Types of jobs to get before/during nursing school

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I'm currently doing my prereqs for nursing school. I already have a BS in Finance but hate it so I am going back to school. I was just wondering what I should be doing and what types of jobs I should get/look for while I'm in school to better my chances of getting into a nursing program.

:)

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Specializes in ED/Trauma.

I have been working as an EMT for a few years and have found that the the training and experience I have picked up have done a great deal to prepare me for a nursing career and to let me know that this is the career for me.

I would definitely recommend doing SOMETHING in the medical field where you have exposure to a wide array of patients and medical disciplines. This will provide you with a knowledge of whether or not nursing is really something that you want to pursue.

EMT programs give you a great overview of many areas of medicine. The best description of our skill set that I have heard is that we are jacks of all trades and masters of none.

If you go the EMT route, the ideal goal is to get a job in a hospital emergency department. There, you will work hand in hand with the nursing staff and will learn exactly what it takes to be a good nurse. In addition, you will get A LOT of patient contact and will be able to start getting comfortable dealing with the severely ill and injured before you start school. EMT jobs are also VERY flexible in terms of hours, so if you are planning on working during nursing school, working as an EMT can provide you with flexible enough hours to make that feasible.

You can complete an EMT-B course in anywhere from 3 weeks (8 hours/day, 5 days/week) or over a semester at a more relaxed pace. There are a large number of private institutions and community colleges that have EMT programs.

I am sure that there are other great jobs to prepare you, but I do not know enough about them to be a cheerleader for anything but EMS ;)

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