[Iridemtb]

Hey guys,
So here's the deal, I am currently signed up for a class that is my last pre-requisite to be accepted into a nursing program at school. After the spring semester I will enter clinicals and nursing classes etc...

My ultimate goal is to become a CRNA (a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, maybe that will hold some relevance for the advice you give me). I am planning at volunteering at my local hospital to gain some experience and get my foot in the door potentially and improve my CV.

Before I go about doing this, I was wondering, how many hours should I volunteer? I can volunteer up to 8-10 hours a week but I will be crunched for time already being a full time student and working 25 hours a week. Also, do you have any advice to volunteer somewhere other than my local hospital?

Thanks guys, I know you have been around the block and I'm a young gun compared to some (21 years old), so let me know!

Too long didn't read: I am a future nursing student. How many hours should I volunteer at the local hospital? Any other places for volunteer work suggested? I want to improve my CV, gain experience, get my foot in the door.

 

[dan-o]

I'd volunteer at the local VA hospital.
Use your PT experience to help some vets recover while getting some knowledge about how hospitals function.

A private hospital likely won't be able to have you function at any capacity where you'd learn nursing, due to your lack of any training. Plus they are for profit, so donate your time to someplace you can make a real impact on someone's life.

I also suggest watching the Meet the Focker movies to gain more insight about male nursing.

 

[bean]

I'd volunteer at the local VA hospital.
Use your PT experience to help some vets recover while getting some knowledge about how hospitals function.

This sounds like good advice.

I wouldn't worry too much about the number of hours you're putting in. Do it enough to get to know some of the staff so you can use them for references, get some good experience, and so that it's not like you just went in a couple times so you can put it on your resume. It doesn't seem likely you'd be asked about the number of hours in an interview, but if you were, you can say something like, "Not as much as I would have liked. Between work and school I was only able to volunteer for x hours per week for y years or months." As long as you did it consistently for a while, it should sound good.

 

[eric strt6]

put in enough time to be effective IE: one 8 hour shift is more effective than say an hour a day. 2 four hour would be the minimum for where you are there long enough to actually do something and be able to learn from the staff

 

[Iridemtb]

Thank you so much guys. This is exactly what I was looking for. I now have a light to my path!