As a nursing student, it is important to know what nursing student job ideas are available to you while in school. It is usually beneficial to have a medically related job, because it can provide you with some introductory experience. So I have detailed below, 3 of the best nursing student jobs ideas you should consider.

CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT

This right here, is the obvious choice for any and every nursing student. Certified nursing assistants (CNA) are hired in all healthcare settings. This includes hospitals, long term care facilities, and home health care companies. As a CNA, you will work in collaboration with other healthcare members such as nurses, doctors, and everyone else involved in the care of the patient. Your responsibilities will include assisting patients or residents in accomplishing their activities of daily living (ADL). These include assistance with dressing, bathing, personal hygiene, toileting, ambulating, transferring, assist with dining services, and medication reminders.

Being a CNA would allow you gain a world of experience, that will be useful to you both during your program and after you graduate. Don’t forget that by gaining these experiences, you will acquire knowledge about patient care. You will also be able to build a strong foundation as you move forward in your education. To become a CNA, you’ll have to apply obtain your CNA certification, which involves classwork, a written exam, and a skills check off. The program could last anywhere from 4-6 weeks, and can range from $400-$750, depending on the program you apply too. Here’s one thing to know!!!! When you begin your nursing program, feel free to ask your nursing program if they assist students with acquiring their CNA certification. For instance, some of my classmates were able to apply to take the written exam and skill check off, after completing their 1st semester of nursing school. This is so helpful because you get to bypass the CNA classes and move on to applying for the written and skills exam. Please visit here to read more about how you can start your CNA career today.

MONITOR TECHNICIAN

This is another amazing opportunity for you as a nursing student, to allow you gain some experience, while in nursing school. A monitor technician works on a hospital unit that offers telemetry monitoring of its patients. In other words, you will be one of the people who carefully watches those screens that show patient’s heart rhythms. Your main job will be to alert the nurses caring for these patients, when you notice an abnormal heart rhythm or changes in the patient’s heart rate (HR). This job provides you with the ability to learn different kinds of heart rhythms, and soon be able to discern what is normal or abnormal. Also, it is a great path for those who would love to work on a cardiac unit someday. While some hospitals may train you for this positions, other require that you have a monitor technician certification. These courses are available online or in person also and the cost is variable. For more information on how you can explore this option, visit this page.

HOSPITAL PATIENT TRANSPORTER

If you have ever been at a hospital, you have probably observed a hospital patient transporter. These are the individuals who safely move patients to different parts of the hospitals, and this is also a great job option for nursing students. For instance, a patient needing a chest x-ray may need to be transported downstairs to the radiology department. A hospital patient transporter would take them down there, either by walking with the patient, taking them down in a wheelchair, or in their bed. Upon completion of the x-ray, the patient is then transported back to their room. With this job, you get a good sense of the ins and outs of a hospital, and develop interpersonal communication skills. Lastly, you also get to coordinate with nurses while moving patients throughout the hospital. Most hospital patient transporter positions only require a high school diploma and then, you receive on the job training. Click here to read up more on this opportunity.

These are my top 3 picks for nursing student job ideas. I hope these help you make a decision on jobs to look into. If you have a different job or will be trying any of these, leave me a comment below.

Also, visit my other post on nursing student must haves and inspirational quotes for nursing students. You can email me with any questions you may have, as I am happy to help.