Working during Nursing School

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I was at Orientation just a few days ago and when i sat down with the dean of nursing she recommended that i try to get a job at a local hospital... maybe 1-2 days a week since i cant do full time in the nursing program due to all of the college credits i transferred into the program. So i am on pace to graduate in 18 months with an nearly all part time schedule. She mentioned if i get a small 1 or 2 day job at a hospital.. it will be viewed as experience and net me a few more thousands on my first real nursing job when i graduate. Since this is a complete career change for me.. what kind of jobs did you guys do when you were in the nursing program? im not really worried about the income as im on the GI Bill and between staying with family to reduce my bills and my housing stipend... ill have plenty of money to survive.

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Specializes in Maternal Newborn.

Hi - Most people I've spoken to suggest a part-time CNA or Unit coordinator job. If you're unable to attain one of these roles, you could even volunteer at the hospital also and this would yield some experience.

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Specializes in NICU.

CNA if you want to work in LTC after nursing school. If you want to work in a hospital after nursing school, there are jobs for nursing students after completion of your first class with a clinical. They are called patient care interns, student nurse interns, student nurse associates. If the hospital doesn't have those job titles then a Patient care assistant (hospital based cna-type job).

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I am working as a STNA (which is what Ohio calls a CNA) while I am attending school. I'm working full time because unlike you I have no outside financial support, and attending school part-time. It works well for me.

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If you wanna call it that.. haha with the part time schedule.. i am only going to get $538 a month... to live off of.. so i will be still penching penny's haha.. i told my family that i really wanted to focus on school as first priority and they were the ones that talked me into staying with them and selling my house..

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I highly doubt it will get you more money after graduation. You can read loads of threads on here from people who worked part time or full time on different units during nursing school and didn't even get a nursing position when it was all over.

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Specializes in LTAC, ICU, ER, Informatics.

From the experience of my cohort, working as a patient care tech in a hospital can help you get a job after graduation, but it's not a sure thing.

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Specializes in NICU.

The local hospital usually hired a couple of nursing students as CNA's after our first quarter. It was good experience for me, I already had worked there as a volunteer for a couple of years. Unfortunately, that hospital and the other two within 20 miles NEVER hired new grads! They all wanted you to go someplace else, work for a year or so, and then re-apply.

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I highly doubt it will get you more money after graduation. You can read loads of threads on here from people who worked part time or full time on different units during nursing school and didn't even get a nursing position when it was all over.

Agree. I worked as a secretary on a floor where almost all the nurse's aides were in nursing school. After graduation, some found jobs in that same hospital, some had to go elsewhere (because once you've achieved your RN license, the hospital I was out didn't allow you to work as an aide to supplement your income while you were job hunting). So in a way, it's kind of even worse if you depend on that job (as opposed to working in another field) while you're job hunting. And here's something most people don't anticipate - lay offs. Every December, perfect holiday timing, the hospitals go over their annual budget and forecast for the next year. And if they went over budget, they're trimming. And that old saying, "last one in, first one out" happens from time to time. I've seen it, and even with a union, there is no escaping it.

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Specializes in oncology, MS/tele/stepdown.

You won't make more money as a nurse, but why would you? Of all my friends, the only one who didn't get a job right away was the only one who didn't work in a hospital beforehand. Without my externship I could still be unemployed.

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Specializes in ICU/Burn ICU/MSICU/NeuroICU.
Since this is a complete career change for me.. what kind of jobs did you guys do when you were in the nursing program?.

I started a Tile & Marble laying biz. It allowed me to work around my schedule and maintain my autonomy.

I looked at diff healthcare types of work, but found them boring and underpaid. Got a job straight into ICU as a new grad; ADN. Only ICU work could have helped at all.

The other folks who externed at the hospital that I went to work for got a whopping $500 bonus for getting their BSN AND externing in the ICU for a Semester. So I see no advantage at all in doing the healthcare routine. Anewgradisanewgradisanewgrad. Nothing is gonna help in the pay dept, for a new grad.

That all said, the other folks I worked with that did extern there knew where the Par-stock was and so on, but very little else beyond what we all had to learn as ICU orientees.

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sooooo you gave up to open a tile and marble laying biz...?

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