Student Nurses in Saint Louis

BeccaznRN, RN · Jan 23, 2007

I worked as a student nurse tech at Barnes-Jewish for about a year. At BJH, you can get a PCT position without clinical experience, but you must attend their training session (about 5 weeks). A SNT position will require one semester's worth of clinical experience and you will not have to attend training. Other hospitals in the area will be similar - you will have to have training that lasts from 4-6 weeks, and that training is usually only offered during weekdays. It can be a problem if you are in class during the day. I made around $10 an hour as a SNT, and it's GREAT experience! You get to draw blood, start IVs, foleys, the whole bit at BJH. The PCT position will pay a bit less, but you still do everything that a SNT does with the exception of IVs. You will just need to go through the training.

As long as you are a part-time benefits eligible employee of BJH, you are eligible for tuition reimbursement. To be benefits eligible, you must work between 30-70 hours per 2-week pay period. I'm not sure how much you would get per year or how long you would have to wait after becoming an employee though - I'd recommend contacting the nurse recruiter at BJH if you'd like additional information.

2bNurseNik · Jan 23, 2007

Thanks StlRN2B206 for your reply, it was a big help.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Jan 24, 2007

A lot of hospitals do recruiting for techs once you have completed your first semester of fundamentals....I have seen posters for St. Luke's and heard a rumor that SSM is going to go exclusively to student nurses as techs (again -- a rumor)....not sure how reimbursement works if you're hired after you've started school...

2bNurseNik · Jan 24, 2007

Thanks a bunch for the information...

EMT-Brady · Jan 26, 2007

I just today was officially offered a position at Barnes-Jewish Hospital as a Student Nurse Tech. I believe the original poster was asking about wages...bearing in mind that I have previous experience as a tech (while not in nursing school), my base pay is around $10/hr. Student nurses are offered an additional 10% on top of their base pay, as long as they remain in school, provide proof of enrollment/completion of classes, and are not under any type of disciplinary action.

On top of this, there are shift differentials. From 7 AM-3 PM, regular base pay plus your student nurse 10%. From 3 PM-11 PM gets evening differential (more on the weekends). From 11 PM-7 AM gets night differential, which is more than evening, and even more on weekends. I believe the night differential quoted to me was around $1.75/hour for weekend nights, to give you an idea.

I was told that I qualify for tuition assistance immediately after becoming an employee, however, this semester would not be eligible since I was not hired before the start of classes. Barnes-Jewish offers $4500/year in tuition and textbook assistance. After successful completion of course, 50% is forgiven. After one year of service from the date of course completion, the other 50% is forgiven.

Any other help I can be, let me know.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Jan 26, 2007

Nice information!! Thanks for the facts!!

BeccaznRN, RN · Jan 27, 2007

Barnes-Jewish offers $4500/year in tuition and textbook assistance. After successful completion of course, 50% is forgiven. After one year of service from the date of course completion, the other 50% is forgiven.

I believe this amount of tuition reimbursement is reserved for students at Barnes Jewish College of Nursing and UMSL. You can still get tuition reimbursement for other schools, but the amount may be less and forgiveness may be longer.

EMT-Brady · Jan 27, 2007

I believe this amount of tuition reimbursement is reserved for students at Barnes Jewish College of Nursing and UMSL. You can still get tuition reimbursement for other schools, but the amount may be less and forgiveness may be longer.

Nope, that's what I was offered for my next 2 semesters, and I go to Forest Park CC. Also, a fellow classmate works at Barnes-Jewish as a Student Nurse Tech, and she is receiving the same amount ($4,500/year) with a complete payoff 1 year after course completion.

It's possible that Barnes needs to update their benefits webpages, as I think their policies for tuition assistance have changed. The last update to those pages shows sometime in 2002.

BeccaznRN, RN · Jan 28, 2007

Good to know! I worked there in late 2005/early 2006 and that's the way it was then. I'm glad to see that they are now offering all student nurses the same, and not just for select schools. When I was there, they gave the maximum amount to students at schools affiliated with Barnes-Jewish. The rest got some amount that was lower and forgiveness was longer.

Thanks for the update, EMT-Brady!

2bNurseNik · Jan 29, 2007

EMT-Brady, thanks for all of your information. It is greatly appreciated and exactly what I wanted to know. All of you guys on this thread are GREAT.

StLKor · Feb 6, 2007

to find out more about bjc tuition assistance plans, contact at (314) 362-hire, or toll-free at (866) 292-hire. or email at [email protected].