What to look for in a student job
Three things matter most:
- Low stress. Your program is already supplying plenty of that.
- A flexible schedule. Your hours shift every semester, so you need an employer who can move with you.
- A manager who understands school and will work around your clinicals and exams.
A job that reinforces clinical skills is a bonus. It builds experience and confidence and makes you more marketable when you graduate. If you work in healthcare, your employer may also offer tuition reimbursement, just read the fine print, since many require you to stay on for a set number of years afterward.
Earn while you learn
When the nursing shortage hit critical mass in 2020, hospitals and nursing programs, especially in rural areas, pushed to grow the workforce. "Earn While You Learn" programs were one result.
Specifics vary by state, but the idea is to help LPN, ADN, and BSN students keep working while school is in session, offset costs, and sometimes guarantee a job after graduation. In Virginia, an Earn While You Learn partnership between Mary Washington Healthcare and Germanna Community College put 30 nursing students to work 12 to 20 hours per week as nursing assistants. In their third semester they moved into targeted clinical pathways and completed 36 clinical hours, with the hospital hoping they would stay on after graduation.
Seven jobs that work with nursing school
1. Nursing companion
Most seniors want to stay in their own homes, and even independent ones often need company. Nursing companions provide nonmedical, in-home support: emotional companionship rather than hands-on care. Most agencies want you to know CPR, basic first aid, and emergency care, but no degree or certification is required.
2. Medical interpreter or translator
If you are fluent in a second language, you can help clinicians communicate with patients who do not speak English. Interpreters work onsite or over video; translators convert medical records and pharmaceutical materials and can work from home. Sign on with an agency so you are not chasing clients.
3. Phlebotomist
Phlebotomists draw blood in hospitals and labs. It is not the same as starting an IV, but it builds the hand skills and patient rapport that make IVs easier later, and it puts you inside the healthcare system.
4. Emergency medical technician
Some students become EMTs first. The course typically runs a minimum of about 170 hours and requires no prior medical experience, though exact hours are set by your state EMS office and vary (BLS). You learn to assess patients and deliver some treatments, the schedule is flexible, and the work teaches you to stay calm in a crisis.
5. Telemetry monitor technician
Techs need a high school diploma plus unit training. You watch cardiac monitors and alert the nurse to abnormal rhythms. It is good preparation for ICU work, though it means staring at a screen for your whole shift.
6. Nursing assistant
Nursing assistants bathe, feed, and dress patients, take vital signs, and help with activities of daily living. It is hard work, but it gives you direct patient care experience and the confidence that comes with using skills you will rely on throughout your career. The median wage for nursing assistants was $39,530 in May 2024 (BLS).
7. Hospital clerk
Clerks work the nurses' station: entering orders into the electronic health record, answering phones and patient questions, and handling administrative tasks. It is usually low stress, and the manager knows exactly what nursing school demands.
Balancing school and work
Working through nursing school is a balancing act, and your mental health is part of the equation. Good mental health takes the same care as physical health: enough sleep, decent nutrition, and exercise. Chronic stress wears down your immune system and pushes some students to drop out. Take the income you need, but do not overdo it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best job to have while in nursing school? Look for low stress, a flexible schedule, and a manager who works around clinicals and exams. Healthcare roles that build clinical skill, such as nursing assistant, phlebotomist, or telemetry monitor tech, give you patient-care experience that makes you more marketable at graduation.
Do I need a certification to work while in nursing school? It depends on the role. A nursing companion or hospital clerk usually needs none, while a nursing assistant needs state CNA certification and a phlebotomist or EMT completes a short training program. EMT courses typically run about 170 hours, though the exact requirement is set by your state EMS office (BLS).
How much can I earn as a nursing assistant during school? The median wage for nursing assistants was $39,530 in May 2024, with most working hourly so you can scale hours up or down by semester (BLS).
Will working in healthcare help me after graduation? Yes. Bedside-adjacent roles build hand skills, patient rapport, and confidence with real charting and care routines, and they put you in front of nurse managers who often make hiring decisions.
Can my employer help pay for nursing school? Many healthcare employers offer tuition reimbursement, but read the fine print. These programs usually require you to stay employed for a set number of years after you finish.
Is it realistic to work and pass nursing school? It can be, if you protect your sleep, nutrition, and study time. Take the income you need without overloading yourself, since chronic stress is a leading reason students drop out.