Where to work in San Antonio while in nursing school?

[daisyis]

Hello Texas nurses!

I am hoping for some advice from RNs who are already out there working - I am starting nursing school this fall (Monday, actually!) and am thinking about leaving my current job to try and get my foot in the door in the human medical field. I have heard that already having some experience in the field when you graduate will help a bit with getting hired after graduation.

Currently I work as a medical equipment sales rep in the veterinary industry. I sell and support diagnostic equipment (EKG and BP units) as well as multi-parameter surgical monitoring equipment. I've had this job for about 6 years now, and for several years before that I was a veterinary technician.

I'm wondering what kind of options I have out there for employment that would be flexible with school and also what kind of pay I would be looking at. I know that after a semester in nursing school I can get a job as a CNA or PCT, but are there any other options I haven't heard about? One thing to consider is that I currently make a decent salary+commission..anywhere from 55 to 75 grand a year. That comes at a price though, as sometimes I can work 2 weeks straight and be out of the state on business travel for days at a time, which obviously would not work with school! As a vet tech I can make about 15 dollars an hour, and that's without an RVT license. The cool thing about being a vet tech is that you are allowed to do lots of things if you are trusted (place IVs, orogastric feedings, assist and suture in surgery, etc). Even though I can probably easily find a job as a tech, I want to start working on patients without fur and claws! I don't want anyone to think that I am only concerned about the money aspect, but I AM wondering if there is anything I can do on the human side that makes more than 9 dollars an hour, which is what I have been told to expect as a CNA. Also, what is the difference between a CNA and a PCT, or are they pretty much the same?

Thanks everyone for any input you may have on this. I want to get as much experience as I can while I'm in school, so any ideas would be much appreciated!

[Argo]

No sales rep in the medical industry, human side of it, would have time for school. Most hospital jobs other than nursing in san antonio pay very little especially entry level. Best bet would be to apply for a surgical attendant job or Anesthesia tech job. They pay a little more $10 and $13 or so respectively. I just moved from sa after living there for a looooong time, my whole life.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Most "human" tech jobs require a degree or certification. Even being a CNA/PCT requires certification or completion of a certain amount of nursing school.

You can get jobs doing reception work or other office work in a doctor office for anywhere from 10-17 per hour depending on the position and experience, but these will not help you with employment after education.

Your best bet if your goal is to open doors at the hospital after you graduate is to suck up the low wages and get a PCT/CNA position or an externship.

[BlondieRN2]

You may also consider looking into positions as a telemetry techinician or a unit clerk. Neither require education or certification. All training is done on the job. Best of luck!

[leighTX]

I am currently enrolled in a BSN program here in town. Most of my friends going through nursing school work as CNA/PCAs (which are basically the same thing), and get paid ~9.50/hr.

I applied for a number of different jobs, and actually just got hired as a lab tech. I'll be making $11/hr with evening and weekend shift diff.

The most important thing to keep in mind with finding a job during nursing school is that you're doing it for the experience, not the pay. Most hospitals I've heard understand what nursing students go through and are pretty flexible with scheduling/planning. My job in the lab is only going to be about 24 hours a week, but that's all I need to get by. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up more hours once school is out for the summer.