Any nurse externs out there?

U.S.A. Oklahoma

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Specializes in Psychiatrics, Ks. state hospital.

Our instructor was telling us that after the 2nd semester we can apply at the hospitals around OKC for an extern job. Does anyone have any info on what this job consists of? (Pay rate, duties, hours)

Thanks in advance.

It's pretty much shadowing an RN, learning the duties of the particular area in which you're externing, learning skills, developing assessment skills, etc. Pay is roughly that of a CNA (in Tulsa at least is about the same). If you aren't in classes, like for the summer, they'll have you on a two -three 12/hr shift schedule (if your area or unit operates on 12 hour shifts that is). However, most extern programs for the summer have cutoff deadlines to apply in March or April. Some may take externs on the fly but for mine, I had to apply as if it were for an actual position at the hospital (applied online), then the called for an interview, etc.

Specializes in Home Health CM.

Yeah, I worked as an intern. It's roughly 8 hours per week. In the summer, you have the option to work almost 40 hours per week. You can get experience in head to toe assessments, helping with admit and discharge paper work, IV starts, foley catheters, etc. The nurses love having you around because you are able to do the things that they can not delegate to CNAs, like IVs and admits. The pay rate is roughly around $8 per hour but the experience is great. It's like going to clinical but getting paid for it. I did that for about 1 year before I graduated and it helped me land a job on the floor I was working on.

I highly recommend it because then it will be easier to get a job when you graduate. Good luck!

Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I worked as a Nurse Partner at OUMed Center for a year while I was in nursing school. GREAT experience!!! I got paid $10/hr plus shift diff which I think was $1/hr for nights and weekends. I LOVED it.

They were very flexible and it was all self scheduling. I was assigned to be with one RN for while but then ended up with whoever needed help basically. During the summer I was able to basically work full time if I wanted to.

I would highly recommend working as a nurse extern, you really cant get better experience while in school.

Apply early because there is just a limited number of slots and there are a LOT of nursing students applying for them just fyi, I had no idea about that. OU puts the applications in order by GPA and a lot of nursing students out there have 4.0s, they also put them in order by where you at in school (seniors first, etc). I was a junior and I didn't have a 4.0 so I went up to the floor I wanted to work on and introduced myself and left my name and number so they would know I was really interested and would remember me....I got the job and was hired as an RN there as well.

Good luck :)

Specializes in Med Surg, Telemetry, ICU, ER as an Aide.

Hi everyone,

I just got accepted into a nurse externship in here in New Jersey, its a 3 12 hour shift days, for 8 weeks, thought its unpaid :( but i'm still doing it as I feel i could work as a CNA and shadow a nurse in a specialty of my choice!

Specializes in Med Surg, Telemetry, ICU, ER as an Aide.

By the way, below is a link for externships state-wide https://allnurses.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7575&d=1260416520

I really wish someone would have told me about this when I started nursing school.

The summer is now over, I am starting 3rd semester this week, and am worried now that I missed a great opportunity.

Any other suggestions on obtaining a job in the final semester of school would be sooo appreciated.:)

Specializes in Med Surg, Telemetry, ICU, ER as an Aide.

It's all good. Whether you get an externship or not bears no closure on you getting a job period. What do I mean by that? It means that upon passing the nclex, it may take you 6 months average to a year maximum ( though I have seen people who got jobs 3 months after passing the nclex with no prior hospital work experience), the bottom line is YOU WILL GET A JOB. The externship may serve an advantage to others and people like me who got it, but it doesn't stop you from not getting a job post nclex licensure.

I really wish someone would have told me about this when I started nursing school.

The summer is now over, I am starting 3rd semester this week, and am worried now that I missed a great opportunity.

Any other suggestions on obtaining a job in the final semester of school would be sooo appreciated.:)

Keep looking at the hospital websites for postings for externs/partners/apprentices. I am a Nurse Apprentice and I applied in November and started working in January, so you could try to do that your last semester.

Great experience. IBMC pays $12/hour for the externship. You follow the nurse around and watch how they chart, do caths, draw blood...and basicially anything else that you're qualified to do. The ER is a little different than the floors I think. I felt like they really wanted me to know more than I did and be a lot faster than I was. Also, I worked full time hours and it was just for a month.

I just started my 3rd semester of nursing school and have just accepted a job offer from OU Childrens for a nurse partner (haven't started yet) so, its definitely not too late for you either. Alot of hospitals will waive requirements under CNA's, PCTs, etc for nursing students with 2 clinical semesters under their belt. Just call HRs and ask what positions you qualify for, I had alot of luck with that. I have friends that work at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital, Norman Regional, Integris, OU, and we've all just gotten our jobs within the last couple months...they're are definitely still opportunities out there. Good luck.

Worked at the VA Medical Center this summer... $16.20 an hour, with preceptor. What a great experience. I'd highly suggest the VA for this next year's group of extern applicants :)

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