New RN/inexperienced nurse considering nurse externship

Nurses General Nursing

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  1. Do you think a nurse externship will help in regards to bridging to an RN position?

    • 4
      Yes
    • 5
      No
    • 5
      This is not the appropriate way to go about finding employment

14 members have participated

Hello everybody!

I am a new RN in a bridge program to become an ACNP. I am a part-time student, and seeking part-time employment as an RN in a hospital setting- preferably in critical or emergency care. As you already know, finding part time employment as a new RN in a hospital setting is very challenging!

I really want to get my foot in the door, but my applications are being immediately rejected by the recruitment teams due to the combination of being a new nurse + needing part time employment around my school schedule.

I am thinking my best shot is to become a nurse extern to get oriented, and get some support from the nurses on the unit for becoming a part-time RN.

Does anyone have any experience or thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance for anyone who takes the time to respond. You guys are the best.

Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

If you fit the program criteria for an externship, there is no harm applying. However, you might find that you don't qualify for many externship programs either. Most will require full time employment during the externship period. It also seems like your education track is a little unorthodox- do you have a BSN, or a bachelors in a non-nursing field with the plan to get your masters when you complete the NP portion of your program? If it's the latter, you might find that a barrier to your acceptance as well. Have you tried applying to non-hospital settings? It may be easier to find employment there. Where I have my own opinions about becoming an NP with little/no clinical experience, ANY experience is better than none.

Thanks for your input! I have a BS psychology and a BSN equivalency through my nursing school, which bridges us straight into the NP program as new RNs. I understand your reservations about non-traditional NPs and I am entering the field with a humble disposition, knowing I have a lifetime of learning ahead of me.

Thankfully, non-traditional NP tracks are very common in my region as well as my hospital of choice. I fully anticipate some "hesitance" from more experienced RNs but I will keep on keepin on anyway, try to be the best nurse I can be. My goal is to gain as much clinical RN experience as possible, thus why I am considering a pay-cut as a nurse extern instead of going to a SNF, where my learning experience would be worthwhile but would not include many of the skills I consider essential.

I was a CNA for several years and really the only way to fund a second Bachelors for me personally was to go through a bridge program, so here I am!

I am applying to skilled nursing facilities as well, but I know that the most applicable nursing experience for me as a future ACNP is through a hospital setting. Thus this is why I'm considering a nurse externship, which are really designed for non-licensed nursing students. The externships here are part-time, and will be able to accommodate my school schedule. There are nurse residencies here as well for new RNs (which I would strongly prefer) but they are full time and I can't participate because of my schooling. So, right now it looks like I will be applying to a the externships as well as SNFs!

Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

No offense, I would hate for my healthcare to be managed by a new NP, that has never worked as an RN......

that at being said as in very early seventies, I worked in compactly of advanced practice, before nearly the advent of NP, we were called nurse clinicians, and we did all the admitting H&p, in a va hosp ER, they only saw the physician , if we thought admission was not warranted....we were all seasoned critical care nurses....

Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

You need some nursing experience

I am attempting to gain nursing experience; that is the purpose of this thread. Please read my comments above.

How did you get into an ACNP program without any nursing experience?

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

I think that a nurse externship will be difficult for you to find, if you're being honest with the employer. Those programs are meant for training new RN's who have every intention of working for the employer after orientation. There may even be contracts to sign with some programs. You, of course, would not be in a position to sign an employment contract.

I also think you're running into the first of many issues having to do with attempting to become an Advanced Practice RN without actually having any experience as an RN. There are threads here about this issue and they are sometimes contentious. Your educational choices are not without critics.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
How did you get into an ACNP program without any nursing experience?

You've apparently missed out on this discussion in the past. Trust me, it is a thing now. And it is causing much debate.

You've apparently missed out on this discussion in the past. Trust me, it is a thing now. And it is causing much debate.

I know this is common with FNP programs, admitting anyone and everyone, but I thought ACNP programs held a higher standard where they require at least a year RN exp. in ICU or ER; is that not the case?

I do want to work with them after the externship, very much! That is literally why I'm considering the externship, which is more than a 50% pay-cut from other positions available to me at SNFs- I'm trying to get my foot in the door at a hospital that has a strong nursing team. I think there may be some confusion here between nurse externships (basically CNA work with an RN preceptor) and nurse residencies (a more long-term nurse training program for new RNs). Lol I hear you when you say it's not without critics, unfortunately this thread is turning into an expression of that.

Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

When I think of the duties of a SNF RN: performing and documenting assessments, performing dressing changes, medication administration (including IV in some facilities), prioritizing the needs of multiple patients, making assignments and delegating task, recognizing changing conditions and calling the physician with recommendations... it all sounds like far more pertinent experience for someone who wants to become an NP than performing tasks as a nurse extern that essentially require no special education or training.

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