What are you getting paid as a nurse student?

Nursing Students General Students

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Hello everyone,

I am hoping to hear from all of you who in the past has worked as or is currently working as a nursing student. What do you get paid and what are your job responsibilities?

I would like to start working as a NS once i get accepted and start nursing school (hopefully SOON!) I need to assess if i can afford to quit my current job that pays $17/hr. Hope a NS earns more than what i make because i need the experience as a NS but at the same time i cannot afford to make any less money than i currently do as i am a single mother of teenagers with multiple bills!

Anyone had ICU experience as a NS?

Also, where can you work to gain the most knowledge and experience??

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Oh Hon, Sorry to burst your bubble, but nursing students aren't paid. Doing clinical rotations/practicums as a nursing student is not a 'job', it is just part of the educational process. Some hospitals do have jobs (usually called 'patient care tech' or something similar)

that are reserved for nursing students who can manage a part time job in addition to going to school - but this is not part of the required educational process.

Non-licensed jobs do not pay anywhere near $17/hr. These jobs consist of tasks that do not require a nursing license. Nursing students have opportunities to do 'clinical rotations' in a variety of different environments, including ICU - but this is part of the educational program, not "experience".

If you are a single parent with dependent children, it probably is not a good idea to try to begin a process that will have such a drastic effect on your income. Maybe you should wait a few years or try to find a part-time program in which you could continue to work at your current job.

Also, please keep in mind that you will need a BSN if your goal is to work in a hospital.

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There are jobs for nursing students, I think that's what she's talking about, but they are COMPETITIVE and crappy hours. I know UCLA pays about $20 an hour

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

You don't get paid for clinical.

You can be hired as a student nurse tech (or equivalent), but not until you have completed you introductory nursing course or sometimes not until completion of your first med/surg course. These jobs are very competitive to get and are rarely full-time. If you secure such a position expect to be paid 50%-80% of what a new grad RN makes, so you might be able to do ~$17/hr depending where you are located and where you get a job. Some facilities will hire nursing students into their ICU.

It is more common to find nursing students volunteering than getting paid.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I am a nursing student with kids and bill and I am volunteering. I am praying I get a PCT job but nothing yet.. But here is Indy the hospital pay for a PCT ranges from 10/hr to 14/hr.

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My hospital hires NAs and NA/HCT (Nursing Assistant/Healthcare Tech (Unit Secretary)). Some are nursing students, most aren't. You can qualify by either being on the state registry or being a current nursing student. The hiring process is very competitive! There aren't jobs specifically for nursing students. Where I am, NAs start around $10 and NA/HCTs are closer to $12.

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Specializes in Oncology, Critical Care.

You rarely find a nursing student who is working as a nursing position (PCT, Nurse assistant, etc). Generally, you have to wait till your second clinical is completed and have good grades. places near me hire people who have completed half their clinical rotations, and have top grades (one place requires a 3.4 minimum, other has no requirement). Plus you wont find a nursing job right when you start NS, and to be frank you shouldn't take a job in nursing if you don't have experience. With no medical background (real medical background of client contact and patient care) you may put a patient at risk for injury (if you do injure a patient you can be sued for assault, battery, or negligence!). And if you get charged with those, you can kiss your chance to get your RN license good-bye. As for the ICU, you probably won't find a position in one as a nursing student without being an EMT, ER technician, CNA or LPN, those units require someone with a background in emergency situations. Not to mention any time you spend in the ICU wouldnt be until your 3rd or 4th clinical, so that would have to wait. Most places ive worked at or looked at require a nursing student to know how to perform EKGs, identify arrhythmias, and preform phlebotomy, things you wont learn till the end of your Nursing Program (usually). Im sorry that you have bills and kids, but nursing school isnt a paying venture, it costs a lot, its competitive (very!), and many students spend about 90% of their spare time studying.

Nursing school doesn't pay you to do clinicals, in fact you pay them to do clinicals.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I make $10 an hour + benefits. This is NOT a job you do for the money unless it's your only option. Most of my friends who work in similar positions PRN make around $12/hr (no benefits) but they work maybe 3 times a month and those positions are extremely competitive.

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Specializes in Med/surg, Onc.

Most students at my school work at a PCA/CNA in one place or another, which require passing the CNA state exam of course. Most of them make 10-12/hr and either work every weekend 12hr shifts or PRN. There are some places that hirer nurse externs in their last semester of nursing school and they usually pay 15-17ish, but again you're working weekends because you have class/clinical during the week. Most of those people are people without families.

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I believe the original poster was asking about SNAP programs. Student nurse programs that hire nursing students after their 2nd completed semester. I'm not sure if the pay is exactly the same as a CNA or not, because that it basically what the SNAPs do. But the hospitals usually offer them at the beginning of the year or so. Best bet is to call your local hospitals and find out when they accept applications for the program. That way you can apply when they are accepting applications :) Good luck.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
You rarely find a nursing student who is working as a nursing position (PCT, Nurse assistant, etc). Generally, you have to wait till your second clinical is completed and have good grades. places near me hire people who have completed half their clinical rotations, and have top grades (one place requires a 3.4 minimum, other has no requirement). Plus you wont find a nursing job right when you start NS, and to be frank you shouldn't take a job in nursing if you don't have experience. With no medical background (real medical background of client contact and patient care) you may put a patient at risk for injury (if you do injure a patient you can be sued for assault, battery, or negligence!). And if you get charged with those, you can kiss your chance to get your RN license good-bye. As for the ICU, you probably won't find a position in one as a nursing student without being an EMT, ER technician, CNA or LPN, those units require someone with a background in emergency situations. Not to mention any time you spend in the ICU wouldnt be until your 3rd or 4th clinical, so that would have to wait. Most places ive worked at or looked at require a nursing student to know how to perform EKGs, identify arrhythmias, and preform phlebotomy, things you wont learn till the end of your Nursing Program (usually). Im sorry that you have bills and kids, but nursing school isnt a paying venture, it costs a lot, its competitive (very!), and many students spend about 90% of their spare time studying.

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I'm sorry, but this post made me chuckled, considering that about half of PCAs at my hospital ARE nursing students, and I know plenty who have gotten good PCA jobs with very mediocre grades, and there are plenty working in the ER or ICU without any license.

And if you aren't learning EKGs and performing phlebotomy until the end of your nursing program, I'd suggest you find another nursing school because most of that is covered in your third or second semester.

And please, stop spreading false horror stories. It is a lot harder to lose one's RN license. You would have to do something serious or unethical to have your license revoked.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I'm sorry, but this post made me chuckled, considering that about half of PCAs at my hospital ARE nursing students, and I know plenty who have gotten good PCA jobs with very mediocre grades, and there are plenty working in the ER or ICU without any license.

And if you aren't learning EKGs and performing phlebotomy until the end of your nursing program, I'd suggest you find another nursing school because most of that is covered in your third or second semester.

And please, stop spreading false horror stories. It is a lot harder to lose one's RN license. You would have to do something serious or unethical to have your license revoked.

Things differ in different areas. The poster was probably just sharing his experience.

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