What did you do for work during school?

gsxtreme1987 · Jul 29, 2008

im starting my pre reqs in september.. i need some ideas too on something to do.

I was thinkign about CNA, but i dont have a semster to waste on a CNA class. so thats out of the question.

Giant Panda · Jul 29, 2008

I'm exactly where you are. :) I was also thinking about CNA, but I too already have a huge workload ahead of me. I'm still considering it, but I'd like to hear other ideas!

crunchymomx3 · Jul 29, 2008

I was a SAHM during school. Paid nothing, but the perks were great. LOL.

Thankfully DH worked enough for me to be able to saty home, although we did rack up some debt. For extra cash I did Ebay and babysitting.

A lot of people in my class waitressed or bartended. The hours worked with school and the pay was decent enough.

Laurendd · Jul 29, 2008

I waited tables for the first three years then got a call center job in my last year. I really wish I'd had the call center job all along, I loved it, the hours were great and I made really good money with less hours than restaurants. Nothing nursing related but built my people skills! Alot of my colleagues did the Cna thing and It helped them with jobs when they finished. When you learn to live on a student budget though you become really good with money when you start making it.

clairebearrn · Jul 30, 2008

I was a manager for dominos pizza and then a student nurse worker at my local hospital...:) I worked 32 hours a week...

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2008

Yep...you are really able to live on less money...I've just agree that doing some sort of people job helps....CNA would be my #1 recommendation...or doing something in the hospital...

Call center...overnight work...whatever you need to do is what you need to do....

Giant Panda · Jul 30, 2008

What a wide variety of jobs we have here! Thank you for sharing. Now, I don't feel so bad working 40+ hours a week of freight.

And yes, Laurendd, I lived on a student budget for awhile. When I took a year off from school, I have learned to manage my money properly. :) This summer was my first semester back in school after the year and now I am back on a budget.

janis9799 · Jul 30, 2008

I helped an elderly lady with dementia who was still living on her own. Family hired me to help get her to take her meds, shower, get dressed, take a walk and go get a cup of coffee with her. Worked two hours a day, and then when she became worse before the family could move her in with them, I went in the evenings, helped get her ready for bed. Once she was with family, I used craigslist to find a mother's helper job on days I didn't have school.

As far as the CNA thing...in my program once you finished your first semester you were able to apply for certification as a nursing assistant...I would ask your professors if your state is that way too. I doubt you have to take a separate class for that since you learn CNA skills in nursing school. Craigslist is great to find odd jobs.

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2008

Yeah, many hospital tech jobs hire students once they've completed 1 semester of NS....and it takes about a good 4-6 months to become comfortable with it, but it really does cement the NS stuff into your head...

no matter what we talked about, every day I went into work I had at least 1 patient with what we had talked about in class...

Price 2002 · Jul 30, 2008

i worked as a stna (same as cna here in ohio) until may, but i only worked prn. in may i quit to worry only about my kids and school. i graduate october 1st. but i realize that not everyone is able to take time off work....i happen to be lucky that my hubby was willing/able to foot all of the bills! this is the first time since i was 16 that i have not had a job...feels strange but school is so crazy that it feels like a job plus overtime! i think the time that i spent working as a stna really helped me. i saw the difference between myself and others that didn't have any patient care experience...but that was just in my case good luck to you!

soulofme · Jul 30, 2008

I worked FT as a L&D desk clerk on the evening shift and NS during the day...it was rough at times but when it was slow at work I had my nursing books in my lap studying.. :yawn: