Advice on Student Externship in NICU?

[TristateRN]

Hello everyone, the nursing school I attend distributed information today regarding the externships available this summer at the hospital I attend school at. Our instructor told us if we are interested to apply ASAP because there is only 15 slots available. I also work part-time in the hospital as a unit clerk in the NICU, but our NICU won't allow students to do externships. Of course that is the only unit that I have any desire to do my externship. Another hospital about 30 minutes away does allow students to do their externship in their level III nicu so I contacted the HR recruiter and she said she would send an information package to me in the mail. Since I have no idea of how long it will take her to actually send me this info, I was thinking of sending the nurse manager of the Nicu my resume directly instead of just waiting for the HR recruiter to send me info, etc. I just don't want the recruiter to feel like I'm stepping on her toes by going around her. I have already taken the S.T.A.B.L.E. course, I just took the NRP course last month and I have straight A's so far in all my prerequisites and nursing classes. I'm hoping that by including all of this along with my strong desire to be a Nicu nurse upon graduation will help me in getting a slot there. Any advice will be most appreciated. Thanks.

[manna, BSN, RN]

The externship programs around here have pretty strict requirements about where applications should be sent, what paperwork should be included, etc. I think you'd be doing yourself a disservice by trying to bypass the system that facility already has put into place. Just my 2 cents, though, and I don't claim to be an expert on this subject by any means! :chuckle

Good luck! :)

[Jolie, BSN]

The externship programs around here have pretty strict requirements about where applications should be sent, what paperwork should be included, etc. I think you'd be doing yourself a disservice by trying to bypass the system that facility already has put into place. Just my 2 cents, though, and I don't claim to be an expert on this subject by any means! :chuckle

Good luck! :)

I have to respectfully disagree. As a former nurse manager, I welcomed inquiries that were sent directly to me. (Even to NICU Nurse Manager, if the candidate didn't know my name.) Human Resources is a deep black hole in many institutions where resumes and applications disappear, never to be seen again! While it is encouraging that the recruiter you spoke to was willing to send you some information, that is no guarantee that she will forward your application to the NICU manager. I really doubt that anyone will believe that you have "stepped on toes", so to speak. Fill out your paperwork, and send it back to both parties. Good luck!

If anyone from Human Resources has another perspective, please let us know!