Need help finding very entry level employment.

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Since this site has an abundance of information, I thought I'd post here and try to obtain some answers. I presently drive a schoolbus for a living. I just finished my pre-reqs and plan to be in a nursing program this fall. I would like to find a job working in the healthcare field due to the fact that there has been a cutback on my job and I've lost a considerable amount of money weekly and I can see the handwriting on the wall. I'd love to find work where I'll be learning and preparing to enter the nursing field. Anyone have any ideas?

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CNA's, patient care techs are always needed. Grunt-work of patient care, but a foot in the door, and gets you familiar with how the units operate.

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Specializes in Nursing Ed, Ob/GYN, AD, LTC, Rehab.

Go look for a CNA job where the facility will train you, this will save you some time. If you cant youll have to take the CNA class at a Community college usually about a quater long. CNA make around 10 dollars an hour and you will work closely with nurses and get a feel for the work. I looooved being a CNA good luck!

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Specializes in pediatric ER.

Another job if you want to go the ER route would be to become a scribe for the doctors that work in the ER. You have to have good penmenship and basically write down what the doctors tell you to. Not too difficult, but an opportunity to learn a lot. A lot of the doctors where I work show their scribes different procedures, have them look at different disease processes and explain treatments, etc. with them.

Just an idea, but CNA is good too :)

-Analee

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Specializes in Government.

I've got an odd point of view because I'm a nurse working for a state dept. of transportation....but school bus drivers? are like gold in my state. Have you tried another driving gig? I think the CNA route is great for experience but you will make a lot more money/hour driving. If you have your CDL (commercial license) and endorsements, you should be able to get another driving job easily.

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Specializes in LTC, MDS/careplans, Unit Manager.

i work in a hospital based ltc. our facility offers the cna class and also reimburses you once you are hired. it would be great experience for you to work as a cna while you go to nursing school. good luck to you!

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"I've got an odd point of view because I'm a nurse working for a state dept. of transportation....but school bus drivers? are like gold in my state. Have you tried another driving gig?"

Too hard to get into most school districts as school bus driver due to unions and low hrs. I love to use my mind. Driving a bus/truck is pretty mundane work. Also, nursing offers me the ability to go anywhere for a job. Too many benefits in nursing that one cannot find in transportation.

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Specializes in Government.

Please do not misunderstand...I wasn't recommending driving a school bus for a career. As I understood your original post, you were looking for supplemental money. In my region, there are thousands of commercial driving jobs,full and part time, that go begging. I'm in a position to see that first hand. It was just a suggestion for supplemental income.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

Once you complete one semester of nursing school you can practice as a CNA (we call them patient care techs). At least that's how it goes here in FL. It was a great learning experience, although the hardest I've ever worked in my life.

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Specializes in CVICU, MICU, CCRN-CSC.
"I've got an odd point of view because I'm a nurse working for a state dept. of transportation....but school bus drivers? are like gold in my state. Have you tried another driving gig?"

Too hard to get into most school districts as school bus driver due to unions and low hrs. I love to use my mind. Driving a bus/truck is pretty mundane work. Also, nursing offers me the ability to go anywhere for a job. Too many benefits in nursing that one cannot find in transportation.

My DH drives a truck and makes more money (WAY BETTER for less days), has better benefits and a better schedule than I do as a full time CCRN, CV ICU nurse with 4 years exp. Also, I bet he uses his critical thinking skills when he is driving on the highway with idiot drivers (including other truckers). Not all truckers have "mundane" jobs or no education. That is kinda like the stereotype that all "young nurses want to marry doctors" or that all we do is wipe poop and do what the MD's say. Sorry the "mundane job/use my brain comment" bothered me. :flamesonb

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, M/S.

Try being a vandriver for a LTC - or perhaps drive a senior citizen bus. You will get alot of patient interaction - believe me.

I also know some truckdrivers who make good money - about the same (or more)as I do as a RN. And you see help wanted ads for them all over the place - at least in CO. And the training (to be a truck driver)is only a couple months long and I went to school for 4 yrs??? HMMM.....

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Wow, things sure can be misunderstood! I'd like a job in the healthcare field rather than driving because I want to start learning in the field that I am going to. Secondly, I have a CDL class B license. That means that I can drive a straight truck or bus but not a semi. Driving is mundane to me. I didn't state that it was mundane in general. I make 12.00/hr with 32.5 hrs a wk. They are cutting my hrs back to 25. I am tired of my situatin and I would like to have a job that would enable me to travel to fulfill my ministry (I am a Christian). Driving will not do that but nursing will. Therefore, I want to enter the field that I am going to invest the rest of my life in.

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