RN's what was your occupation while in nursing school?

[mzsuccess]

I live in Nc and here they have CNA ll and the program sounds interesting. The job description is a basically more advanced training than a cna 1. I know it isn't all about money but I want to be comfortable while in school and not so stressed. I had bad experiences as cna 1, in a LTCF and it just turned me off. I was so tired and stressed I couldn't get work done. A Cna ll is kinda like pca/pct. Alot of hospitals and hospices are hiring for them. My thing is I can't find the pay rate and difference in pay from cna 1 to cna 2? The program is $700 and is for 8 weeks.. does the sound like it's worth it? what did you do while in nursing school?

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

Slacker and kept man.

[mrnightinggale]

I was (am) a retired Air Force aviator. Just doing nursing school for fun/personal fulfillment (OK, and some travel money).

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

Brandy...I actually make more as a nurse. I worked in accounts payable and was not a CPA. I have wanted to be a nurse for 20 years but couldn't go to school for it because there were no night/weekend programs. But there was for accounting which was plan B. Now I can do what I've wanted to do.

But I do miss the hour lunches :)

The CPA/accounting people must have a thing for nursing. I have several friends who are nurses now who were CPA's and/or in accounting in one way or the other who chose accounting over nursing because of various reasons (thought they couldn't get into the nursing progam, failed one nursing class and thought that was the end for them b/c they weren't 'smart' enough for the nursing classes etc)

[ChrisCarlyle]

I worked as a lpn, at the county jail.....

[laKrugRN]

I was a CNA, but then my grades slipped due to working the swing shifts. I became a cashier at a local grocery store. BEST JOB EVER! Made better money than a CNA and was done by 9 every week night and 6 on weekends! Also, the fact that I was in customer service has impressed some nursing facilities during interviews. You could say nursing can be customer service! Haha

[guest769224]

I work in the ICU/ER as a tech, in hope they'll hire me as a new grad upon graduation next year.

[sistrmoon, BSN, RN]

I think the first job is a hot topic because people only complain when things go badly lol. So while there are some places that ARE really tough for new grads I don't think it's that way every place or even most places.

No one posts: and nothing happened everything was fine lol.

No I meant ADN vs BSN was a hot topic.

[kgoode0919]

I was an assistant manager at a sporting goods store. For a short while after I graduated, I was a general manager. I thought retail was terrible...little did I know :)

[annie.rn]

During active schooling I worked at a movie theater and in the dorm dining hall. During summer breaks, I worked as a telephone operator for A.T.T. (before it all became automated), a CNA at a small nsg. home, a nurse extern at the VA, and some part time at the movie theater all through college (loved the movies!). Of course I did not do these all at the same time. I only had one full time job per summer w/ a little part time movie theater. I was expected to pay my dad $3000 toward my college every summer. I did, and he covered the rest.

[WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN]

When I was doing CNA training in Tennessee 2 of my preceptors were going for their CNA 2. The nursing home paid for their training. Are there programs like this in your area? If you can afford it, it sounds like a great opportunity!

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Part time ski patroller during the season.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

You'll be qualified to be a CNA II after your junior year skills lab in nursing school - the one where you put in foleys, start IVs, etc. Don't waste money paying for a program. You don't even have to take a test, you just have to turn in a form that proves you've taken that skills lab.

I worked at a hotel as a night auditor until that job wasn't compatible with my clinical hours, then I had to quit. I then worked at a dry cleaner until that job was not compatible with my clinical hours, and then I had to quit that one too. I was unemployed for one semester as a result - my spring semester of my junior year, but that summer I got a job as a nurse extern and stayed on as a CNA throughout my senior year, so my unemployment period was very short. Nursing school is difficult to work around most other jobs because of the ever-changing hours you have to be at clinical.