Pre-RN no expirence jobs

tcdtx · Feb 22, 2006

I wanted to be sure I wanted to go into nursing, so I got a job as an admission clerk in the ER to start. I eventually moved into a tech position in the ER. I had no previous experience or qualifications, just BLS. Anyway, it was an excellent learning experience. There are also usually positions open in the business office, hospital admissions, insurance verification, etc. These clerical type of positions do not usually require any previous experience.

snuggy · Feb 22, 2006

I worked in ER Registration for a few years before becoming a SAHM. I had no previous hospital/medical experience at that time. I just got hired on at a different hospital, working PRN in ER Registration again. While many hospitals do not require any previous experience, there are some that do prefer it. However, as tcdtx mentioned, there are positions within the hospital that will hire for an entry-level clerical position with no previous medical experience. The fact that you have a degree will work in your favor, as well as the fact that you want to pursue an education in the medical field.

Another consideration is volunteering. While you won't get paid, obviously, you will gain a lot of experience in dealing with patients, their families, and hospital employees, as well as learn how different departments within the organization work together. Volunteering looks great on your resume, and you will absolutely gain a lot of valuable experience and insight as well.

Best of luck to you!

allthingsbright · Feb 23, 2006

Check out unit clerk jobs, hospital/doc office reception jobs (especially in the labs/exray dept etc), or even look into places that will train you for cna cert. (usually nursing homes). GL!

Hind12 · Feb 23, 2006

Cool thanks to all!!!

kukukajoo, LPN · Feb 24, 2006

Health Unit Coordinators (HUC) or Unit Secretaries and admissions comes to mind. At the local hosptial you also have to check out with someone and that would be a decent job as well.

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2006

Many years ago I worked as an admitting clerk in an ER. I made sure I worked in the ER so I could actually be around patients/illness/medicine/nursing. I say this because I worked for a short time in general hospital admitting, and except for seeing the occasional person walk down the hall in scrubs, it was just clerical and I had zero contact with actually being in a hospital.

The ER that I worked in was so small, that the doc, nurse, and me all shared one looong desk in the center of the ER. This meant that I would order labs, call respiratory, call doctors, bring patients blankets, drag their copays out of them etc, in fact I did many things I suppose I shouldn't have been doing as a clerk, but it was many years ago and I got good experience. Maybe smaller hospitals or urgent care centers would offer opportunities to do more?

I personally would avoid working as a CNA. Their work is just so hard, so physical, so exhausting. Some people don't mind though, it's individual.

I think working in an ER can be good to let someone know if the healthcare field is REALLY for them. For example, I remember my first night in the ER. A couple came in. The woman said to the triage nurse "We had sex, I forgot about the tampon ya know...all that tequila I guess...well anyway we're worried it went to my stomach." The next patient...a guy who had been shot in the foot. I was so fascinated by it, I couldn't take my eyes off his foot while trying to get the copay out of him LOL.

I knew I was hooked on nursing.

WDWpixieRN, RN · Feb 25, 2006

I am hoping once I get accepted into an RN program that I can get a job in a hospital. I would probably especially be interested in being a unit clerk or ER admitting.

A year or so ago, I applied to a local hospital for a couple of these types of jobs but never heard anything. My fear was that I have bachelor's and am currently working in the IT field making probably 2 1/2 times the hourly pay for these positions and that they were looking at the resume thinking I was "overqualified".

Hopefully in the fall when I will seriously need the part-time (or better) job, if I go stand in a HR office long enough, someone will realize that I seriously want the clerical position! Heck, I did that type of work for YEARS before I finally got the BS degree AND I enjoyed it more than my current line of work!! Plus, I can't imagine a more interesting place to work! :mad:

kukukajoo, LPN · Feb 26, 2006

Keep in mind that some places do not allow you to do clinicals there if you are an employee. This is the case at the local hospital for some reason and I discovered it just as I was about to turn in a nicely prepared employment application. Glad I found out as nearest other hospital is 45 min away!!

Merrique · Feb 26, 2006

I agree with the others, you should try for Unit Secretary.