Jobs for Nursing Students

vamedic4, EMT-P · Jan 5, 2009

Student nurses can usually find employment as "techs" in the hospital, doing everything from I/Os, ADLs, IVs, catheterizations...the list goes on. The title of Patient Care Technician is used a lot...check into it.

AragornSkywalker · Jan 5, 2009

Would it be a good idea to juggle a job and school though? I heard that once rotations starts, most students dont have time for a job on the side.

fsv1024 · Jan 5, 2009

I'd love to not work during specially since the program is an accelerated bsn program and I'm doing it full time. However, I'll need some way to pay the rent and bills so I'm hoping to work 2 days during the weekend if possible. Nothing too demanding but at least something to get by with.

lovehospital · Jan 5, 2009

I'm cashier and enjoy it...

ambgregval · Jan 5, 2009

The hospital in my town has a nurse externship they offer after Nursing 1 is completed, which is what I plan on doing. It's only 2 days per week, would be extra money and extra practice. You might want to see if you can find something like that.

AragornSkywalker · Jan 5, 2009

You can also look into tuition reimbursement or stipends from hospitals trying to recruit new nurses.

mind_numbed · Jan 5, 2009

I am an EMT. I work the weekends, 48 hrs straight. You could take a EMT class and do that. It helps for studying, I get quite a bit of down time. Mondays are a little rough sometimes, but its worth it to be able to have a full time job and only work 2 days. Also, being from illinois, we have Prehospital Nurses here. They pretty much are medics. We have one where I work. Working 2 and a half days, she will make 75000 this year. And a lot of that is sleeping. Thats the best part, the money still comes even when your studying, playing a video game, or even sleeping.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jan 5, 2009

Just a minor correction - patient care techs cannot "do IVs" or any other task that requires a license. Their work is strictly limited to activities that could be done by a nurse assistant.

Have you completely ruled out student loans? I know that those are harder to get these days, but there Federal (and some state) loan forgiveness programs if you agree to work in a "medically underserved area" after you get your license. Not all of these areas are in the boonies... we have several right here in Houston because of the ratio of population to availability of health care providers.

I know you have to have $ to live on - but try not to overextend and put your grades in jeopardy. That would be tragic. Is there a way to decrease your living expenses? Maybe a roomate?

Best of luck to you. Keep us posted on your progress.

WorkinTheStreets · Jan 5, 2009

I work EMS and SCTU (Specialty Care Transport). I'm only taking Nursing/Lab/Clinical, so my course load is light. I work between 40-65 hours a week and have 3.6 GPA. I get hands on patient care experience you will never get in a class room (Respiratory distress/GSW/amputation/psych) and I meet a lot of people (ICU nurses/ER Charge Nurses) that will be an asset come job hunting time. Plenty of study time when working SCTU.

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Jan 5, 2009

Would it be a good idea to juggle a job and school though? I heard that once rotations starts, most students dont have time for a job on the side.

It's doable, and for many (myself included), it's a necessity.

Adams_Mommy_07 · Jan 6, 2009

The hospital in my town has a nurse externship they offer after Nursing 1 is completed, which is what I plan on doing. It's only 2 days per week, would be extra money and extra practice. You might want to see if you can find something like that.

Shoot...school is on the side for me...but I still have a 3.65 and work full-time and I have a toddler who is into everything at home. School comes fairly easy for me...but if I were a student that needed to put hours upon hours upon hours in...it would be difficult. I think most people can do at least part-time work while in Nursing school, a few of us can manage full time...