Pre-nursing healthcare jobs that still pay the bills.

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Hey everyone!

So glad to be here after many months of lurking in the shadows. I am a hop, skip and jump away from submitting my Maricopa CC application. So exciting!

I am darn near 30 and a career-changer currently working in food-service (ugghhh) to pay the bills. Like most other pre-nursing students I want to get a position in a facility, (hospital is most desirable) but still need to pay the bills.

I am taking EKG class this coming week and would like to be a Telemetry Tech by the first of the year. What are my other options for decent paying jobs, minimum $13/hr. I plan to spend the1-1 1/2 years of being waitlisted working my tail off/two jobs, so I can afford not work or work very, very part-time while in nursing school. My Fiancé has a good salary and is moving up at his job. We will use the waitlist time to get ahead.

CNA/LPN is out for me because I don't want to take another semester of classes for a position that will pay less than I am currently making. 3-4 years ago this would have been a feasible option.

Specifics would be very helpful. I am not to terrible familiar with the whats and hows of getting a healthcare job. Should I just call up the HR departments of the facilities I am interested in and see what is available. I've been looking online at their job boards but know that they probably get a lot of applications, I don't want to get lost in the paper trail.

What extra cert's are beneficial to get while I have some down time. I plan on getting CPR, BCLS next.

Thank you for the suggestions!

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

Uhhhh taking a CNA class would be extremely beneficial, especially if you want to be a tech with no prior patient/healthcare experience

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

When I first began applying for tech jobs last year, I had my CNA license, about three months of patient face experience, and my BLS cert. I got no calls back. Even after 6 months of patient care experience I got no calls back. I applied for 50+ positions and various hospitals both of those times.

At the beginning of this month I had a year's worth of experience and applied for hospital jobs once again. So far I've gotten about 6 calls back. I have a tech job lined up and a unit coordinator position lined up at magnet hospitals.

I'm in Ohio. Arizona seems even more competitive. The phlebotomy class may help but at the tech job I pretty much have, they will provide a phlebotomy class for me to attend. I'd say you need to get your CNA and get experience. You may get lucky but I'm giving you info to be a competitive candidate 😊

ETA I reread and saw you said EKG, not phlebotomy, but the hospital I'm going to be working at also provides training for that.

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I know it would be beneficial but its just not in the cards at this time. I grew up volunteering at a State operated Nursing home in NH, my step-mother is a RN now teaching the LPN program at that facility. Trust me I get it...

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.
I know it would be beneficial but its just not in the cards at this time. I grew up volunteering at a State operated Nursing home in NH, my step-mother is a RN now teaching the LPN program at that facility. Trust me I get it...

I understand that CNA pay isn't the best, especially working in a nursing home but there are even prn options, so you can pick up when you can. Anything is better than nothing. Is that something you would be able to do?

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I need to find a position that I don't have to take many more semesters of classes to get. I simply cannot do a CNA program because I can't take 5 months off from work and spend more money on tuition to get a job that pays $10-12/hr.

I've spent the last 3 years going to school and getting my pre-reqs in order. I have financial responsibilities I must upkeep. I wouldn't mind the job of being a CNA, I just can't afford to go through another semester of school right now.

I appreciate your perspective, it helps a lot to see what others are going through in order to get these pre-nursing jobs.

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.
I need to find a position that I don't have to take many more semesters of classes to get. I simply cannot do a CNA program because I can't take 5 months off from work and spend more money on tuition to get a job that pays $10-12/hr.

I've spent the last 3 years going to school and getting my pre-reqs in order. I have financial responsibilities I must upkeep. I wouldn't mind the job of being a CNA, I just can't afford to go through another semester of school right now.

I appreciate your perspective, it helps a lot to see what others are going through in order to get these pre-nursing jobs.

Okay! I understand. I also want to advise volunteering at a hospital.

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Thank you! :geek:

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You said you're applying to the Maricopa CC's? Once you apply, it's now only a 1-2 semester wait, so you really won't be waiting that long. I would just volunteer somewhere, as even a transport job in a hospital is super competitive!

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I will be utilizing the option of deferring one semester due to finances. So depending on when I am accepted I estimate I won't begin the program for 1 - 1 1/2 years. Do you volunteer rachaelofcourse? Are you a MCCCD nursing student? What has your experience been in getting volunteer positions.

I know and want to be doing this stuff. This thread, for me, is really seeking the specifics of finding, applying for and getting the positions.

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Oh, ok.

I used to volunteer at St. Joes. We did mostly discharges, so we'd wheel people to their cars upon discharge. It's a pretty simple process to apply!

I start block 1 in January at Gateway as a CEP student.

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Specializes in PACU, ED.

When I was taking my pre-reqs at Mesa CC I volunteered across the street at Desert. That was around 2003 so things might have changed since then. At that time, they only wanted a minimum commitment of 4 hours a week. They had different areas to choose. I wanted a patient care area and lucked into PACU.

I was the Tuesday afternoon volunteer. I got to see a lot of what the nurses did and also help quite a bit within a very limited scope of practice. It was time well spent.

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