PCT at Abortion Clinic ?!

Nursing Students Technicians

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First and for most this is not a political pro-choice/pro-life debate AT ALL.

A little history about me. I originally started first bachelors degree as Pre-med. I always wanted to be a OB/GYN. Got to college and I wasn't prepared for the workload and wasn't focused so I changed my major to psychology and minored in women's studies. Always been a feminist. I started volunteering at a Women's Health Center that has two parts. One parts that does a lot of advocacy, grass-roots organizing, community work etc. and the second part that does abortions, low income reproductive healthcare, pap smears, birth control etc. I started volunteering doing community outreach, did my first internship their doing community outreach for black women, and then my second internship, I worked in the clinic and counseled women getting abortions and provided patient education. It was really rewarding. We did a lot of rape, incest, and fetal anomalies, in addition to regular abortions. After my internship was completed, I got a job at another clinic part time counseling as well. I did that until almost a year after I graduated. I then got a job working for CPS (Child protective services) as a case manager, did that for a few months and couldn't shake the feeling that I had given up on my life long dream to be in the medical field. It was too daunting to go to medical school and I felt more compelled to be a nurse so I got into an accelerated BSN program. I still work at night as a CPS case manager to pay my bills, but now I'm 6 classes away from graduating and need some more healthcare experience. The only Tech experience I have was when I worked at a Chemical dependency Tech at a Detox clinic for 10 months after college to supplement by part time job at the clinic.

Ultimately, I am an interested in Labor and Delivery. I loved my L&D rotation ! and want to be a CNM/Women's Health NP. I have 2 questions. I have been applying for a bunch of tech positions at all of the nearby hospitals with no call backs. I've applied to everything OB/GYN related: L&D, Antepartum, Mother Baby, NICU. Then I applied for any tech position period. I've even been applying to psych places and Nurse externships as another option but have had no luck at all. I really want to get my foot in the door.

I found out that the clinic that I did two internships in has a opening for a patient care tech and it pays decent and is walking distance from my home. It would be an almost guaranteed job because I know the staff and have experience. My duties would include vitals before and after the procedure, room and patient prep, patient education about birth control and the procedure, lab services for gyn days, instrument sterilization, and evaluating the products of conception. I believe I will get more hands on experience with nursing skills as well. Is this good experience to have? In the past, I have always been nervous about putting on my resume that I work at an abortion clinic in fear of judgment? I don't want to be barred or dismissed for it in my nursing career either. At the same time, is it better to be gaining any clinical experience then to not be gaining any ? Ideally, I would like to be at the hospital, but that hasn't com through for me yet so I'm not sure what I should do. Outside of this opportunity, should I only look for a tech position at a hospital and not a doctor's office or clinic ?

Thanks for your feedback !

First and for most this is not a political pro-choice/pro-life debate AT ALL.

A little history about me. I originally started first bachelors degree as Pre-med. I always wanted to be a OB/GYN. Got to college and I wasn't prepared for the workload and wasn't focused so I changed my major to psychology and minored in women's studies. Always been a feminist. I started volunteering at a Women's Health Center that has two parts. One parts that does a lot of advocacy, grass-roots organizing, community work etc. and the second part that does abortions, low income reproductive healthcare, pap smears, birth control etc. I started volunteering doing community outreach, did my first internship their doing community outreach for black women, and then my second internship, I worked in the clinic and counseled women getting abortions and provided patient education. It was really rewarding. We did a lot of rape, incest, and fetal anomalies, in addition to regular abortions. After my internship was completed, I got a job at another clinic part time counseling as well. I did that until almost a year after I graduated. I then got a job working for CPS (Child protective services) as a case manager, did that for a few months and couldn't shake the feeling that I had given up on my life long dream to be in the medical field. It was too daunting to go to medical school and I felt more compelled to be a nurse so I got into an accelerated BSN program. I still work at night as a CPS case manager to pay my bills, but now I'm 6 classes away from graduating and need some more healthcare experience. The only Tech experience I have was when I worked at a Chemical dependency Tech at a Detox clinic for 10 months after college to supplement by part time job at the clinic.

Ultimately, I am an interested in Labor and Delivery. I loved my L&D rotation ! and want to be a CNM/Women's Health NP. I have 2 questions. I have been applying for a bunch of tech positions at all of the nearby hospitals with no call backs. I've applied to everything OB/GYN related: L&D, Antepartum, Mother Baby, NICU. Then I applied for any tech position period. I've even been applying to psych places and Nurse externships as another option but have had no luck at all. I really want to get my foot in the door.

I found out that the clinic that I did two internships in has a opening for a patient care tech and it pays decent and is walking distance from my home. It would be an almost guaranteed job because I know the staff and have experience. My duties would include vitals before and after the procedure, room and patient prep, patient education about birth control and the procedure, lab services for gyn days, instrument sterilization, and evaluating the products of conception. I believe I will get more hands on experience with nursing skills as well. Is this good experience to have? In the past, I have always been nervous about putting on my resume that I work at an abortion clinic in fear of judgment? I don't want to be barred or dismissed for it in my nursing career either. At the same time, is it better to be gaining any clinical experience then to not be gaining any ? Ideally, I would like to be at the hospital, but that hasn't com through for me yet so I'm not sure what I should do. Outside of this opportunity, should I only look for a tech position at a hospital and not a doctor's office or clinic ?

Thanks for your feedback !

A few thoughts:

You may be underestimating the value of a stable work history. Seeing "this and that" every few months may give employers the impression that you'll move on very soon.

Hospital CNA/tech jobs are more competitive than long tern care jobs. A candidate that has no or limited experience would not be preferred ...especially one that will be graduating from school soon and not likely to stick around. The exception would be an employer interesting in retaining you as a nurse, but that depends a lot on the market in your area and who else is applying for that CNA position.

Tech experience anywhere has some value, but it's not "nursing experience". You won't get nursing experience until you're actually a nurse. Not all CNAs with a foot in the door get picked up as nurses by their employers.

Thanks for your response. I definitely do value stable employment. I have been working at the same job for 2 and a half years to put me through nursing school since then I have not done anything else but school and worked this same job so I do believe I have a stable work history.

I worked at the clinic before then for 2 and a half years as well and only got a second job for more income to supplement my income after I graduated with my first degree but only stayed for 10 months because I couldn't handle two full time jobs and nursing school. Everything else mentioned was internships that are only months in duration. I no longer include the internships on my resume. I only referenced them here for context for my question.

Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

Even though CNA/tech experience is not nursing experience, it still gives you valuable skills and experience that you can take with you as a nurse. I have been a tech in several settings and I believed it has helped a lot with my confidence in clinical as well as bedside manner. I also know skills that some nurses aren't as comfortable with such as doing EKGs and drawing blood.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about the stigma behind working at an abortion clinic. I think the exposure and things you will learn and witness will be invaluable in your women's health journey.

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