Student Nurse Tech Position

[Fire_Girl]

Its almost summer break, Im a first semester, I want to extend my learning experience throughout the break, therefore I applied for some jobs as a nursing assistant, and as a nurse extern at some local hospitals.

I was lucky enough to be called for interviews at two separate hospitals. One for an externship and one for a student nurse tech position. I believe both jobs are relatively similar but with different names. Im pretty confident that one of the two will call me and Id be very lucky to have either position.

Has anybody here worked as an extern/student nurse tech as a first semester? Can you offer tips or advice?

[nalie2, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, NP]

I currently have a student nurse job, but I didn't start in first semester. I started in third semester, and I love it! My job is really flexible in terms of scheduling because they know I'm a student. My tip is to stay out of the employee's way when they're busy, be nice, offer to do the dirty work, and ask questions. The employees I've worked with answer my questions eagerly and teach me tips they've learned during their careers. It's a really great position to have.

[nalie2, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, NP]

Oh and one more thing. Be open to work in any unit they assign. They send me to any unit that needs help and you'll get to see what units you don't want to end up in and which ones you would like.

[Fire_Girl]

Thanks! I needed that tip! I will. What kinds of things do you do? Were you confident when you first started?

[mindofmidwifery, ADN]

I don't work as a "student nurse" tech, however, I have a tech position in the ED which I obtained after a year of working in a nursing home.

Gain your nursing coworker's trust! Try your best not to make mistakes and demonstrate how much of a hard worker you are. I've been working in my position for a little over a year and the nurses I work with know that I'm in nursing school. They trust me, they know I'm a hard worker so sometimes they'll let me do simple nursing tasks under their supervision such as flu swabs, flushing IVs, bagging patients (not sure if this is limited to nurses), ear irrigations, application of oxygen as appropriate etc.

[emmjayy, BSN, RN]

I work as a student nurse assistant at the hospital that runs my nursing school. I qualified to work in that position after completing 90 clinical hours in my first semester. My job involves floating to different floors in the hospital and basically being the bedside nurse for a shift (except I can't pass meds, change dressings alone, program IV pumps, or administer tube feedings). My number one tip is to dive in head first and enthusiastically do your job. Answer call bells immediately, get through your daily cares as quickly and efficiently as possible, do your charting, don't make your charge nurse or whoever your supervisor is follow-up on you constantly. If they ask you to do something, do it as soon as possible. If you have down time and you see your charge nurse running around, ask if you can help them in some way. If a patient vomits all over the floor/soils the bed/whatever, don't hang back... get in there and start doing what you can to clean up and get that patient comfortable ASAP. Don't sit around on your phone all day and don't act like you are too good for any of the work that you see needs to be done - just DO IT. I've only been at this job for a few months and already have floor supervisors telling me to apply to work on their floor once I graduate simply due to the fact that I work my butt off all shift long whenever I float on their floor.