Pre-nursing job advice needed

[EvLu22]

Hello! A little background: I was recently accepted to a nursing program for people who already have degrees in other fields. I currently work as a medical transcriptionist for a big healthcare system in the area. Obviously there is no patient contact involved, but I also have been here for 5 years and have a good relationship with my supervisor and knowledge of the EMR and am familiar with our hospital, etc.

I'm still a couple of years out from my job search, but I've been contemplating if it would be worth my while to leave my job at the hospital to get some hours in an actual patient care setting after getting my CNA. It would probably be a dock in pay, which is not a huge deal, but I would also be leaving a health system/several hospitals I would ultimately love to work at. I'm wondering if leaving transcription or staying in transcription will make it harder or easier to find a nursing job down the road. I hear so many different things...its patient care experience, its who you know, etc. I would hate to leave the hospital if being a hospital employee would make me a stronger candidate (obviously I would be a cheaper candidate since I wouldn't need to be hired again). Would working as a HUC make me a stronger candidate?

I'd just love to hear some thoughts on the subject.

TIA!

[mom2cka]

Being comfortable with computers will be a plus. I worked in a non-medical field and was hired as a new grad before I graduated (2007) and know it still happens. To be in a system is beneficial; to have longevity and a flexible job that you can keep up with while in school on whatever basis you can will help. If you want to stay where you are at - do what you can to stay there, it will make it so much easier to be there as a nurse when the time comes. I work with nurses & PCAs who were/are in the accelerated programs and you can work, though usually minimally PT or casually; it's still enough to keep that foot in the door. Good luck!

[EvLu22]

Thank you for your response! So in your opinion, being in the system already is worth more than whatever patient care experience I could gain by taking a CNA job somewhere?

[mom2cka]

I don't think you can beat patient care, but not everyone is able to do that, and it doesn't mean you can't work as a nurse. If you have that concern, is there a casual position you can pick up at a nursing home to gain that hands on experience?

[EvLu22]

I certainly could take up a casual position, I suppose. My only concern with that would be adding one more responsibility to work, school, and family. But it wouldn't be impossible.

I've heard it is typical of students in post-bacc programs to end up leaving their original jobs while in school to gain experience to put on their resumes when applying and work as CNAs. Some of those students may work in completely different careers though, so that would totally make sense. That is why I've considered dropping transcription within the year and finding something that does involve actual patient care. However, I'm also not sure if I'm willing to give up the flexibility, especially since this job keeps me brushed up on a ton of related material. Its a little different than coming to nursing from a degree in English and a job in journalism, do you think?

Obviously, I'm a little far out of actually making a decision on this, but I appreciate your insight a ton. Knowing that I'm not a less desirable candidate because I have never actually cared for patients gives me incentive to continue transcribing because it already works well for me and my family!

[mom2cka]

There are plenty of us out there who never worked with a patient outside of nursing school - you might catch some flack for it from coworkers, but I didn't have problems with it from my instructors, classmates, or when interviewing