What kind of jobs do nursing students have?

[Joe NightingMale]

While in nursing school, I mean.

I know that many work part-time in a wide variety of positions, but I also know many work in health-care related fields too. I was wondering what type of health-care roles others here had worked.

With my first (and most difficult) quarter over, I figure I should get a job so I won't have to totally depend upon student loans (I could do it, but why live in poverty if you don't have to?). I'd like to get something in health care for the experience, the only problem being that I don't have any health care experience except for this first quarter of nursing fundamentals. I could work part-time in another field but why not start putting those skills to use...

[sziq1]

During nursing school

I am so far a

HUC/NA - Health unit coordinator and a cna (for 5 years now)

I am also a SNI - student nurse intern

I think it is always good to get some real hands on exp. with the patients while in school.

[StephyJaye]

I work in the retail hell that is known as Best Buy. I did dabble in CNA for awhile but after finding far to many lazy nurses.... I stopped that. But now in nursing school I am sick of retail and might be heading back into the hospital...

[MB37]

I just quit my job, but I've only worked as a bartender in recent history. I'm in Fundamentals now, and after this semester I can get hired as a nurse tech without going through any extra training like I'd have to to be a CNA. Next (spring) semester is our toughest - Med Surg I/II along with Psych - so I'll wait until summer to get a job in health care.

[LadyEJ BSN, RN]

I work as a bartender on on Fridays and Saturdays only. I make an average of about $400 a week. Not bad for two days of work, IMHO.

[4thGenNurse]

I work as a pharmacy tech and I can tell you that it is helping me out big time! Just knowing the math that we have to do and sig codes has helped me tremendously. I can't wait for Pharmacology, I will be able to apply it not only at school but at work as well. The pharmacists are so excited that I got into nursing school and have been answering my relentless questions with smiles on their faces. They have also worked with my schedule so that I have enough time for school and work. I'm pretty lucky!

[Gauge]

I am a Information Technology Specialist on campus. Basically I answer phones from all the students, facult, and staff on campus and troubleshoot any problems with their computers, internet, etc.

[Kiringat]

My two cents: I couldn't handle working in health care right now. It would just be waaay too much with clinicals and classes. So I have a nice, calm job at a bookstore. :)

[EDnurse2009]

I am a bartender. It is the only job that I can fit into my crazy schedule. Plus, I can make a lot of $$ in a short amount of time. The bad thing is sometimes I have to work until 4am. I am going to make a great night-shift nurse

[PreAzRN]

I am right there with greatan... I want a job so I can get my feet wet, but I have applied for all the jobs I can that dont require any experience with no luck...I am still stuck approving auto loans at the most mind numbing job you can imagine, but if you can afford the time and money to become a certified nurses' asst or phelebotomist then that is definitely the way to go... Some places have like 3 week CNA programs but its like an all day everyday kinda thing (M-F 8-5 for 3 weeks plus some odd hours of clinical time)so for most of us who already are in class and/or working its kinda hard to work around

[Jelli_Belli]

I work as a psychiatric tech. I work weekend nights and make about $14.00 an hour. It's a great job considering I usually have about 7 hours a night to study, or read, or what ever while the patients are sleeping.

[amyk_ncsu]

I work in a orthopedic physicians office in the MRI department. I'm a "patient services specialist" (aka receptionist). I got the job through a temp agency that specializes in health care related jobs (mostly medical records) and then was hired on after 90 days in the mri department.

I would suggest checking out your local temp agencies and seeing if any of them have any jobs in health care. You may have to do medical records or something like that for a few months, but it gets your foot in the door and lets the company get to know you so they may hire you. If nothing else, just take another temporary assignment.

I got my CNA certification before entering nrusing school as it was a pre-req, however, I had absolutely no luck in getting a job in the hospital. The hospital my school is affiliated with doesn't really hire unexperienced CNAs through the general application process (online). As it turns out there are contacts at the hospital that hire nursing students through the school. So if you are interested in doing that, ask around at your school and see if there is a "backdoor" to getting the CNA job at the hospital.

[Spacklehead, MSN, NP]

I actually worked as a veterinary technician while going through college for nursing. I think that in some aspects, I learned more hands-on skills (such as drawing blood and starting IVs) working with the animals than I did in clinical. The interesting thing is that many of the conditions in animals are similar to those in humans and use similar diagnostic workups and medications for treatment.