What jobs did you do before nursing?

2 For a short time 20 years ago I cut hair, I consider myself a "people person". I also worked as a medical assistant (certified ophthamic assistant to eye surgeons, and Lasik technician) for 13-14 years so this helped me feel more comfortable (a little) as a new grad because of previous experience interacting with doctors and patients.

Just curious what other jobs you did before going into the nursing field? Do you think your previous experiences help you now?
I became a nurse (LVN) at age 25 and earned my RN license at 29 years old, so I was quite young when working these non-nursing jobs.I was a part-time fast-food worker at age 17 while attending high school. I had worked at two different McDonald's restaurants and a Wienerschnitzel (fast food joint that specializes in hot dogs).I worked part-time at Target, the 99 Cent Store, a temp agency, and a couple of grocery stores when I was 18 and 19 years old. I worked at a couple of group homes for adults with developmental disabilities between the ages of 19 and 20.At age 20 I landed a job at a paper products factory and remained there for three years. I resigned from this job at age 23 and enrolled in a 12-month LVN program full-time because I realized that I was learning no useful skills at the factory that would result in fruitful job offers.

I started nursing at 16. At 16 I worked as a CNA. At 20 worked as a LPN, now I'm 23 and work as a RN. Prior to starting nursing I've worked at mcdonalds, journey's ( a shoe store), best buy and other retail stores. I'm ready to retire. Been working since I was 14 years old! But I have a loooooong time before that will ever happen!

I'm a pre-nursing student, so not technically a nurse. But, before I was a student I was a personal trainer. I thought I would mix my love of exercise with my want to help others. Not a good fit. I learned very quickly that people who are out of shape are out of shape for a reason. It was very frustrating. Before that, I owned my own business. I sold log homes in Kansas which also didn't go over very well. Way back in the day, I worked for the IRS, in a deli, and managed a pizza place.

Rocket Scientist and Computer Programmer.Nope, didn't help me with nursing except that I didn't have to study much while in school.

My first formal job was as an LPN. I did some occasional odd jobs for cash (data entry, grunt labor, and so forth) prior to that, but otherwise I was just a student.

Library Aide while in high school, then CNA in a SNF for a few months. Gave that up for CNA hospital job and also did home health for a couple of years and moonlighting at a candle factory, while obtaining my LPN. After LPN, I worked in a hospital and moonlighted again, at a SNF part time. Finally obtained my RN after 4 yrs of LPN and have been in hospitals ever since.

nursing assistant before certification was required; cashier at 7-11 and lawson's; gas station manager; a couple of factories; lpn since i was 24.

I have been a lot of part time like dresser for half year and waitress for 2 mouths .. in my student time it's just for Social Practice .

I worked a total of 4 hours at a fast food place, once.Body recovery for the Metro Dade Coroner's office.Autopsy assistant for the King County (WA) ME.Bail bonds.Exotic dancer.

Forklift driverFoundry workerTruck InspectorTop that.

Probably every menial job out there?McDonald's cook/cashierWalmart cashierGrocery baggerWaitressDish washerI think the only "typically menial" job I haven't held is janitor but did enough of that in various lab tech positions. (I can attest to how bad pseudomonas smells when autoclaves. Cockroaches being a distant second.)

▫first job worked for a wallet company in a department store embossing gold initials on various leather accessories▫waitress in a pie shop ▫assistant manager of trendy clothing store▫went to LVN school and graduated in Dec '75 began work in hospital a month before my 20th birthdayI had no idea what I was getting into - the waitress job may have helped with multi-tasking and prioritizing but I didn't make that connection at the time