Will summer internship help me get a job?

llg, PhD, RN · Apr 14, 2009

My hospital definitely gives a hiring preference to those students who have done some sort of internship, externship, or extended student-preceptorship. Those types of programs provide and immersion in a clinical envrionment that help the student get comfortable with basic nursing skills and hone critical-thinking skills in real-life situations.

They also seem to minimize the "reality shock" that many new grads feel in that first RN job by giving them a glimpse into the reality of full time nursing work while still having a "safety net" in place. The students find out what it's "really like" and then can use that knowledge as they finish up their schoolwork to prepare themselves better for the reality that they have gotten a chance to experience.

Finally, I believe it gives students the chance to make a more informed choice about what job to seek as a new grad. I've known many students who have changed their minds about their new grad jobs as a result of having spent time in an in-depth experience such as an internship, externship, etc.

Be_Moore · Apr 15, 2009

In agreement with the above poster. In addition, at my facility, the ONLY new-grads who are hired into Critical Care are those who have done an internship, externship, or worked on the floor as a tech prior. No outside new-grads get hired, period...and pretty much all the new grads who do one of the above options get hired. So if you do it, and you click with the staff and hit it off with your manager..at my facility, you are basically assured a job.

Riversurfer · Apr 15, 2009

Thanks for both of the above replies. I would love for the internship to turn into a full-time position, but if nothing else, I think I would be that much more confident when I start working, wherever that may be. I have learned so much this past semester in my senior med-surg course. I think another six weeks working one-on-one with a preceptor would be an invaluable experience and put me that much further ahead of the game when my career starts.

fiveofpeep · Apr 15, 2009

eek. you have to pay 750 to work for an internship? that sounds a little bit sketchy to me. I am thrilled to be doing one this summer that I will be paid for. I would gladly do it for free...but pay...no! Are there any other hospitals around offering similar internships for less money? I have never heard of this for nursing...engineering yes, but I cant believe the economy has gotten so bad that students will have to pay for an internship to get experience!