Need advice on which jobs to take...

interceptinglight, CNA · Apr 17, 2012

I am a pre-nursing student. I plan to petition toget into the nursing program next January and I would start next fall. I have been offered a job being a scribe in te ER at my local hospital. I want to take this opportunity because I think it would be a great learning opportunity and I want to eventually work in the ER. If I except this job I have to work for a minimum of one year, per a contract. But I have also been offered a position as a CNA in the same hospital on the med/sur level. I could work both but I have school, EMT class, and a 2 year to take care of. I need advice of what to do????

The ER scribe job sounds fascinating!! With that position you would definitely learn a lot about the ER environment and the medical experience would be invaluable for your career. It is more of an administrative position rather than a direct-care position and may be somewhat less stressful than direct care, plus you would learn a lot more medical terminology than a CNA. The CNA position would also provide good experience, however med/surg can be a real pressure-cooker and the medical experience in that position would be somewhat limited other than providing bedside care. Perhaps being a pre-nursing student you wouldn't feel as suppressed as I always felt as a CNA working in LTC. I was hungry to expand my medical knowledge that would help me do my job better...such as residents' medical histories and what meds they were on -- but no!!! All they wanted me to know about each person I was caring for was how they transfer, do they have dentures or a hearing aid, and just the most basic need-to-know information about how to help them with activities of daily living, not to mention the fact that there wasn't enough hours on my shift to learn more than the basics because of the volume of people I was assigned to. You should make the decision based on the type of experience you want to gain from the position. Good luck to you!!