Best Jobs for Nursing Students

Nursing school isn’t easy, and doing a job while you’re in nursing school is even less so, but it’s often necessary. Whether you need to pay for school or just want to gain some valuable work experience in healthcare. No matter why you may be looking to work during nursing school, I’ve put together a list of the best jobs for nursing students.

One more great thing about doing the job while in nursing school is that you will see firsthand what it’s like to work in the nursing profession. This can help you decide if this is actually something you want to pursue after finishing school.

Having job experience while a nursing student can boost your nursing resume. That means you can have more opportunities and better-paying jobs after finishing nursing school. You can also see that which healthcare professional is best suited for you.

You can try to join a healthcare-related internship during your senior year in college. If you can find such an opportunity, it is a smart decision for the best career options. However, remember that not every program will give you enough experience to apply to your dream job right away.

7 Good Jobs for Nursing Students

Following are 7 top nursing jobs that can not only help them pay for nursing school but also provide them with the experiences and skills necessary for a successful nursing career. Let’s dive in.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

A CNA or certified nursing assistant is a person that provides basic care to patients. Many nursing students start as CNAs because not only do they work directly with patients but the job is relatively easy and doesn’t require a degree or previous experience.

Responsibilities of CNA Include:

• Turning or moving patients
• Gathering medical supplies
• Bathing patients
• Monitoring patient conditions
• Assisting with medical procedures
• Documenting information
• Cleaning rooms and bed linens
• Stocking supplies
• Safety procedures
• Transporting patients
• Taking care of wounds

Salaries of CNA:

• An entry-level Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) with less than 1 year of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $12.55 based on 1,840 salaries.
• An early career Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $13.00 based on 13,408 salaries.
• A mid-career Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $13.64 based on 9,293 salaries.
• An experienced Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) with 10-19 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $14.25 based on 12,681 salaries.
• In their late career (20 years and higher), employees earn an average total compensation of $15.

Source: Payscale

Phlebotomist

A phlebotomist is a trained medical professional in the collection of blood samples from patients. This job requires a lot of attention to detail, but it’s relatively low stress and easy work for nursing students.

Responsibilities of Phlebotomist Include:

• Drawing lab orders from doctors and nurses
• Taking blood samples from patients
• Shipping specimens to testing centers
• Keeping track of all supplies used during the day
• Verifying patient information and labeling blood samples properly
• Accurately updating patient information in the organization’s database
• Helping nervous or frightened patients remain calm during blood draws
• Working with supervising Physicians and following their directions at all times

Salaries of Phlebotomist:

• An entry-level Phlebotomist with less than 1 year of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $13.54 based on 508 salaries.
• An early career Phlebotomist with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $14.38 based on 2,494 salaries.
• A mid-career Phlebotomist with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $15.96 based on 1,416 salaries.
• An experienced Phlebotomist with 10-19 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $17.26 based on 1,767 salaries.
• In their late career (20 years and higher), employees earn an average total compensation of $18.

Source: Payscale

Tutor

If you have good communication and teaching skills, becoming a tutor can be a great way to further your education. You don’t need any certification or experience to become a tutor – you just need to be willing and able to help out students that are struggling with the subject material.

Responsibilities of Tutor Include:

• Helping students overcome challenges
• Creating schedules that fit each student’s needs
• Monitoring how well each student is doing throughout the tutoring sessions
• Ensuring all materials given to the student are completed by session end
• Analyzing results from assessments and pinpointing where academic problems lie
• Facilitating review sessions for upcoming tests and quizzes

Salaries of Nurse Tutor:

• An entry-level Nurse Educator with less than 1 year of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $73,435 based on 43 salaries.
• An early career Nurse Educator with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $72,918 based on 247 salaries.
• A mid-career Nurse Educator with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $76,703 based on 330 salaries.
• An experienced Nurse Educator with 10-19 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $80,048 based on 350 salaries.
• In their late career (20 years and higher), employees earn an average total compensation of $86,275.

Source: Payscale

Transporter

A transporter’s main responsibility is to ensure the safety and comfort of patients in hospitals and medical facilities. This can include moving patients from one location in a facility to another, and ensuring that they are taken care of during their procedure or visit.

