Externship

I am looking into applying for student nurse externship programs for next summer as I will be graduating Dec '11. I was wondering is anyone currently doing an externship program? If so, how is it? What do you do? Do you like it? Would you recommend other nursing students to apply for one? I have several hospitals in my area that offer them and I plan to just apply to all of them and then see if I get accepted, but I feel like out of all the nursing students in my area, are my chances actually good to get accepted? Anyway, just wondering! Thanks in advance [/quote']

Externships are a great idea. However, no one on this forum has a crystal ball .. so we can't say whether or not you'll land a position.

It is definitely worth it to apply where you can, though. I applied to 4 hospitals, received interviews for 3 of them, and was offered 3 jobs. I accepted the one that fit my needs best. Mine actually just started this week, but I think the experience I'll be getting is invaluable, especially when I'll be applying for RN jobs this spring.

Just remember that certain externships require different things; for instance the one that I accepted required no less than a B in any nursing course, minimum 3.0 GPA, and current standing as an upcoming senior BSN student (they don't hire ADN students for the externship). Another hospital strongly preferred BSN students (they hired 53 BSN student externs and 2 ADN student externs).

Definitely read the fine print, call nurse recruiters to get information, and apply where there are openings. Best of luck!

I'm currently doing an externship. I'm in a hospital-based 2-year diploma program, and going into my second (senior) year this fall. It's great experience, all those extra hours on the floor will put you light years ahead of your fellow students when school starts again. It won't guarantee you a job when you graduate, but it will give you the best possible chance of landing one, you'll be more desirable than all the new grads who didn't have an externship. You'll be competing with hundreds of other students for an extern position, but apply for every program you can possibly commute to and keep your fingers crosses. One more tip - they take applications early, like Jan-Feb-March so start researching in Nov/Dec where the programs are and how to apply.

thanks both of you for the advice! i have already contacted a few hospitals for application deadlines and what not. i figure it is worth a shot...could be a turning point in my future-career Rhody-Girl..what do you do at your externship? I've heard from a friend that she would start off by caring for one patient and then pick up another after a few weeks and at the end she would have four patients. Most of ours are 10 weeks, pay between 10-12 an hour, and some require you to continue to work at the facility at least one weekend a month while you finish school. have you been told that it increases your chances of working at that facility? thanks again :)