Volunteer experience / Job experience

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I noticed and been told that its best to get volunteer or job experience (If applicable) while working on prereqs and even in nursing school so when you finish and start applying to places it reflects and improves your chances of being hired.

Now my question is what 'Experience' is preferred?

I'm looking into volunteer positions at Hospitals, Retirement / rehab homes as well as part time jobs such as Hospitality aide I believe was one and trying to see if I can get a part time as a EMT-B. I'm assuming anything that relates to medical field work would be a plus, and I understand some get there CNA to and work as a CNA which is very helpful (A retirement home I know hires and trains you to become one)

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Specializes in Critical Care, Trauma.

I have heard that having CNA experience is a plus, but at my school (Lower Columbia College, in Longview... You Washingtonian ;)) there isn't a place for information like that on the nursing school application. Their application is literally nothing but classes, grades, and test scores. I haven't even heard anything about an admissions essay, etc...

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

(Hospice) Volunteering worked for me. CNA, for me, would be iffy because I've had professors share they often have to wrangle with CNA's who picked up skills wrong in terms of re-teaching them the "right" way to do things.

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I think being an EMT is totally sufficient for work/volunteer experience for both applying to school and getting a job afterwards. I don't think being a CNA is necessary. I got accepted into the BSN programs at UW, SPU, and SU with 60hrs of volunteering in an ED, ~100hrs of volunteering at a Ronald McDonald House, and about 1000 work hrs as a patient transporter in a hospital. Universities in Washington are looking for well-rounded applicants with good grades, medical experience (to show that you know what you're getting into), and good communication skills (essays, resumes, etc).

Once you're in nursing school and have completed a quarter of your program you can apply to be a nurse tech (the job is available at several Seattle hospitals) and that, I have been told, is the best job you can have on your resume when you apply elsewhere as a new grad because it's real nursing experience. You get to give meds, insert foleys, start IVs, etc.

Sounds like right now you're on the right track OP, no need to make it harder for yourself! :)

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Specializes in Emergency.

I am currently volunteering in the hospital I hope to work for when I graduate. Hospitals really appreciate their volunteers, so if you can get them to love you before you apply, that's a great thing! For myself, I want experience talking to clients and assisting them with personal tasks before I am a nursing student. I'm in the process of becoming a Certified Home Care Aide here in Washington state. It's 75 hours of training and I have an employer paying for the training and providing an hourly wage while I train, so yay! If I choose, I can do another 25-hour bridge program to become a CNA.

I think minimally, volunteer a few hours a week in a hospital. If you can balance classes with work, do that too. I won't sacrifice grades to work, so I was upfront with my employer that school comes first. They are ok with that, so it's a good fit for me while in school.

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Awesome. Thanks for the feed back guys.

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Specializes in Telemetry.

To piggyback on this post, I am starting my prereqs for nursing school and have been subbing in the elementary school clinics when it fits in my schedule. Do you think that is decent experience or am I better off volunteering at a hospital?

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To piggyback on this post, I am starting my prereqs for nursing school and have been subbing in the elementary school clinics when it fits in my schedule. Do you think that is decent experience or am I better off volunteering at a hospital?

Your resume for nursing school will be more attractive if you have medical volunteer experience.

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Specializes in Med Surg, PCU, Travel.

If you are already an EMT, don't do anything else. Its already great experience.

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