Extern? Preceptor?

MvbRn, ASN, BSN · Jul 18, 2008

Hi there,
Can someone out there explain what an extern is/does and why? Is there any compensation or is it like a job shadow thing? I don't understand it. I know it probably sounds dumb but I just never heard of either of these terms until I came to this website.
What about a preceptor? Is that like a trainer?
Much thanks in advance!!!

Also wondering the samething........................

chevyv, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2008

From what I understand (and this may not be correct), an extern is still a nursing student having completed at least one semester of med surg with clinical as well as pharm. A preceptor is your trainer when you've graduated and landed that first time out of nursing school job. I believe you must have taken your NCLEX and passed as well. If you haven't taken your boards, but have scheduled the exam, then you work as a graduate nurse. Hope this is on the right path.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 18, 2008

In most places, externs are still nursing students (not new graduates) who work for the hospital (for pay) in a role specially designed for nursing students. That role usually includes some of the same tasks that regular nursing assistant roles include -- such a basic hygiene, taking vital signs, etc.. However, most extern programs ALSO include some extra things -- such as classes, performing RN tasks under the direct supervision of an RN, etc. -- that regular nursing assistants are not allowed to do.

Hospitals have extern programs to enhance the learning of the local nursing students who may be interested in working for them as RN's after graduation. They also use them as a mechanism to help recruit new nurses for the future.

A preceptor is a staff nurse who acts as a "buddy" and a "teacher" for an extern -- or for an orientee. The preceptor "shows the new person the ropes" of the job, teaching them and sometimes evaluating whether or not the orientee is doing the job correctly. Some hospitals pay a little bonus to nurses who act as preceptors: other hospitals do not.

Esther2007 · Jul 18, 2008

I am currently working as a nurse extern. I have completed 4 out of 6 semesters of nursing school. I make $1.50 more per hour than student nurse tech or cna. I do pretty much everything with the supervision of my preceptor. The only thing I cannot do is trach care because I have not done that skill yet. Since, I am working in a telemetry unit, I have not seen any trach patient yet. It is a great experience and I would strongly recommend it to any nursing student.

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Jul 18, 2008

I just did a summer preceptorship in L&D as a student nurse (little extra training on the side), I got one-on-one training with an RN, much more attention than having to share clinical with 5-7 other students. I did not get paid, in fact, I paid for it. I did externships when I went to medical assisting school long long long ago, it was kinda the same thing but in an office setting; I was not paid for that either. Graduate nurses can sign up for the same preceptorship that I did; I think preceptorships are one-on-one training for nurses and student nurses while externships are primarily for students??

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Jul 19, 2008

i'm a nurse extern now and have been so since after my second semester. i worked on various floors of choice and i highly recommend applying to a nurse extern program whose main goal is to train you to be a rn and not a cna or a shadow! otherwise, don't waste your time.

my program does an excellent job and thus is very competitive. after a year of clinicals in nursing school, you’re allowed to apply to most programs. that means 1 year of an adn program or 3 years of a bsn. for me, being a nurse extern is similar to my nurisng school clinical rotations. my patient load averages 4-5 patients per shift.

by the way, today as a nurse extern i helped to save a life. one of my patients coded on me and my nurse preceptor. i worked the code because it was our patient. i learned from working as a nurse extern how to be productive in the codes and so i was productive when my patient coded. none of what i did during the code today i learned in nursing school! in fact, i used to pray to god that i would never ever have a patient code on me in clinicals because i did not want to be a deer in the head lights just watching and wondering while my instructor asked "what happened?"

don't get me wrong. i assessed my patient to have problems and provided interventions based on what i learned in nursing school... however, everything else i did was based upon what i have seen, discussed, and was trained to do at work. :rolleyes:

last but not least, school and clinical rotations are structured; the real world is not. thus, clinical rotations do not tell a hiring manager how well you will work on his/her floor. on the other hand, working at a hospital, in a department that is fast paced, as a nurse extern, and in a good program will say a lot about your abilities, character, and work ethic! in fact, my hospital gives nurse externs credit for nursing work experience. thus, when i graduate i will have a year of nursing work experience under my belt. gl! :twocents:

l_wheat · Jul 19, 2008

Hi, I did externing after my first semester in the E.D. I was a CNA for about 3 years before that in a SNF. I can tell you, if you have NOT been a CNA, the experience of externing will benefit you. You will get a better feel for patient care in a more relaxed environment than during your clinical rotations. You will not be able to do as much as you can in clinicals BUT you still will be able to do ALOT of things CNAs cannot do (skills wise). Trust me the experience is definitely worth it. One thing however, I did it during the summer, some of my classmates did it during the semester also and regreted holding the position, so if your hospital will work with you and keep you as a per-diem employee perhaps it wouldn't be THAT bad, BUT remember in per-diem positions USUALLY you're expected to work either one day a month or one day a pay period (depending on the facility) and you STILL have MANY, MANY, MANY hours of studying and projects, and etc. in addtion to work so take that into consideration when thinking of working during the semester.

missrisa77 · Jul 20, 2008

At Banner Health, a nursing student can become an extern if they are within one year of graduating nursing school. You are basically a nurses (your preceptor) shadow. You get to perform basic nursing skills, learn about drips/meds, and learn all about charting, time management, and overall how the unit works. I find it's a really great experience. The only downside is that you can't perform venipuncture or do anything with medications or IV lines/pumps. But if you can do it, go for it!

AtomicWoman · Jul 20, 2008

Some hospitals around here are cutting back on extern jobs...

missrisa77 · Jul 20, 2008

At Banner Health, a nursing student can become an extern if they are within one year of graduating nursing school. You are basically a nurses (your preceptor) shadow. You get to perform basic nursing skills, learn about drips/meds, and learn all about charting, time management, and overall how the unit works. I find it's a really great experience. The only downside is that you can't perform venipuncture or do anything with medications or IV lines/pumps. But if you can do it, go for it!

1. I don't mean to do things out of your scope..... I meant if you can get an externship position, go for it!

2. Also, yes, externs are paid employees of the hospital.

ViolettaCCU, MSN · Jul 21, 2008

This summer I started a job as a student nurse intern at a local hospital. (I am going into my second semester of nursing school.) Its great getting the hands on experience, however, I've discovered that it has been a lot of CNA stuff that I've already learned in "theory" and now in actual practice. The downside is that after I am done with the CNA stuff, there really is no time for nursing stuff - I am hoping that after this semester (with more skills under my belt) this will change (hey-I could take the NCLEX-PN definitely move onto more nursing stuff after this semester).

So, yeah, it feels like I'm being trained as a CNA and not an RN. Most of the time, whatever RN I'm hooked up with, I follow, ask questions, observe and they are happy to show or demonstrate.

On the downside, some of the CNAs on the floor just sit at the front desk, surfing the internet or reading the newspaper, while call lights are going off all around them (!). They always take extra long lunch breaks and heaven forbid if I ask them to help with a hoyer lift! And they've been there for years!

Instead I keep my GOAL in sight: a little over a year from now my life will be SO different! My nurse manager even said that to encourage me in that those CNAs are doing what they do and thats all that they will do. Meanwhile, my goal is much higher and the position I am doing now is only temporary. BTW there are 3 RNs on the floor that did the same student nurse intern as I am doing now...and they STAYED on the floor instead of requesting a different floor - now THAT certainly tells me something, too!

The best part about doing what I'm doing now is that I can take time for the patient and utilize my therapeutic communication skills, compassion and care.