externships

[mmelrose]

hi everyone--

i was wondering if you would be able to tell me about externships in the phoenix area. i am finishing up my second block at GCC and would like to do an externship this summer.

currently, i work as a pca at mayo clinic hospital and unfortunately i cannot apply for their externship program/nurse tech program until after my third block. so i have all summer to work there and hopefully do an externship too.

please let me know if you have any information!

thanks! melody

[Calzonan RN]

I know both Banner and CHW hire externs after block 2, in fact I'm pretty sure CHW hires them after block one, my friend started externing at Chandler REgional after block one. At Banner you work one shift a pay period, and that's it. CHW you can work two shifts a pay period and they require you to work full-time during the summer and Xmas break. Banner doesn't require a work committment from externing but at St. Joes you have to sign a contract saying you'll pay them $100 for every month you externed if you don't hire on after. You owe them one month for every month you externed. I think you've missed the hiring time for St. Joes though, they usually require applications in before the middle of March.

Both pay around $13-14/hr, or that was the going rate last year when I externed. It's a great opportunity to really get to see what happens on a unit and to figure out if that's the area you want to go into. I'd recommend externing to any nursing student who isn't working a full-time job already, I was fortunate enough to extern for a year and felt really comfortable going into a nursing specialty after graduating.

Good luck!!!