Nurse tech position...advice needed

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I have been doing daily searches for nurse tech positions in the hospitals in my area. Finally, last week on Thursday a position came up at the small community hospital about 20 minutes away. I submitted my application on Thursday night last week and hand delivered a cover letter, resume, and list of references the following day on Friday to the human resources department. I do not know anyone at the hospital, so I know it will be difficult getting in. The nurse tech position is a PRN position, but it would be a great benefit to get hired and have some direct patient care experience under my belt. Plus, I would also like to hopefully acquire a position at this hospital upon my graduation as an RN, as I feel it would be a great starting point for me career-wise.

Is there anything that I can do to better my chances of getting hired since I don't have any direct connections to anyone in the hospital? I was thinking of doing a follow up sometime this week to let them know how serious I am and that I would be interested in remaining there after graduation. Should I make a phone call, go in person, maybe ask for someone specifically? And when should I do this since I just hand delivered my resume on Friday of last week? Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I really hope and want them to consider me since I would be willing to make a committment to them when I become an RN.

Thanks in advance everyone!

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I don't know about anymore that you can do now, untill you get an interview. When I applied for the hospital that I work for it took them about 5 months before I was called back for an interivew. Just be aware that it may take awhile for them to get back to you. You could follow up every couple of weeks to indicate that you are interested. When you get an interview be sure to send the person that interviewed you a thank you card or email.

Good luck

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The problem is going to be that the hospital isn't going to want to hire you and train you for a tech when they will just have to retrain someone when you graduate. Are you graduating soon? We are going through the same thing at our hospital and our director will not hire someone if they are in nursing school. Hope it works out though.

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The problem is going to be that the hospital isn't going to want to hire you and train you for a tech when they will just have to retrain someone when you graduate. Are you graduating soon? We are going through the same thing at our hospital and our director will not hire someone if they are in nursing school. Hope it works out though.

I thought that was the point of being a "Nurse Tech".

I understood it to be different than a CNA/PCT in that a "Nurse Tech" is a nursing student working the floor to get hands-on patient experience and get their foot in the door for a possible position as an RN when they pass their NCLEX.

Did I misunderstand that?

I mean, after all, if the hospital wasn't interested in a hiring a nursing student, why have the Nurse Tech position in the first place? Would they just be posting an opening for a CNA/PCT then?

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The requirements for the position were that you either had to be in an accredited program or have have graduated from an accredited program. I don't know how many new grads are in my area, but I know I wouldn't get the position if they had new grad applicants. They just posted a couple more positions today as well.

I know I would remain with the hospital after I graduate in 2011 and have no problem with signing a contract (I don't know if they have something like that). I only have basic skill experience such has hoyer lifts, bedpans, assisting with personal hygiene, some vitals, and documentation. I guess to me personally it would make sense to hire a tech with basic skills that they could train in the way that they wanted train and have them learn their protocols and documentation system. That way, upon graduation and transferring to an RN position, that person would already know their protocols and be familiar with their hospital versus hiring in a new grad who would need more time invested into them so they could learn how their hospital operated. I have never been in a hospital setting, so this is just an opinion.

I guess I will just wait and see. I am still going to contact them within a week or two. Like many people here on the forums have mentioned, I just don't understand how people are supposed to gain experience in the field as new CNAs, LPNs, RNs if everyone only wants to hire experienced CNAs, LPNs, and RNs. We all have to start somewhere.

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I thought that was the point of being a "Nurse Tech".

I understood it to be different than a CNA/PCT in that a "Nurse Tech" is a nursing student working the floor to get hands-on patient experience and get their foot in the door for a possible position as an RN when they pass their NCLEX.

Did I misunderstand that?

I mean, after all, if the hospital wasn't interested in a hiring a nursing student, why have the Nurse Tech position in the first place? Would they just be posting an opening for a CNA/PCT then?

Thank you for your post, because that was my understanding as well (just posted a long reply). The position I applied for is accepting applications from new grads as well, so I would be understandably passed up if a new grad applied. However, if a new grad didn't apply and I were to get the position, I would know more about the way their hospital operated versus a new grad who has never worked there. It would seem as though a hospital would favor that more, because they would know how they were initially trained on certain protocols.

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