Being Honest With Nursing School: Having an On Campus Job

Hello All!

For two semesters of my nursing school journey I worked on campus as a Nursing Skills Lab student worker. In my school we have two skills practice labs complete with mannequins and expired equipment that we can use to practice our skills on the mannequins. The two large rooms are set up to resemble a hospital setting as much as possible, so it is a quality space for nursing students to practice putting in an indwelling catheter or starting an IV. 

The job of being a student worker in this setting was relatively simple. I, along with the other students that held the position, were in charge of taking inventory at the beginning and end of each semester, helping students practice, and setting/cleaning up stations for return demonstrations. The two busiest times of the semester were at the beginning and end. 

In the beginning we had to complete our initial inventory while helping set up for everyone's demonstrations during the first two weeks of school. The final two weeks of school were spent counting all of our materials once more and dealing with the stress of studying for finals. 

However, in the middle of the semester things were relatively quiet and I was allowed a generous amount of time to study while in the lab. If there were no students coming in to practice during open lab hours we were certainly allowed to complete homework and study for an upcoming exam. This element to having this particular on-campus job is very beneficial for a busy and stressed nursing student. 

Also, hours were based off of each workers availability so we essentially got to pick the hours that we worked. There were several times where I picked a later schedule so I could clean up the lab and study afterwards. 

Having this job also allowed me to remember materials needed for specific skills. That information will transcend when I begin working as an RN and need to perform different skills on patients and do not have a "check-list" of items needed to perform the activity.  

A lot of nursing students chose a job as a CNA in the hospital in order to gain more experience, but if you feel as though those hours do not fit into your schedule properly or you are interested in a more slower paced job, finding an on campus job might be the perfect route for you. In some respects there is less competition because only students at your school are allowed to apply. 

I am an advocate for on campus jobs because they are relatively easy to find and apply for, and it is another way that you can get involved on campus. If you can find one that revolves around your nursing program specifically it shows future employers that you were involved in your school, which is always a marketable quality on a resume.  

I hope that this blog post was helpful in case you were interested in an on campus job and wasn't sure how it would fit in a student nurses schedule!  


- Michelle
#BSNbabe