Responsibilities of Transporter Include:

• Providing transportation when needed for doctors, nurses, technicians, and other hospital employees
• Keeping the surroundings safe by ensuring stretchers aren’t hit by doors or carts
• Helping patients move into position after being put on equipment
• Ensuring IV poles are locked into place once patient is ready for anesthesia
• Keeping order between patients competing for attention at the same time

Salaries of Transporter

• An entry-level Patient Transporter with less than 1 year of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $11.88 based on 112 salaries.
• An early career Patient Transporter with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $12.29 based on 350 salaries.
• A mid-career Patient Transporter with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $13.20 based on 94 salaries.
• An experienced Patient Transporter with 10-19 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $13.93 based on 74 salaries.
• In their late career (20 years and higher), employees earn an average total compensation of $15.

Source: Payscale

Medical Unit Receptionist

When we go to the hospital, the first person we meet with is typically a Medical Unit Receptionist. This individual greets patients as they arrive, and ensures that their information is recorded properly.

Responsibilities of Medical Unit Receptionist Include:

• Greeting new arrivals and checking them in
• Verifying insurance coverage before beginning services
• Helping patients check out when all procedures are completed
• Organizing relevant records to be sent to the patient’s primary care facility or doctor after treatment
• Answering any questions the patient may have during his or her time at the medical facility

Salaries of Medical Unit Receptionist:

• An entry-level Medical Receptionist with less than 1 year of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $13.37 based on 231 salaries.
• An early career Medical Receptionist with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $14.25 based on 1,491 salaries.
• A mid-career Medical Receptionist with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $15.01 based on 801 salaries.
• An experienced Medical Receptionist with 10-19 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $15.40 based on 893 salaries.
• In their late career (20 years and higher), employees earn an average total compensation of $16.

Source: Payscale

Monitor Technician

A Monitor Technician observes the heartbeats and electrocardiograms (EKG) of patients in intensive care units or ICUs. They typically monitor the vital signs of patients that require medical assistance 24-7.

Responsibilities of Monitor Technician Include:

• Viewing heart rates on a computer monitor to detect any abnormalities on EKG machines
• Make sure patients are being sent medications in the correct doses
• Calculating dosage for patients with special needs, like alcoholics or diabetics
• Checking the rooms of patients frequently to ensure they are resting comfortably

Salaries of Monitor Technician:

• An entry-level Cardiac Monitor Technician with less than 1 year of experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $12.84 based on 46 salaries.
• An early career Cardiac Monitor Technician with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $14.16 based on 195 salaries.
• A mid-career Cardiac Monitor Technician with 5-9 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $15.41 based on 140 salaries.
• An experienced Cardiac Monitor Technician with 10-19 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $16.21 based on 174 salaries.
• In their late career (20 years and higher), employees earn an average total compensation of $18.

In-Home Caregiver

When we talk about caregivers, we often think of an individual that works with the elderly. However, nurses can also serve as caregivers for patients in their own homes.

Responsibilities of an In-Home Caregiver Include:

• Helping patients eat and clean up afterward
• Bathing and grooming patients, plus helping them do their hair and nails
• Assisting with toileting (going to the bathroom)
• Answering any questions or concerns patients may have during treatments or recovery from surgery
• Also checking the vital signs of patients, administering medications, and performing EKGs

Salaries of In-Home Caregiver:

• Home Caregivers pays its employees an average of $13.65 an hour.
• Hourly pay at Home Caregivers ranges from an average of $9.54 to $19.53 an hour.
• Home Caregivers employees with the job title Caregiver make the most with an average hourly rate of $11.99, while employees with the title Caregiver make the least with an average hourly rate of $11.99.

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Summary

So above are the 7 best nursing jobs you can do as a student. You can choose any of them and work on the job. To choose the best job for you, you need to know your experience, type of profession, or specialization. That you are familiar with. But make sure to consider the schedule and work-life balance when choosing a job…

More Resources on the Best Jobs for Nursing Students:

• Best Nursing Jobs for New Nurse Grads
• Types of Nursing Jobs and Where to Find Them
• 15 Best States to Work as a Nurse
• Primary Nursing vs Team Nursing