RN Student find work as a Nurse's Aide?

[cccormier]

Hello,

I am hoping someone can help me with some questions some of my peers and I have regarding finding part-time work in Ontario.

Since PSWs (Personal Support Workers) are not regulated (my professor told us the other day), can a first year nursing student potentially work as a nurse's aide if the employer would allow?

Do you know of any nursing students that have been hired as a nurse's aide without a certificate or diploma? Is it common?

Any relevant advice or information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

It depends on the employer, since more employers are requiring certification. However, once you have completed a year of nursing school, many employers regard this education as your "certification" for PSW, so to speak. When I was in nursing school, three of my friends worked as aides. One had her aide certification, the other two did not.

[Razzy_Ruby]

Hey there, I got hired in my first year of nursing as a PSW and i know another student that got hired before she even started. I know many students who got hired at different facilities, and they don't ask for certification if they know your n the nursing program.The first year of nursing helps because the skills you learn are essentially skills performed by PSW's. It can be rough at first starting as a PSW. I know when I started I went from caring for two residents in placement to taking care of 9 which kept me busy. Its definitely a good experience though; you gain and strengthen skills and the pay isn't bad at all.