Nurse Extern or ER Tech

[redraider1977]

I am looking into options to gain experience in patient care after the summer. I am in my first semester of RN school, working in medical records of a small hospital here in Dallas area. I will have the chance to transfer to another dept. as a PCT or ER Tech. Should I pursue that or try to find a nurse extern position at one of the larger hospitals in the area? Which would benefit me more when trying to find that first nursing position after school? Thanks

[Faeriewand, ASN, RN]

I say go for ER tech. I did that and it was terrific experience. Lots of CPR and helping the nurses without the load of responsibility. :)

[redraider1977]

Yeah, Im thinking the same thing. Plus im very interested in ER or OR.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

it depends... if you do the nurse externship, will you be in line for a job when you graduate? if so, what department? er techs who become nurses in theory can stay at the ed they work. i say in-theory because i have known a few who did not get a job offer after graduation. however, the same can be said of nurse externs these days too. my advice is to talk to the hiring managers in both to determine which one will give you the most options post graduation and help you learn while in school. as a former extern, i think that is the better deal. i was a tech first (not ed) and i loved being an extern in comparison!

i received a patient load with my preceptor and trained to be a nurse. my assessment skills as a new grad were better then most when i started. as a tech, you do not do a lot of assessing or training to be a nurse. on the other hand, er techs get to become exposed to a lot of trauma unlike externs of other floors. gl!