Will I be at a disadvantage?

[ThePrincessBride]

So I am a sitter at a hospital. I have been working there for almost seven months. I am a good employee and have never had to call in sick. I have been trying for an SNA job since October without any luck. All of my classmates have been getting PCA and SNA jobs, and all I have is a measley job sitting, watching patients. After applying to twenty positions, I am starting to apply elsewhere, but I have a feeling I won't get a PCA / SNA job.Will I be at a massive disadvantage for an RN job? Did you work as a PCA / SNA ? If not, did you have a hard time finding a job upon graduation?I'm just really upset and feel like if I can't get a PCA or SNA job, I won't get a job as a nurse.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Found a peanut, found a peanut, found a peanut just now..... I never worked in a hospital or any type of medical setting. I just obtained my RN and got a job. I did feel like I had a disadvantage during clinicals, because all the other students worked as nursing assistants, unit clerks, etc., and knew their way around a hospital. My school "forbid" us to work until we had at least one semester of clinicals out of the way, cause we had so much studying, etc., to do, but most of the students had to work to have some money coming in. There I was, new grad, suddenly charge nurse of a 44 bed telemetry unit, and no experience whatsoever. 5 days orientation! Thank God it was night shift, and I had 3 seasoned LPN'S to lean on!

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Oh, I must add: that was way back when there actually WAS a shortage, and they took any warm body.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

Thanks for the replies and the humor.If I can't even get a PCA, my chances of getting a RN job is not looking good. I feel like complete **** and this job search has gotten me down.

[BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN]

And to think they don't even teach humor in Nsg school, . . .raw talent.

Enter the "Art" of Nursing!

[mazy]

I have been dead for the past few days as well and I think I might actually be sleeping right this minute, so forgive the stupid question, but did you do the CNA course? I'm not sure of the training you need to be a sitter.

At any rate. Do not let this little bump in the road get you down. I admire the fact that you want to earn your way into this profession, but the goal is to get through school and get your degree and I think you've got a good attitude so eventually things will work out.

Just keep doing what you're doing.

[yuzzamatuzz]

I don't see anything wrong with just staying with your sitter job. The sitters that I have had on my floor do a lot of patient care, and are most often with difficult patients. Plus you get to see a lot as a sitter. Mention to your nurse that you are a nursing student. I've had a few sitters tell me they are in nursing school and I always make a point to teach them when I'm in the room. I think recruiters are going to see your job as a sitter as good experience and if you stick with it through nursing school you'll show dedication. As long as you can apply what you've learned as a sitter to the nursing world and can portray that in interviews, you'll be absolutely fine. You're being way too hard on yourself.

[sdlane]

You will find a job, not everyone has those positions before they become a RN.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Sometimes getting the job has more to do with being in the right place at the right time than it does your experience or grades or anything. When I first graduated, back when the first single celled creature crawled out of the ocean, the hospital where I lived wasn't hiring. I had put in several applications but never got a call. I ended up working for an agency and had a client at the hospital whose family had tons of $$$ and wanted a private duty nurse. The woman was in a coma and I was bored silly. Her roommate needed help so I helped her...it was only helping with her bra...the nurse manager was walking by and asked me what I was doing. I told her I was sorry...I knew it wasn't my business to help the other lady but I was bored with my patient and the other woman needed help. The manager looked at me and asked "Do you want to work for me?" She had no clue that I was new...she only knew I was willing to help. I told her that I had applied and had been told there was a hiring freeze. She told me she could hire one person and did I want the job.It was a matter of being in the right place at the right time or fate or kismet.Keep the faith, keep your job for now, study when you have the chance and you'll find a job.Good luck

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

I have been dead for the past few days as well and I think I might actually be sleeping right this minute, so forgive the stupid question, but did you do the CNA course? I'm not sure of the training you need to be a sitter.

At any rate. Do not let this little bump in the road get you down. I admire the fact that you want to earn your way into this profession, but the goal is to get through school and get your degree and I think you've got a good attitude so eventually things will work out.

Just keep doing what you're doing.

Thank you for the response.

At the hospital I work at, you are not required to have a CNA license. You only have to have one clinical rotation as a nursing major at an accredited school. I am at an accredited BSN program, and I have had clinicals since November (so I have had about 10 clinical rotations and many labs).

As a sitter, I cannot take vital signs, give bed baths or anything. I literally just watch the patient and if the PCA or nurse needs help, I can assist. But other than that, I'm very limited and I am not getting any hands-on training.

I just am so frustrated and want to yell, "WHY ARE YOU NOT HIRING ME?!?"

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

I don't see anything wrong with just staying with your sitter job. The sitters that I have had on my floor do a lot of patient care, and are most often with difficult patients. Plus you get to see a lot as a sitter. Mention to your nurse that you are a nursing student. I've had a few sitters tell me they are in nursing school and I always make a point to teach them when I'm in the room. I think recruiters are going to see your job as a sitter as good experience and if you stick with it through nursing school you'll show dedication. As long as you can apply what you've learned as a sitter to the nursing world and can portray that in interviews, you'll be absolutely fine. You're being way too hard on yourself.

Assuming if I even get an interview. 20 positions and not even so much as a phone interview.

At the hospital, sitters aren't really given much to do, and it is frustrating to know how to give a bed bath, how to assess for vital signs, etc, and not be able to do anything.

Thank you for response. It is just frustrating to see all of my classmates apply for one job and get called within a couple days whilst I've been trying to apply for months and not even get an interview.

[marine mom]

Quick! Close the doors to the Unit before they escape!!! You say the TV is talking to you...? Sorry! Too long on the unit.

[DarkBluePhoenix]

At least you are a sitter, and that is better than not being in the medical field whatsoever!

Now that you have done you first clinicals, any advantage you would have had, is now gone (since PCA stuff is done first semester, I am assuming).

I can see, that they only advantage they may "have"over you, is having hands on experience in tow with bedside manner. MAYBE, if there are jobs open, and they hire new grads, they MAY get the job. But, other than that, everything else is game on. Sure it would help if you were a CNA or PCA, but your not, YET.

Honestly, if you can, talk to the nurses when they come and give medication. Get curious, ask what they are doing and what are they giving. I don't know if that is bothersome but it will show interest to learn. Also, volunteer to help the CNA or PCA or whatever when they come in. Maybe on your way out, talk to the charge or the DON if you see them. Let them know you are interested and that you have been applying.

Good Luck!