Karnes1986

Hey everybody, YES YES YES. Volunteering has helped me out a lot. I'm finishing up my prereq's at the local community college in my town, I volunteered in the ER at the local hospital (which is a top 100 hospital and a Magnet hospital), and I got offered a job as a PCT on an ACE (acute care of the elderly) floor, ortho floor, and an ER float. I have also sat in on four ortho surgeries. I've learned so much about what nursing REALLY is about since getting this job. I look forward to finishing school and starting my new career. Volunteering is a good way to get your foot in the door. I was asked to work under the Dean of Emergency Medicine when I was a volunteer. So many opportunities can come up for you just by starting at the bottom. Best of luck to you! :)

I'm a PCT at a hospital and I'm pretty sure they will not hire an RN/LPN as a PCT due to their position being out of their range of practice. It might depend on the hospital though.

I'm a pre-student nurse, and work as a PCT in the hospital. If I know that one of the pt's are going to be getting BP meds, I try to take their vitals immediately before they get their meds, even if its within an hour of vitals. I think it helps the nurse out, and if I were giving BP meds I would want to know where they stand at that time. I guess every nurse has their own point of view on it though.

I am really anal about my grades. The first time I took A&P II, I was getting a C and I dropped it. Retook it, got an A. My program requires a C or better. If you are able too, try to retake it if you feel like you could do better. Some may think that its a waste of time, but if it's on your mind that much, like it was mine, retake it. I would apply anyways, the worst that can happen is they say NO, and you try again.

I work as a PCT in a hospital on an ACE unit, Acute Care of the Elderly, and will float to orthopedic floors and the ER. I think that before you go into nursing, get an STNA certification and/or be a PCT in a hospital for at least 6 months. If you can handle the job of a PCT, I think you will understand the basic concept of nursing. I thought I did before hand, and I was VERY wrong. Thankfully, I still love patient care and I am looking forward to getting into clinicals soon. Nursing takes a special kind of person. You can't understand the job of a nurse until you are in the room with them and seeing what they go through. It's more than patient care, it is dealing with families, doctors, paper work and other pressures.