Want a student job, how to get it

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I'm a student nurse about to finish my first semester. Per my understanding, after semester 1 RN students can (generally) work as techs/aids to gain experience. I want to go this route, but I'm unsure how to go about it. The units I'd like to work on are ICU or ED, or a similar, higher acuity unit (big surprise, right?)

My question is, how do I go about trying to get one of these jobs? I'm not sure if they even exist, outside of a CNA job on a medsurg floor, which I don't want to do.

Can anyone offer up advice on how to make a resume for a student tech/extern job (We are somewhat lacking in experience, after all) and/or how to go about asking around a unit to see if they would be willing to hire us?

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Specializes in Medical Telemetry, SICU.

I'm about the finish my first semester too. I just have been looking at the job offerings for all the hospitals around me and I finally found one that actually offers the position. They called it nurses aide and this is the description:

To assist in patient care and unit activities under the directions of and in accordance with the Registered Nurse responsible for his/her work.

High School graduate or equivalent. Current acute care and/or long-term aide experience, or completion of fundamentals of nursing in NLN approved nursing program.

Just keeping looking under the "Nursing Support" section of job opportunities and read the descriptions because ever facility gives the job a different name. I think anything that mentions being a nursing student or finishing a semester we should be able to qualify for. And you may not get the job in the exact department you want but I'm sure any experience would be great.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

View the hospital websites and read the job requirements for the tech positions. Apply to ANY and ALL that are there and available to nursing students, not just ones in your areas of interest. Competition is super fierce for these jobs. Any foot in the door is going to get you closer to what you would like to do after graduation, but with the economy the way it is and jobs as scarce as they are you can't be picky and expect to succeed. After you get a position, treat every minute you are there like it is a working interview and stay out of politics/complaining/gossip with other techs.

I found my externship after first semester by calling the hospital and asking if there were any. You are doing well to be considering this kind of a move. Good luck!

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I am about to finish my first quarter and was offered a job as a nurse extern (tech) at the hospital in town. There is only one of 4 surrounding hospitals here that hire nurse externs. You are not a CNA. You practice nursing at the level you are in school. Ex: When you learn how to do injections, pass off on injections in clinical, you can then do it while you are at work if an RN allows you to on her pt. Most hospitals that have these positions will come and advertise at the schools. I would be calling every hopsital within your scope of travel and ask if they have nurse tech or extern positions. My position is paid and they pay $3,000 towards tuition a calendar year then I work 2400 hours after I graduate to repay them that tuition. I have also heard of some hospitals where it is not a paid position, but you just get great experience and put it on your resume.

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