As the college application season is wrapping up for me, I started thinking about what I can do during the 2018 summer to help me on the road to become a nurse. Last summer, I did an paid lab research internship that was very educational but it really doesn’t have much of a impact for nursing. Is there anything similar to that? The only thing I can really think of is volunteering at a hospital. I want to get a head start on the upcoming summer.
Are you a senior who is going to a nursing program in the fall?
You could always take a STNA (state-tested nursing assistant) course at a local community college. It might also be called a CNA - certified nurse assistant. The name varies, but the idea is the same: practical nursing skills.
Be sure the college you are attending is okay with it before signing up for any community college classes.
@bearcatfan yes, I’ve finished applying for colleges and have been accepted into several of them already (I.e. Case western). Is there anything else that can give me hands on experience in the nursing field? What would be the benefits of those classes?
Honestly, I think you’d be okay doing whatever you’d normally be doing this summer (working, traveling, etc).
You are already accepted, congratulations! Unless part of their program is that you take such a class on your own at some point (we’ve run into a few of those) I would think you’d be learning what you need to know there.
My daughter said she learned a great deal working part-time as a nursing assistant in a hospital while in nursing school. She worked a few hours a month during the school year and then longer hours during the summer. That type of experience is especially helpful if you ask questions. Many hospitals will hire nursing students as equivalent to a Certified Nursing Assistant after their third year. If you want to work before that, you may need to take courses as a CNA.
She also learned CPR and other skills when getting certified as a lifeguard.
My daughter volunteers on the local ambulance with the EMTs – and last year she went to a 3 week hands on medical camp (it was at Drexel).