Lauren
With the spring semester finally coming to a close, making a plan of how you'll spend your few months of freedom (without your brain going to mush) is more important than ever. While COVID makes it a little more complicated to get experience, there are so many opportunities to make the most out of break, gain valuable exposure, and maybe make some extra money - if you take the initiative to look for them! Here's some things I've learned or done over my breaks that helped them be more productive (while having downtime to actually take a break)!
Internships/Externships
Internships and externships (the difference between them? I couldn't tell you) are an amazing opportunity to gain exposure, show your skills to potential post-grad employers, and gain an immense amount of confidence in your abilities as a nurse. These jobs usually follow a preceptor schedule for 12 hour-shifts 3 days per week. It is definitely a major time commitment, but it will have you push your limits as a student nurse and give you an abundance of clinical experience that you can apply to your further studies (plus it's usually paid). Internships and externships for the summer often have information come out during January/February, so keep an eye on career websites and if possible, connect with your peers who have done them before. However, it's important to know that you don't need an internship to be a great nurse! Internships for nursing are relatively hard to come by and often have extremely competitive applicant pools, so it's not an end-all-be-all. But if you do have to an opportunity to apply, definitely give it a shot!
Make the most out of your connections Even it's your mom's college roommate's brother's wife, a connection can do wonders in healthcare. If you know someone, reach out to them even if it feels a bit uncomfortable! It's important to make sure you never expect anything out of it and to convey that in your message, but rather simply looking for advice, guidance, or to take a look at your resume. Their words can be extremely valuable to plan your next steps. Also, LinkedIn is an amazing resource if you don't have as many personal connections. It never hurts to ask (if you do it the right way)!
Work on your resume and interview skills
Having some time off is the perfect opportunity to fine-tune or update your resume, practice writing cover letters, or doing a few mock interviews. During the semester, it seems like there is absolutely no time to be worried about these things, so don't be shy to improve your skills during this time! At Binghamton, the Fleishman Center is an amazing resource for anything professionalism. You can book same-day appointments through hireBING for (judgment-free) mock interviews, cover letter reviews, resume reviews, networking advice, and help with job searching. When it's a bad beach day, think about booking an appointment!
Volunteer work
Although COVID has made it a bit more complicated (what else is new), there are so many opportunities to gain experience in the healthcare setting. Not everyone has the privilege of being able to work for free, but even a couple hours a week can make a tremendous difference! Look into local hospitals' policies about volunteer work and make some calls to find out more. The work may not be particularly thrilling, but you can engage with other healthcare professionals and learn more than you'd think (also, my hospital gave me credit for a free Starbucks drink every time I went). Additionally, COVID-19 vaccination sites are a great opportunity for clinical experience - definitely look into it if you're certified!
Shadowing
Similar to volunteer work but a bit more intimate, shadowing helps you get a foot in the door while getting amazing exposure to things you may not have seen. Shadowing is more feasible if you already have connections to a healthcare professional, but it's always worth a shot to make a few calls or send a few emails!
Taking classes/studying abroad
Coursework during the break doesn't always sound particularly ideal, but with so many online options because of COVID it's never been a better time! To get ahead on your gen ed's or to help fulfill minor requirements, I have never regretted taking classes over my breaks to ease my workload during the year. For nursing majors, studying abroad is something of a fantasy during the the fall and spring semesters, but there are so many fantastic programs during school breaks that will give you an unforgettable experience while also satisfying coursework requirements. Check out the education abroad office at Binghamton for more information.
Make some $$$
Nursing school can be expensive ... very very expensive. Whether it's nursing-related or not, try to pick up a full or part-time job to fill your summer and make some money! Nursing aide, patient care associate, and other similar positions are great entry-level healthcare jobs that provide extremely valuable experience, but even working in a restaurant or in an office can teach you valuable skills that you can apply to nursing like multitasking, organization, and prioritization.
Be ready for rejection and have a back-up plan
Although it's easier said than done, having a back-up plan is always crucial when your plans aren't concrete. I've had so (so so so so) many opportunities that have fell through for my school breaks, so it's important to start early and be okay with rejection - rejection is simply redirection! Be proactive, be ambitious, and be ready to put in the work - and everything will work out just fine! You got this!!!
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