Suggestions of what to do before nursing school

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I was recently accepted to an accelerated BSN program for May 2011. After this semester, I will have completed all the pre-reqs. I am still working full-time in a non-health care related job. Any suggestions on what I should/could do to prepare for nursing school during the waiting period? I have thought about CNA training, but of course that costs money that I should probably save for next year when I won't be employed. Any other ideas of what I can do during the down time?

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Specializes in Foot care.

Get any kind of job in a healthcare facility that you can get. In fact, pick the institution you want to work at AS A NURSE, and get a job there now. Check the American Red Cross for inexpensive allied health training.

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You should try to get some training.. so you could try to get a part time or PRN (as needed) job as a patient care tech during school.. It'll get you great experience and also get your foot in the door so you can get a job after you graduate. Start looking for books and other supplies that you'll need during school... get some study books that'll help you with your critical thinking...

Good luck!!!!

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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.

CNA training may be costly but it would be a great investment in your future. You will gain familiarity and experience in direct patient care and, as other posters have said, working as a CNA could be your foot in the door for future employment as an RN. Although you say that you will be unemployed while you're going to school full-time, if you have CNA training and experience, you can work on a casual or PRN basis.

Also, if you are not a regular exerciser, it might be a good time for you to start working out to increase your strength and stamina. If you have long-term fitness goals, like wanting to lose weight, this is a great time to work on those goals because, when you're in school, you will find that between the high level of stress and the amount of work that it's easy to fall into bad health habits.

Hope all works out well for you and congratulations on getting accepted into school!

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma.

enjoy any free time or social life you have as much as possible, you won't have it once school starts!!! ;)

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Specializes in CVSICU, Cardiac Cath Lab.

I'm in an accelerated BSN and all I can say is: drink! you need to build your tolerance now so that you can keep up with your clinical buddies!

No, just kidding....:jester:

Seriously, though, enjoy the time. The accelerated programs are really time consuming and you can kiss things like pleasure reading and hanging out with non-n/s friends goodbye for the most part. I spent a lot of time with my 3 year old, the semester before I started and I'm really glad I did.

Congrats and good luck!!!

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What about volunteering? It doesn't cost anything but time, and you will get to observe the goings on at whatever facility, even if they don't let you do a whole lot. Hospices seem to let their volunteers do more for patients, like feeding them, and they require training prior to starting. Any patient contact you can get would be good and any training you can get for free is a Blessing.

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I thought I'd follow up my last suggestion with another. I know you are concerned about the expense of getting your CNA, but I'm actually conducting a survey right now relating to how nurses perceive prior CNA experience before becoming a nurse. You can read the many insightful responses to my survey at: https://allnurses.com/academic-nursing-research/prior-cna-experience-467019.html

You may decide after reading what they have to say that it would be worth the cost.

Best wishes to you!

Jill

P.S. - I just got my CNA in January, still looking for the right job until I start applying for nursing school - so yes, I'm biased, but I feel good about getting my CNA after reading the responses to my survey.

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Some psych hospitals don't require your CNA. I am a CNA, but I didn't have to be to get my job as a mental health associate. They taught how to take vitals in orientation. They also let a few of us do phlebotomy training. We still do plenty of CNA tasks - giving baths, changing depends and clothes, feeding confused patients, etc. Plus, the place I work at least, is a lot less work than a regular hospital. We have a lot of 1:1 observation patients, so you can get homework done on 2nd and 3rd shift while the patient is asleep (it's bad I know, but we all do it! :eek:).

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Specializes in ED Nursing, Critical Care Nursing.

I agree with previous posters. CNA training/experience will be valuable to you down the road. If you can complete the training and work PRN as a patient care technician, that would serve you well. If nothing else, you at least need to do some job shadowing with an RN. See if you can shadow in several areas of nursing so you can get some insight into what this career REALLY means, and what it REALLY takes to do it well. Though rewarding, nursing is also TOUGH on your mind and body. One way or the other, it will be important to gain some insight into what nursing is and isn't. It will also be valuable to learn just what it takes to do this job, and how difficult it can be. You need to know that information going in. Just my opinion...

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Telemetry, SICU.

Some hospitals, like where I work, have extern positions for nursing students where you can be a CNA and not have to get your CNA certification. For my job, the requirement was to have completed the first semester of nursing school clinicals. You might want to check around. It worked out well for me because I was able to adjust to my first semester of nursing school and then start a new job when I was more comfortable in the medical field. Good luck to you. :)

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Specializes in ED.

I'd definitely get your BLS certifications. Most schools/clincials require them anyway so you might as well get those out of the way.

You could try to get a job in the hospital or other health care setting - a pharmacy might be perfect. Most hospitals require their techs or aids to have either the CNA certification or completion of the first semester of nursing school. If I had been smart, i would have tried to get a pharmacy job before starting school because so many of the kids that have worked or still work in the pharmacy have a leg up on a lot in class.

m

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