Volunteer or study?

[mastudent]

I am a new nursing student (my first week!) My question is: how valuable is volunteering during nursing school? Or should I spend every last minute studying? I have volunteered at my local hospital for a year and enjoyed it but am wondering if those hours would be better used with my head in the books.

Thanks!

[Jenni811, RN]

I got a job because i had 4 times the amount of volunteer work that others do.

Our school required us to have a minimum of 30 hours of volunteer work. I had 30 hours of volunteer work for every year i was in school.

People put their volunteer work on their resumes, and it looked good, but what they didn't tell employers was it was REQUIRED of them. It was our homework, and you don't put homework on a resume.

My volunteer work is what made me stand out from the rest of the class i graduated with.

[RazzleNdazzle]

You are just getting started, literally. I'd say continue to volunteer but recognize when you need to give that time back to yourself (to your studies). Maybe now that you're starting nursing school you will cut back.

My suggestion would be becoming a nursing assistant at an inpatient hospital. If the employment world is anything like it is currently it gives you a shoe-in to a guaranteed job after graduation. If you have employment status at a local hospital you will have the ability to view internal job postings as opposed to public job postings (which are limited currently).

Nursing assistant benefits: 1) money 2) hands on experience 3) direct job references 4) PRN status-work whenever you feel like it-just like volunteering

I worked as an NA and volunteered via an organization during school. It was great, but can hurt your study time. Know where to draw the line. You will stand out from other applicants and will be seen as a hard worker.

[serein]

I agree with getting a CNA position! That will look better on your resume compared to volunteering since you're getting the patient experience. Definitely don't forget about studying. I remember my first semester of nursing school and I didn't dedicate the time I should have to reading and studying which resulted in me barely passing. goodluck!

[KrysC.]

With all things first consider its pros and cons. The pros: you get experience with whatever you're volunteering in. The recognition-award ceremonies and letters of recommendation. Also, you can give as little or as much of your time. If you find volunteering is not for you and have to devote more time to study then you can easily give it up. The cons: it is unpaid and takes up time.

[anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP]

Once the schooling really gets started you will probably realize that studying is priority for sure. Nursing school keeps you busy especially once you start clinicals (we had to drive 30 minutes to a hospital after class, pick up pt information, come home and start researching meds, diagnosis, etc. and form a care plan) then wake up at 4-5 a.m. to be back at said hospital by 6 a.m. It gets busy. Keep your mind on your schoolwork but if you have time volunteer work is awesome! So basically, I think I'd scale back a little to volunteering once or twice a month.

And I also agree that a NA job is awesome! You'd be amazed at all you get to see! And in some hospitals if you are an actual STUDENT TECH you can practice some of your skills as you acquire them! As a tech I was able to place catheters, draw blood, etc. As long as the facility allows it and you have licensed personnel with you. Also as a tech you start to use your assessment skills and learn to organize and prioritize which is CRITICAL in nursing!

[canigraduate]

If I were you, I would keep volunteering and see what happens to your grades. You can always cut back if you need to.

If your main objective is to be more attractive to future employers, you could get a part-time job in healthcare. You don't necessarily have to be a CNA.

Good luck in school!