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Would it be beneficial for me to work in a healthcare setting for experience while in nursing school, or would it be better to fully focus on my studies to succeed in the program?
I will be finishing my pre-reqs soon and planning to attend Wayne State's nursing program. and I feel like working at a healthcare unit would give me more experience, but I feel like again that would be too much. I want more advice on that or how I can balance if I do work and go to school. Since I do need the money to pay for my classes.
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Julia’s Answer
Hi Malak,
If you feel like you can manage your time and workload with the pre-reqs, I encourage that you work to get hands-on experience, because the world of medicine is more than what you will read in your textbooks. I have a pharmacy technician who has been working with me for almost a year and she is in nursing school right now. She still works around her schedule as they change every quarter for her program and she has found that it helps her with her clinicals especially. If you are interested in working as a pharmacy technician, retail pharmacies are always hiring and sometimes they have a program where they will pay for a certain amount of your tuition (as reimbursement for a certain amount of time working for/in the company) as long as it's healthcare related -- if I'm not mistaken, I believe CVS has a program like this for technicians and nursing is one of the programs they will reimburse tuition for. They will train you on the job and will work with your schedule when you start nursing school, but be sure to check with them if you decide to apply (they can also check with HR on this).
Another option you could look into is becoming a CNA or patient care technician at a local hospital if they are hiring for the position. I would also recommend researching some nursing homes or assisted living facilities near you to see if they may be hiring for these positions, if not similar ones. If you are having trouble finding a nursing related position, you could also consider a housekeeping job or a dietary aide job at a nursing home. These are underrated positions that could still get your foot in the door, and I think it's worth to explore if anything. You never know what opportunity this could actually get you in the long run. Be sure to check with Michigan state laws to see if you need to be certified for these jobs, sometimes some places don't but it varies.
Ultimately, time management is something that you will learn based on your schedule and how it works best for YOU. It's doable but definitely a learning curve because time management looks different for everyone. Just be sure to remember that your academics will always be more important than work, no matter the money. Your success in the program and clinicals will get you far, but your work experience will only help you so much along the way.
I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Best of luck on your journey!
If you feel like you can manage your time and workload with the pre-reqs, I encourage that you work to get hands-on experience, because the world of medicine is more than what you will read in your textbooks. I have a pharmacy technician who has been working with me for almost a year and she is in nursing school right now. She still works around her schedule as they change every quarter for her program and she has found that it helps her with her clinicals especially. If you are interested in working as a pharmacy technician, retail pharmacies are always hiring and sometimes they have a program where they will pay for a certain amount of your tuition (as reimbursement for a certain amount of time working for/in the company) as long as it's healthcare related -- if I'm not mistaken, I believe CVS has a program like this for technicians and nursing is one of the programs they will reimburse tuition for. They will train you on the job and will work with your schedule when you start nursing school, but be sure to check with them if you decide to apply (they can also check with HR on this).
Another option you could look into is becoming a CNA or patient care technician at a local hospital if they are hiring for the position. I would also recommend researching some nursing homes or assisted living facilities near you to see if they may be hiring for these positions, if not similar ones. If you are having trouble finding a nursing related position, you could also consider a housekeeping job or a dietary aide job at a nursing home. These are underrated positions that could still get your foot in the door, and I think it's worth to explore if anything. You never know what opportunity this could actually get you in the long run. Be sure to check with Michigan state laws to see if you need to be certified for these jobs, sometimes some places don't but it varies.
Ultimately, time management is something that you will learn based on your schedule and how it works best for YOU. It's doable but definitely a learning curve because time management looks different for everyone. Just be sure to remember that your academics will always be more important than work, no matter the money. Your success in the program and clinicals will get you far, but your work experience will only help you so much along the way.
I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Best of luck on your journey!
Updated
Katherine’s Answer
Working in a healthcare environment is a great option for anyone looking to go into medicine. Not only will you have the chance to make money as a college student, but you can also gain so much experience just by observing those around you. Depending on what field/specialty you want to get to, there are a lot of good options. CNA (certified nursing assistant) is a good general catch-all. Most in-hospital healthcare settings need CNAs. I can't speak for all hospitals/offices, but for the most part CNAs will monitor patients, be a scribe, and assist nurses/doctors as needed. It's a great way to make connections and get feelers out for the medical world (also a great place to get references from). Another CNA equivalent is EMT (emergency medical technician). An EMT can work both in an ER and on an ambulance. Ambulatory medicine has been a great way for me to get patient care hours and I have learned so much that I wouldn't have otherwise. In the hospital, emergency departments will use EMTs in a very similar way to CNAs. If you are specifically interested in Emergency Medicine, I would absolutely recommend this route but, I am a little biased. At the end of the day, there are so many great options out there. Good luck!