Most students have a part-time job which helps with essentials and general living costs associated with being at uni. It also helps to top up the government bursary or loans that don’t always stretch as far as we’d like!
I study Adult Nursing and I’ve found that HSS students are often placed under the added pressure of having to complete professional placement hours alongside our course hours and assignments, which can make finding a part-time job difficult. Finding a job with local hospital temporary staffing banks means HSS students can work as healthcare assistants in a hospital and pick shifts which suit our busy schedules.
As my NHS Bursary only covers my rent each month, I find that I have to do a couple of shifts a week in a hospital to have a comfortable income each month. A benefit of working on a hospital bank is that you’re paid weekly so don’t need to wait long for your pay. With my rent paid via my bursary, it means that any money I earn from my job is used to pay for food, bills (phone, car insurance etc.) and also gives me some extra money for socialising with my mates or treating myself when I feel like it.
HSS students usually have a longer course length than our peers but I find it’s an advantage as it means we can work during holidays and breaks instead of heading home, helping to bring some more pennies in! We also enjoy the added benefits of working weekend and night shifts, which is useful for a bit of extra money as you get enhanced pay rates. Some of my colleagues who are studying physiotherapy are also able to work part-time as therapy assistants, which is slightly more money than they would get for healthcare shifts, so it’s worth asking particular hospitals what benefits there are for joining the temporary staffing banks.
Of course you don’t have to work in hospital if you’re doing a healthcare course, but it does give you the opportunity to practice skills that are relevant to your course and future career, whilst getting paid! Some students decide to work in bars or retail as this works better for them but personally I like the flexibility of healthcare shifts at the hospital as my schedule is too packed for set hours each week (I play sport for the uni, am a senior rep for my course as well as having to juggle my studies!).
