PCA or PCT working at Riverside, OSU, Childrens

[illidan01]

Can you please advise the current working environment for these hospitals? I know some hospitals are insane when it comes to PCA or PCT work load. Do you think the hospital you work out treats you well, and the nursing staff is cooperative? Do they work well with your nursing school schedule?

Thank You!

[CNM2B]

I worked as an SNA (Student Nurse Associate) at OSU (The James) while I was in nursing school. It is a PCA position, but there is less training and more flexibility regarding schedules. I think you have to have completed one quarter of med/surg clinical in order to apply. They were great about working around schedules and exams.

The job is tough, as is any PCA job, but I learned a TON in the process...whcih I think makes me a better nurse now. I have friends who worked at Riverside, Grant and Mt. Carmel West as PCA/PCT's and they all pretty much feel the same....

Good luck!

[illidan01]

Thank you for your encouraging words! Did you work more than 15 hours during school? Do you think it effected your grades? Some PCA's say it gets confusing between what they teach in class and what real life experience is! I really do need to work, but don't want to lose the GPA for the future years of trying to get into a Masters program.

[CNM2B]

I typically only worked one 8-hour shift per week. That was all that was required for my unit as an SNA. I, like you, wanted to work enough to get some experience, but not so much that my grades were affected. The nice thing was that they would often call me if they needed extra help and if I was able to, I could pick up an extra shift here and there. It was a good situation for me. I didn't really feel like I picked up any bad habits while I was there, so I wouldn't worry about that. Also, since I was a nursing student, the nurses and some of the docs would call me in on interesting procedures so that I had extra exposure to things--that was a great opportunity!

[illidan01]

Thanks CNM2B you have been a great help! I only hope I can get hired - it is very tough now to get a position! I only wanted to work 8 hrs a week to keep up my GPA.

[Marysjrfan]

I typically only worked one 8-hour shift per week. That was all that was required for my unit as an SNA. I, like you, wanted to work enough to get some experience, but not so much that my grades were affected. The nice thing was that they would often call me if they needed extra help and if I was able to, I could pick up an extra shift here and there. It was a good situation for me. I didn't really feel like I picked up any bad habits while I was there, so I wouldn't worry about that. Also, since I was a nursing student, the nurses and some of the docs would call me in on interesting procedures so that I had extra exposure to things--that was a great opportunity!

That sounds like a fabulous experience to back up your training. I also worry about affecting my GPA, but I also realizxe that practical experience teaches things that the books don't. So what you're saying is that you would recommend something like this to a student who wants to get some good quality experience wshile in school, right?