practicum in a very specialized pediatric area. I ended up getting a job offer from a different hospital in that exact peds specialty and would not have been considered if it had not been for my senior practicum. I would also recommend working as a PCT somewhere at some point, even if you cannot get a position in the ER. I worked as a PCT on an Alzheimer's unit (quite the opposite of peds) but learned so much there and really loved it even though it is not what I want to do in the long run.

Also know that it is possible to get a job in the ER right away but it will likely be very difficult (finding ANY job right now is really hard). If you are able to relocate it might be easier to find a job in that area because it opens up many more options. If you don't end up in the ER right away, you can always switch there later after you have some experience. I'm not really sure what it is like trying to get a job as a new grad in psych so I can't really give you too much advice on that.

Good luck to you, it sounds like your experiences as an EMT will definitely be a valuable asset to your future career as an RN!

[Jenni811, RN]

Volunteer. It looks really good on a resume. I volunteered at various flu clinics in the area giving flu immunizations. I became a soccer coach for special olympics and volunteered at a day summer camp for children with disabilities.

Volunteer hours like that look really good. don't necessarily need a PCT job in an ED. Look on med/surg floors or other various places. Ideally in a hospital so you have an "in" because sadly getting a job is more about who you know (sad, but true).