Advice for externships

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · May 25, 2014

A lot of schools have a Senior Capstone class in your last semester. You need to put in a certain number of hours (mine is 130 hrs) with a preceptor. The preceptor is a nurse at the hospital in a department that you have an interest in. Depending upon your area of interest, number of students wanting the same area (ER, ICU, L&D), and number of nursing schools needing placements at the hospital you may or may not get your first choice. I got placed in a Level 4 NICU at a children's hospital about 75 miles from me. Fortunately, it is summer school and there is less competition from other nursing schools for placements.

RunBabyRN · May 25, 2014

Talk to your nursing department about this particular question. I know that here, over the summers (as our program is only fall and spring), there is an opportunity through another university for rural preceptorships, which many students do. We, like Don1984, had a senior preceptorship/capstone. Ours is 180 hours.

sesiliachan · Jun 4, 2014

Thanks guys! ^_^

seconddegreebsn · Jun 4, 2014

I am doing an externship (along w/ 200+ volunteer hours) becuase my school woefully underprepared me clinically - it might be good to talk with current students and see how they felt about their clinical experience. It also depends how competitive the market is where you live - I'm in NYC, which has one of the worst markets in the country so I need any edge I can get when it comes to my job search.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Jun 4, 2014

we do not have externships because the individiual cannot do much without a license. Interns are utilized as aides, per our nurse practice act, but at least they get to observe and assist and get the "feel" of the hospital.

Everline · Jun 4, 2014

We have a preceptorship in our last semester that is similar to what has already been described here. We do a certain number of hours with a nurse in a specialty of interest to us. During this preceptorship, we are expected to do much of what we will do when we are nurses and we are graded accordingly. Only after we pass preceptorship can we graduate and take the NCLEX. I think they allow us to submit two or three areas of interest and they TRY to get us into one of them.

BusiestBSN · Jun 5, 2014

My school offers a practicum (preceptorship) during the last semester before graduation. But I still applied to an external residency for this summer at the local city hospital.

First, I went onto their website and saw the externship listing. I applied and provided a resume. When called for an interview (you were only asked if you were being seriously considered), I then brought in 2 recommendations and my transcripts, as well as my CNA license. From there, the nurse recruiters met and narrowed it down from 90 potential applicants to a final group of 13. I was hired in the spring and start next week. So based on that, I think my GPA & resume got me the interview but my recommendations and in person impression got me the position.

My recommendation is to apply for every externship, residency, or preceptor type position you can find. It is an awesome experience and can help you network, as well as boost your resume for when you graduate. There are some people in my externship program who are only living in my city for the summer so they could accept the position.

In regards to the interview, read this beforehand: http://nursing.jhu.edu/life-at-hopkins/center/documents/interview_guide.pdf. Know your hospital (specialty units that have been recognized, mission statement, core values, etc.) I think it was a big help for me.