Can an RN student from another state extern in TX?

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Specializes in psych, ltc, case management.

Hello friends,

I currently go to school in NJ but I am interested in finding an externship in Austin TX.

My first question is...can students even do that?

Next, does anybody have any hospitals that they know have externships? Or if you can do one better, good externship programs?

Thanks!:redpinkhe

Lauryn

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Hi Lauryn,

First of all, can you define 'externship'? Is this a 'for credit' course required by your school or a post-graduation thing for you? Are you expecting to be paid?

In the first case, my answer is "maybe" -- some larger teaching hospitals may be willing to work with your school but it would take some finessing on your part. For the most part, these types of arrangements are limited to graduate students who are seeking advanced training & experience in a specialty area... like trauma nursing at Ben Taub in Houston or Parkland in Dallas. There is usually no salary associated with these programs.

In the second case - There are a ton of formal programs for newly graduated nurses (usually in January & June) but only if they have been hired by the hospital hosting the program. You get paid while you are in the training program. Texas is still very 'new grad friendly', but these programs fill up fast. It's best to contact the education departments to get more information.

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Specializes in psych, ltc, case management.

Hmm okay. Maybe externships don't exist in TX like they do in NJ. Here you can work in a hospital before you graduate in a special program for students that lasts 8-10 weeks, not affiliated with your school, and get paid.

So, even though I will only have one year of nursing behind me as of the summer, I will be able to find a hospital that will let me work kind of like a junior nurse..not an aide but not an RN either.

I would love to live in Austin when I graduate though, and I thought an externship might be a good way to get my foot in the door at a hospital there..

I've tried to find out about going to TX with a NJ liscense and it's really confusing. I know NJ isn't on the list of states that is directly recipracal with TX...

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I am from Louisiana and i could get an extern job in TX....I am currently attending a TX school, but Im pretty sure that has nothing to do with it. I really think it depends on the hospital....and yes there are extern programs where you kinda work as a "junior" nurse, but I don't really know of a 8-10 week timeframe...just til you graduate NS.

I would suggest contacting the hospitals in the area you plan to move to and talking to the nurse recruiter....I'm sure they don't really care where you are from as long as you will soon have RN behind your name :)

Good Luck!

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

yes you can. i know texas children's in houston took a lot of out of staters one year for their externship program.

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