Externships are WONDERFUL!!

Nursing Students General Students

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I started my externship at the local hospital about 3 weeks ago, and I can't believe how much I've learned already, after just 4 shifts on the floor. After another 2 weeks, I will have more floor nursing experience after a month than I have in the entire past year of nursing school. And the externship lasts a year. By the time I graduate, I will be SO far ahead of the game compared to other students, I almost feel guilty about it. :chuckle And I'm pretty much guaranteed a job in the unit as a new grad RN next year after graduation.

If externships are offered at the hospitals in your area, DEFINITELY take advantage of it. The experience you gain cannot be measured, it's such an awesome opportunity, and you get PAID!!

Specializes in Women's Health.
Yes, I did get the OB position (the only one!)! I'm loving it!

I'm glad you are loving OB! I'm excited about starting my OB rotation tomorrow. It sounds like your externship program is a lot like mine. We can work up to 40 hours per week, and no less than 24 hours during the summer, and work at least one shift during the school year.

Referring to what someone else posted, you do need to get all your info about the specific program you are applying for. Some of them have little "catches", for instance, a local hospital here requires their externs to pay them!

Some of them have little "catches", for instance, a local hospital here requires their externs to pay them!

Whoah. Never heard of that. How much do you have to pay?

:uhoh21:

Specializes in Women's Health.

It's pretty ridiculous. You have to pay for credit hours. I can't remember how many...you basically pay your schools tuition. I don't know anyone who's an extern there! And what's even more crazy...is that they pay you hourly wages too! I never could get a straight answer out of them as to why, or the logic behind that.

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
I'm glad you are loving OB! I'm excited about starting my OB rotation tomorrow. It sounds like your externship program is a lot like mine. We can work up to 40 hours per week, and no less than 24 hours during the summer, and work at least one shift during the school year.

Referring to what someone else posted, you do need to get all your info about the specific program you are applying for. Some of them have little "catches", for instance, a local hospital here requires their externs to pay them!

Yep, I interviewed for a position at another hospital last fall (they took on externs after only one semester). You do get a competitive hourly wage, but they consider the externship as training/education, and as such, have put a price tag on it. For every month you work as an extern, you owe them one month as a new grad RN after graduation. If you choose not to work for them after graduation, you have to pay them $100 for every month you owe them. If I had taken the position and then decided not to work for them as a new grad, I would have had to pay $1800 to buy out my contract with them. Between that and the 90-minute drive (one way), I opted to hold out for an externship at the local hospital. The gamble paid off and I couldn't be happier!

For every month you work as an extern, you owe them one month as a new grad RN after graduation. If you choose not to work for them after graduation, you have to pay them $100 for every month you owe them. If I had taken the position and then decided not to work for them as a new grad, I would have had to pay $1800 to buy out my contract with them.

I never heard of an internship like that!

I start my 6 week externship in the ED on July 11th. I can't wait to jump into it. :)

I never heard of an internship like that!

Yeah, me neither. No contract or payments here.

On the other hand, I really can't blame facilities that require it. They do spend a lot of time training you and it is unfortunate to do all that just to have you work elsewhere.

Nevertheless, I'm glad they don't require it at my facility. I love it but I'm not sure I want to work there after graduation, mostly because their retirement benefits aren't that great and I'm at an age where I need to worry about retirement.

:coollook:

I COMPLETELY agree. Am in the middle of a 10-wk externship at a major teaching hospital, 36 hrs/week, $14/hr....don't owe the hospital anything, and hopefully I'll have a job offer on my particular floor, at my particular hospital, when I'm done. I can float to 3 different floors for a day...so I'm following a wound care APN for a day to brush up to sterile technique/changing dresses, etc....going to the ER for a day, and going to observe a brain surgery for a day. It's awesome. And I learned more in 3 shifts, clinically speaking, than I did in all of my rotations combined. My last med surg clinical is going to be cake compared to this. I wish I could get "credit" for it (i.e. I don't have to take the last 7 weeks of nursing school, doing the internship, so I can study for the Nclex.). Hmmm.... maybe I'll look into that, though I'm sure I don't get any credit.

I started my externship at the local hospital about 3 weeks ago, and I can't believe how much I've learned already, after just 4 shifts on the floor. After another 2 weeks, I will have more floor nursing experience after a month than I have in the entire past year of nursing school. And the externship lasts a year. By the time I graduate, I will be SO far ahead of the game compared to other students, I almost feel guilty about it. :chuckle And I'm pretty much guaranteed a job in the unit as a new grad RN next year after graduation.

If externships are offered at the hospitals in your area, DEFINITELY take advantage of it. The experience you gain cannot be measured, it's such an awesome opportunity, and you get PAID!!

Specializes in Med-Surg/Telemetry.

I only have a year left before graduation. I just sent my application for an extern position. I am hoping I get hired. Most of My classmates have worked as externs for almost a year now. Experienced wise, I'm already a year behind. THe clinicals have not been helpful, because I havent done any IV starts, foley cath insertion, removal, NG tube insertion, all those good stuff.... Do you folks think i can gain a lot of experience with only 8 months before graudation? (assuming I work 2, 8 hour shifts a week or 20 hours a week during school, and full time during the winterbreak). 1 year is not as much as 2 years of experience working as extern, but I'll take the 1 year and learn as much as I can.

Do you folks think i can gain a lot of experience with only 8 months before graudation? (assuming I work 2, 8 hour shifts a week or 20 hours a week during school, and full time during the winterbreak). 1 year is not as much as 2 years of experience working as extern, but I'll take the 1 year and learn as much as I can.

You should be fine as long as the externship program is a good one. Some of them are nothing but CNA positions so you need to be careful about which program you go into. Ask around and find out what the program is like. I'd also watch your work hours ... you don't want to work so much that you jeopardize your school work and graduation.

:coollook:

I did an externship in a transplant unit for almost a year, and I am in the ICU now. I learned so much and made 15 bucks an hour doing it. I encourage anyone doing it to switch up units as often as possible (if thats an option) and and take advantage of the opportunity to see your career options after graduation. You have forever to practice minor skills, but you will not get another opportunity to see how a unit is run, how you click with nurses in a certain place, how the physicians and managers treat the nurses, how YOU like OB, surgerey, etc., and most people will tell you its more difficult to switch units after graduation because both managers have to approve. And most importantly, go into it with an open mind and be flexible. I thought when I started nursing school that I wanted to be a transplant nurse and it took me a year to realize that I am more of a realist than I thought I was, and I didn't like transplant at all. Good luck to all the externs-- and carpe diem-- be (annoyingly) assertive to get all of the experience you can.

Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
... Do you folks think i can gain a lot of experience with only 8 months...

Easy question there. You're only gonna get tons!

Just finished week two of my externship, which lasts only two months. Already I've been in on so many things I didn't get a chance to experience as a patient care tech. Wish ours was eight months!

You're very lucky. Get involved in as much as you can. Ask lots of questions. Follow patients to other units when they're transferred for additional care, procedures, etc. Check out the paperwork, computer operation, code protocols, crash cart, etc.

Don't shy away from trying new skills. Do them as they show you, even if it's different than how you were taught in school.

Good luck!

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