Need ideas for pre-nursing jobs

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Hey guys! Been reading the site for a long time but this is my first post.

I originally have a culinary background and just quit my FT job as a sous chef to pursue nursing. I should have stayed longer but my last day is two days from now... I'm pretty sick of it and can't imagine going in for a few more months.

My overall plan is to become a RN. I planned to do this by getting certified as an AUA so that I can work in the healthcare field and get experience while I'm in school doing my year of pre-reqs and 2 years of nursing school at the local community college. If everything goes well, I want to start pre-reqs this spring.

Right now I'm going to the local vo-tech school for my AUA certification, but I'm running out of money. I just finished their 30 hour flexible schedule AUA Prep course, which is like a super basic CNA crash course that waives their requirement to be a certified CNA to take the 200 hour AUA course. I'm almost ready to enroll in the main course, which will take a month or two to complete, but they usually want the tuition up front.

I need another job ASAP. I figure I have 2 options. I can either fall back on my old experience and phone it in cooking for some chain restaurant or waiting tables (which I have done for about 2 years previously) or I can hold out for a transporter or tech or some other entry-level job at one of the local hospitals. I really would prefer to land a job that could give me some sort of experience relevant to my new career path, but I could probably get hired as a server sometime next week if I started knocking on doors tomorrow. All the hospitals seem to do their hiring online, and that's been how I've been applying to all their jobs... should I be calling some hospital HR people up or showing up in their offices with my resume (full of restaurant jobs) instead or is that considered rude when they have an online hiring system in place?

I do live with my girlfriend who is very supportive of my new path :redbeathe and is willing to help me out on bills for maybe a month, but she really needs my income to help make the rent.

What do you guys suggest? Go sling some food in some useless chain job for a few months for instant cash in hand, or hold out as long as I possibly can for some sort of medical job that could end up helping me in the long run with networking and maybe tuition? (not too sure about help on tuition in this market, but one can always try)

Thank you so much in advance guys... I love this site and have lost many hours of sleep reading all of the stories on here. :)

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Hmmm... I would probably suggest biting the bullet and grabbing the first job offer you get, whether it's in the restaurant industry or otherwise. That will put some money in your pocket and allow you to pursue your dream at the same time. Now is not the time to be picky, you know? :wink2: As a new grad, I can tell you first-hand that hospital jobs are few and far between.

It sounds like you're going to be pretty busy, but would you have time to volunteer at a hospital or clinic if the opportunity presented itself? That would look great on a resume and provide you with some experience, but you'd be paying the bills with your other job at the same time. Just a thought! I hope everything works out!

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I hadn't considered that. Good idea!

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It is hard to get your foot in the door at a hospital. I have been applying to several local and they want previous LTC or such experience. I am changing careers and it is tough to get the first job so that you have something on the resume. Take something for cash and good luck!!

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Since money is a concern, I would grab whatever you can find for now. It will help you buy some time while you find something in the medical field. You'll be less stressed, which can only be a good thing, right? :)

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Ditto...Do what you can do to make $ now as you will be unable to start your career without tution right??? The hardest part is out of the way...Making the decision, and making the first step; that was the hard part...The next part is making the sacrafices, as you have already prepared yourself to make them when you left your job. You have a goal, a plan, and a general idea, and support...the only thing left that you need is commitment. I praise anyone who walks out on faith to pursue their goal because this is not an easy thing to do. I left a job to go to nursing school with absolutely no support from my mate...And now I am doing a countdown to graduation with 90 days left! You can do it!

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and I think that a sous chef would look good on your resume...It shows that you can definately work under pressure...use that to your advantage and sale yourself with it!

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Thank you so much guys! I landed an interview as a lab transporter at the hospital 2 miles from my house. It's part time, 6:30-10:30am, so I can go to class the rest of the day. If I still need money, I can pick up a few shifts on weekends waiting tables or something. My fingers are crossed for the interview! :)

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Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

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